Slime Slayer

Volume 3 Chapter 1 - Harvest Moon

3rd Person Pov

A lone wisp of smoke trailed into a pallid sky. One could trace it back down to find its source, a small hilltop farm.
Specifically, a small, brick building on the fringes of the farm.

Smoke billowed from the chimney into the air like an upward brushstroke.
A young woman stood at the stove in the little building, blowing mightily as
she wiped sweat from her brow.

Her skin had the healthy glow of a person raised in the sun. She was plump in all the places a girl should be-but she was not soft.

Cow Girl : Hmm... About like this?"

Cow Girl wiped soot from her cheeks with the cloth draped across the
shoulder of her work apron and squinted contentedly.

Her bright eyes were fixed on some pork hung neatly inside the shed, visible
through the window.

The smoke enveloped it, gradually bringing out the fat along with an
irresistible aroma. Smoked bacon.
Every year they took pigs that had grown fat on acorns and daisies and
smoked them like this.

There was plenty of pork in the little building, and they would let it smoke all
day. They would keep up the process for several days-bacon was a labor-
intensive product.

So usually, he would lend a hand around this time, even if he did it silently.

Cow Girl: Well, I guess when you have work, you have work,"

Cow Girl said to herself, then laughed as if this didn't bother her one bit.
She knew him, after all. He would come home safely, no question about it,
and then he'd help like he always did.
This belief came so naturally to her she almost didn't have to think about it.

Cow Girl : Hup!"

It felt good to stretch as she rose, after crouching so long to watch the fire.
She stood, arms outstretched, ample chest bouncing, cracking her joints and
letting out one more great breath.
As she raised her face, a corona of light danced over the dark forest huddled
on the horizon. Dawn.

The sun. The start of a new day-although in fact, her day had already been well under way. Beyond the hill, the wheat fields that ran along either side of the road caught the sun's rays and sparkled. The wind bent the crops gently, creating ripples in a sea of gold. The rustle of the stalks sounded not unlike the ocean.

Or so Cow Girl imagined, anyway. She had never been to the seaside. Soon the farm's roosters noticed the morning's approach and began to crow. Their calls coaxed townspeople from their slumber, and thin streams of smoke appeared on the horizon. There were quite a few for such an early hour.
The morning light revealed just how vibrant and lively the town was.

Banners waved atop buildings, streamers in the shapes of dragons or gods whipping in the gust. The same wind made its way over to Cow Girl, brushing her cheeks as it passed.

Cow Girl : Wow..."

She trembled a little at the chill.
The air felt good against her sweaty skin, but it was less cool and more
uncomfortably cold.

The sun striving to rise past the horizon radiated with a soft light. It was fall. The harvest season had come. Summer was over, and it was time to prepare for winter.

Farm and town had both grown busy.
Lively and prosperous, it was one of the world's beautiful seasons.

Though to Cow Girl, the world was always beautiful. She knew everyone was working hard-including him. Yet she also knew he would come and help her. And when he did-yes!

Cow Girl: I'll make him some stew with our fresh bacon!"

First, she would have to make sure he was full and rested. Just the thought lightened her heart, and she all but skipped on her way backnto the main house. After all, fall was also the time for the festival.