Quoted By:
Entering a new month felt like entering a new world.
It'd been almost a month since you'd come here. In that single month, your life-- no, that of the entire <span class="mu-i">world's</span> had changed immeasurably, as if Mary's sound nap upon your lap wasn't proof enough of that.
You sat by the creek, now, studying a particularly odd specimen of <span class="mu-i">Inscis Rubrectus</span> by the shore. Its signature sault was noticeably higher than most other members of its species that you'd seen... which was really saying something given how ridiculously common they were, <span class="mu-i">especially</span> around the creek. This one could nearly jump to the top of the decrepit train without much effort. How much higher could it go...?
...
The lack of wildlife diversity had begun taking its toll on your psyche.
Your entire purpose for being here was to document wildlife and yet, in the full month of your stay in this small Northern town, you had yet to jot down more than ten new species across Shenanigan's Gulch and the nearby creek. You'd certainly <span class="mu-i">tried</span> to do some documentation in the forest, and had even made decent progress... up until a week or so ago when a small orange bear had made sure that you'd never step foot in there again by tearing up what remained of your work clothes.
Everything that demanded your interest also demanded your head, and it was becoming exhausting to stick only to the more docile species around the area for safety's sake. It was a shame, too, that those common species seemed to be becoming more numerous than the fiercer types, and <span class="mu-i">especially</span> the native wildlife. It certainly left the town much safer-- there hadn't been an attack in a whole week now-- but it left your studies rather hollow.
At least your head was finally feeling better.
Mary jolted to life and gave a brief shriek. The movement subsequently forced you into action, after your legs finally woke themselves, doing a 180 to see-- the sheriff?
He was limping. The makeshift cane under his left armpit made the situation a little comical, what with the cane being visibly taller than him and all, but all inclinations towards a hearty chuckle vanished upon seeing the enormous cast encasing the sheriff's left leg.
Behind him came Thomas J. Steele, the <span class="mu-i">real</span> temporary sheriff by this point, looking equal parts solemn and wistful.
Mary jumped off your lap and landed by your side as you rose to meet the visitors. "Sheriff, Steele."
"Walt'r."
