The heavy clip-clop of hooves carried what appeared to be an overweight grey Kankrej Zebu cow through the streets of Middle of the World City. Children were running about the massive animal, poking it with sticks as the cow’s tail lashed at the flies that danced about its smelly rear-end. Nandi—named after the sacred cow who bore the same name—was the bull of Eshan’s mother and she had fed him more than she fed her own family apparently. Eshan needed a mount if he was going to replace Lord Shiva one day, and so she allowed him to take [s]Byron[/s] Nandi out to Ecuador for the whole family felt that it was about time the cow lost some weight.

The young man was seated on the cow’s back that had sacks of packed clothing, food, herbs, and tea covering it and his flanks. The bull’s motivation to go on despite its tired and heaving pants was the lone big juicy carrot that dangled at the end of a stick before its face. It was about halfway to the city center that Nandi’s balance began to waiver. Eshan raised his head, his brows lifting in a start when he sensed the bull’s swaying. Uncrossing his legs, he patted the creature’s back.

[color=aba000]“You have done enough, my friend. You can rest,”[/color] he told the beast.

Brown eyes rolling in the back of his head in relief, the cow huffed dramatically and keeled over. Eshan was quick to spring off the cow’s back as it just about shook the entire city (exaggeration) with the collapse of its great girth. Eshan sighed, giving the bull the carrot he had so desperately craved. The bull snagged it between his teeth and chewed lazily as its nostrils flared with its overworked breaths (they had actually travelled maybe 100 meters since the last time the animal needed a break).

[color=aba000]“If you are to be a sacred steed, then you will have to take better care of yourself. I may need to rely on you one day.”[/color]

A squelch and blare of hot flatulence then ripped from the bull, causing Eshan to blush in humiliation as children exclaimed [i]Eeeww![/i] and went off rambling in Spanish and laughter. Why was this happening to him? Why couldn’t his [i]Mata[/i] have given him one of the stronger bulls? The serpent, Vasuki, peeked out from beneath the black silky layers of his hair, his forked-tongue flicking and catching Eshan’s attention as he ran his finger over the creature’s head.

[color=aba000]“You’re lucky we weren’t called to the North. I fear you would freeze, my friend.”[/color]

The serpent was indifferent as it tucked its head back beneath his mane.

Eshan’s attention returned to Nandi and there wasn’t much he could do. The big bull wasn’t going to move until he finished catching his breath and he had to make sure no one tried to eat him. A cow that big must have made some stomachs growl, and Eshan wasn’t about to allow the kidnapping of his fat friend. The Indian man took a seat next to the bull, sitting on the curb as though one would if they had a flat tire or a car problem that wasn’t easily fixed.