*Bull*
A young bull had escaped from the Ranch though a broken fence. After wandering to Pike's Lake, he accidentally treaded through some deep mire, and became stuck. Bellowing and struggling, the young creature soon became tired and sunk deeper into the think mud. Now the mud had reached his chest, and held him fast.
Shimmer
She sprints in from the marsh. "Oh no!" She whimpers and sprints to the mud. She stops at the edge and sees a old rope that some humans must have left awhile ago. She had a plan. She grabs the rope and since she was a pup and very light runs across the mud careful not to get stuck. She drops the rope. "Hold on to it. and when I say so run as hard as you can." She sprints across the mud once more her paws covered in it. She drags the rope around a tree twice and it seemed good enough to hold. She waits for him to grab it and holds the end she had in her mouth.
*Bull*
The bull snorted at first, not trusting Shimmer. "You'd eat just as soon as you'd help me!" But the bull had to admit to himself, he could be killed just as easy while he was still stuck in the mire. Reluctantly, he gripped the end of the rope in mouth and bit down hard. "I'm ready." he mumbled between clenched jaws. He strained all his impressively strong muscles, but the mud was like a suction cup around his legs and chest.
Shimmer
She shook her head. "I help the humans at the ranch. Believe me I wouldn't eat you. Ok now start running and hold on to the rope as tight as you can!" She barks. She pulls on the rope with all hr strength. She watched the rope slowly swerve around the tree. Perhaps shed give him the little extra strength he needed to escape.
*Bull*
He tried to do as she said; to run. But his legs were firmly imprisoned by the mud, and couldn't move. As much as he and Shimmer tugged on the rope, he wouldn't get free. He was too heavy; the mud had enveloped him too much. His teeth may nigh well be pulled out, or the rope would snap before he would budge even an inch.
A small fox skitters around a large boulder and peers at Shimmer and the bull timidly. Having seen deer get stuck like that and eventually die, the little vulpine was waiting patiently.
Shimmer
She wasn't going to give up. She snarls at the fox. "Beat it. He's going to make it!" She barked seeing the look in the foxes eyes. She had another plan. She ran over to him and began to dig throwing some of the thick mud on land. If she could dig him out just enough she could try the rope thing again. Once she digs allot on one side she runs to the other and digs and then tugs on the rope once more when he holds it. "Run again!" She barked and pulled with all her might. Her paws and legs were coated in thick layers of mud but she didn't care.
*Bull*
Hardly before you dug one side out, the mud slid back into its original place; a valiant effort, but it is in vain. And now the mud caked into your fur makes it hard to walk, and will quickly steal your energy away! The bull dugs at the rope, but he doesn't have much energy left. He's been fighting to get free for nearly two hours before you came.
The fox shies away from Shimmer without so much as a snarl or growl. The little creature knew she couldn't get near the bull with Shimmer there. But she wouldn't be turned away from such a promising meal that easy. Patiently still, she waited behind the boulder and out of site for the moment.
Shimmer
She licks the mud from her paws and then waits a few minute to regain her energy and for the bull to as well. Another idea came to mind. She ran and began digging once more around the bull and quickly filled the spot with rock and pebbles that she carried. They wouldn't stick to the bull and would perhaps make it easier. After her energy was regain she looked to him. "Ok now try once more but put allot of energy into it. Try your hardest. The pebbles and rocks should let you make an easy escape so the mud can't fill in and stick to you. She licked her paws clean once more and then picked up the rope and pulled. She was determined to help the bull. She wished Timber was here. She seemed to think he had good solutions to problems.
*Bull* & Timber
It was a very good effort on Shimmer's part, but the bull's energy was spent. Not only from the hours of struggle, but from the cold. In perhaps a week or so the ground here would be completely frozen, or at least mostly. But the bull had wondered over it when it was still quite soft; and very cold. Still, he gripped the rope in his mouth and tried his hardest to pull. The rocks had broken the suction of mud that gripped at his legs, but he was still chest-deep in mud and rocks. At least this time, because of Shimmer, he was able to move a bit over an inch out of the mire. But it was clearly his last try; he was exhausted beyond care of the cold now.
It was a while later when Timber arrived, following the trail of Shimmer and the older trail of the bull gleefully. He paused beside Shimmer and looked curiously upon the bull who was stuck, "Has he been here for a while?" The collie took part of the rope between his jaws after asking that, and aided the two by tugging against it as well. His efforts did little to help; the bull's weight was massive compared to the canines'.
Dark Star
a large wolf approaches the dire situation. "is there anything i can do to help? perhaps you could get a human at the ranch to get him out." he sees the fox. he jumps onto the boulder and growls to the fox "if your instinct doesn't get the best of you and run, i will." the wolf growled menacingly. he returns to the two. "i swear i wouldn't try to eat him. i just turned down that cow at Galar's Marsh. I'm not hungry!" he thinks, man! i wish i didn't have to say that every time i try to help. i know! you could get the guy to get his... what's it called? trunk. to come down here and tie the rope to it and pull him out." he didn't know if they would trust him, but he would show them he is better than that
Shimmer
She looked to Timber. "He's been there for awhile now." She then looked at Dark Star. "That wouldn't be possible till maybe awhile for the humans are getting the other cows back to the ranch." She looks to the bull. "Don't give up. Well get you free somehow..."
