Pappiton Peril

Somehow, a peony-pink pappiton had managed to find it’s way out of the field it was meant to be in. Tej was attempting to herd it back into the field through an open gate while Eryn attempted to keep the rest of the flock in said field.

“Quick, close the gate before they all get out!” Tej yelled from behind the hedge.

Eryn ran as fast as she could towards the gate in the corner of the field, but she was too late. One of the cheeky pappitons had escaped her watch and was now running away, chirping gleefully. Of course, the rest of them had to follow the one escapee, and now instead of having one lost pappiton, they have a whole flock on the loose.

Tej ambled over to her, huffing and puffing for breath. He patted her on the back firmly.

“Don’t worry, we’ll get them back. They are cheeky buggers, aren’t they?” He said.

“They’re too cheeky for their own good,” Eryn agreed. “And I suck at herding them. I’m not sure the shepherd life is for me, Tej.”

“You’ll get the hang of it, I’m sure. I need a bit of practice too. They’re a lot more spry than the nikyaks, that’s for sure.” Tej gazed over to where a few nikyaks were happily grazing and minding their own business in an adjacent field, oblivious to the grand escape that had just occurred.

“Let’s let them calm down before we try and get them back. I think that’s probably for the best.” Tej said, “If they gather back up into a flock, surely we can just herd them back?”

“We can only give it a try,” Eryn agreed. “I just keep thinking about the cake that is waiting for us when we get back. If you needed any motivation.”

“Oooh, I’d almost forgotten about that.” Tej said excitedly. We’d better get to it before a sootmus eats it all.”

They found the pappitons a little distance away, happily slurping up nectar from a lush meadow of flowers. They approached slowly and circled the flock, so as not to scare them in the wrong direction. They had brought long sticks with them, with the hope that they can use them to guide the paps in the right direction.

As they came around to the rear of the flock, the peony-pink one noticed them and pricked up it’s ears, alert. A few of the other’s followed suit.

“We’re not coming to cause any trouble, now. We’re just trying to get you home, that’s all.” Tej spoke calmly and reassuringly to the pappitons. They seemed to respond to his voice and adopt a less tense stance.

Eryn and Tej began to calmly walk toward the herd, arms (and sticks) outstretched. As they drew closer, the paps began to walk in the direction towards their field. It was working!

With one on each flank of the group to prevent any breakoffs, Tej and Eryn slowly walked the flock towards the open gate. However, as they got closer, the more resistant to herding the pappitons became. They began having to run more frantically as more pappitons tried to make a break for freedom.

“Go on, in you go!” “In you go!” Tej and Eryn encouraged them with their voices. After a few more mad dashes side to side, the first pap made it through the gate. Then a second followed, and a third, and them before they knew it, the whole flock was back where they should be.

“Quick, close the gate for good this time!” Tej yelled.

Eryn quickly swing it shut and made sure that the latch was secure. One it was, she took a moment to lean on the gate and catch her breath.

“Well done,” Tej praised her. “That was not easy. It seems there’s more to managing pappitons that I first thought.”

A sunshine yellow pap trotted over and sniffed at Eryn’s arm with it’s large nose. It gazed up at her with it’s gorgeous eyes before prancing back off to join it’s friends.

“They are adorable, though,” Eryn said. “They have very sweet faces.”

“Devilish faces if you ask me,” Tej countered. “But also very sweet. I think I’ll get used to having them around.”