Me: Why are you and Poppy barking at the sky? Are you celebrating International Women’s Day?
Nell: We are certainly being strong women. We’re sending out a warning to Fifi la Beefy and Co. to leave our family alone.
Me: Is that the name of the company?
Nell: I’m talking about those wretched Beefies. You do realise an attack was made on Alejandro last night.
Me: What?
Nell: He was on his way to The Barn when he felt a little woozy and had to lie down.
Me: I told him that second sherry was a mistake.
Nell: Nonsense. Alejandro is an Ecuadorian alpaca. Sherry is nothing to him. He must have been drugged.
Me: Oh, my goodness.
Nell: Anyway, the next thing he knew he was being tethered and blindfolded.
Me: Crikey.
Nell: He managed to shout ‘Socorro!’
Me: Why?
Nell: It means help in Spanish. Do keep up.
Me: Oh, I see.
Nell: Fortunately Gladys and Manuel were playing Twister with the larger animals in The Barn and heard him.
Me: I bet Manuel is awfully good at Twister. All those legs.
Nell: That’s not the point. They came rushing out and shouted for Poppy who freed him with her sword.
Me: Do we know who it was?
Nell: Poppy thinks it was the horrible hooligans who captured her.
Me: She does?
Nell: Yes. They managed to shear the fleece off one side of him before they were chased away, so we can be fairly sure it’s the same gang.
Me: Gosh.
Nell: We are on high alert. Sally has requested that all long haired animals should stay inside for the time being.
Me: I’ve got long hair at the moment, Nell. Can I still go in the garden?
Nell: You are not an animal.
Me: No. Sorry.
