The Little Llama

by Amelia Cobb

  Great-Uncle Horace opened the door to the trailer and a little head peeped out. It was light brown with big, dark-brown eyes and two long, curved ears. “It’s a llama!” exclaimed Zoe.

  With special thanks to Siobhan Curham

  For Sarah. Thanks for taking such good care of Zoe and her friends.

  Chapter One

  Very Special Guests

  Zoe Parker finished her packed lunch and rushed out into the playground.

  “Is it snowing yet?” called her friend Priti from behind her.

  “No!” sighed Zoe. The weather forecast had been saying it might snow all week but so far there hadn’t been a single flake, despite it being freezing cold. Zoe and her friends were so excited about playing in the snow! Still, Zoe did have something to look forward to. This afternoon her Great-Uncle Horace was coming to give a talk at her school. It was almost time for the school’s big winter show and Great-Uncle Horace had agreed to help them with it this year!

  Zoe’s Great-Uncle Horace was a famous explorer and he travelled all over the world rescuing animals who were lost, injured or endangered. He brought the animals back to live at the Rescue Zoo. Zoe lived at the zoo too, with her mum, Lucy, who was the zoo vet.

  “It’s so cold!” said Zoe’s friend Jack, coming out to join the girls. “Shall we play chase to warm up?”

  “Good idea!” grinned Zoe.

  But before they could begin their game she heard the sound of a car horn playing a musical tune. Zoe’s eyes sparkled. There was only one car horn she knew that sounded like that and it belonged to Great-Uncle Horace! She spun round to face the school gates. Sure enough, Great-Uncle Horace’s cherry-red car was pulling up outside.

  “It’s my great-uncle!” she cried.

  “Cool car!” exclaimed Priti.

  Great-Uncle Horace’s car was a convertible, which meant that the roof could come down. But the roof wasn’t down today because it was far too cold. A wooden trailer was attached to the back of the car. Zoe felt butterflies flutter in her tummy. Great-Uncle Horace usually used the trailer to transport animals in. Had he brought an animal with him to school?

  “Come on, let’s go and see him!” said Zoe, and she and her friends hurried over to the school gates.

  The school caretaker opened the gates and Great-Uncle Horace drove inside and parked next to the playing field.

  “Zoe, my dear!” he cried as he got out of the car. “It’s so wonderful to see you. Brrrr, it’s a bit chilly though!”

  “It’s so good to see you too!” said Zoe, giving him a big hug. Then she heard a weird humming sound coming from the trailer.

  “What’s in the trailer?” she asked.

  “A special guest,” replied Great-Uncle Horace with a twinkle in his eyes. “I’ve just collected her, so I thought I’d bring her along to join in the fun!”

  “I thought you were the special guest.” Zoe giggled.

  “Well, yes, I suppose I am.” Great-Uncle Horace grinned. “But this guest is even more special!”

  The humming from the trailer grew louder. Zoe’s mind raced as she tried to think what could be in there!

  “I wonder what it is,” said Zoe’s friend Nicola.

  “Maybe it’s a tiger,” said Priti, her eyes wide.

  “Your great-uncle wouldn’t bring a tiger to school,” said Jack nervously. “Would he?”

  Zoe laughed and shook her head.

  Just then their teacher, Miss Hawkins, came hurrying over. “Mr Higgins, how lovely to see you! Welcome to the school. The children have been so looking forward to your visit.”

  “Thank you, Miss Hawkins. I’m excited to see everyone too!” replied Great-Uncle Horace.

  The noise from the trailer grew even louder. More and more children began gathering around the car.

  “Goodness me, what is that?” asked Miss Hawkins.

  Great-Uncle Horace chuckled. “I’ll give you a clue. This animal has very soft wool.”

  “Is it a sheep?” asked Jack, looking relieved.

  Zoe shook her head. “I’ve never heard a sheep make that noise!”

  Great-Uncle Horace reached into the car and took a key from a compartment in the dashboard. “I’ll give you another clue. Our special guest is one of the best climbers in the animal kingdom. She can run up the rockiest and snowiest of mountains.”

  Zoe wracked her brains trying to think of what it could be. “Is it a mountain goat?”

