This story is inspired from the story "the boy who cried wolf". Nico is not much of someone who jokes and lie to people, but he is not good at farmer work. This story takes place somewhere between the second or the third book, when Davin was being an ass towards Nico.
"
Nico was not used to farmer work; he has never done it before. But there was a day he got to try to be a shepherd for Maudi's sheep. How hard could that be? Just sitting there and watch the sheep stay on the field. But Nico was really good at loosing things. Once he lost a hammer. Many helped him look for the hammer and 2 hours later it was found in his back pocket. His back pocket. How on earth was that hard for him to notice? And how would it end for the sheep if Nico was able to lose a hammer and other things bigger than that? However, he was still learning and he has probably learned from those mistakes.
"Alright Nico, if there is anything wrong just cry it out, ok?" Maudi said.
The field was on a hilltop not far away from the village; it had a distance which made it possible for all the people to hear it if someone yelled.
"Yes medama" Nico said.
Nico carried a stick in his hand. It made him look more "shepherd-like", but he still had this royal glow that never left him.
"I am off then" Nico said and started walking up the hilltop.
"Good luck" Dina said.
"Try not to mess up" Davin said.
Nico suddenly stopped. After letting out a sigh, he slowly walked again. When Nico was out of sight for Maudie, Dina and Davin, Dina punched Davin's upper arm.
"What was that for?!" Davin said while rubbing his arm.
"Why do you denigrate Nico like that? He does his best!"
"He is good for nothing when it comes to work! After 5 minutes, half of the herd will be gone"
"Stop it! Have some faith in him"
"Ok you two, let's just go back and let the young lord do what he can" Maudi said, clearly trying to break up the upcoming fight between the siblings.
All three went back to their homes. As everybody worked in the village, one was up the hilltop all by himself.
"
Nico sat on a rock and watched carefully over the herd. The herd was gathered together as if they were a heap. It made it easier for Nico, the more they were gathered, the easier it would be to keep an eye on all the sheep. Just to be sure all the sheep were here, Nico counted them.
"One, two, three, four…" He pointed while counting.
The herd contained 25 sheep. He stopped counting when he came to 24. 24? Where was the 25th sheep? Nico panicked and counted them all over again and again. No matter how many times he counted them, it always ended up with 24 sheep.
"Help, help!" Nico cried loud.
Some minutes later, a crowd from the village showed up. Even Master Maunus came running. That was surprising for Nico to see, he had no idea he could be so fast.
"Where is it Nico?" Master Maunus said as he was swaying a club.
"Where is what?" Nico asked.
"The wolf!" Davin said being ready to take out his sword from its holder.
"What are you talking about? There is no wolf here!"
All the people from the crowd looked at each other with confused expressions. They lowered the weapons they held.
"Why did you yell, boy?" The miller said.
"There is one sheep missing. Can you help me find the missing sheep? It couldn't have gone far"
"Found it!" Rosa yelled out.
The crowd and Nico were standing next to the herd; Rosa was standing in the middle of the herd. Everybody went close up to the herd and Nico went to see the missing sheep Rosa found.
"Did you see that one?" Rosa asked.
She pointed at a lamb that was nursing from its mother. The lamb was very small, probably just a week old. The lamb and its mother stood in the middle of the herd, so it was hard to notice the lamb from distance.
"No…" Nico said.
"Good job finding it, Rosa. Without you, the boy would defiantly have lost the sheep" A man from the crowd said.
Now that Nico's problem was solved, everybody went back to the village. Nico sat on the rock again, feeling embarrassed and useless. Didn't Maudi say he could cry after the people if there was something wrong? Was killing the sheep's enemies the only thing everyone thought of as the problem? Nico felt stupid for not looking after the missing sheep himself. He could have looked for it and then call for help if he didn't find it himself. He had so much to learn…
"
Even though it wasn't so late, it already got darker outside. Not that much of a problem since the sheep were visible with their white wool, but Nico hated the dark. It wasn't that dark; it was twilight now so he could still see what was going on around him. He has only watched the sheep for an hour, but to him the time now started to seem endless. An hour ago it was light outside, but if it was twilight now, how dark would it be when the next hour arrived? Nico was already shaking. The thought of pitch darkness scared him. It was a bit comforting to be with the sheep; at least he was not all alone. But how could he look after a herd when he was scared?
Suddenly he saw a bush move. His heart jumped as he saw and heard the rustling. Could that be a wolf? He was stuck on the rock paralyzed with fear. With big eyes he looked at the bush, the rustling came and went, sometimes the rustling was either louder or it was quieter. Nico manage to snap out of his trance after a few minutes and rose up from the rock.
"Help, help!" Nico cried.
Some minutes later the crowd arrived once again with weapons and torches. Nico pointed at the bush with a shaky hand.
