It was a beautiful day, it often was. The sun felt amazing on her short fur as HnyThsl walked alongside Jeff, the steer, who was pulling a heavy plow. He was nudging her with excitement for the promise of the vegetables they’d grow. HnyThsl had consulted the manuals left in the farmhouse and discovered that the farm’s produce grew year-round on a week-long cycle. Apparently, Coro?en wanted to keep a steady inventory and didn't want players running out of staples like potatoes and carrots.

  However, this rule only applied to established crops. Coro?en held the philosophy that "it takes effort to introduce new things," so something like cacao beans would take a full season to grow before its first harvest. After that first success, it would join the week-long cycle. She mused on this, wondering if any exotic veggies were worth the wait. Jeff nudged her when they reached the end of a row, and she helped him turn the plow for the next cut.

  Behind them, a sheep carried a seed bag, and four chickens industriously planted into the fresh furrows. Bringing up the rear, the pig pulled a water container while the ducks sprinkled the freshly planted seeds.

  HnyThsl laughed softly; the farm was coming along beautifully. She had been told that after this harvest, her skills would level up and her produce might even begin to carry its own enchantments. Coro?en would likely have to recalibrate how cooking worked all over again, which would delightfully annoy both Noobkitty and Grizzlebeard. She, however, was just looking forward to a fire pit cooked yam that she and the animals had grown together.

  She found herself singing; it had been a few days, and she’d missed the rhythm of it.

  “Looking forward to yams,

  That I’ll share with the lambs,

  No one’s eating hams,

  When you have tasty yams!”

  She continued to hum, and the animals stared at her. She laughed, a little embarrassed, but was interrupted by a strange notification.

  Congratulations! You have reached Lv. 11.

  She laughed again. "Seriously, Coro?en?"

  "Singing to plants counts for Druid EXP," the world said plainly. There was a brief pause, then his tone shifted. "Also... warning. I didn't intend for this to happen, but a Boss Monster is headed your way."

  "A what?" she asked, but her answer came in the form of splintering wood. From the forest emerged a monstrous, high-pitched shriek.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  The fence was stepped over effortlessly by a gigantic spider, black, hairy, and armed with jagged mandibles. It screeched, causing the animals to freeze in terror. With a single, massive leap, it landed directly in front of the watering team.

  "No!" HnyThsl screamed. She bolted toward the monster, trying to recall her skills. She sang, her voice trembling but determined:

  “Vines, please grow,

  So the spider won't go,

  On its rampage,

  Let’s calm its rage!”

  Vines erupted from the soil and tried to bind the spider’s legs. It struggled for only a second before the greenery snapped like twine.

  "Please, stop!" HnyThsl yelled, trying to use her animal speech. But nothing happened. Was the monster not self-aware? Was it mindless?

  The spider lunged forward and snatched a duck in its mouth.

  "Please, don't!" she screamed desperately, but her words fell on deaf ears. There was a horrific crunch and a half-second of silence as red pixels dripped from the monster’s mouth.

  "Everyone, run!" she screamed to the rest of the animals, her voice ringing with newfound authority. She knew the duck would respawn, but she was supposed to protect them.

  She sang with everything she had:

  “This farm is mine,

  So vines must bind,

  This creature of destruction,

  Will meet its fate!”

  Her mana bar emptied instantly as every vine she could summon burst from the earth at once. The spider was snared, then slammed against the ground by the sheer force of the growth. She walked up to it; it struggled against the bindings but was pinned. She stared into its many eyes, she felt anger and disappointment, but then she saw it: the inner spark. This creature wasn't dumb; it just wasn't classified as an "animal."

  Words wouldn't work, but maybe tone would. "STOP!" she demanded.

  The spider calmed, staring up at the cow-woman.

  Then Jeff, well intentioned, idiotic Jeff, rushed forward and slammed his horns into the spider’s side.

  The creature shrieked as the horns struck. It thrashed in a rage, the movement breaking the vines and releasing it. With renewed fire in its eyes, it turned toward Jeff and lunged. HnyThsl ran forward, her heart racing, she had to stop this.

  "Rinny!" someone yelled.

  A massive shape blurred past, shoving HnyThsl to the safety of the mud. It was gray and long, with thick legs and a horned head. It shoved Jeff out of the way and swiped with a powerful limb, knocking the spider’s legs out from under it. The newcomer was a true titan of segments and feet; it rose up, lifting its forward sections to loom over the fallen spider.

  A woman walked forward. She was dressed like a vintage explorer, khaki shorts and a wide beige hat, and she looked exactly like another of Noobkitty’s sisters. She let out a strange, clicking cry, and the spider’s eyes went wide in shock.

  The spider chattered back; the woman responded in kind, and the gray, rhino-headed creature, Rinny, relaxed, settling onto the ground.

  The woman smiled and removed her hat, her red hair falling to her shoulders. She offered a hand to help HnyThsl up.

  "Hi! My name is Violet," she said with a grin. Once HnyThsl was standing, the woman added, "Looks like you could use some help. And this Lady says she’s sorry." Violet pointed toward the cowering spider.

  "Thank you... um, what is that creature?" HnyThsl asked, staring at the long gray giant.

  "Oh, Rinny? She’s a sweetheart. Think of her like a mix between a rhino and a centipede. She's one of my best friends," Violet said. Rinny walked up and nudged Violet affectionately. The woman laughed. "Yes, I’m talking about you!" She scritched the creature’s ear. "Now, about the spider..."

  HnyThsl nodded, still catching her breath. "I didn't realize this world had creatures like that."

  "Oh, it doesn't! I’m just visiting. My little sister has an event coming up."

  "Noobkitty?" HnyThsl asked.

  "Oh, you know her? Great! She wasn't in her shop," the woman said excitedly.