  Great-Uncle Horace shook his head. He took the key over to the trailer and unlocked the door. “Are you ready?”

  “Yes!” chorused the children, apart from Jack, who was still looking a bit nervous.

  Great-Uncle Horace opened the door to the trailer and a little head peeped out. It was light brown with big, dark-brown eyes and two long, curved ears.

  “It’s a llama!” exclaimed Zoe.

  “Correct!” replied Great-Uncle Horace.

  The llama stepped out of the trailer and looked around curiously. Its golden-brown wool was so soft and fluffy Zoe instantly wanted to cuddle it.

  “It’s so cute!” said Priti.

  The little llama looked at all the children gathered around and let out another humming sound.

  “Do you think she’s saying hello?” asked Nicola.

  Zoe nodded. But she didn’t just think the llama was saying hello, she knew she was! Zoe had a special secret that nobody, not even Great-Uncle Horace, knew about. She could speak to animals and understand what they were saying!

  “Hello,” she said, stroking the little llama under her chin.

  The llama nuzzled her hand, then started gently butting her with her head.

  “What’s she doing?” Priti giggled as the llama started butting her too.

  “She’s saying hello and trying to herd you,” replied Great-Uncle Horace with a chortle. “Llamas are very sociable animals. Farmers often use them to take care of their other animals, like sheep and goats.”

  “Shall we go inside where it’s warmer?” said Miss Hawkins.

  “Yes, the poor llama must be freezing.” Nicola pulled her woolly hat down over her ears.

  “Oh, she’ll be OK,” said Great-Uncle Horace. “Llamas come from the mountains in South America. They’re used to the cold. I, however, do not come from the mountains, and I would love to get into the warm.” He rubbed his hands together.

  Just then there was a loud squawk from the car and Kiki, a beautiful hyacinth macaw, flew out and perched on Great-Uncle Horace’s shoulder. Kiki travelled everywhere with Great-Uncle Horace. She didn’t like the cold weather either!

  “Come on,” said Miss Hawkins. “I’ll make you a nice cup of tea.”

  “Wonderful!” Great-Uncle Horace took a lead from his coat pocket and put it around the llama’s neck. Then he handed the lead to Zoe. “Could you hold her for a moment, Zoe? I just need to get something.”

  “Of course.” Zoe felt very proud as she held the lead tightly. She wanted to be a zookeeper when she grew up, so she loved helping out with the Rescue Zoo animals whenever she could.

  Great-Uncle Horace came back a moment later with a bag of llama food pellets in one hand and a packet of biscuits in the other. Zoe grinned. Great-Uncle Horace never went anywhere without his beloved custard creams!

  Miss Hawkins led them all into the school hall, where the other children were sitting down. The little llama kept tugging on her lead, trying to nuzzle all the children, but Zoe kept a tight grip.

  Once they were all settled, Great-Uncle Horace got up on the stage, holding his cup of tea and biscuits. Kiki settled down on the back of a chair and started to preen her beautiful blue feathers.

  First, Miss Hawkins introduced Great-Uncle Horace to everyone. “Now, children, it’ll soon be time for our end-
of-term school show. As you all know, this year the theme is ‘Our Wintry World’. The performance will be all about the colder parts of our planet and the animals that live there.”

  Miss Hawkins paused and smiled at the children. “Now for some exciting news! Mr Higgins is going to help to make our show extra special this year. He has agreed that some of the zoo animals that come from cold areas of the world can be part of our show!”

  At this news the children started cheering and chatting among themselves. Zoe gave a huge smile. She was so excited that the Rescue Zoo and her school would be working together! She couldn’t wait to help choose animals to star in the show.

  Great-Uncle Horace smiled at Miss Hawkins and waved at the children. “Hello, everyone!” he said, his voice booming around the hall. “It is a great honour to be here, and to be helping you with your winter show! First, I’ll tell you a bit more about the Rescue Zoo.

  “Well, the most important job we do is looking after animals who don’t have a suitable or safe home. We take good care of them and make sure they are healthy and happy. And today I’ve brought our latest arrival along to meet you all!” He pointed to the front of the hall, where Zoe was standing next to the llama. “Zoe, would you like to bring her up on to the stage?”

