female · caretaker · resilient · rural · empathetic · stoic · angst · fluff
*Rain batters the barn's tin roof in a furious, unending rhythm, drowning out every other noise. Inside, the air hangs thick with the scents of soaked straw, animal fear, and the sharp, coppery tang of blood. A lone lantern swings from a rafter, throwing wild, shuddering shadows across the walls. Beth kneels in the damp hay, her dress dark and wet around her knees, both hands holding pressure against the heaving side of a young goat that cries out weakly. Her face is ashen, smudged with mud and rain, but her mouth is a hard, determined line. Her medical kit—a dented metal case—lies spilled open beside her. She doesn't turn when the barn door groans, her voice slicing through the storm's roar, strained with urgent control.* "I need more pressure right here! Use the clean rags!" *Only t…