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Ewetopia, A Land Far From Normal - Chapter 2
By Marie Ellen Pacha
Shepherd woke early, something about the hooves flailing at his face when Lamby hit the dream level in her sleep. From the sound of the soft bleats, he could guess that the brief tale of a wolf attack was probably quite true. And a cursory exam while she slept showed an apparent gash on her rump. He knew the first thing to do was get her cleaned up and so he phoned Mrs. Moo, Eddie to her friends, knowing she was always prepared to lend a helping hoof.
Eddie arrived within a half and hour with her hooves loaded with parcels and also a box from Mumm's bakery which contained mango muffins. She spread everything out on the table; shampoos, hoof polish, combs, shears, there was even some food coloring that she was going to use for cookies. Shepherd poured coffee and they munched on the muffins and chatted about the lamb.
"Eddie, I think the wolves got a bit closer to Lamby than she let on yesterday. I think there's a gash on her tail end. Will you check when you bathe her?" Shepherd asked.
"Of course I will, or rather we will. I called Mumm and asked her to come and help. That little lamb is rather feisty, and it may take two us to handle, or just to catch everything she is saying. I've never heard anyone talk that much, and I am no slouch in that department myself" Eddie answered.
Shepherd nodded in agreement, thinking refraining from answering might be politically correct at this time. He had heard Eddie's chatter, and if there was anyone that might beat Lamby at that, it was Eddie; though Mumm was in the race as well. He couldn't wait to hear the three of them go at it together.
About then one of Lamby's eyes flickered open. Her nose had been twitching for some time after the muffin smell had drifted over to where she slept. Her eye gradually focused on the two of them, then on the table. As it spotted the muffins her other eye opened as well and soon she was staring wide eyed at both of them.
"Food?" she asked hopefully.
"Yes Lamby, it's breakfast time, and we saved some for you," answered Shepherd. "Did you sleep well?"
Lamby suddenly realized where she was...on Shepherd's pillow and not in her own little bed and she had the good grace to be slightly embarrassed. "Oooops," she smiled. "I had a nightmare, and didn't want to wake you, so I just curled up along side your head. I hope I didn't disturb you."
"Not really," Shepherd rubbed the lump from her hoof as he answered. He knew she couldn't help the nightmare, but he started considered wearing a helmet while he slept, and actually anytime Lamby was present. Between her head and hooves, she could be a hazard.
"Are you hungry?" Eddie asked. "I brought some muffins from Mumm's. These are Shepherd's favorites."
"OOOOH yes," answered Lamby, "I'm famished." She started to bound off the bed, but her back leg didn't hold her weight and she landed on her nose. Shepherd started up to help her, but she got up quickly and limped to the table. "I'm okay, just a little stiff from yesterday, I guess. I do think the chair has grown or have I gotten shorter than yesterday? Would you mind giving me a boost?"
Shepherd lifted her and deposited her softly in the chair. Eddie poured a bowl of milk for her and set a warm muffin in front of her. Lamby sniffed the muffin appreciatively for a second, then took two gulps and devoured it. She looked hopefully at Eddie, who laughed and placed another on her plate. She nibble this one more delicately, and sipped (rather slurped) at her milk and Eddie and Shepherd talked.
"Lamby, Eddie and Mumm are going to help you take a bath in a little bit, after you have finished ......" Shepherd almost finished the sentence when he was interrupted by...
"BAAAAAAAATH!!" Lamby screamed. Why I could drown, or shrink, or God knows what!" Both Eddie and Shepherd covered their ears. Somehow they could still hear her. "As every lamb knows, water is for drinking. Ewegenia always said the pond and the creek were dangerous and I should stay away. And, and ...." and on she rambled.
"This will be in a tub, here in the palace, Lamby, and you will be perfectly safe," Shepherd answered, though one part of his mind was telling him how nice and quiet it would be with her head underwater. He quickly banished that thought and continued. "Your fleece is quite a mess, and it would appear that that wolf might have been a little closer to you than you told me yesterday. You have a gash on your rump that we need to tend to. Why don't you tell us what happened?"
