Llama Drama. Rose Impey

      There was no question that his father did love Lewie, but that didn’t stop him worrying about his son. “Everyone may love him, my dear, but does anyone take him seriously?”

      “Of course not,” smiled Mama Llama, watching Lewie juggling with a pile of turnips. “Why would anyone want to? I mean, look at him.”

      “But what if he were to get chosen tomorrow?” Papa Llama asked, genuinely anxious. “Lewie couldn’t look after himself, never mind a whole flock of sheep. Not to mention all those new lambs due any day now,” he added.

      Hmmm, the lambs were a consideration, but Mama Llama suggested that maybe it was exactly what Lewie needed, to make him grow up.

      Papa Llama shook his head. “And have you forgotten who he’d be taking over from?” he asked gravely.

      The farmer’s previous Guard Llama, Livingstone, had been Papa Llama’s great uncle. He had recently retired to a refuge that sounded like llama heaven and it was well deserved.

      Livingstone had been an almost mythological figure who’d seen off more coyotes than any other llama in history. A bigger, braver, bolder, scarier llama neither of them could imagine. He was so fierce and battle-scarred that on the farm he’d been given the nickname of The Terminator.

      “Those are awfully big footsteps for any llama to fill,” said Papa Llama, “and I’m afraid to say, of all our children, Lewie would be the least likely to fill them.”

      Mama Llama nuzzled Papa Llama and whispered, “Look at him.” Lewie was now performing a new dance that looked like a llama version of the cancan. “Do you really think our Lewie is going to be chosen tomorrow? Seriously? Don’t worry yourself, my dear.”

      But Papa Llama still wasn’t completely reassured. He was getting old and, in his long experience, life was full of strange and inexplicable happenings. He just prayed that this wouldn’t turn out to be one of them.

      ext morning, Farmer Palmer came through the field gate even earlier than usual. Latisha and some of the other teenage llamas, never early risers, were still only half awake. But finding his new Guard Llama was an important job and the farmer was anxious to make a start. As he crossed the field he greeted the llamas by name.

      “Hoi, there, Leo. Looking good, Lamar! Mornin’, Mama Llama. How’s Papa doing this morning?” One by one he had a word for them all. “Now then, Latisha, looks like someone got out of bed on the wrong side.”

      “Tchhh!” she tutted as soon as he walked on.

      The farmer always made a point of teasing Latisha, which she secretly loved, but liked to pretend she didn’t.

      “Oh, my! Glad to see you’re still here, Liberty. You look happy, as usual, Lewie.”

      As he toured the field of llamas, Farmer Palmer was followed by his youngest daughter, Millie, who was almost six years old. Millie was followed by her puppy, Pepsi, and her pet duck, Delilah.