  Zoe led the llama on to the stage and over to Great-Uncle Horace. The llama nuzzled his arm.

  “I collected this little llama just this morning,” continued Great-Uncle Horace, “and I hope she will be very happy with us at the Rescue Zoo.”

  Jack put his hand up.

  “Yes, young man?” said Great-Uncle Horace.

  “Why did you have to rescue her?” asked Jack.

  “She’d been abandoned by her owner,” replied Great-Uncle Horace sadly. “Someone reported seeing her all alone on a piece of wasteland, and the authorities asked if I’d take her in.”

  “At least she’ll be well looked after now, at the zoo,” said Jack.

  “Yes, she will.” Great-Uncle Horace smiled. “And it will be lovely having a llama about the place. They’re very friendly creatures. Even when they get angry or feel under threat they don’t bite or attack – they just spit!”

  The children started to giggle.

  “Llamas are also herd animals, which means they like to live with other llamas.” His smile faded a little. “Unfortunately we don’t have any other llamas at the zoo. So, for now, we’ll have to think of a clever way to give her some company and keep her happy.”

  Zoe stroked the llama’s soft wool. She hated thinking of her without any llama friends.

  Just then Zoe had a brilliant idea. Perhaps the little llama could star in the school show? After all, Great-Uncle Horace had said that llamas live in the mountains of South America where it is often very cold. And Zoe and her classmates had been learning all about South America. She decided she would speak to Great-Uncle Horace about it later.

  As the children cheered and chattered excitedly about the show, Zoe hugged the llama to her. This was turning into the best day ever. Not only did she have a new animal friend to get to know but she and her schoolmates would be putting on a very special winter show!

  Chapter Two

  Herd Hunting

  As soon as the bell rang for the end of school, Zoe rushed outside. She couldn’t wait to get back home and spend more time with the little llama.

  Zoe’s mum Lucy was waiting for her by the school gates, wearing her Rescue Zoo vet’s uniform.

  All the way down the road Zoe talked to her mum about the show and how she hoped the new little llama might be able to star in it. Her mum agreed it was a good idea, as long as the llama settled in well over the next few days. As they approached the zoo they passed some visitors who were just leaving.

  “That tiny lemur was so funny,” Zoe overhead one of them say. She grinned. There was only one tiny lemur they could be talking about – Meep! She wondered what her cheeky little friend had done this time.

  As Zoe and Lucy walked through the zoo gates Zoe saw a flash of grey fur. Meep was scampering up the carvings of flamingos and giraffes and parrots right to the very top of the gates, where he perched on top of the carving of a hot-air balloon. It was a model of the real hot-air balloon that belonged to Great-Uncle Horace – it was his favourite way to travel the world. Zoe looked up at Meep and laughed.

  “Look at Meep, Mum.”

  Lucy looked up at Meep and smiled. “It’s so sweet that he’s always here, waiting for you to get home.”

  Meep scampered down the gate and leapt into Zoe’s arms.

  “Right, I need to pop back to the hospital,” said Lucy. “Poor Chi Chi got a splinter in her paw.”

  “Oh no!” said Zoe. “Will she be OK?” Chi Chi was one of the Rescue Zoo pandas. Great-Uncle Horace had brought her and her sister Mei Mei to the zoo when they were just cubs.

  “She’ll be fine,” replied Lucy. “You head back to the cottage. Great-Uncle Horace is waiting there for you.”

  Lucy headed off to the hospital while Zoe and Meep hurried along the path that led to their cottage.

  “You’ll never guess what, Meep. Great-Uncle Horace has rescued a llama and he brought it to our school!”

  “Llama sounds just like lemur,” chattered Meep. “Does it look like me, Zoe?”

  Zoe chuckled. “No. She’s a lot bigger and woollier than you, Meep.” She wondered which enclosure Great-Uncle Horace had put the llama in. Hopefully she’d be able to go and visit her soon and find out all about her.

  When they got to the cottage Zoe heard a humming sound coming from the back garden. She let herself in, dumped her school bag on the floor and went straight to the garden to investigate.

