Soft like Lambs Wool

Watching her curiously, Dorak had never met such a unique and sweet insect like her. He was used to the rumble and tumble of the fields. Every once in a while he would come across someone who was friendly or wanted to kill him. Dorak though is a personable wasp, he does not attack unless agitated or if someone is indeed in trouble.

Listening to the calming melody, he stepped along side her. Keeping watch of the flock while not trying to get out of synch. Here and there he would rework his footing but he did not end up tripping. "You have a lovely voice miss Shepherd...How did ya pick up herdin' the jumbucks?" he asked pointed towards the sheep that flocked towards them.

Shepherd gave a small chuckle, continuing the song, though of course she excluded her voice, now. It was a curious question he asked; but an honest one, and one she would never tire of explaining.

"I used to travel with my elder cousin, Convoy, a black, white, and rusty red millipede of a more bulky stature than myself. He is a salesman, and I was, at the time, freshly fourteen. I traveled with him, aiding in sales, and singing my songs on stops to earn a little more coin for small delicacies."

She paused, giving a small trill as one of the lambs veered off, seeing a particularly nice looking bit of grass. His ears whipped back in slight alarm, before bleating nervously, and hurrying to rejoin his mother. She smiled, shaking her head a bit. They still had a lot to learn - that grass had indeed 'looked' good, but she knew better. A predator was probably stalking that fine spot, hence why it was still fine.

"About two years later, I was sixteen, and we came to Darpan. I caught a glimpse of a herd of what seemed to be wild aphids, just outside of Vunvava, and approached them. Convoy had set up his stand up, so he did not need me. I was surprised when one of the rams approached me equally, and nuzzled my hand, seeking further attention."

A small sigh left her lips as she remembered the touching moment - little did she know at that time, that the very same ram would be the one leading her flock right now.

"Then their herdsman came out, barking angrily at me. I cannot remember what he was yelling, but I was thoroughly spooked, but then intrigued. I did not know that people actually tended to flocks of aphids. I was bored of just singing without a purpose other than currency, and asked the herdsman how one could get herself a flock. He thought me insane, but I proved him wrong, and got that ram off of him through a bet. He was soured after that, and promptly sent me away, the ram and a young ewe in tow."

She let out a giggle, plucking a few deeper notes on her harp, a little slower, though the internal beat did not change, neither did her or the aphids' pace. It was a fine medley she had learned, a soothing song a traveling minstrel had shown her how to play - she couldn't place his name, though.

"That very same ram is leading us now. He has lived here his entire life, from what that herdsman told me. He knows this terrain just as well as I do, if not better." she complimented fondly. As if knowing he had heard her, the Old Man let out a baritone bleat, chorused by the ewes with their elegant alto, and the sharp, cute soprano of the lambs. She let out a laugh - it was as if they had never been in danger, they looked so happy!

He was in awe, not in the fact of just her story but the fact she is geniune. Coming across such people is so hard these days. He listened carefully to the rising meldious chrous of the lambs and ewes bleating while he thought for a second. He never had a purpose in life, and she created one. She made herself a purpose that had made her happy. Smiling to himself, Dorak tipped his hat back to look at the glowering sun before back at her. I think that is why he drawn a liking to her. Friendly in all aspects, and she cared for her flock more then anything. "That is uh intristin' story miss Shepherd.." he genuinely remarked while tipping his hat forward.

However one thing did bother him; did she ever feel lonely being with just the aphids? Or attacked before? It scared him to think that she had been attacked before. Yet that is something he would have to bury deep inside himself for now.

"You have done uh ruddy good job raisin' them too...Betta' then any hearder I have come across." he gave another smile in appreciation. "What uh ya raisin' them for might I ask?"

She gave a blush at the compliment, but held her smile, her patted beat, and the strumming of her hand-harp. Old Man was at the front, swaying his head from side to side in time - they loved her music, growing up with it, after all, though she feared she would have to start thinking about a replacement ram. The Old Man was just that; old. He was durable, but even beasts had their limits. She thought him old when she first got him - now about 7 years later, he was hardly pulling through the rounds.

