Shared WIP Tag - Part 2

So for today's post, we had the following prompt: write a piece of flash fiction about what would happen if you invited your MC(s) over for a cup of tea. *cue evil laugh*

"When you said come by for some tea and cookies, this wasn't quite what I had in mind." Adi's voice suddenly rose in pitch as she stumbled on a root. "Phew! Almost fell there."

I gingerly pushed aside a thorn branch. "Well, I didn't exactly plan for the cows to get out. These things just kind of happen. I'm just glad the neighbors called to let me know they saw Sweetie in their yard." Of course Sweetie couldn't stay in the neighbor's yard, but instead had to run back into the woods and run along the couple miles of trails. Now she could be anywhere.

"At least Ravin's good at tracking," Adi pointed towards the creek we were about to cross. "I mean, I can see a few cow prints in the mud, but other then that, I have no idea where she could have gone."

We jumped over the creek and broke into a steady trail shuffle. A stick cracked up ahead - was it Ravin? Sweetie? A deer? Maybe the local black bear that everyone claims they see all the time?

"I should have given Ravin the halter." I clutched the purple rope halter-and-lead on one hand, having given up trying to keep it on my shoulder while running. "I'm glad he's trying to catch her, but he's going to have a hard time..."

Sweetie broke through a little clearing, cantering along the trail towards us. Ravin sat on her back, arms wrapped around her neck and legs clamped to her round belly.

"Oh!" Adi said.

"Oy!" I said.

"Ouch!" Ravin said as he slid off Sweetie's side and landed in the muddiest section of my entire trail system.

Figures.

Sweetie bucked once, brushed past me without a second glance, and hurried on up the trail. Thankfully she was running towards home.

Ravin lay on his back in the mud, not even attempting to get up. "It seemed like a good idea at the time," he said to the trees looming overhead. "Maybe I should have waited for the halter."

"You're not hurt are you?" Adi stared down at the ex-assassin, as if considering giving him a hand up or not.

"Perfectly fine. But tea and cookies sounds really good right about now."

Horror froze every bone in my body. Cookies. The oven. "I forgot to turn the oven off!"

Ravin staggered to his feet, mud coating every inch of shirt and pants and hair and skin. "Please tell me you remembered to take the last tray of cookies out."

"Why do you think I'm freaking out about the oven still being on??"

Adi's face paled.

"They're probably fine," I shrugged.

"We've been out chasing your cow for what, fifteen minutes? That's probably longer than what those cookies need."

"Adi, you run home and get the cookies out of the oven. Ravin and I will get Sweetie."

"But Ravin's the better runner. He'll get there faster."

Ravin extracted his boot from the mud with a loud ssscchhluupppp. His nose wrinkled in disgust, but before he could slide the boot on, something heavy splashed in the creek just around the bend of the trail.

"Sweetie?" I called, hopefully, even though it was from the opposite direction the cow had run.

The black head and blinking eyes of a bear appeared over the little rise of ground where the trail veered away from the creek and towards the side of the forested hill.

Ravin tossed the boot over his shoulder. A knife appeared in his hand.

Adi shook her head and groaned.

"Maybe the bear would like some tea?" I offered.

The End.

Haha, anyways, hope you enjoyed that. (Yes, there is a bear on our property that we've caught with the trail cams, but never actually seen. Yes, Sweetie the cow is our escape artist beastie. And no, I haven't caught any cookies on fire before, but there's always a first time.)