Cobalt trotted through the tall grass, his black wool vanishing into the deep shadows between the stalks. He paused, nose twitching, and sniffed the rich scent of damp earth. Then he saw it — a tiny glint of gold. He bent down and looked again. This was the first treasure.
He dug his hooves into the soft dirt and pushed aside the soil. Something shiny peeked out — a silver button, half-buried in the mud. He brushed the dirt from his black fleece and held it up to the sun. The other sheep turned their heads and bleated in confusion, but Cobalt simply stared at the glint.
Cobalt padded further along the fence line where the grass grew even taller. A faint blue rolled near his hooves — a marble, smooth and perfect. He nudged it with his nose and it spun lazily against an old tree root. The sky above shimmered green through the leaves. He tucked it gently beneath his fleece and felt the soft click against his side.
He wandered deeper into the pasture where the grass grew wild and untamed. A sudden gust of wind swept through, scattering a pile of brown fallen leaves near an old stone. Cobalt froze — underneath lay a small wooden chest, its lid cracked open. Gold coins spilled out, glinting in the light. His ears twitched at the soft rustle of paper money tucked among them.
Cobalt stepped back from the treasure chest. The other sheep drifted closer, their white wool bright against the green grass. They bleated and murmured, eyes wide with wonder at the pile of gold. Cobalt looked down at his dark fleece, then back at the shining chest. His darkness had revealed something precious.
The white sheep pressed closer, their soft bleats filling the air. Cobalt turned slowly and walked to the center of the pasture. He lowered himself down onto the warm grass and lay between the silver button, the blue marble, and the pile of coins. The other sheep gathered around him in a circle.
The white sheep nudged close to admire the glinting silver button and the perfect blue marble. They bleated softly, a warm sound that drifted across the pasture. Cobalt listened with half-closed eyes. His dark wool lay smooth against the green grass, a quiet shadow in the bright day.
One by one, the white sheep settled down around him, their wool bright as clouds against the green grass. Cobalt felt the warmth of their presence but said nothing. He simply rested his head on his folded legs and watched the treasure sparkle in the afternoon light. The pasture was quiet except for soft breathing and gentle wind.
Cobalt blinked slowly, his dark eyes reflecting the gold coins and the blue marble. The white sheep leaned in closer, their breath puffing soft clouds in the cool air. He let out a long, contented sigh and rested his chin on his front legs. His black fleece caught the last golden rays of the sun.
The sun dipped lower, painting the pasture in shades of amber and soft green. Cobalt closed his eyes completely and lay still. Around him, the white sheep rested too, their steady breathing a gentle rhythm against the quiet grass. The treasures gleamed one last time before the evening shadows crept across the field. Cobalt smiled in his sleep.