- THE NURSERY

the nursery is where, in short, bitches expecting pups go to rest. females also nursing juveniles will stay here until there puppies pass the four moon milestone; in other words, until they become sunki. it's what's generally known as a tack room. it's a secluded room, partitioned off from the rest of the barn to give the bitches some privacy. saddles are still hung on stands, complete with shiny metal stirrups and many leather straps, and are a favorite plaything of the pups'. there are many shelves along the wall, in which to store feed, trophies, helmets, and so on in; now, they're lined with straw and given to the bitches as nests. it's a warm, dark room, with a feeding trough dragged from one of the stalls to collect rainwater, similar to the yenene's den. three dusty glass windows remain high enough in the wall so that exuberant pups can't break them, but apparently low enough to shed a pleasant light when the sun's at the right angle. the nursery is directly across from the yenene's den, so that it can come immediately if needed. the small, discreet door in the far end leads to a sheep pen; an ideal place for the pups to stretch their legs, while their mothers can watch out the window.