That Fateful Night...

The night was a rainy one. The wind howled, and the thunder roared. Grace and her mother were safe and snug in their barn. Somehow, the straw felt more comfortable on a cold, wet night like this as the elements raged on outside. 

Grace jolted awake as she heard the barn door open, and a sharp gust of wet wind blew in. What was going on? It was the middle of the night! Surely Timberly wasn't about to wake them up? Grace blinked sleepily as the barn door closed, but someone was there. She squinted in the darkness, not fully awake yet, and just as confused.

"Hello? Is someone there...?" she asked, lifting her head, pricking her ears. From the darkness, in stepped the small frame of a little boy, barely five years old, and he looked like he had been crying- aside from being soaked in rainwater. Grace had a moment of clarity as the little one stepped closer to her. "Shire...? Is that you? What are you doing out here, sweetie?" She mustered a soft, tired smile, recognizing the boy. Shire was her human's youngest child, She had seen him around the barnyard, curiously toddling about with his older sister, Timberly. He was mute, She had never once heard him speak. Shire looked back over his shoulder at the barn door, sniffling and whimpering. Grace gave a tired sigh, but before she could speak, the lightning flashed, and the thunder boomed, causing little Shire to burst into tears. Grace furrowed her brow in concern, her ears going back. "Shire- ... Shire.... shh... come here..." Shire toddled his way over to Grace, who shifted herself a little, "Sweetheart, come here... sit with me." Shire dropped down next to her, and cuddled close, crying into her fur. "What are you doing out here, hon?" She nuzzled him with her nose, "why aren't you inside with your mom and dad?" after a brief silence, she sighs and drops her voice to a soothing tone, "Are you... afraid of the thunder and lightning?" Shire hic'ed and gave a little nod, "I see..." 

Grace didn't say anything for a while. Shire had his head against her side, listening to her breathe. He seemed soothed as he had stopped crying. when the thunder clapped again and he tensed up, Grace nuzzled him gently. "I don't know why you want to be here... but.. if you feel better right here, I don't mind." she felt a maternal wave wash over her watching him. She smiled, giving a grooming lick over his hair, "I'll protect you. don't worry," She hummed the lullaby her mother used to hum to her as a calf, keeping her muzzle close to him.

The bright morning came, and Timberly's eyes fluttered open. she let out a loud, and dramatic yawn before preparing for her morning. The first order of business, wake her little brother for breakfast! Timberly pulled on her clothes and sloppily brushed her hair walking down the hallway.

"Shire! Come on, buddy! time to wake-" Her voice caught in her throat as she entered her little brother's room. Shire wasn't in his bed. Panic swept over Timberly as she sobered up to being awake in an instant, "Shire? Shire?!" She started to breathe heavily as she ran down the hall toward the kitchen where her mother and stepfather were making breakfast, "Mom?! Blythe!? Where's Shire?!" Clora and Blythe looked at each other in confusion for a moment before their own panic set in.

"Isn't he in his room?!" Clora dashed past her daughter and into her son's bedroom. To her horror, he wasn't there. "Blythe!! Shire Is Gone!" she practically screamed as she rushed into the main clinic calling out for him.

"Shire!? Shire!?" Blythe rushed toward the Vet wing, calling out frantically for his son. The whole clinic was echoing with calls for Shire. Timberly rushed outside and began frantically calling for him.

Grace's eyes fluttered open as she heard everyone calling out for the young boy. She slowly lifted her head, looking at her mother. "Mom? could you?" Casey yawned and nodded once she noticed what was going on. She nudged the barn door open, in the way she knew how, and called to Timberly in the yard.

"In here!" Timberly looked confused, but she darted to the barn. as she ran inside, she saw him, her little brother, sleeping curled against Grace. "He made his way in here last night, I suppose." Casey smiled and made her way back over to her spot. Timberly sighed in relief and scooped up her baby brother.

"Good girl, Grace... Good girl... What... What was he doing in here?" Timberly watched as Shire began to wake up.

"He was afraid of the thunder and lightning. Why he came out here, of all places? I don't know." Grace shook her head. Shire's eyes open wide, and squirms his way out of Timberly's arms, and sits next to Grace, hugging his knees. Grace looked up at Timberly and chuckled, "I guess he likes me." 

A lightbulb seemed to go off in Timberly's head at those words. A smile plays across her face as she sits next to him by Grace. "Grace, you're brilliant!" she grinned, getting Shire's attention, "He likes you! I wonder if I could use you as a tool?" She looks at Shire with a warm smile and nods to him "Shire? Can you listen to me?" she takes her hand and pets Grace, meaningfully, and then signs the letters G, R, A, C, E to Shire before petting Grace again, "Grace! you like Grace, right kiddo?" Shire looked at Grace and gives a little nod, "Well! You can spend as much time with her as you'd like! But First!" She Signs the letters G, R, A, C, E again, "can you sign that for me? Sign Grace?" she repeats the signs at him. Wheels begin to turn in his head, and slowly, Shire began to sign the letters back to her. Timberly's eyes alighted when he successfully signed Grace's name, "Great job kiddo! Yes! Grace!" Timberly beamed with pride and stood up. "Mom is going to love this! I found something he is willing to use sign language for!" Grace's ears prick up.

"Me?" Timberly grinned, nodding.

"With your help, we can finally get him to talk with his hands! He has been refusing to learn all this time!" Timberly signed 'stay with Grace' to Shire and turned to leave, "Mom and Blythe will be thrilled that he's okay! Even more thrilled now that I know you're worth learning to sign for!" as Timberly left the barn, Grace looked at Shire with a warm smile. He continued to sign G, R, A, C, E. She gives him a nod, a fluttery feeling blooming in her chest.

"Yes, Shire. That's me. and I like you too."