"Ara... h-hello..." The cow woman blinked, clearly flustered. "D-Did you just say I am your mate? I’m really sorry, b-but we just met—moo!"

Her cow tail swung nervously as she placed both hands on her cheeks. She closed her eyes and gently swayed her body left and right, completely lost in her own misunderstanding.

Tyler froze for half a second.

"Aah, no, no! That’s not what I meant!" he waved his hands quickly. "I was just... well—never mind." He took a breath. "Hello. I’m Tyler. I kind of got lost in this forest. Can you tell me where the village is? Or your house? Any human settlement would do."

"Huh...?" The cow woman’s eyes widened again.

"You want to come to my house...? -Moo?" she asked softly. "T-That’s too fast. We just met today..." She turned her head shyly. "It’s true my husband ran away and I’m a single mother, b-but inviting yourself to my house right away—moo..."

She once again placed her hands on her cheeks, face heating up.

Tyler stared at her blankly.

"...This conversation is going nowhere," he muttered. "It’s like riding a giant wheel. We keep ending up at the same place."

He turned toward Serena and sighed deeply.

Serena responded by leaping forward and slapping the woman’s breasts with a clean, sharp motion of her paws.

PAP.

"Aaan~!"

The woman staggered back slightly, her breasts bouncing exaggeratedly up and down as she let out an embarrassed moan.

Tyler instinctively gave Serena a thumbs-up.

"Good job."

Then he cleared his throat and spoke firmly.

"First of all, when someone introduces themselves, you should introduce yourself too. That’s basic manners."

"Oh! Right!" The cow woman straightened up, embarrassed. "I’m sorry—moo."

She smiled warmly, "My name is Chole Millian. People also call me Milk Millian. I was the milk girl of my village—moo."

"Milk... Millian?" Tyler repeated slowly.

He glanced at her breast, again, then quickly looked away and then glanced again.

"As I said before, I’m Tyler," he said, trying to sound normal. "And this is Serena."

Serena flicked her tail proudly.

Tyler hesitated for a moment, then swallowed.

"By ’milk girl’... you mean...?"

His eyes drifted toward Chole’s Breast again before he could stop himself.

Chole nodded innocently, "Yes. You won’t find tastier milk than the Millian family’s. Even though many people don’t like buying from demi-humans like me –moo..."

She scratched the back of her head with an awkward smile.

Tyler’s eyes refused to move when she shifted her weight slightly. Everything seemed to jiggle far more than physics should allow.

Serena’s sharp meow snapped him back to reality.

Tyler coughed lightly, "Alright, Miss Millian... could you please guide me to your village?"

Chole’s cow ears twitched happily.

"Of course! Please follow me." She bowed slightly. "And... thank you for saving me earlier."

Her smile was gentle and sincere.

She turned around and began walking.

Tyler immediately noticed two cheeks behind her are very distracting, they are bouncing with every step she took.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Focus. Focus. This is not the time.

Serena glanced back at him with a judging look.

Tyler whispered under his breath, "I am almost this close to become an Orc."

And with that, he followed Chole deeper into the forest, hoping the village wasn’t too far, and that his self-control would last at least until they arrived.

"Why are you walking weirdly Mr. Tyler?" Chole asked.

"It’s nothing Miss Millian. I got hard... I mean Got hit hard..." Tyler replied.

"Are you hurt? Please show me - Moo.."

"If you saw that, it might get even harder..."

"Moo?"

"Nothing... It will cure itself, don’t worry. Miss Millian...." Tyler smiled awkwardly.

"That’s good... Also, You can just call me Chole... " Chole smiled and said.

"Ok... Miss Chole..."

---

Chole led the way along a narrow path beside the river. The forest slowly thinned, replaced by smooth stones and moss-covered ground. Sunlight slipped through the leaves, reflecting off flowing water ahead.

"We need to be careful here," Chole said, slowing her steps. "This path leads near the waterfall. There are river lobsters around —moo."

Tyler laughed softly, "River lobsters? Come on, how scary can a lobster be?"

Serena, perched on his shoulder, flicked her tail but didn’t meow. She simply stared ahead.

A few steps later, Tyler’s laughter died in his throat.

Floating lazily in the river was a giant lobster—easily the size of a small carriage. Its shell shimmered faintly under the sunlight, long antennae drifting with the current. One massive claw rested on a rock, thick as a tree trunk.