  To her surprise, Great-Uncle Horace was standing in the middle of the garden and the llama was circling him and jumping around playfully!

  “Aha!” he cried when he saw Zoe. “We’ve been waiting for you to get back. I need your help with something. Well, two things, actually.”

  “Cool!” said Zoe. She was so excited that the little llama was in her garden!

  “Firstly, our new arrival needs a name, and as you’re so good at coming up with names for the animals, I thought you ought to choose one.”

  Zoe bit her lip to stop from giggling.

  Little did he know that she hardly ever came up with the animals’ names herself. She just pretended she had after they told her what they were called.

  “Yes, of course,” she replied.

  “Thank you! And secondly, I need you to help me find our new arrival some animal friends to live with for the time being. She really needs a herd to make her happy.” The llama trotted up to Meep and Zoe and nudged them with her head until they stood next to Great-Uncle Horace. “See!” he chuckled. “She’s trying to make us part of her herd!”

  “That’s so sweet!” exclaimed Zoe.

  “I’ll just go and get her lead and then we’ll set off,” said Great-Uncle Horace. “I thought we could try her with the goats first.”

  As soon as he’d gone back inside the cottage Zoe and Meep went over to the llama.

  “Hello again,” said Zoe. “Welcome to the Rescue Zoo.”

  The llama nuzzled Zoe’s hand, then she slowly and carefully lowered her head and gently nuzzled Meep.

  “Hello,” chattered Meep. “My name’s Meep and I’m a lemur, which sounds just like llama, but actually we’re very different.”

  “And my name’s Zoe,” said Zoe. “What’s your name?”

  The llama made a little barking sound.

  “What a lovely name!” exclaimed Zoe. “Hello, Lottie.”

  Lottie the llama started nudging Zoe on the arm until she stood right next to Meep.

  “What’s she doing?” Meep giggled.

  “I think she’s trying to herd me,” explained Zoe. “Llamas love to look after other animals. They’re a bit like sheepdogs.”

  Lottie trotted in a circle around them.

  “But we’re not sheep!” exclaimed Meep. “Even though my name so
unds like sheep. Meep the sheep,” he chattered.

  “I know. That’s why we need to find her some animals to live with,” replied Zoe.

  Just then a face popped over the garden fence. A rather grumpy face. It belonged to Mr Pinch, the zoo manager.

  “What on earth is going on here?” said Mr Pinch as Lottie bounced around Zoe and Meep.

  “Hello, Mr Pinch. This is Lottie the llama. Great-Uncle Horace just rescued her.”

  “What is she doing in your garden?” Mr Pinch frowned. “Why isn’t she in an enclosure?”

  “Don’t worry,” said Zoe. “We’re about to find her a place to stay.”

  To Zoe’s relief, Great-Uncle Horace reappeared, holding a lead.

  “Good afternoon, Mr Pinch!” he boomed. “And how are you this wonderful winter’s day?”

  “I don’t see what’s so wonderful about it, Horace,” grumbled Mr Pinch. “It’s freezing cold and there’s a bouncing animal loose in this garden.”

  “Don’t worry,” replied Great-Uncle Horace. “We’re about to remove this little llama from the garden and find her a proper home.”

  “Glad to hear it!” replied Mr Pinch. “Anyway, I can’t stand around having conversations over fences all day. I have work to do.”

  Mr Pinch’s face disappeared and Zoe sighed. Mr Pinch could be such a misery!

  “Right, are you ready?” asked Great-Uncle Horace.

  Zoe nodded.

  “And did you think of a name for her?”

  “Yes. She’s called Lottie.”

  “Lottie the llama. Excellent choice.”

  Zoe looked at Lottie and grinned.

  Zoe, Great-Uncle Horace, Lottie and Meep set off along the path that wound through the middle of the zoo. It was almost dark and the old-fashioned lamps had come on, casting a golden glow on the cobblestones. The petting zoo where the goats lived was in the middle of the zoo, behind the café and gift shop. There were three goats at the zoo and Zoe really hoped they’d want to be Lottie’s friends. As they turned the corner behind the gift shop, Tony, the keeper in charge of the petting zoo, appeared from the pigsties holding a broom and a bucket.