The Adventures of Dove Step the Sheep- Chapter 5
Very early in the morning the "ankle-biters" came. Well, that's what all the lambs called them. AND there were a lot of helpers with the farmer and the shepherd and the helpers brought their helpers.
There were dogs, helpers, four-wheelers and tall, huge horses. They were all headed up the road leading up the canyon to the pastures.
Along the road Dove saw different flowers. Some were a very brilliant reddish orange on stalks. Very pretty!
Dove noticed a few of the sheep tended to want to walk faster and also to wander off away from the flock. Silly sheepies! They could get lost. They could end up all alone. In the dark of night, this is not just a scary concept but could also be dangerous. Who knows what lurks in the dark.
But Dove didn't know that when he looked away those sheep did go wandering around and he didn't notice that the sheep wandered off.
The following morning he said, "Oh no! Those sheep wandered off!"
The morning air was really cold. He was glad he bedded down with his mother-they kept warm together all night long. Though the sun was up, it was still really cold! The odd thing was even though he could feel warmth from the sun, the sky was so full of clouds that were getting bigger and BIGGER and thicker and BLACKER. Soon there was a very loud BOOM! from the Heavens above.
The boom was followed by a flash of lightning. All of both flocks were scared and huddled as a single tight knit group. Shortly there came pellets of ice falling from the sky, pelting everyone!
Dove's mom said, "Don't worry. The storm will be over soon. A few minutes later the hail was softer and the storm was done. After the sun dried the rain Dove saw something buzzing in a flower. His mom said, "Be careful! Bees can sting!" But Dove ignored her-after all it was so tiny and interesting to watch. Without realizing it Dove threatened it and suddenly he exclaimed, "OW!". His mom said, "I warned you."
So much for flowers. There were plenty of them. Big, bright yellow ones. They were very bitter to the taste. Ever seen a lamb spit out a half chewed flower? Not a pretty sight I tell you.
There were some clump-white-topped flowers. Very spicy to the taste buds on the tongue. A nice addition to a lamb's diet.
Dove remembered that Mimi even found a pretty pink flower. The leaf was soft and fuzzy.
Dove also saw a purple flower that tasted like..... well, nothing! Mimi told Dove that they turn pink later.
In the evening some men set up tents in the meadow. soon the sun set. The farmer and shepherd worked on cooking food for themselves and all the helpers. Poor people. Too bad they couldn't just eat the grass and white-top in the meadow. What a lovely meal that was.
The stars came out. There were at least a hundred times more stars here in the mountain meadow than there ever were in the valley meadow. "Wow!", was all that Dove Step could think. Where was Mimi when he wanted to share something of such great splendor with her?
A few of the wandering lost sheep found their way back to the fold by the next morning. There was still one missing. Dove hadn't seen Mimi for a while and was starting to worry about her. So was the shepherd!
At sunrise the Shepherd mounted his horse before breakfast and took one of his ankle-biting dogs with him to go find his lost lamb.
Dove watched intently as the Shepherd rode his horse out of sight with his companion-dog Alex following faithfully along side of him.
They had been gone most of the day, in fact it was so late in the day that the helpers were having dinner already. Dove Step suddenly heard a familiar bleat. Then he heard Alex and saw the shepherd on the horse.
The Shepherd had Mimi on his shoulders. The Bully that Dove encountered in the meadow had scared her off the trail causing her to tumble down a small hill bumping her head on a rock and was knocked out. When she came to, she felt a LOT of pain when trying to stand up. It was so bad she could NOT stand putting any weight on one of her legs. Turns out, it was broken.
Mimi starting bleating, "Ma-aaa, Ma-aa, Ma-aaaaa!
To no avail.
She listened intently but couldn't hear anyone from the flock, not even Dove. She was all alone. She was lost. AND it was dark out! Se was cold. She was wet. She was lonely. She was hungry. She wanted her mama. She wanted to be with her fold!
Through the dark of night Mimi felt sorry for herself. She so wanted to eat, be warm and mostly to be with her flock. She was able to hobble under some low lying junipers which sheltered her from danger and the cold. She slept peacefully through the night.
In the morning the sun light glistened on the dew. It was so pretty-like sparkling diamonds. Her broken leg had swollen and was still as full of pain as ever. But a lamb has to eat. So she hobbled a short way to some very lovely soft verdant ferns. She could eat them and fill her tummy. It did help her feel better. She was feeling a little.....watched over and at peace with herself, but didn't know why.
It was getting nigh to lunch time when she heard Alex woofing and hoffing and sniffing hard toward her. She let out a bleat and he was on her like a tick on a dog! Alex let out one loud howl and her Shepherd came over the crest of the hill! "There you are my baby!" He dismounted from his horse and scooped her up in his arms.
He comforted, stroked, softly spoke and then sang to her. All the while he checked every square inch of her. That's when he discovered her broken leg. He set her bones in place and applied a splint. As he was doing this he spoke softly and gently-just like his touch. He told her how he had been so worried about her, that he had prayed to the Father that she would find shelter through the night. That she would be safe and warm. Also that she would feel safe and at peace and that she could get nourishment to sustain her. Lastly he prayed that Alex would sense and smell her so they could find her. Mimi felt so at peace in the arms of her Shepherd.
Mimi rode on the shoulders of the Shepherd all the way back to the flock.
Mimi was so glad to be back with her mama. Dove was so relieved that Mimi was safe-folded and at rest. He listened intently as she shared her trials and travails, validating again that he NEVER wanted to be a bull AND NEVER wanted to wander or stray from the fold!
