Little Lamb
J.J. Polson
(Three parts. 3500 words.)
One
“I don’t like this, Doll. Not one bit.”
Dolly slowed, allowing the squirrel to approach. Eternally oblivious, Mary continued to skip along the empty dirt road ahead. The autumn wind brought the child’s warm song to the sheep’s ears. It was a voice that she cherished, one of youth and innocence.
As long as Dolly lived, she would allow no harm to come to the girl.
The squirrel remained hidden from the eyes of the hawk circling above, clandestinely maneuvering through the high grass with ease. Such agility was one of the many reasons that Dolly had enlisted the energetic scavenger as a personal attendant. There were precious few animals that could catch him.
“Speak, Red,” Dolly ordered, glancing up at the hawk. There was no certainty that the winged menace belonged to Black, but one could never be too cautious. The sheep returned her focus to the girl. They had nearly reached their destination.
“The Scurry grows anxious,” the squirrel reported. “Food is scarce. We may not be able to store enough for the winter.”
Dolly’s mind worked quickly. Red’s family was crucial to the network that protected Mary from Black’s vengeance. “He has made an offer then.”
Red hesitated. “Yes. The elders have gathered. They intended to accept.”
“They cannot,” the sheep hissed. “Not after all that I have done for them.”
“It’s the girl’s father … the Hunter. He has killed too many of us. Not to mention that the humans continue to claim more and more of our home. The elders believe that you are no longer able to provide adequate protection.”
“Do you think that Black and his pack actually cares about your family?”
“No. He only cares about killing the girl and her father. But … once the humans are eliminated Black has promised us their crop.”
“An offer good for only one season. Afterward, you will have to fend for yourselves.”
“We cannot fend for ourselves if we are dead, Doll.”
The sheep sighed. She had been afraid of this. Her protection had domesticated the family of rodents. They had forgotten how to fend for themselves. She needed their eyes and ears. It was a piece of Mary’s protection that she could not afford to lose – something Black knew well.
“Doll! Say something!” Red squealed. “I need to present your counteroffer before sunset.”
“I will have one upon my return to the farm. Meet me there.”
“I’ll do my best to stall the proceedings.”
Frustrated, Dolly bared her teeth and watched the rodent dart across the field toward the distant wood. The hawk had disappeared during the course of their conversation. There was no longer any doubt that it belonged to Black.
Damn him!
A moment later, Dolly stopped next to Mary. The child scratched behind the sheep’s ears as she studied the small wooden building in the distance with wide eyes.
Mary beamed as she spoke, “The first day of school. I’m so excited, Dolly. When I return home, I will tell you everything that happened!”
The sheep withheld a frown as the girl resumed her merry skip toward the simple structure. Summer was a time of safety. Dolly could watch Mary wherever she went – the fields, the lake, the town. The school forbade the presence of animals, even domesticated ones. Normally, that would not have been a problem…
I can’t leave her alone, the sheep knew. Black is up to something.
A dozen other children encircled Mary upon her arrival on the short-cut field surrounding the school. They talked rapidly and rather loudly, their words blending together into an indigestible mush. Left with little choice, Dolly neared and let lose a thunderous bleat, bringing the conversation to an abrupt end. The children sprinted forward and began to shower her with affection.
Mary made introductions, all names Dolly had long since known, and begin to explain the rules of a rather rudimentary game involving the sheep. The minds of human children were a wondrous thing – in the span of a few moments, Mary had completely forgotten the institution’s prohibition against animals.
The teacher, unfortunately, had not.
With a loud crack, the ongoing game between animal and children was brought to an abrupt halt. The teacher, a woman known as Martha, marched forward, brandishing her hickory switch and forcing Dolly to retreat. Martha quickly extinguished a half-hearted protest and forced the children indoors.
Dolly cursed and sat upon the grass, her attention divided between the distant forest and the schoolhouse. A thousand questions burdened her mind. Why now? What advantage had Black found? The squirrels would not be the only species the pack had approached.
The sheep didn’t bother to turn as a familiar rabbit settled in beside her.
“You need to come with me,” Lobe said. “Something has happened.”
“I can’t leave Mary.”
“We’ll watch the school. That’s what you pay us for in case you’ve forgotten.”
She hadn’t. “No.”
“Dolly … Nova is dead.”
“Black?”
“The Hunter.”
Fuck, the sheep rose. “Double the watch. I want no less than twenty rabbits. Find Luka and bring him to me.”
“You sound worried … what’s happening, Doll?”
I wish I knew.
The sheep growled as she realized the rabbit had yet to obey her command. “Move!”
Two
The forest was uncomfortably silent.
Following Lobe, Dolly studied her surroundings. The rabbit moved at a quick pace, hopping down one of the many heavily-trafficked trails winding through the endless wood. The trees to either side were empty of observers. It was apparent that everyone already knew what had happened; word spread quickly through the forest.
Dolly hissed, thinking of the hawk that had followed Mary to school. The timing is too convenient to be chance. The pack has something to do with this kill.
Black was no fool; he wouldn’t make a direct move while her alliance remained at full strength. The pack had come to the squirrels with an offering – they had certainly approached other families in an attempt to undermine her authority.
If the wolves managed to reclaim their place atop the forest hierarchy, they would challenge the humans for superiority. It was a challenge they could not possibly win, but they would try nevertheless. Both sides would suffer.
Mary. Dolly wished she hadn’t been forced to leave the school. Certainly, there was safety in numbers, but the same youthful mind that had forgotten a principle rule of the school could easily be lured away from its kin. If Black managed to get Mary alone, there was nothing the girl could do to defend herself.
I must not let him turn the others against the humans. They must understand that there is no going back to the time before…
Eventually, the rabbit stopped before a distinctive tree trunk. Dolly recognized the markings. Ahead, was the small glade that belonged to Luka’s family. Haunting bird calls filled the air – a song of mourning.
Dolly sent Lobe forward to gauge her audience. She had tasked the rabbits with finding Luka, but, based on the location, the sheep wagered that the patriarch of the bears had already arrived.
Turning, she found Red at her side. “This isn’t good, Doll” the squirrel reported. “Even the elders have delayed their decision to attend.”
“Did anyone see what happened?”
The squirrel nodded. “Corn claims that one of the pack lured the humans into the wood. One of the Hunter’s kin attempted to kill the wolf and shot Nova instead.”
“Was anyone else there?” It was a story that wouldn’t hold much weight without proof. The larger animals were unlikely to believe the word of a scavenger.
“Corn was alone. Foraging.”
“Ready him to speak. Remind the elders that, as of this moment, our agreement still holds.”
“On it,” Red replied, scurrying away.
The rabbit reemerged a moment later. “You’re nearly the last to arrive.”
“Luka?”
“He mourns the loss of his daughter.”
The sheep thought quickly. She needed to speak to Luka directly to prevent unnecessary bloodshed. Violence was what Black desired. If the bears attacked the humans and were wiped out, it would give the pack the opening they needed.
“Boss?” Lobe questioned. “What’s the play?”
“I will address the forest,” Dolly said presently. “I want a status report from the school by the time I finish. And get a location on the pack – they’ve obviously claimed a base of operation. The Scurry may have a lead.”
With a nod, the rabbit disappeared into the underbrush.
The sheep took a deep breath before proceeding forward. If this event was truly of Black’s design, caution was of the upmost importance. Tensions with the humans had always been high – her job was to diffuse them, to promote coexistence. Since the expulsion of the pack two years before, the forest had been at peace. If she handled this poorly, it could be thrown back into chaos.
Silence came as Dolly made her presence known. Countless gleaming eyes watched from above, their owners sheltered within the leafy trees surrounding the glade. The sleuth of bears was gathered around their fallen kin, a bloody trail marking the way from which they had come. Their leader, Luka, observed the body in silence, his dark eyes heavy with sorrow.
Dolly stopped before the outermost bear, awaiting permission to approach. She hoped to hold the ensuing conversation in private.
Luka denied her the chance.
“You!” the great bear hissed. “You promised us that the killings had come to an end, that the humans understood boundaries! Now, my daughter is dead!”
The glade erupted with sound.
Dolly said nothing as the monstrous mammal approached. Luka was a mess of soil-colored fur, his normally-stoic face twisted in rage and his deadly teeth exposed. The bear stopped before her and roared, sending the animals in attendance into further frenzy.
“I demand justice!”
“You’re right, Luka. Those responsible must pay,” Dolly remarked once the forest had calmed. She spoke loudly, ensuring her voice reached the ears of all within the glade. “Our home has been at peace for years. What has changed in recent days?”
The sheep paused. No one spoke. She could sense their fear.
“I will tell you then. The pack has returned,” Dolly continued. “They have made offers to your families, promises they will never keep. Black does not care about any of you, not even his own pack. He only desires revenge.”
The bear before her growled deeply. “Humans cannot be trusted. Black knew this peace would not last, that our families would someday meet the same fate as his pack.”
There was a smattering of vocal agreement from the onlookers.
Not good. She needed the bear to see reason. “I have it on good authority that the humans did not intentionally harm Nova. Their crops are abundant. They have domesticated animals to supply their meat and furs. Rarely do they kill for sport. The pack is behind this. Black is trying to break us apart.”
Luka stared into the sheep’s eyes for a long moment.
Before the bear could speak, a dark voice interrupted the proceedings.
“What proof do you have, sheep?”
Like a shadow, the great wolf emerged from the other side of the clearing. His black hair was disheveled, filled with briers and thorns. Scars marred his snout and upper lip, resulting in the permanent exposure of his yellowed teeth.
The wolf’s golden eyes narrowed as he studied the gathering. “The human lover comes to their defense once again,” he proclaimed. “How much longer before you fools realize the truth? This sheep does not live in the forest. It lives among them. It is fed from their harvest, gives its wool willingly to keep their furless hides warm!”
Black paused, the remains of his lips turning upward into a smirk. “Dolly is the worst of them all. She cares for their children as if they were her own. She cares nothing about this place, about any of–”
Luka silenced the wolf with a roar. “You are not welcome here, Black. This forest is no longer your home.”
“Soon, this place will not be anyone’s home! It will belong to them,” the wolf snarled. “Consider this a warning.”
With a last glance at Dolly, Black turned and disappeared into the forest.
Three
Yellow eyes. Watching from the underbrush near the schoolhouse.
Alone, Dolly waited as near to the structure as she dared. Hawks circled high overhead, periodically diving to the ground in an attempt to kill the network of rabbits operating under the sheep’s command. A short time ago, Red had appeared and relayed that the Scurry was suspending their agreement to search for food.
It was a valid reason but a false one. The Scurry feared what was to come.
A week had passed since Nova’s death. Fortunately, Black’s timely appearance coupled with an explanation by the squirrel Corn had assuaged the fury of the forest dwellers. Once his blood had cooled, Luka had agreed that the pack was at fault for the killing of his kin.
After overreaching, Black had been forced to improvise. The pack had returned to the forest with renewed strength and focus, picking off animals from the humans’ herd and destroying important crops in the dead of night. The Hunter and his kin were on edge. Humans had once again begun to patrol the vast fields bordering the forest.
Violence was imminent.
And then there was Lobe. The sheep had sent the rabbit searching for the pack’s new stronghold. Her hopes of his return were fading. She feared the worst.
The words of the vicious wolf buzzed like mosquitoes within the sheep’s racing mind. In more ways than one, Black was right. The humans were never going to leave. Their population would continue to grow, and the forest would continue to shrink. Eventually, the forest dwellers would suffer the same fate as the pack and be forced from their homes.
Due to their inherent nature, the others could never know love for the humans. They would never be viewed as the domesticated animals were. Dolly could never truly understand their situation, but she could do her best to maintain an uneasy peace between the two sides. With any luck, she could minimize the hardships to come.
However, in order to get that far, she would have to outmaneuver Black.
Dolly turned as a rabbit appeared beside her.
“No change. Wolves surround the schoolhouse,” Tripp reported. “They’re waiting for something, Doll.”
“For Mary,” the sheep replied. “It’s a message to me. Black wasn’t able to dissolve the alliance. Therefore, he’s decided to threaten the thing I care about most.”
“A true devil.” The rabbit paused, carefully considering his next words. “The others are worried that if the wolves attack, you will expect us to try and stop them.”
“Don’t be stupid. You are my eyes and ears, not my claws and fangs.”
The rabbit wasn’t done. “The hawks have everyone on edge. We’ve lost more of the colony in the past week then in the past three months. We fear that they may soon find our nest. Rabbits don’t do well with torture.”
Dolly frowned in thought, returning her gaze to the schoolhouse.
“Boss? We’re going to need some sort of assurance.”
“I’ve already provided it.”
“Not enough. Not anymore. There are already defectors. Won’t be long before everyone joins them … especially with Lobe gone missing.”
“He’ll come back,” Dolly assured the rabbit. “Lobe always comes back.”
“Promise you’ll think of some way to fend off Black.”