"I raise them to sell their wool - but I do not sheer them in an untimely manner. I merely relieve them of their burden when their fleece becomes too thick and ungainly; and make profit off of the otherwise spoiled material." she explained shortly, a soft hum in her voice.

"I raise them to potential; then if one wishes to take them in, I either trade for the amount of currency the aphid is worth, or strike a deal. Either way, it is heartbreaking to see my aphids go....I don't see family often, and they are my only company, for not many myrians live here that I know, and not many other insect folk care to converse and make friends with me, due to my frequent absences. Each aphid that leaves my care, my heart aches, but I know that it would be better than to keep all of them....I am probably not the best herder you will find, Dorak." she continued mournfully. She did like to talk - that was part of her nature, though. The sheep required nearly constant mental stimuli to reassure them they were safe, hence why they bleated most of the time when she wasn't offering sound.

"One trick I've taught them, though, is how to hide when I am unable to protect them. I have little dens and holes all over Darpan's grassy plains, and no matter where we are, they will have a safe haven to go to if I or they are threatened. They know better than to all go into one hole, however, and only go in pairs, or with two ewes and their lambs." she chuckled, faintly plucking the strings in a sorrowful tune.

It was lonely, being a shepherd, but she made due.

Giving her a rueful smile, he glanced back up at the herd that bleated happily when they heard her harmonious music. It made him actually joyful on the inside. He too never really had a family either, he had to learn how to grow up on his own. As a male hornet you had to take care of the nest...And Dorak was the kind to explore not settle in one place. So he was eventually kicked out of his colony to become a loner. A vigilante of sorts to save those who are being hurt by others...Or at least try...

Snapping out of his reverie, he noticed the slightly sad look in her eyes. He knew that she loved them, heck, she would do anything for the little jumbucks. However it sadden him to think of trading off your own family. It is life, but life seemed to be intolerable sometimes. He disliked the fact that she traveled alone without another bug companion. May it be a friend or husband, something rather, it just did not seem wise for her to do this alone. Even though she has done this a long time and can defend herself. But there could be times that she can't and that is what worried him. "You are a pretty spiffy beaut miss Shepherd. An inspiration to those like my self' who don't know wha' ta do with their lives..."

Glancing to the side, he swore he heard some buzzing but maybe it was his imagination. Narrowing his red eyes towards the sky, he saw nothing and glanced back at Shepherd. "Gonna see of the mozzie is still here..." he sprung up towards the sky, his wings buzzing fast as he scaled around for the ugly booger. "Don't see um'...Guess my paranoia is gettin ta me.."

She trumped on, not affected too much by the male's sudden paranoia so much as blushing a little from the compliment, though she did experience a small chill of nervousness. Could the mosquito be back? Oh she hoped not! But with her luck he was back, and he probably brought friends! She forced herself to calm down, and maintain her course. Vunvava wasn't that far off, if they picked up the pace they would reach the archaic looking town within the hour. But the aphids hadn't eaten a full meal yet, and would not be able to hold that speed.

All she could hope for was that the mosquito was not back, and if he was, that Dorak was truly as strong as he seemed, and would be able to protect her. She hated having to send her flock off into those safety holes - they were a hassle when the danger was gone, and she was required to round them up. The last time, the mist had been sufficient enough for the flock to be led out of sight - now, the mist was a bit thinner, and would not supply such cover. It suddenly all looked very bleak, to her.

Solemnly, and fearfully, she continued to play the harp, though held the arms that had been patting a beat to her waist, hugging herself in a sense. She was frightened - she did not want to meet a cruel fate such as being drained dry and her corpse left for predators to feed off of. It was a sickening notion, and one she never wanted to end up fulfilling. She trusted Dorak's strength, but even a big tough bug like him could be overpowered by a gang of smaller folk. She'd seen that happen before...

Red eyes narrowed when a soft buzzing noise echoed through the wood. On instinct Dorak turned around to see if the noise was coming directly toward him. However it only made matters worse when the noise actually came from below. The mozzie did come back, and three other companions too. With speed of a cheetah Dorak dove down towards the flying annoyances that were about to collide with Shepherd. "Miss Shepherd! Hide you and them jumbucks! Get um' to safety!" he screamed while ramming one of the mozzie's into the ground. The other two were not far off and he had to act fast or both him and Shepherd would be doomed.

