{se} a shepherd's touch

Luka

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade

It's clear she's no farmer with the trepidation in her gaze, but that isn't exactly Luka's problem. Well, perhaps a little - if she can't catch the sheep, he's going to have to keep tracking it, and while it will be inclined to return to the herd eventually he's not keen on remaining out here for longer than he already has.

Luckily she manages to get her arms around the sheep easily enough, and Luka winces as the mud makes his steps louder than he's ever had to contend with as he approaches with the rest of the flock. The sheep eyes him - though he isn't kind enough to say it's intelligent enough to be plotting against him, it feels like it - and Luka slips rope around its neck as quickly as he can so it doesn't get any ideas.

Exhaling with relief, he encourages it back into the fold of fleece and stares down at the muddied and chewed blanket with despair. Fuck, he's going to have to talk to her more to get this set to rights. "I'm sorry about your blanket. I actually came out here to find them for someone, so I'll see if he can pay for it." Because they certainly aren't Luka's sheep. "What's your name?" He doesn't think to give his own just yet, too caught up in considering this more of a business transaction.

And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid