They stepped over a pile of manure and followed Dale across the hay-strewn corral. There were two large metal troughs full of water, but otherwise the area was empty of any equipment.
“Normally this time of year the alpacas stay outside, even sleeping out here when it’s not raining—they hate the rain. Otherwise, they’ll only go into the barn if they need to get out of the sun or away from each other a bit. They’ve very social animals, but like people, they have distinct personalities and fight on occasion—especially when the babies are around. The mothers are very protective of their young, and they operate as family units. You’ll learn which ones get along, which ones avoid each other, and how they’re related to one another, which is very important when it comes time for breeding. No one wants inbred alpacas.”
The trio followed Dale deeper into the fenced area and around the side of the barn. Standing together in the shade of a metal canopy was a group of about eighteen alpacas, huddled around a pile of hay on the ground, taking turns eating. They were all different colors ranging from pure white to golden yellow to black and brown.
“Holy crap, they’re bigger in person.” Nathan blurted out. Willow couldn’t blame him for being surprised, since she had a similar reaction during her first meeting at the Brodericks’ farm. The alpacas all stood at over six feet tall, easily. With long necks and big eyes, they were strange-looking animals but in an adorable sort of way.
“That’s what he said,” Jeremiah mumbled under his breath, earning another glare from her.
Ignoring him, she asked Dale, “How many are for sale again?”
“The eighteen females that you see here—five of them are pregnant and due next May or June. Then there’s the one male that’s kept separate from the others.”
“Why separate?” Nathan asked, eyeing the creatures just as warily as they did him.
“Unless you’re ready for them to breed, you keep the males apart from the females. Plus, they tend to be more aggressive and disrupt the herd. Juvenile males are okay with the group until they mature, but then they should be separated.”
“It’s the same with cattle—lets you control when calving begins,” Jeremiah added, not hesitating a moment and walking closer to the herd. He bent and picked up a handful of hay and cautiously, but with complete confidence, strode to the group of animals. “Here now, ladies, looks like you missed some hay.”
As he spoke to them, he kept his voice calm and held out the hay, patiently waiting for one to approach him. They seemed very curious about him and only slightly nervous. A large, ebony-colored one seemed to be the bravest and stepped forward, bent her head, and ate the proffered fodder from Jeremiah’s hand. “Aren’t you a lovely girl, huh?”
“He makes that look easy,” Nathan grumbled.
“It is,” Dale replied. “They aren’t anything to be afraid of. As long as you respect them and treat them well, they’ll do the same for you.” He leaned down, grabbed some hay, and waved Nathan and Willow forward. “Come meet them and you can decide if this is what you really want. Grab some hay and do what your cattle rancher just did.”
Jeremiah scowled at Dale but refrained from retorting. Meanwhile, the foreman handed some hay to Willow, then Nathan before offering a few straws to an alpaca standing next to him, which eagerly accepted the food.
Following Dale’s lead, Nathan did as he suggested, looking sideways at Willow a little nervously. “I feel dumb. If horses don’t weird me out, why should alpacas?”
“It’s okay, just do what they’re doing.” Passably familiar with the animals from her earlier visit to the Brodericks’ farm, she stayed still as she held the hay out, not retreating when two of them bumped against each other in their rush to get to her. A pure-white one reached her first but stopped before getting too close. Willow froze. The alpaca’s big eyes were ice blue, and with the large white sclera surrounding them, it made her look blind. It was freaky as hell.
“Is she blind?” Willow asked in alarm.
“No, ma’am, that’s just her eye color,” Dale replied. “It may look odd, but she’s totally fine, I assure you. Her name is Fannie Mae.”
“Aww, what a cute name.” She held the hay out farther. “Here you go, Fannie.” The animal stretched her long neck down, gently reaching for the hay in Willow’s hand with her mouth. The fine fibers around Fannie’s jaw tickled Willow’s palm.
“What’s wrong with her mouth?” Nathan pointed with his free hand to where Fannie’s lips were split into two sections.
Dale let out a laugh and actually smiled, transforming his already handsome face to something that reminded her of a Roman god. It was obvious Jeremiah noticed it too because his jaw dropped, but Dale didn’t pay him any mind as he explained, “Their mouths are normally split like that and are very dexterous—they use them like fingers and each lip operates independently of the other. Go on, she won’t bite you. They only have bottom teeth in the front anyway.”
The weird finger-like lips of the alpaca gently plucked the hay from Willow’s hands, brushing her fingertips. Fannie’s mouth was soft as velvet and seemed incredibly delicate. “Feels like a horse, huh, Nathan?”
“Yeah, it’s similar.” Nathan replied, relaxing now that it was obvious the animals weren’t going to charge or bite. He lifted the hay he was still holding and offered it to another nearby alpaca.
“Just keep your hand flat and still,” Dale instructed.
With her other hand, Willow carefully patted Fannie’s neck and stroked her hand downward. Her fur, or hair rather, was soft as cotton and twice as fluffy. Grinning, she kept petting Fannie until the animal lost interest and walked away, her place quickly taken by another curious alpaca looking for fodder or an ear scratch. Willow gave her both.
All four of them kept feeding the herd until the hay was gone. Dale then showed them around inside the barn, explaining the minimal tack that was required for their care. Lead ropes and harnesses were about the extent of it. He pointed out the dried corn and grain mixture the animals were fed in addition to the hay, explaining that it was infused with additional minerals they needed. Willow had learned from the Brodericks that maintaining an alpaca herd was pretty straightforward. The real work came when it was time to shear them—a task that was often best hired out to professionals.
“There’s another barn where we keep three horses and two goats, Lucy and Desi. They’re also up for sale, along with two ATVs. Faulkner can’t operate an ATV to save his life and has no interest in the horses. If you don’t want them, I’m sure we can find another buyer. The horses are good, sturdy animals—gentle too, if you’re a less-experienced rider—and I keep the ATVs well-maintained. You should be able to negotiate a good deal for them, including all the tack and the three saddles we have for the horses as well. One-stop shopping, you could say.”
“That’s a lot more animals than I was originally looking for right now. It’s just me on the ranch, and even with your help, that seems like a lot of work. Though two goats named Lucy and Desi really feels like fate.” At Dale’s confused look, she explained, “Ethel is the name of my cat, and a prairie dog that loves to visit me every morning is Fred.”
The man chuckled. “Fate. Gotcha.”
Turning her head, Willow smiled and met Nathan’s eyes. He was only going to be at the ranch for a few more days and then she’d be alone again. They hadn’t yet talked about what his plans were after he retired from the Army, and it was an awfully big assumption on her part to think he would want to move to Wyoming to be a rancher with her.