Surprisingly enough the mozzie he had fought earlier came around at him he dodged it easily. Until a sudden pain erupted from his side when he felt the other mosquito's nose sticking into his thorax. Leering, he pulled out the buggers large pointed nose and slammed him into the ground. His eyes kept from the other mozzie who attacked earlier who came onto the scene trying to find Shepherd. "I will find you senorita and steal away what is rightfully mine!"

Oh why was fate such a cruel master to her and all around her! From day one bad luck had been on her tail, figuratively speaking of course, and had spread to anyone close to her as well! She would've flung her harp to the ground, had it not been attached to her by a leather belt around her frame, so it merely made a soft thunk with irritably ringing notes humming their annoyance at the mistreatment. Out of habit, she let out a loud whistle, bringing two claws to her mouth and letting the sharp sound emit.

Confused and frightened at the sudden actions, the Old Man gave a bleat, and bolted, leading a ewe and her lamb away, the youngest ewe, too, one of the ones that hadn't bred. The lamb was a tag-along, probably from one of the elder females. Somehow in an orderly fashion, rushed as it was, the other members of the flock burst off, either in twos or ones.

Now herself getting to safety... that was another matter. She could fight, if she chose, but she'd have to be careful, not let her extra-soft underside get hit by anything. What scared her was the mosquito still not amidst the action was the one from before... and he was looking for her. That fact nearly made her freeze with terror. The mosquito wanted her that badly? Enough to cause harm to another to get to her?

She felt a horrible wrenching in her gut, suddenly unable to hold in the guilt that washed over her. Dorak was in trouble because of her... That emotion continued to wash over her as she doubled over, sick to her stomach. After a moment of her insides clenched tight and rebelling, she huffed, standing with a bit of a hunch, and backing up from the fight scene. Was she a coward, if she followed Dorak's cry to protect herself? Or was she just following advice?

With eyes watering from the acrid taste in her mouth, and sorrow in her gut, she continued to back up, amethyst eyes on the familiar mosquito. She didn't want him to see her, though she stood out very easily, rusty orange on green...

Malicious red eyes leered around the area. Keen on finding the one who made a total idiot of him! No matter if he is a laid back type of mosquito, he is one though to take the blood that is supposed to be his. Glowering, he buzzed towards the trees almost sure she would crawl up one. retracting his small claws, he glanced down about him as he buzzed to the other side staring at the ground to find his blood bag he oh so wanted to taste. His luck had grasped him today when he noticed a brown spot on the ground. Buzzing closer he saw it was the millipid from earlier. Wiping off his pointed nose, he screamed at the top of his lungs as he flew down towards her.

...However his luck just ran out when again the stupid hornet had tackled him down to the floor a few mere inches from the blood he wanted.

Dorak had been tangled up with the other mozzies for him to not realize that the one he needed to get was the one from before. His eyes widened as he noticed the mosquito circling around the aphids and Shepherd. What frightened him was the fact that he is still fighting with the other mozzies as a distraction for their buddy to get the millipid. Red eyes widening as he punched one of the mozzies off of him and stinging the other he flew faster then he expected ramming the Spainard mosquito into the ground. Bad idea for the fact that the mosquito's long nose had pierced through his shoulder but that would matter. For he flipped over so that his stinger stuck into the mosquito's thorax pumping the poison inside the idiot.

Paralyzed, the mosquito stared at the bleeding wasp who wiped his mouth angrily before kicking the mosquito in the side. "Don't eva...Attack...Here again...Or I smash ya little mozzies to a pulp...Undastand?!" he heaved in a deep breath before the mosquito Spack stared at him in fury before his little mosquito friends picked him up and flew off in heist.

Staring at their wavering bodies in the sky, Dorak spat out where the mozzie laid before turning around slowly to face Shepherd who looked ill beyond compare. Feeling ashamed in acting out of character he moved closer before taking in a hug breath. "You okay miss Shepherd? They didn't hurt ya right?" oh and if they did he would start flying after them! No matter how much his shoulder and side created a sharp pain inside.