As Nickolas hurried our way, Cal spun and darted into the woods to our right
"Get back here, Callie!" Nickolas hollered. Quickly I bolted over so I was in front of Nickolas blocking his view of Callie as she fled into the forest.
"Sorry, Nick, gonna have to stop ya here," I say with a grin.
You see this was not that unusual a situation to see at the Woodmen's farm. Nickolas was the head farmhand in charge of the animals with only two other workers to help him handle just over fifty stalls.
His first helper was Peter, a charming young man, had wanted to be out of his home for the summer. So he took an over summer live-in position at the Woodmen's farm. He had a mild tan that went well with his hair that shone like newly fell hay adorning his head in a shaggy way, with blue eyes that sparkled like the mid-day sky whenever he laughed (which was often).
With his only other helper being Callie, Nickolas had quite a bit of work on his hands, even on days when Callie wasn't using my help to escape chores.
Whenever we wanted to hang out for the day in our 'treasure trove', I would plan to head over to her house and distract Nick as she sneaked out the back. As probably evidenced by the fact I was trying to block a full-grown twenty-year-old male, today, like so many other days, did not quite go according to plan.
For some reason, it was like Nickolas had the snout of a bloodhound on the days where we planned to sneak away. Forcing like many another day, it to become a cat and mouse game with me being a friendly cat stoping the tomcat from getting his claws into the silly mouse.
"Hiro, she only did two stalls before going and grabbing her running shoes! What am I supposed to do with the rest of the stalls SHE is supposed to be doing!?" Nickolas exclaimed in an indignant tone.
"Seriously, I get that girls love to hang out and chat a lot but couldn't you do that just fine while shoveling manure?" He said thinking it would work, cause
'Who doesn't love a good chat while working?' he thought, forgetting the smell factor that came with the particular line of work he was thinking of.
"Uhmm, Nick, hate to break it to you buuuuut that literally sounds like the worst chat ever..." Hiro responded with a brow raised in doubt.
Nick shook his head in an exhausted manner.
"And like always, even if I chase after her I won't manage to find her, will I?" He said.
"Of course not," Hiro said happily, "If you just looked around I bet you'd find her easily!"
With a heavy sigh, Nickolas replied, "You always say that."
"Doesn't make it any less true tho~" she quipped back, grinning. "Tell you what, when we get back this evening, I'll help out with evening chores."
*huff*
"Fine. I'll hold you to your word, Hiro." Nick shook his head as he turned and lumbered his way back towards the equine barn.
~Hiro's point of view~
I chuckled as I watched Nick head back towards the barn. 'Poor guy, never had a chance.' I thought as I turned to the woods.
"Hey, Callie, you can come out no- actually hold that thought, I'll come to you," I called softly, noticing Nick glancing over his shoulder, I quickly adjusted my statement.
Heading into the woods I went only as far as three trees in and grabbed the first branch I could reach before pulling myself up into the tree.
Seeing my compatriot a few branches above my position, we share a grin. I raised my right hand and we both got ready, once I dropped my hand we both leaped off of our respective branches. Reaching out my right hand I grasp the rope painted in a camouflage design hidden from sight and Tarzaned my way to the next tree. Continuing this action, Callie and I made our way deeper into the forest.