When I visited the llama farm last spring, one of the reasons I chose Otis immediately out of a sea of llamas was his jet black coat. I could imagine him up high in the fields, where the sheep look like little specks, and his blackness would stand out in the golden fields of late summer. I think he has fulfilled that view for me.
He is a bit over a year, and still young for reliable guarding, but he is bonding with the flock well. He also is getting on with the donkeys, although they keep different schedules. I also find that Otis is a bit above them perhaps in rank, even at this age.
The first days after Aldo died, Otis seemed lost. In fact, when I needed to try to move him from the field, I tried a few tricks to no avail. And then I called out
"Aldo! Aldo!" and he came down to me. Rather heartbreaking, but also a beautiful tribute to Aldo, for me. He knew the sound of Aldo's name,but not his own since I always relied on Aldo to do the shepherding of Otis.
But now when I call out,
"Otis!", his ears prick forward, and he looks towards the sound.
He is going to do just fine.
At the moment he is the resident Apiferian goofball, tall, skinny with a space between his teeth that reminds me of Kukla, Fran & Ollie puppet.