Lamby shivered, at the thought of the wolf, or the bath, or both. She paused for a moment, which Shepherd enjoyed, then began. "Well, we were having breakfast yesterday morning, when the Ram bleated out a warning. I was munching on some clover by the newest lamb who was snoozing away. Her ewe had moved a bit aways to munch on some ivy. A wolf came charging in, and the ewes moved closer to surround us lambs. The littlest one lifted her head and her mother was almost there, and I kicked the wolf in the head as hard as I could when he went past. And then I ran as fast as my hooves could go. The wolf stumbled when I kicked him and it gave the ewes and Ram time to round up the lambs, and the shepherd's dogs chased him. But I guess he was still hungry and he started chasing me. I ran into the forest, and it seemed like I ran forever. I was getting tired and the wolf was closer and I dove into the thickest thicket of thorns I could find. The wolf tried to get me, and he was MAD! But the thorns were too thick, and he finally went away. I waited for a long time, because I thought Ewegenia would come for me, but I must have run too far," and at that her little nose quivered and a big fat tear rolled down her cheek. "I remembered what Ewegenia had said, about finding a shepherd, so I crawled out of the thorns and here I am," she sniffled once, before being grabbed out of her chair by Mumm who had heard most of the story as she came up the walk.
"Why you pooor little thing," Mumm murmured while nearly hugging the breath out of Lamby, who immediately stopped struggling and rested her head on Mumm's shoulder.
"You are indeed a feisty little thing," Shepherd spoke, wondering at the wisdom of taking on a lamb who was not afraid of wolves, while at the same time admiring her courage in protecting a lamb weaker than herself. He also briefly contemplated whether or not his sanity could outlast the loss of quiet and solitude he was used to.
Eddie spoke then, "Mumm are you ready to help Lamby with her bath?"
Mumm nodded, not letting go of Lamby who started to struggle at the word. The death grip of a hug Mumm's gave her left her short of breath. The tub was filled with water and something that Eddie added and set next to the table. Lamby eyed the tub and all of them suspiciously, until Mumm lowered her into the water. Her eyes opened wide as she realized this was not the ice cold water of the pond that she was used to...and she began splashing gaily. Shepherd watched from the doorway as Mumm, Eddie and even the ceiling became covered with water and suds. All three of the girls started and laughing and chattering, somehow at once, and Shepherd made his excuses and went to the shop for extra mops and lunch.
He purchased the mops first, and made his way to Bob's for an assortment of treats, not really knowing what Lamby liked yet (thought suspecting it was dang near everything), and anticipating asking Mumm and Eddie to join them. He made his purchases (by now his arms were quite full), and commenced a juggling act while he tried to gather everything up.
Bob watched amused for a bit, and then finally spoke, "I'm about due for a spot of lunch myself, how about if I give you a hand with all that?"
Shepherd was quite relieved, and answered, "We'd be honored to have you join us. I suspect as much as Lamby likes to eat, you'll be seeing quite a bit of us, and you had best get to know my young charge."
And with that they proceeded off to the palace.
They found the ladies in the side yard, with the picnic table set, and atop it was Lamby, freshly coiffed but her fleece, rather than being a pure white as expected, was a pastel rainbow...rather a tie dyed effect. She was beaming.
Eddie and Mumm looked slightly embarrassed when they saw the look on Shepherd and Bob's face, and then burst into laughter.
Eddie spoke, while holding her sides, "She grabbed the food coloring off the table, and her hoofs were slippery. We tried to get it out...but....." and at that she burst into laughter again.
"I LIKE IT!" exclaimed Lamby. "And they did my hooves too," and she proudly displayed hooves that were polished a BRIGHT PINK!
"Does she glow in the dark, do you suppose?" Bob asked and at that he and Shepherd joined the ladies in laughter.
"Well, at least I won't lose you in a crowd Lamby," Shepherd pondered aloud, and they all chuckled.
The ladies took the mops and quickly cleaned up the palace while Bob unwrapped the food. Lamby sat almost quietly in her chair waiting for lunch, and ooohing and ahhhing as everything was unwrapped. Shepherd could feel his peaceful life descend into a controlled chaos.
Continue to Chapter 3
This article is © copyrighted by Marie Ellen Pacha. Any use of this article, in full or in part, is strictly prohibited without written permission from Marie Ellen Pacha.
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