Bordertown, Part VI: The Drinking Horn

The next morning

Grimm stretched as he woke up, letting out a soft, satisfied yawn. Buttercup took this an invitation to sprawl on top of him, stretching her arms toward his face. One hand found his cheek; the other, a horn. The cow -- his cow -- nuzzled his chest.

Morag was already dressed. She'd donned a tunic and shorts and was sitting at the table eating an apple. "Hey," she said, taking a bite. "'bout time you woke up."

"Did I sleep in?"

"Eh. But I'm an early riser, y'know?" She took another bite. "They're servin' breakfast downstairs, if you want any."

"Sounds good to me." Grimm nudged Buttercup. "Buttercup. Wake up. Time for breakfast."

Buttercup shook her head "no" and nuzzled her face into Grimm's chest. "No!" she pouted. "Wanna sleep!"

Grimm laughed. "They might be serving chickpeas."

"That's cheating!" Buttercup moaned. She refused to budge.

"I got this, Grimm," Morag said, finishing off her apple. She set the core on the table and hopped out of her chair. She readied her hand, rushed forward, and delivered a hard slap to Buttercup's butt. The flesh rippled and jiggled from the impact.

Buttercup shrieked and shot up. "Morag, no!" But the fox spanked her again, eliciting another shriek.

The cow tumbled out of bed and shot up to a standing position. "You're mean!" She turned to Grimm. "And you!"

"What did I do?" Grimm protested, laughing.

Buttercup crossed her arms and pouted. "They better be serving chickpeas."

They weren't serving chickpeas, but Millie happily cooked up a small order for Buttercup. She was humming to herself as she worked, wearing a smile that refused to waiver.

"Someone's in a good mood this morning," Morag teased, rapping her knuckles against the counter.

Millie blushed. "I feel much... lighter today, if y'know what I mean." She giggled. "How are you, Miss Morag?"

"I'm great, toots." The fox looked over her shoulder. Grimm and Buttercup were eating breakfast at their table and chatting. "How's the hubby?"

"The hubby's doin' great," Millie purred. She pushed her glasses back up the bridge of her nose. "I swear he skipped to work this mornin'."

"Oh yeah?"

"Mmhmm. He'll be back this afternoon for lunch." She giggled. "And maybe somethin' to eat, too." She winked.

Morag giggled, too. "I'm glad you're happy, kid."

"I was happy before, Miss Morag. But now? Now I'm walkin' on sunshine." She played with her braid. "Oh! By the way, you left somethin' in the kitchen."

"I don't think I --"

Millie hauled an enormous drinking horn onto the counter. It audibly sloshed.

Morag grinned. "Oh. I see."

Millie giggled. "Wouldn't want you to waste all that expensive mead, ma'am."

"Expensive... mead?"

"Oh yes, ma'am. I took a whiff. Smells like somethin' mighty fancy. Maybe even the best mead in the house." The goat winked at her new fox friend.

"Millie, you didn't have to --" Millie grasped Morag's arm.

"Miss Morag... I can't thank you enough for what you did. I can't express how happy I am, how..." She bit her lower lip. "How grateful you came into my life." She looked like she was going to cry. "It means the world to me."

Morag softened. "You deserve it, toots." She offered the goat an earnest smile. "Thank you. For this." She put the strap of the drinking horn over her shoulder and settled the vessel at her waist. "I love it."

"You're welcome, Miss Morag."

"Just call me Morag." She smiled.

"Okay... You're welcome, Morag."

"Better." The fox winked.

"One last thing." Millie reached beneath the counter and pulled out three large silver coins. "Me and Teifi were talkin' last night, and... well... we want you to have these."

"What are they?"

"They'll grant you passage through the gates to the Queendom."

"I didn't know you needed them."

"It's a recent thing. Travelers gotta use 'em to get past the gates, past them big walls. There's one for each of you."

"Millie..."

The goat shrugged. "We were gonna use 'em so I could go to that big fancy temple they've got there. See if they could help me with my... problem." She smiled. "But then you came along."

Morag chuckled. "Are you sure, Millie?"

"I'm sure, Mi-- Morag." She opened the fox's palm and dropped the coins into it. "Teifi and me are happy here. This is our home. You've got a quest of some sort, and we wanna help."

"Thank you, Millie."

"You're welcome, Morag."

"Let me know when you're headin' out, and I'll pack y'all some lunches."

"You're the best, Millie."

"The hubby would agree with you," said the goat with a wink and a smile.

Later, after they'd eaten, they packed everything up and said their goodbyes.

Millie gave Grimm and Buttercup big hugs. "Take care of yourselves, okay? Be safe out there."

"We will!" Buttercup chimed.

Millie smiled. "Glad to hear it, Miss Buttercup." She scratched the back of her head. "Teifi won't be home for a while yet, but he sends his regards."

"Thank you," Grimm said. "Both of you."

"So! Present them coins to the guards at the gates, and they'll let you into the Queendom."

"Will do." Grimm nodded.

"Adventure!" Buttercup exclaimed.

Millie giggled. She turned to Morag and opened her arms. The fox chuckled and embraced her new friend, nuzzling her cheek. "Thank you, Morag. Be safe, okay?"

"I will."

"And protect them bovines over there."

"You think they need it?"

"Mmhmm. He's big, but soft, like my Teifi; and she's a fighter, I can tell, but that's a heart that's easily broken. I can tell these things, y'know?"

Morag nodded. "I'll protect them."

"I know you will, ma'am." Millie gave the fox a squeeze, which Morag returned. Then they parted. "Best be goin' now, folks. You'll have a little bit of travelin' to do once you're through the gates."

"Thank you, Millie," Grimm said, hefting their bags over his shoulder.

"Thank youuuuu!" Buttercup added.

"Take care, Millie," Morag said, waving. "We'll meet again someday soon."

"I know we will, ma'am." Millie was beaming. She waved back at her new friends as they said their goodbyes and headed outside.

Once her guests were gone, Millie looked down at her chest. She looked around, made sure no one was watching, and gave her boobs a shake. She giggled. "Thank you, Morag," she said under her breath. "Thank you so much."