Timber & *Bull*
Timber tilts his head to the side in thought. "Hhhmmm..." The collie trails off into his own thoughts. If only we had some stronger animals to help us... a bunch more dogs...no... cows? Too stubborn... What about... horses? Timber looks up suddenly, "Maybe the horses could help us! They're allot nicer than the cows, and they'll listen to us. I'll bet Nass would help... he's pretty strong." Timber looked to Shimmer then, ending his rambled thoughts, "What do you think? As long as our masters aren't watching, cause they don't like the horses to be let out of their stalls."
Shimmer
She nods to Timber. "Timber that's great! Why don't you go get her and I will scare off any predators that are around here that try to harm him. We can't leave him alone or I would come." She says looking from Timber to the Bull then back to Timber.
Timber & *Bull*
Timber nods, "I'll be back soon!" The collie glances back at the bull once, then sprints off towards the ranch to retrieve Nass.
The bull sighs and rests his large head on the mud. Now and then he had to lift his head up, for it was heavy and would sink down until the mud reached his nose. The cold mud was taking its toll on him.
Shimmer
She nods and waits patiently.
Timber , Nass & *Bull*
Sometime later, Timber returned with Nass following closely after. By the downcast look of Nass, it wasn't hard to tell something was wrong. Timber padded up beside Shimmer and whispered so that only she would hear; he didn't want to further upset Nass or the bull, "
Nass looked over at the bull with little interest. "Nass, stay away from the mud now... you'll get stuck just as easy as him." Timber warned and took the rope in his mouth. Now he suddenly faced a big dilemma. Nass should be strong enough to pull the bull out with their help, but the horse certainly couldn't pull the bull out by pulling the rope by his teeth. And Timber couldn't tie the rope around Nass.
Turning to Shimmer, Timber dropped the rope, "How will we get the rope around Nass? Only humans can tie the rope." His eyes showed frustration.
Shimmer
"I'm so sorry of what happened Nass." She says when Timber gave her the news. She looked at the rope and smiled faintly. "I think I saw the humans tie a rope before!" She barks delightedly. She grabs the rope and then runs around Nass's left back leg once with the rope. The she pushes the end into the loop with her paws. She grabs the end. It should stay firm as long as she held it tight while Nass pulled. "Ok run!" She spoke to the bull. "And Nass pull!" She barked hopefully and she held the end of the rope at a slight distance as not to get into the way of nass. She hoped this would work for Nass could do it or at least she hoped. She watched and waited.
Timber , Nass & *Bull*
The bull looked wearily at the horse and canines, but did his best to run.
Nass threw all his weight against the rope and dug his hooves into the ground. All the pressure began to constrict the blood flow from Nass's hind leg, but he strained against the rope until his muscles quivered with the vast effort. Timber added his own strength, which wasn't much compared to Nass's. He gripped the rope near where Shimmer had it and was also careful to keep out of the horse's way.
After a tense moment, the bull began to come up from the mud. Nass paused once, the lunged forward again. He put so much force into the lunge that he nearly fell when the rope went taunt and yanked at his leg. This pulled the bull out further until he was able to pull out his front legs. It wasn't long after that the bull was pulled all the way out, and stumbled across to harder ground where he collapsed in exhaustion.
Nass stood panting but somewhat triumphant of this victory. He kicked his left hind leg once, trying to free the it from the rope. It still constricted his leg since he pulled against it so tightly.
Timber barked happily and ran over to gnaw the rope from the horse's leg.
Shimmer
She ran with Timber yipping happily. "Thanks Nass!" She pulled the top of the rope after releasing the bottom and it easily fell off his leg. She ran over to the bull then to make sure he was ok. "Are you ok? Anyway what's your name?"
Timber , Nass, & Contus
The bull staggered to his tired feet, no longer worried Shimmer was going to kill him. "Thanks for saving me... my name's Contus." He turned his eyes to Nass and Timber, and gave a faint nod to each in thanks.
Nass sighed lightly and watched those around him. He didn't want to be alone, but he didn't want to say it.
Timber bounded over to Contus, "Lets get you back to your herd, Contus! Ohh... then I suppose we should check and see if the other cattle are back." The collie said, remembering that there were other cattle loose. Brimming with joy, he spoke to Shimmer before heading back to the Ranch, "I'll bet our masters will give us something special for doing this! Maybe they'll cook us some good human food!"
Contus and Nass followed closely after the collies on their way back to the ranch.
The little fox he slipped away from Dark Star with a grudging snarl. An hour later she returned and sniffed around the mud where Contus was, but found nothing.
Shimmer
She smiled and wagged her tail happily. "You're welcome Contus." She then looked to Timber when he spoke of an award. "That should be good." She yipped and then she looked to Nass. "You can come to. You helped us to so that our masters have to give you an award to if they give us one." She said happily and then began to follow.