There were dogs, helpers, four-wheelers and tall, huge horses. They were all headed up the road leading up the canyon to the pastures.
Along the road Dove saw different flowers. Some were a very brilliant reddish orange on stalks. Very pretty!
Dove noticed a few of the sheep tended to want to walk faster and also to wander off away from the flock. Silly sheepies! They could get lost. They could end up all alone. In the dark of night, this is not just a scary concept but could also be dangerous. Who knows what lurks in the dark.
But Dove didn't know that when he looked away those sheep did go wandering around and he didn't notice that the sheep wandered off.
The following morning he said, "Oh no! Those sheep wandered off!"
The morning air was really cold. He was glad he bedded down with his mother-they kept warm together all night long. Though the sun was up, it was still really cold! The odd thing was even though he could feel warmth from the sun, the sky was so full of clouds that were getting bigger and BIGGER and thicker and BLACKER. Soon there was a very loud BOOM! from the Heavens above.
The boom was followed by a flash of lightning. All of both flocks were scared and huddled as a single tight knit group. Shortly there came pellets of ice falling from the sky, pelting everyone!
Dove's mom said, "Don't worry. The storm will be over soon. A few minutes later the hail was softer and the storm was done. After the sun dried the rain Dove saw something buzzing in a flower. His mom said, "Be careful! Bees can sting!" But Dove ignored her-after all it was so tiny and interesting to watch. Without realizing it Dove threatened it and suddenly he exclaimed, "OW!". His mom said, "I warned you."
So much for flowers. There were plenty of them. Big, bright yellow ones. They were very bitter to the taste. Ever seen a lamb spit out a half chewed flower? Not a pretty sight I tell you.
There were some clump-white-topped flowers. Very spicy to the taste buds on the tongue. A nice addition to a lamb's diet.
Dove remembered that Mimi even found a pretty pink flower. The leaf was soft and fuzzy.
Dove also saw a purple flower that tasted like..... well, nothing! Mimi told Dove that they turn pink later.
In the evening some men set up tents in the meadow. soon the sun set. The farmer and shepherd worked on cooking food for themselves and all the helpers. Poor people. Too bad they couldn't just eat the grass and white-top in the meadow. What a lovely meal that was.
The stars came out. There were at least a hundred times more stars here in the mountain meadow than there ever were in the valley meadow. "Wow!", was all that Dove Step could think. Where was Mimi when he wanted to share something of such great splendor with her?
A few of the wandering lost sheep found their way back to the fold by the next morning. There was still one missing. Dove hadn't seen Mimi for a while and was starting to worry about her. So was the shepherd!
At sunrise the Shepherd mounted his horse before breakfast and took one of his ankle-biting dogs with him to go find his lost lamb.
Dove watched intently as the Shepherd rode his horse out of sight with his companion-dog Alex following faithfully along side of him.
They had been gone most of the day, in fact it was so late in the day that the helpers were having dinner already. Dove Step suddenly heard a familiar bleat. Then he heard Alex and saw the shepherd on the horse.
The Shepherd had Mimi on his shoulders. The Bully that Dove encountered in the meadow had scared her off the trail causing her to tumble down a small hill bumping her head on a rock and was knocked out. When she came to, she felt a LOT of pain when trying to stand up. It was so bad she could NOT stand putting any weight on one of her legs. Turns out, it was broken.
Mimi starting bleating, "Ma-aaa, Ma-aa, Ma-aaaaa!
To no avail.
She listened intently but couldn't hear anyone from the flock, not even Dove. She was all alone. She was lost. AND it was dark out! Se was cold. She was wet. She was lonely. She was hungry. She wanted her mama. She wanted to be with her fold!
Through the dark of night Mimi felt sorry for herself. She so wanted to eat, be warm and mostly to be with her flock. She was able to hobble under some low lying junipers which sheltered her from danger and the cold. She slept peacefully through the night.
In the morning the sun light glistened on the dew. It was so pretty-like sparkling diamonds. Her broken leg had swollen and was still as full of pain as ever. But a lamb has to eat. So she hobbled a short way to some very lovely soft verdant ferns. She could eat them and fill her tummy. It did help her feel better. She was feeling a little.....watched over and at peace with herself, but didn't know why.
It was getting nigh to lunch time when she heard Alex woofing and hoffing and sniffing hard toward her. She let out a bleat and he was on her like a tick on a dog! Alex let out one loud howl and her Shepherd came over the crest of the hill! "There you are my baby!" He dismounted from his horse and scooped her up in his arms.
He comforted, stroked, softly spoke and then sang to her. All the while he checked every square inch of her. That's when he discovered her broken leg. He set her bones in place and applied a splint. As he was doing this he spoke softly and gently-just like his touch. He told her how he had been so worried about her, that he had prayed to the Father that she would find shelter through the night. That she would be safe and warm. Also that she would feel safe and at peace and that she could get nourishment to sustain her. Lastly he prayed that Alex would sense and smell her so they could find her. Mimi felt so at peace in the arms of her Shepherd.
Mimi rode on the shoulders of the Shepherd all the way back to the flock.
Mimi was so glad to be back with her mama. Dove was so relieved that Mimi was safe-folded and at rest. He listened intently as she shared her trials and travails, validating again that he NEVER wanted to be a bull AND NEVER wanted to wander or stray from the fold!
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