Woollyback

393 AC - A few whistles and loud clacks with the tongue are enough. I hear the bells before I see them appear over the ridge and come running down the hill. I make a few more clicking sounds, then a whoop to guide the Woollybacks, which file past in front of me and flock together in front of the paddock like a blanket of wispy clouds. Papa lifts the barrier to the sheepfold and counts all the sheep as they go through to the other side of the fence one by one. I come down from my little mound and mingle with the animals. As they go by, I can't stop myself from touching their downy wool, which feels like cotton candy without the stickiness. They're so soft. You could almost mistake them for any other sheep when they're frolicking on the Screed.

But their wool is so light and airy that when you throw it, it's even slower to fall than a feather. And when there's a wind blowing, it flies away like a helium balloon. Apparently, they use it for insulation in jackets and partitions. Usually, the Woollybacks would be sheared tomorrow. But we're leaving soon on a big trip, and we need to pen them up before returning them to the menagerie. And that could be tricky, because they've never gotten used to living inside… A hoof thumps the ground next to me, and I smile. Good thing we have an ally to keep them all in check…

KAURI