Words Can Hurt

Chapter 7 (WIP)

Rays of sunlight crept into the barn that the bulls called home.

Valiente slowly opened his eyes and looked around to find that the other bulls were still sleeping. The sun's positioning told Valiente that it was currently 10:05 am.

Valiente began to calculate. It is 10:05 am. Valiente re-entered the stables at midnight and fell asleep immediately. This meant that he had gotten 10 hours and 5 minutes of sleep. Valiente shook his head. He had to have made a mistake somewhere. He recalculated three times. Once he was sure his brain wasn't lying to him he slowly got up, stretched, yawned and left the comforts of the warm barn. To him 10 hours of sleep was too much. The others had since gotten used to being able to sleep in and did so gleefully.

Valiente emptied his bladder, walked to the house, and peeked inside his window to see if his new owners were awake. Thankfully they were early risers. Juan was reading a newspaper and Nina was just coming into the kitchen carrying something in her arms.

Valiente mooed to get his owners' attention. Nina looked up and saw him at his window. She smiled and walked over to pet him on the nose.

"Morning Valiente, the others still sleeping?" Nina greeted, giving Valiente his morning hug and kiss.

Valiente nodded.

"Well it is Saturday. If they're all awake by noon, I'll feed everyone then."

Valiente nodded. He knew Ferdinand would especially need the sleep considering he stayed up two hours later than he normally does.

He was brought out of his thoughts by the thing Nina was holding. It appeared to be a small bucket full of...tiny brooms?

Nina giggled at the look on Valiente's face, and started explaining: "These are paintbrushes. I want to try my hand at painting today, see if I'm any good at it."

Valiente nodded. ("I don't have a clue in hell what painting is, but if it makes this sweet angel happy, I'm not gonna stop her.")

Nina placed the small bucket on the table. She went back to her room and brought a book of blank paper. She then grabbed an old looking cup from the cabinet and filled it with water and a couple of towels. She paused and looked at her supplies, knowing something was missing. After several seconds she realized she needed a paint holder and the paints themselves. She quickly went and grabbed those from her room.

Nina went to the barn and found a spot to sit where she could see everybody as they slept. Valiente sat down and watched her work.

Nina started with a rough sketch of the sleeping bulls and added Valiente in there. Once the rough sketch was done, she added details and began getting her paints ready. Nina whispered, trying not to wake the others. "Got everyone drawn. Not gotta paint them in yet. I wonder if I should wait, let them wake up first? I know you all gotta have your morning hugs and kisses."

Valiente nodded. He knew how cranky and pouty he and the other bulls became without their morning hugs and kisses.

Nina and Valiente quietly left the barn to let the bulls sleep. They were halfway back to the house when they noticed Juan was getting in his truck. Nina jogged up to the truck. "Where are you going Dad?"

"I'm off to run some errands."

"Okay, Dad. Valiente, wanna watch me paint the picture while we wait for the rest of the bulls to wake up?"

Valiente nodded as the truck pulled away. He scooped Nina up, walked to the cork tree, and set her down under it.

Valiente watched Nina as she slowly painted the scene she drew earlier. ("Holy shit! If this is painting, Nina's really talented!") He looked at the colors she had on her palette.