"Over there!" Nico said.
People from the crowd looked at the bush and the area around it. In front of the bush, behind it, over it, nothing. There was nothing there. Rosa, who was looking in an area near the bush, stabbed something harshly on the ground. She raised her arm up high, with something on her knife.
"I didn't get to stab any wolf, but at least we have supper now" She said.
Everybody gathered around. Rosa has stabbed and caught a brown rabbit. One household was happy and had something to cook, but the rest glared at Nico.
"Is this a joke? You yelled over a little rabbit?" The miller said.
"No, I didn't mean… I thought…" Nico stuttered.
The crowd left Nico once again. Even though he has embarrassed himself even more, Nico felt pretty anxious now. It has gotten darker and Nico walked back and forth nervously. Now he couldn't see the difference between a rock and a bush from distance. He tried his best to calm down and remember he was here to look after the sheep, not acting like one of their lambs without a mother. But he didn't manage to calm down at what he saw this time. Something dark was moving farther up the hill. It got closer and closer, so it could not be a rock or a bush. This had to be a wolf! Nico could hear it growl as well.
"Help, help!" Nico cried.
This probable wolf walked slowly towards the herd. The minutes went by, but no one showed up. There weren't even sounds of someone walking, the only sound now was growling and sheep going "baa". The wolf, Nico now saw it clearly, rushed right into the herd. Even though he was afraid, Nico swayed his stick and tried to make the wolf run away. What else could he do? He was all alone without help.
"
The Tonerre family was getting ready for supper. It was rabbit stew made by Melussina and Rosa.
"Quite a nice catch you got, Rosa" Melussina said "You caught it up the hill?"
"Yes, Nico thought it was something dangerous" Rosa giggled a bit.
Dina set the table and Davin set Melli. Then supper was served. They all talked to each other while eating, except for Dina. She didn't eat either; she only made circular movements on her plate.
"What is it Dina?" Melussina asked.
"I think of Nico, is he gonna be okay?"
"He is a big boy, Dina. Surely he can watch over some sheep" Rosa said.
"He did yell from the hill not long ago…" Dina said.
"Relax, he probably lost his stick or something" Davin said and shoveled in a spoonful of stew.
As Dina thought more about this case, the more she relaxed. There were rarely any wolfs around here… She started to eat the stew. The meal was now going on in a relaxing atmosphere.
"Maybe tomorrow we could…Nico, what has happened?!" Melussina said.
Nico opened the door of their home and came in. Even though it usually was rude to enter someone's home without knocking, the norm was completely forgotten as they all saw Nico. His clothes were slightly ripped off, he had a little cut on his forehead and his arm was bleeding.
"I am sorry but you were the closest to go to!" He said while catching his breath.
All got off the table and rushed towards Nico. Dina made him sit down.
"What happened?" Melussina asked.
"A wolf came. I tried to make it run away from the herd, I really did! But it attacked me and ran away with a sheep in his jaws. What am I going to tell Maudi..." Nico put a hand to his face.
"Don't worry about it now, Nico, we have to treat your wounds!" Melussina said.
Rosa lighted up the room a bit, Dina treated the cut on his forehead and Melussina examined other parts.
"Are you sure it was a wolf?" Davin said.
"Of course I am sure!" Nico said.
Melussina took off Nico's shirt. On the arm where he was bleeding it was a huge red mark with teeth marks and much more blood. Nico's face got pale as he saw it.
"Don't look at it, Nico" Dina said.
"This is defiantly a wolf bite" Melussina said.
Nico shut his eyes and turned his head as far away as he was able to from the wound.
"Nico, did the wolf have foam on his mouth?" Melussina asked.
"I-I-I didn't see any f-f-foam" Nico stuttered.
"Good, then the wound isn't so bad" Melussina said.
They treated Nico's wounds by washing them and bandaging them. Davin lent him some clothes.
"Medama, may I please stay here for the night?" Nico asked.
"Of course, it's too late to go anywhere outside now and besides your body has to be kept calm" Melussina said.
Nico felt relived. No more darkness, nor more wolves for tonight. Melli came to him.
"Nico have many boo-boos?" Melli said.
"Yes, Nico have some boo-boos now" Nico said.
Melli climbed up his lap and kissed his wounded arm.
"Better?" Melli asked.
"Yes, thank you princess" Nico patted her head.
They made up a bench near the eating area Nico could sleep on. As the time passed, everybody went to bed. Melussina was on her way to the bed, but before she went out of the room Nico said something.
"Can you put on a light so I can see the room a bit?"
"Yes, just hold on"
Melussina took down a candle from a shelf, enlightened it and put it on the table not far away from Nico. Now Nico felt safe and was able to rest. It would take time for him to look after sheep again. If he was to look after sheep again, he would do that during the morning. The lighter, the better.