Lilee catches up to the woman to introduce herself. "My name is Lilee and he's Dimas."
"I'm Nicole." The woman says.
"Would you like help with catching the cow thieves? Because we're more than happy to help."
"For a price." Dimas interjects.
"Can't you say it a bit nicer?" Lilee whispers to Dimas.
"Nope." Dimas answers.
Nicole chuckles. Amused by the two. "Let me get this ol' girl back where she belongs and we can talk about it over some lemonade. You two look like you've been on the road for a while."
Dimas takes a look at himself. His shirt and pants have small stains, a mixture of dirt and grass, from the fights he's been in. While his shoes are covered in dust which is a result of walking on a dirt road. He can feel the thin layer of sweat and grime that covers his arms and face.
[Great… Now that she mentioned it, I can't ignore it]
Lilee's tunic is drenched in sweat, mostly around the collar area. Her boots are covered in more dust than his. Probably because she would drag her feet when she was tired.
The duo follow Nicole back to her farm. The farm is a couple of acres that looks out of place in the dense and lonely forest. Even the grass in the farmland is a different shade of green from the grass in the forest.
The forest path was wide enough for two people to walk side by side and there were random patches of grass that littered it. As soon as the path reaches the property, the path becomes wider and free of grass. It leads directly to a house in the middle of the farmland. The house is a light blue color. Its paint long since robbed of its shine by the seasons. A single peach tree stands in front of the house.
A large section of the property, to the left of the path, is surrounded by a wooden white fence. Inside is a large herd of cows that are lazily grazing.
"I'm starting to regret teaching you how to jump a fence. It was fun n' all when grandpa was the one chasing you but now�� I guess it's true what they say, what goes around comes around." Nicole returns the cow to the enclosure, giving it a light a slap on the rear. "Stay inside this time."
Nicole turns to the duo. "I'll go get the lemonade."
"That can wait." Dimas stops Nicole.
He's dealt with people that like to try to haggle the price down with drinks and snacks. They think that a cup of soda or a cookie is worth half a day's work. An old man once tried to convince him to clean an attic, which would've taken more than a couple of days, in exchange for a handful of expired candy.
"Let's talk payment." Dimas leans against the fence.
Nicole crosses her arms. Her intentions weren't aimed at lowering the price. It was all generous hospitality. However, she's no stranger to business deals and could tell that Dimas wasn't either. "Best I can do at the moment is a place to stay for the night, a warm dinner, and some supplies for the road. If you want Crild, you're gonna have to wait until I can get to town. Which won't happen anytime soon, what with all my cows in danger of being stolen."
Before he can answer, Dimas is pulled aside by Lilee.
"Please give us a minute." Lilee tells Nicole. After a reasonable distance, Lilee begins the duo's impromptu meeting. "I know that you were hoping for Crild but we should help her anyway."
"She's not offering much." Dimas has his mind set.
"Dimas… Please..." Lilee clutches the front of his shirt and looks up at him. "We are partners now and like any relationship, there are compromises. All I'm asking right now is let's please accept." Her pleading eyes are locked into his.
"You really want to help her that bad?" Dimas looks towards Nicole, just to avoid Lilee's stare.
"Yes…" She lets go of his shirt. "That and because I really need a shower."
Dimas couldn't really judge Lilee. Even he started to feel uncomfortable in his clothes ever since Nicole brought it up. As much as he would prefer Crild, the shower sounds too appealing for him to turn it down. Despite this, he'll play it off as it being a compromise on his part.
"You win. We'll help her." Dimas feigns defeat.
The duo walk back to Nicole. A triumphant smile on Lilee's face.
Dimas tells Nicole the good news. "You got a deal. Now, about that lemonade."
After getting their refreshing lemonade, the duo get to work. Dimas inspects the perimeter of the fence. Lilee 'talks to the witnesses' meaning she goes around petting the cows. The two regroup to report their findings.
"The fence is good. No damage anywhere. No spots where the cows could get through. There's a lock on the gate that Nicole uses at night. Nothing that would make this easy." Dimas reports.
"The cows are friendly. Some of them even follow after you pet them." Lilee discloses the result of her efforts.
Dimas begins to tap the area above his upper lip. "That could explain how they can lead the cows away without any trouble. But… The real question is how they get them out."
"Probably Brío." Lilee theorizes.
"Pendejo!" Dimas exclaims while smacking the side of his head.
The sudden yell surprises Lilee causing her to jump. "What happened?"
"I didn't think about Brío." Dimas takes a deep breath. "That's going to leave us with a million possibilities."
"Maybe not…" Lilee walks up to one of the cows and grabs something that hangs from the cow's mouth. "What is this?" She holds the object up to Dimas.
Dimas takes a hold of it. The object is a long string, sticky to the touch. He stretches it to test it but it doesn't rip.
"I think we're dealing with an eight-legged freak." Dimas answers.