Page 18 of That’s My Orc, Tusk Off

“It’s more than that.” He pulled up a document on his tablet. “Rue’s behavioral assessments show independent grazing patterns. She explores the full pasture range, initiates social contact with staff, and demonstrates low stress markers when separated for examinations and walks.”

“And Fern?”

“Fern is more reserved but equally independent.”

“And how do her stress markers respond?”

He lifted his screen and tapped into it. The skin between his eyebrows creased. “She doesn’t appear to tolerate the exams as well as Rue.”

“Maybe she doesn’t like being examined.”

“Her…vital signs—the words Laina uses—are stable during that time.”

“Then the exams might not be the problem.” Assuming there was one. Maybe Fern wasn’t as social as Rue.

Rue took two more steps toward us. Fern’s head lifted, her gaze following the movement.

“When’s the last time you separated them?” I asked.

“Three weeks ago, for routine health checks.”

“How long were they apart?”

“Forty minutes.”

“Rue enjoyed the separation. Did Fern?”

He studied the screen. “No.”

“How did Fern behave while Rue was gone?”

He scrolled through the document on his screen. “Laina noted that Fern’s petal colors shifted to pale yellow while they were apart.”

“What does the color signify?”

“Pink and purple are happy colors. Yellow and dully white show stress.”

“Then she was stressed.” I studied the creature further, thinking about what, if anything, this could mean.

“Her appetite was decreased for—” Traig’s frown deepened.

“For how long?”

“Two days.” He read some more. “It says here that her blooms returned to baseline on day three.”

Rue had reached the fence. She poked her snout between the rails, sniffing my pants. Her flowers brightening to coral pink as I scratched behind her ear.

Her gaze trailed from me to Fern.

Fern still hadn’t moved, but her flowers had opened some more. Still pale, but fuller now.

Emotion swelled in my throat.

“Could they be bonded?” I asked.

Traig didn’t comment right away.

When I looked over, I found him staring at the tablet, his tusks shifting across his upper lip.