The Fluffy Life of a Sheep Girl

If you want to see pictures of baby Puck, go to the AUX chapter.

---

Puck stood tall—well, as tall as a border collie could—his breath steady, his eyes gleaming with renewed energy. The faint glow of the fox's magic still shimmered across his fur, a sign of the strange favor he had just received. He felt stronger, his senses sharper than before. The exhaustion from the intense battle was gone, replaced by an invigorating warmth that hummed through his body.

The fox had called it a reward for his tenacity.

Puck didn't fully understand magic or gods, but he understood this: He had earned that power. And he wasn't going to waste it.

His tail wagged once, sharply, before he turned his nose back to the wind. Lyra's scent was still faint, but it was there. It was all he needed.

He let out a low bark, almost to himself. He was coming, and nothing was going to stop him.

---

Meanwhile, Lyra and Company...

The search for Puck was progressing steadily, though Lyra's patience was wearing thin.

She walked with purpose, her celestial glow pulsing faintly as her group moved deeper into the forest. Aries was beside her, ever the vigilant protector, while Orion scouted ahead. Aquila flew overhead, her keen harpy eyes scanning the terrain.

Pan, on the other hand, was not being helpful.

"Look, I get that you're worried about your dog and all," he said, lazily floating just behind Lyra, his jug of mead swaying in his grip, "but I swear he's fine. I left him in a totally safe—"

"Shut up, Pan."

Lyra's sharp tone made him wince. She wasn't in the mood for his excuses.

"Alright, alright, sheesh," Pan muttered, taking a sip of his drink. "No need to bite my head off, little lamb."

Lyra clenched her fists, her patience wearing dangerously thin. She knew Puck was strong. She knew he was smart. But that didn't mean she wasn't worried about him.

Her best boy was out there, alone. And that was unacceptable.

Suddenly, Aquila swooped down, landing gracefully on a thick tree branch just ahead. "There's a clearing not far from here," she reported. "Something feels... off. I sensed a powerful presence there."

Lyra's heart clenched. "Could it be Puck?"

Aquila frowned slightly. "Maybe. But there's residual magic in the air. Something strong passed through that area."

Lyra didn't hesitate. "Then that's where we're going."

Pan groaned. "Oh, come on. Do we have to rush? I'm telling you, he's fine."

Lyra spun around so fast that Pan actually took a step back.

"You are the reason he's lost in the first place," she snapped. "You are the reason we're even in this mess." Her celestial glow flared slightly, a clear sign of her frustration. "So either shut up and help or get out of my way."

Pan blinked at her for a moment, then sighed dramatically. "Alright, alright. I get it. You're scary when you're mad." He waved a hand lazily. "Fine. Let's find the little guy."

Lyra huffed, turning back to her companions. "Move fast. If anything happened to Puck..."

She didn't finish the sentence. She didn't need to.

They all understood.

---

"WHY IS THIS HAPPENING!?" Lyra screamed as she sprinted through the winding tunnel, her celestial glow barely illuminating the path ahead. Behind them, the deafening roar of an enraged, lovesick dragon shook the cavern walls.

"You just had to jinx us, you stupid, alcoholic goat god!" Lyra snarled, throwing a heated glare at Pan every chance she got between dodging chunks of falling rock and keeping pace with her companions.

Pan, who was somehow keeping up despite holding onto his mead jug like it was his lifeline, groaned dramatically. "Alright, technically this isn't my fault!"

Lyra nearly tripped over a root as she whirled on him mid-stride. "Technically—Pan, there is a giant dragon trying to kill us because of you!"

"Okay, but hear me out!" Pan yelped as a fireball exploded just behind them. "How was I supposed to know my ex was here?"

Aquila swooped ahead, barely avoiding a swipe from the dragon's massive claws. "Perhaps because you have a thousand years worth of exes you've ghosted, and one of them was bound to be on this island!?"

Pan winced. "That's fair."

Lyra groaned, practically vibrating with rage. "This is why gods are the worst."

Flashback to an Hour Ago

The group had reached the clearing Aquila had sensed earlier, stepping cautiously into the open space. It was a stunning, ancient grove, the trees silvered with moonlight despite it being broad daylight. At its center stood two majestic creatures—a massive, nine-tailed fox with glowing fur, and a white-feathered dragon with piercing golden eyes.

