Sheep Farm

  Chapter 3

 

  His usual breakfast made him feel like his old self again. Strolling down the trail in the woods toward the cliffs, Bennie forgot about the events of the past two days and began to think about how the farm had been in his first three seasons.

 

  He had been born in the springtime on a day not unlike like today; well, that was what his mother had told him. He had never been worried about much until he learned what market day was. Sheep went to market and did not come back. Bennie’s one true fear was market day. Not even the wolves in these woods scared Bennie like market day.

  Bennie had never feared the woods and had always watched for signs of the wolf pack. He was nearing the cliffs to think when a small dog-like creature appeared. He had never seen a fox before, so he did not know what to think of it. The fox was standing in the middle of the trail, not even trying to hide the fact it was there.

 

  Bennie approached the fox slowly. The fox did not move. Bennie asked if the fox would stand aside so he could pass. The fox smiled and asked why a sheep was so far out in the woods. Bennie told him he liked the woods and was going to enjoy the view at the cliffs. The fox asked Bennie what his name was, and Bennie told him. The fox said his name was Patrick. He said he had followed Bennie for some distance in the woods because a sheep in the woods was an unusual site. Bennie had to laugh and said he understood.

 

  Patrick was on his way to visit a friend of his, the old owl who lived way back in the woods, when he first saw Bennie. As a friendly gesture, Patrick asked Bennie if he wanted to meet the old owl. Bennie wanted to get away from the farm to think and had not planned on company, so he thanked Patrick, accepting the invitation, saying someone to talk to would be nice.

 

  The sheep and fox started down a different trail together with Patrick leading the way. As they walked, Bennie and Patrick took the opportunity to get acquainted. Bennie asked Patrick if he knew about the wolf pack, and Patrick said yes, of course, he did. Patrick had reason to watch out for the wolves himself. He had tangled with them before and had no wish to do so again. Patrick showed Bennie a vicious scar on his leg from a wolf. He had escaped with his life and had no intention of giving the wolves another shot at him.

  Patrick told Bennie there was something strange about these wolves, that something was wrong with them. He did not know what it was, but they were not right—they were much different from the other animals of the woods and any other wolf he had heard of before. Bennie thanked Patrick for telling him about the wolves. He said he knew someone who may know more about the wolves, thinking about Henry, the old donkey, back at the farm.

  Patrick slowed his steady stroll through the woods as they approached a very large tree in a small clearing in the very heart of the woods. The owl was nowhere in sight. Patrick called to his friend the owl, and there was a low hoot sound from within the tree.

  The owl hopped out on a branch and smiled down at the pair (if there such thing as a smile for an owl). Patrick knew this old bird, and it seemed friendly enough, so Bennie smiled back. Patrick spoke to the bird, and the bird listened intently. He told the bird Bennie was from the farm they had heard so much about in the recent days. Bennie did not understand everything Patrick said to the owl. They must speak another language here in the woods, Bennie thought to himself as Patrick went on with his discourse with the bird.

 

  When Patrick was done talking, Bennie asked him what had been the part of the conversation he did not understand. He got no response. Patrick asked him if he would like to say something to the bird. Bennie must have looked confused because Patrick went on to explain the owl was a sort of an advisor here in the woods and was very wise.

 

  Bennie understood Patrick had explained the situation at the farm just as Bennie had told it to Patrick while they had walked to the tree. Bennie’s only real worry now was the wolves coming back, so he asked what the farm should do about the wolves. Bennie was prepared for a long answer but only received in response one long, low, almost-croaked word, “Peace.” The owl seemed content with its answer and looked long and hard at Bennie and then, with a glance at Patrick, hopped back into the hollow of the tree.

 

  Patrick sort of sighed to himself and turned to go. Bennie was still staring at where the owl had stood. Patrick saw the confusion on Bennie’s face and said, “You never know what you may get out of that old bird.” Bennie certainly had gotten an answer. What did it mean? Peace with the wolves or not to worry about the wolves? It did not matter now the wolves were gone, at least for now anyway.

 

  Patrick told Bennie he should go back to the farm. The woods were no place for a sheep, even for one as brave as Bennie. They walked back toward the edge of the woods to the farm together but in silence. Patrick knew Bennie was trying to make sense of it all.

 

  As the farm started to appear through the trees, Patrick told Bennie he had made a new friend. If he needed him, Bennie should just pass the word to the birds. They would be able to get a message to him. Bennie said his thanks and good-bye. He walked down toward the flock just as they were heading in for the evening grain at the barn.

 

  Bennie headed down near the pig pins where Christopher (or Chris, as he was known by the farm animals), the prize pig, lived. The old pig had been a prize pig shown at many fairs. He had been spared the horrors of market day because of his past victories. Bennie thought to himself it was a strange reward to live out your days flopped there in the mud. Bennie doubted Chris even knew the difference at the farm these last few days. The other animals fed him, and the only clue might have been the absence of table scraps in his feed.

  Chris just grunted as Bennie slipped by. The grunt passed as a greeting for the old pig. Bennie said nothing as he hurried past wanting his own dinner. Bennie ate in silence, remembering the words of Henry. They must ration out the grain to make it last. He would need to talk to Henry about the wolves after dinner.

 

  Bennie found Henry relaxing in his usual spot near his favorite tree just under the eaves of the barn. Henry looked quite content. He was an old donkey and had seen many years at the farm. He would know about the wolves if any farm animal would. Bennie made sure Henry knew he was there by standing in front of him and sort of gazing out in the same direction.

 

  Henry had heard and felt the sheep slip up to him without even opening his eyes. “Hello, Bennie,” Henry said, not too concerned about anything.

  Bennie asked Henry about the wolf pack, mentioning what Patrick, the fox, had told him. Henry laughed to himself, telling Bennie they were indeed not right at all, not even for wolves. Somehow, the pack had contracted Puster Slavin disease, which was making them more and more unstable as time went by. Henry knew about the pack and its alpha leaders. Edward, or just Ed, as the pack called him, was in the last stages of the savage disease and was quite mad by now. Sue, the old she-wolf alpha female, was not to be trusted for sure.

  The whole pack was doomed and their “challenges” with the disease would make them desperate and somewhat deformed. Bennie noted everything Henry told him about the wolves and their strange disease. As Bennie was getting tired, he mentioned the old owl he had met and the single word he had croaked out with regard to the wolves. Henry stared directly at Bennie as the word peace was uttered by Bennie. Henry did a strange thing—he stood with one hoof in the air, humming to himself and repeating the word peace. Bennie thought he heard Henry mumble “Interesting” as he left but thought nothing of it. He was tired and needed to get some sleep.

  Chapter 4