The sheep bared her teeth. “Do you think I’m out here wasting air?”
“No. Sorry for doubting you, boss.” Tripp raised his ears. “School’s out.”
Dolly rose from her position next to the dirt road and approached the school. The children smiled and patted her atop the head as they passed. Mary was among the last. She wrapped her arms tightly around the sheep’s neck. Something was wrong.
Dolly nuzzled the girl, attempting to obtain information.
“I saw them today, Dolly,” Mary whispered, her voice filled with terror. “The wolves…”
*
Dolly walked through the high grass of the herd’s primary field. The animals parted for her, muttering fear-laden words under their breaths as she passed. Another sheep had been taken the night before, a young lamb named Jeremy.
Something had to be done. And quickly.
Glancing to the distant wooden house, the sheep spied the Hunter sitting upon the porch. Spread before him were four hunting rifles. It was clear the Mary’s father expected another assault by the pack, that he planned to strike back.
Bullet, the black-haired sheepdog, arrived at her side. “Haven’t seen him like this in some time. It’s because of me. I haven’t been able to protect the herd.”
“You can’t think that way,” Dolly replied. “You and your kin are no match for the pack.”
“What choice do we have but to fight? If more sheep die, the Hunter will lead the others into the forest. War will be unavoidable.”
“I won’t let it reach that point.”
“How, Dolly? I’ve heard rumors that the pack watches the schoolhouse. That means it is only a matter of time before they try and attack the human children!”
“I know.”
The cry of a hawk overhead snared Dolly’s attention. Together, the two animals watched as one of the great birds swooped down from the sky and dropped something into the field. Commanding Bullet to hold off the others, Dolly approached the spot and hung her head at the sight of a body.
Lobe.
*
By sunset, Dolly had reached a decision.
The sheep marched alongside Bullet toward the edge of the herd’s wooden enclosure with purpose. She had ordered the other dogs to remain at the Hunter’s side, to summon him when the time came.
“This is a foolish idea, Dolly,” the dog growled.
“It must be done.” The sheep continued to march forward, staying in clear sight of the Hunter’s position. “We must use Black’s aggression against him.”
“But … using yourself as bait?”
“It has to me. If I challenge Black directly, he will come. He knows that if he kills me the alliance will fall.”
“What about, Mary? She won’t be able to live without you.”
“I’m doing this for her,” the sheep snapped. “And I’m not going to die. The Hunter has earned his reputation. Just make sure the dogs get his attention when the time comes.”
“What will we do if you fail?”
“You can’t see it, can you? If I die, it will only speed up what is to come. Eventually, the humans will claim the forest as their own, and the animals there will be driven out. I only hope that I can stall that eventuality, that I can help them survive what is to come.”
At last, the great dog hung its head in acceptance and raced back toward the herd.
Dolly stood within sight of the fence as the shadows grew long. The structure was designed to keep the young and elderly from wandering, not to keep eager animals out. As expected, golden eyes began to multiply like fireflies in the nearby wood.
The sheep waited patiently as threatening howls filled the night air.
Finally, Black emerged from the wood, alone. The great wolf stared at her with hate in his bright eyes, saliva dripping from his exposed teeth. He approached slowly, stopping just outside of the Hunter’s range.
Dolly cautiously stepped forward. Keep coming, you fool.
But the wolf did not move.
“Isn’t this what you want, Black?” the sheep shouted. “Let us finish this!”
Black grinned menacingly as a child’s voice sounded in the distance.
“Dolly! Come back home! Dolly!”
Mary.
The sheep turned to see the child running toward her. It was then that Black moved, squeezing beneath the fence and bounding forward. His target was clear.
Dolly found herself moving with speed she had never imagined. She would not let Black have Mary.
A thunderous gunshot echoed as Dolly arrived to stand guard before Mary.
The bullet missed.
Black lunged forward, Dolly firmly in his path.
Another shot sounded.
Then, darkness…
*
Dolly never expected to wake. Yet, sometime later, she found herself positioned before a fire, her entire body throbbing with dull pain. Mary rested against her chest, a blanket carefully placed across her tiny figure. Sensing the sheep had regained consciousness, the child scratched affectionately behind Dolly’s ears.
“Don’t worry, Dolly,” Mary whispered. “You’re safe now.”
Looking up, the sheep managed a smile.
Mounted on the mantle above the roaring fire was Black’s head.