The morning broke with the scent of warm bread drifting from Lydia's kitchen. Bianca had barely finished her coffee when Lara came down, already wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses.
"Ready for market day?" Lara asked, swinging a canvas tote over her shoulder like she was going shopping for designer shoes instead of chickens.
"Just remember," Bianca said, smiling, "we're here for animals, not a photoshoot."
Lara raised an eyebrow. "Why not both?"
Kaloy sat on the veranda railing, tail twitching. "You'll meet many eyes today," he said to Bianca, his voice soft enough only she could hear. "Some curious, some hungry."
Bianca frowned but didn't ask.
---
The village market was already bustling by the time they arrived. Wooden stalls lined the dusty road, displaying baskets of eggs, live ducks tied gently by the legs, squealing piglets, and coops full of chickens in various shades of white, brown, and gold.
Children darted between stalls, laughing as they carried bundles of leafy greens. Vendors called out their prices over the low hum of bargaining voices.
"This place is alive," Lara said, pulling out her phone to take a panoramic shot.
Bianca scanned the rows, feeling an odd excitement. She wasn't just shopping—she was building something.
---
They stopped first at a stall where a middle-aged woman sold native chickens. The birds clucked lazily, but one—small and scruffy—stayed huddled in a corner.
Bianca crouched beside the cage. The little hen's eyes were half-closed, its breathing shallow. She remembered the chick she had saved days ago, and something inside her stirred.
Without thinking, she reached through the bars and stroked the hen's back. Warmth spread from her palm, subtle but insistent, and the hen's breathing eased. Slowly, it lifted its head, blinking in the sunlight.
The vendor gasped. "Aba, that one hasn't moved since yesterday!"
Bianca stood quickly. "Maybe it just needed a gentle touch." She didn't miss the way the vendor stared at her now—half curious, half wary.
She bought the hen, along with three healthy ones, and moved on.
---
At another stall, they found a pair of ducks waddling inside a wooden pen. Lara crouched to take pictures while Bianca inspected them. The drake quacked loudly at her, strutting forward with a boldness that made Lara laugh.
"He likes you," Lara said.
Bianca extended her hand, palm open. The drake tilted its head and stepped closer until its beak brushed her skin. She felt the same subtle energy pulse between them—an understanding. The drake quieted immediately.
She bought the pair.
---
By midday, they had a small collection: four chickens, two ducks, and—thanks to Lara's persuasion—a young goat with a white patch on its forehead. Bianca wasn't sure about the goat at first, but when it nuzzled her hand and bleated softly, she knew it belonged.
"You've basically started your own little kingdom," Lara teased as they loaded the animals into the tricycle.
Back at the hacienda, Lydia came out to greet them, hands on her hips. "Ay, you brought a zoo."
Bianca laughed. "Just the beginning."
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End of Chapter 9