[ANNI-24] Order

Camille walked behind the herd, ensuring they stayed in a neat line. The same order that they had arrived in, youngest at the front, oldest at the back.

The cows didn’t need to be in order, per say. It was more about ensuring they were all there, that they’d gotten the water they needed. That they were happy. She’d learned how to read cows, what an ear flick or a tilted head could mean. 

Still. She preferred to keep them in the same order that they had arrived in. Especially a smaller herd, one where there were only ten instead of 80. 

A soft whistle echoed across the rocky desert. It spooked a few of the cows, their heads raising and eyes darting around as their tails swished back and forth. Camille couldn’t hold in a laugh, light and high pitched, admiring how cute they looked.

When it seemed like they were all done, chins dripping with water from the small oasis, Camille whistled. It caught their attention, and they slowly started to follow her as she led them towards their next stop—a grassy patch only a few miles away. 

But, with a glance behind her, she noticed one of the cows was starting to wander. One in the middle of the line, but clearly a younger one. Her brow furrowed as she whistled again, but the cow paid her no mind. 

A sigh escaped from her as she reached for the lasso on her hip. This herd had been so good, it was probably too much to hope that there wouldn’t be any problems with them. Without wasting a minute, she started twirling it above her head before throwing it.

Something she had always been quietly proud of was her aim. The loop caught one of the cow’s horns easily, causing it to moo in surprise. A few gentle tugs and Camille’s gentle calles urged it back to the herd.

And once again, they were back in order.