Both were... arguing.

No—this wasn't a battle. This was a lovers' spat.

"You don't trust me? After everything we've been through?!" the fox snapped, her tails flaring out behind her.

"You disappear for decades without explanation and then expect me to believe you were just 'wandering the world'?! What kind of idiot do you take me for?!" the dragon bellowed.

Lyra, who had been expecting many things, was not expecting this.

"Uh... do we back away slowly?" Aries whispered, his horns glowing faintly in readiness for an ambush.

Before Lyra could answer, Pan perked up. "Oh, hey! I know that fox!"

Lyra's stomach dropped. "Pan. No."

Too late.

Pan strolled out of their hiding spot like he was greeting old friends at a tavern, waving his hand lazily. "Yo, Amaterasu! Been a while, huh?"

The fox—Amaterasu—froze.

The dragon blinked. "Wait... you know him?"

The temperature in the clearing dropped instantly. Amaterasu's golden eyes narrowed, her many tails bristling. "Oh, you."

Lyra could practically see the exact moment the fox's rage rekindled.

Pan scratched his cheek. "Uh, so, yeah. Sorry about the whole... disappearing thing a thousand years ago. Crazy times, huh?"

The fox snapped. "YOU GHOSTED ME FOR A MILLENNIUM, PAN!"

The dragon's fury tripled. "YOU WERE WITH HIM?!"

Pan, at least, had the sense to step back. "Okay, that's a very dramatic way to put it—"

The dragon roared, his jealousy igniting into full-blown murderous rage.

"Pan," Lyra whispered, her celestial aura flaring up in alarm.

Pan's mead jug shook in his hands. "Yeah?"

"RUN."

Present Moment: 

Lyra leapt over a collapsed column, her breath ragged as she pushed forward. "This is your fault!" she yelled at Pan again, because frankly, she wasn't over it yet.

"Yeah, yeah, I got that the first fifty times you screamed it!" Pan shouted back.

Orion—who had been physically lifting boulders out of the way as they ran—grunted. "Less arguing. More running."

Behind them, the dragon crashed through the tunnels, its massive form barely fitting through the rocky caverns as it relentlessly pursued them. Flames licked at the walls, and the entire cave shook violently with each of the dragon's enraged roars.

"We need an exit!" Aries called out.

Aquila shot ahead, her sharp eyes scanning for any path leading out of this death trap. "There!" She pointed with one taloned hand toward a passageway ahead that was just narrow enough for them to squeeze through—but not wide enough for the dragon to follow.

"Go, go, go!" Lyra shouted, motioning for everyone to move faster.

Pan, for once, didn't argue. He bolted through the opening alongside the rest of them, barely avoiding the dragon's massive jaws as it snapped shut behind them.

Lyra tumbled forward into the sunlight, rolling to a stop on soft grass. She gasped, catching her breath as the others stumbled out of the cave behind her.

The dragon roared in frustration from within the cavern, but its size prevented it from coming any farther.

Silence.

Then—

"Well," Pan finally said, brushing dust off his tunic, "that could've gone better."

Lyra lunged at him.

"—OKAY, OKAY, I GET IT, YOU'RE MAD!" Pan yelped, barely dodging her swing.

"You think!?" Lyra seethed, her celestial aura flaring. "You almost got us killed over a thousand-year-old relationship problem!"

Aquila, still perched nearby, smirked. "Guess that's why they say, 'Ghosting comes back to haunt you.'"

Even Aries let out a small chuckle.

Pan scowled. "Oh, haha. You're all so funny."

Lyra sighed, running a hand through her silver hair. "Unbelievable."

After a moment of silence, Aries cleared their throat. "So... what now?"

Lyra groaned. "Now? Now we go find Puck before Pan's exes kill me instead."

Pan opened his mouth—probably to argue—but one sharp glare from Lyra shut him up.

"Right. Looking for the dog. Got it," he muttered, taking another swig from his mead.

With that, the group dusted themselves off and continued onward, leaving the very unhappy dragon behind.

Pan sighed dramatically. "You know, for a celestial lamb, you sure hold a grudge."

Lyra shot him another glare.

He wisely shut up.

