“That one,” Lily said pointing to one of the cows. “I’ll get her.”

“Why that one?” I asked.

“She’s a good size and is old,” Lily answered. “The herd won’t miss her as much as others.”

“How do you know she is old?” I asked.

“If you don’t believe me, you can look at her teeth,” Lily said. “Besides, I just know.”

“You know I believe you,” I replied.

“Your curiosity again?” Lily asked.

“Uh huh.”

“Getting a cow and taking it home with you?” April asked as her and May joined us.

“Taking her to Marvin,” Lily answered.

“Oh!” the other two pixies chorused.

“That one,” Lily said pointing to one that looked a little muscular than others despite being slightly shorter, “is a young bull. We can take him and a few of the younger females to our home as it gets closer to winter.”

“That’s a good idea,” May said. “That way Jase can milk them closer to home.”

“We’ll have to build another fence,” April added. “That is unless you want Jase to have to dodge cow patties.”

“No thank you. I’d rather not have to deal with cow patties,” I answered watching one of the big beasts defecate. I shuddered. “I’ll pay with more ice cream or candy for the fence.”

“Yay!” The pixies cheered.

“I’ll be right back with our cow,” Lily said.

*

“What in the world?” someone asked as I led the cow through the village. Lily, April, and May rode the cow.

“Where did you find a cow at” someone else asked.

“The getting place,” I answered.

“That makes no sense!” the woman replied. I shrugged as the pixies laughed.

We arrived at butcher shop a few minutes later. Marvin was waiting at the door.

“Follow me around back,” he instructed and led us around the shop to a fenced in yard. “She’s as fine a wild cow as I’ve seen. And you said she was wondering your land?”

“Yep,” I answered. “So, you wanted a third of the meat and the hide for killing and butchering the cow?”

“You remembered that huh?” Marvin asked as the pixies flew from the cow to the roof of the shop.

“Yeah. Why? Were you considering charging me more?” I asked.

“I was considering it,” Marvin answered. I frowned. “But I gave you a price, so we’ll stick with it.”

“Ok It’s a deal as long as we split the choice cuts” I said leading the cow into the fenced in area.

“I can live with that,” the butcher replied as I shut the gate and took the rope from the cow. She started eating grass immediately. We shook on our deal. “I’ll start in the morning so the meat will be ready in two days.”

“Sounds good,” I replied. “Do you know anyone that would be willing to help me make a garden plot in exchange for some of the meat?”

“Hmm. Henry Farmer would,” Marvin said after a moment. “He loves a good steak.”

“I’m guessing Henry is a farmer,” I said.

“Yeah. His farm is on the eastern side of the village just outside the wall,” Marvin informed me.

“Thanks. I’ll go see him,” I replied.

*

“So, you’re the weirdo with the pixie,” Henry Farmer said after I introduced myself. He had been weeding his garden.

“I’m not a weirdo,” I protested as Lily waved at the farmer from my right shoulder.

“Having a pixie as a familiar is a little strange, but that’s life,” Henry said. “Evening little miss.”

“Good afternoon,” Lily replied.

“She talks?” Henry asked with wide eyes.

“Of course!” Lily answered.

“She is a person,” I added.

“Do the other pixies understand us and talk too?” Henry asked fearfully.

“Yes, we do!” May and April shouted from a fence post beside the garden.

“I never meant all those things…” the farmer started to say.

“Don’t worry about it, Henry. We’ve played enough pranks on you over the years to get back at all those things you’ve said,” April replied.

“And if you still feel a little guilty, you can make it up to us by helping Jase and Lily!” May added.

“Help you with what?” Henry asked. I explained about the garden we wanted to make and paying for the work with the beef. “Old Bessie and I will be there tomorrow at 7AM with our plow.”

“Is Old Bessie your familiar?” Lily asked.

“Yes,” Henry said pointing to a horse grazing nearby.

“We’ll see you tomorrow then,” I replied. “I can offer pancakes and honey syrup for breakfast too.”

“I eat before I leave the house. Thanks for offering though,” Henry said.

“We’ll eat the pancakes and syrup!” the pixies chorused. Henry and I laughed.

“Jase, come quick!” Willow shouted flying to us.

“What is it?” Lily asked.

“That vile ferret lover and some of the other villagers just brought the whole mutant bumble bee beehive to the village!” Willow answered.

*

“Trinity, what have you done?” I asked as the pixies, and I arrived at her shop and home. They even had a few baskets of dead bees. The villagers looked proud of themselves.

“I decided to make use of a natural resource,” the alchemist answered.

“This is not the way to use such a natural resource as a beehive,” I said.

“Sure, it is. It’s just like cutting down a tree,” Trinity retorted.

“The hive would have recovered from what we harvested yesterday. Then it could be harvested from repeatedly in the future,” I explained.

“Bah,” Trinity said dismissively. Some of those that helped her snickered. “Don’t you harvest the whole plant when you’re foraging?”

“Depends on the plant and what it is used for,” I answered.

“This is the same thing,” Trinity said.

“And the bees?”

“I can use them in my magic potions,” Trinity replied.

“You know just as well as I do that there is no use for mutated bees in bull crap magic potions!” I nearly shouted.

“Just because you are a failure doesn’t mean Trinity is,” a man our age said.

“Nobody can create magic potions because they don’t exist, you twit,” I replied. “What we do is closer to herbalism than true alchemy.”

“What did you call me?”

“Don’t worry about it, Stephan. Jase is just a failure,” Trinity said placing a hand on the man’s chest. He backed down.

“Whatever. You can forget about buying recipes from me,” I said walking away.