Tyler slowly raised his hand and pointed, "...That lobster?"

Chole nodded calmly.

"Yes. That one."

Tyler swallowed. "Why is it... sleeping?"

"It’s not sleeping," Chole corrected gently. "It’s resting. It won’t attack unless someone provokes it. If you fight it, though..." She paused. "...you won’t win."

Serena’s fur stood on end.

Tyler immediately shut his mouth and gestured for silence.

"Noted. No fighting lobsters."

They walked quietly, sticking close to Chole. The lobster didn’t move, only its antennae twitching slightly as they passed. Once they were far enough, Tyler finally let out a breath.

"This forest keeps surprising me," he muttered.

Soon, the sound of flowing water grew louder. A small waterfall came into view, cascading gently into a clear pool. Beyond it, the trees opened up.

"There," Chole said. "My village."

Tyler and Serena stepped forward with anticipation.

Then they stopped.

Broken houses stood silently ahead. Roofs collapsed. Doors hung open. Tools lay rusting on the ground. There were no voices, no animals, no smoke rising from cooking fires.

The village was dead.

"...Where is everyone?" Tyler asked quietly.

Chole lowered her head.

"There was a stampede a week ago," she said. "Monsters passed through the nearby plains. The villagers panicked and moved away."

She clenched her fists. "They left us behind, when we were sleeping. Meanie humans... moo."

Tyler mouth twitched, "How the hell you didn’t notice a whole village moving?"

"I am good sleeper... Teehee.. Moo." Chole said.

He walked forward slowly, looking around. There was nothing left. No stored food. No livestock. Even the wells were empty. Whatever could be carried had been taken.

"They didn’t even leave supplies," Tyler said.

Chole shook her head, "No. They said... if we survived, it was fate. If not, it was destiny. Funny the one who said was demi humans themselves"

Tyler didn’t reply and silently followed her.

As they walked deeper, he recalled those two men who were chasing after Chole.

"...Who were those two men earlier?" he asked.

Chole’s expression darkened, "They were villagers. Some of the ones who left came back secretly." She hugged herself. "They planned to kidnap me and my daughter and sell us. Thank goodness I ran. I hid my daughter before they caught me."

She stopped in front of a half-collapsed hut. One wall leaned inward, but it still stood.

"This is our home," she said softly.

She stepped forward and raised her voice.

"Kristina... Momma is here— moo!"

For a moment, there was silence.

Then movement.

A girl peeked out from behind the broken door. She looked like a younger version of Chole— smaller horns, softer features, the same cow ears and tail. She also wore a simple brown dress and looked around nervously. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"Mom...?"

Then her eyes filled with tears.

"Momma!"

Kristina ran forward and jumped into Chole’s arms, burying her face against her breasts.

"it should have been me, not her.." Tyler muttered.

Serena rolled her eyes.

"Mom! You’re back!" she cried. "Where are the bad guys— moe?"

Chole hugged her tightly, stroking her hair.

"They’re gone now. You’re safe."

She turned slightly and pointed.

"This man saved me. His name is Tyler."

Tyler smiled and raised a hand awkwardly.

"Hi."

Kristina peeked at him, cheeks turning red. She quickly hid behind her mom.

"T-thank you..." she whispered as she peeked out. Then her eyes suddenly lit up.

"A cat!" She ran toward Serena happily.

Serena instantly hid behind Tyler’s leg, peeking out with only one eye.

Kristina stopped and tilted her head.

"Ohhh... I know— moe!"

She ran back into the hut and returned holding two small wooden bowls filled with milk. She carefully placed one in front of Serena and offered the other to Tyler.

"Please have it," she said shyly.

Tyler took the bowl. The milk smelled warm and sweet, unlike anything he’d had before. Serena sniffed hers once —then started drinking eagerly.

"Oh... Looks nice..."

"Hey," Chole said suddenly. "Kristina, don’t do that. Some humans don’t like the milk I produce— moo."

Kristina ears and tail dropped after getting scolded.

Suddenly , "Please clear me this doubt. Is this Milk you produce?"

Chole nodded hesitantly.

Kristina answered with hesitation, "Yes. It’s my momma’s milk— moe."

Tyler stared at the bowl for exactly half a second.

Then—

GULP. GULP. GULP.

He drank it all in one go.

"Seconds, please."

Silence.

"Moo...?"

"Moe...?"

Both Chole and Kristina stared at him with wide eyes.