{🐏}

Puck padded carefully through the thick underbrush, his sharp eyes locked onto the faintest traces of Lyra's scent. Every fiber of his being told him he was getting closer. The island was vast, unfamiliar, and filled with creatures he had never encountered before, but none of that mattered. He would find her.

His mistress.

His human.

A soft breeze carried the scents of the forest toward him, and his nose twitched as something unfamiliar mingled with Lyra's trail. His ears pricked forward, his body tensing instinctively.

Danger.

Puck had been a companion animal for a long time, but deep in his bones, instincts older than domestication still ran strong. He had been bred for intelligence, agility, and loyalty—but survival was something all dogs understood.

And right now, his instincts screamed fight or flight.

A low, guttural growl rumbled through the trees ahead. Puck's hackles raised, and he froze, his body going completely still. His ears flicked, pinpointing the sound. Not one. Multiple.

Another growl, this time to his left. A shift in the shadows. Heavy footfalls pressing into the dirt.

He was being hunted.

Before he could react, a massive form leaped from the undergrowth, its dark-furred body landing with a heavy thud just a few feet in front of him.

A dire hound.

It was huge—easily three times Puck's size, its black fur matted and coarse, eyes glowing like embers. Saliva dripped from its powerful jaws, and its massive paws dug into the earth as it took a slow, deliberate step toward him.

Puck stood his ground. His ears flattened, his lips peeling back in a deep, warning growl.

The dire hound let out a dark chuckle—a laugh—before throwing its head back and howling.

Puck's heart pounded. Not good.

The forest came alive with movement.

More of them.

The pack emerged from the shadows—five, no, six massive dire hounds, their golden eyes flickering in the dim light. They fanned out, surrounding him in a loose circle.

Puck's tail went stiff, his muscles coiling like a spring.

The largest of them, the alpha, stepped forward. His fur was darker than the rest, jagged scars lining his muzzle and chest. He loomed over Puck, his fangs bared in a cruel grin.

"A lost little pup," the alpha rumbled, his deep voice echoing in Puck's mind. "What are you doing in my territory, mutt?"

Puck didn't waver. He growled low in his throat, planting his paws firmly.

The dire hounds laughed, dark and mocking.

"He's got some fight in him," one sneered.

"Let's see how long it lasts," another chuckled.

The alpha took another step forward, towering over Puck. "Here's what's going to happen," he said, voice dripping with menace. "You're going to roll onto your back like the little pet you are, show your throat, and maybe, maybe, I'll let you live."

Puck snapped his jaws in defiance.

The pack stilled.

The alpha's smirk faded, replaced by cold amusement. "Brave. Stupid, but brave."

Puck knew what was coming.

The alpha lunged.

Puck dodged, his speed saving him by a hair's breadth. He rolled out of the way, his paws barely touching the ground before he sprang forward, aiming straight for the alpha's side.

His teeth sank into the massive hound's shoulder.

The alpha roared, flinging Puck away like a ragdoll. Puck hit the ground hard, rolling to a stop before scrambling back onto his feet. Pain flared through his side, but he didn't stop moving.

The pack surged forward.

Puck ducked under snapping jaws, barely evading a clawed swipe aimed for his throat. He twisted mid-air, landing behind one of the lesser hounds before biting down on its hind leg.

The hound howled, kicking out and sending Puck skidding back.

The alpha was laughing again, but this time, it was different.

Amused. Intrigued.

"You are interesting," he rumbled.

Puck growled, his stance unwavering.

The alpha tilted his head. "Perhaps I was too quick to judge. You're not just some pet, are you?"

Puck didn't respond. He couldn't, not in words. But his eyes—his defiance—spoke volumes.

The alpha studied him for a long moment before exhaling sharply. "I'll make you a deal, little pup."

The other hounds paused, watching in silence.

"You fight me. One on one. If you win, I let you leave."

Puck's ears flicked. His tail stiffened.

The alpha's smirk widened. "And if I win... you join my pack."

A heavy silence fell over the clearing.

Puck's mind raced. He was fast, but the alpha was bigger, stronger. His best chance was outmaneuvering him.

He had no choice.

He had to win.

For Lyra.

Puck lowered his body, muscles coiling like a spring.

The alpha grinned.

"Good," he said. "Let's see what you're really made of, little pup."

And then he lunged.

Puck met him head-on.