Wayward Herding

Orrin was more than happy to help his neighbour when the man asked him to. He knew how difficult it could be to get escaped Pokemon back in their paddocks when they wanted to be literally anywhere but where they were supposed to be, he was more than happy to help.

He probably should have checked with Mihal if they were ok with the change to their plans before he agreed to anything. Thankfully they weren’t too put off by the change, at least they didn’t seem to be and Orrin liked to think that Mihal would tell him if they weren’t happy with whatever was happening, part of their agreement to be open and actively talk about their feelings with each other in an open and honest manner.

He hoped so at least. He was doing his best to be open and honest with Mihal as well, all he had to trust was that they’d be as honest with him in return.

But Orrin didn’t want to spend too much time worrying over that, he’d much rather focus on making sure Mihal was safely situated in Trigger’s saddle, the Winged Galarian Rapidash calm and steady under his control whilst his partner carely adjusted themselves where they sat, brow furrowed over purple eyes and teeth biting into their bottom lip. Their Altaria was circling lazily overhead, her dark body and green wings a stark contrast to the soft whites and blues overhead.

“You are alright,” Orrin assured, one hand on Trigger’s reins and the other holding securely to the back of the Pokemon’s saddle. “If you do not feel safe up there then you do not need to stay up there. Maple and I can handle most of the farthest gone Pokemon on our own while you and Lavenza stay closer. You do not have to put yourself in a position you do not want for me.”

“I know,” they hummed, a soft, nervous noise that worried Orrin more than it reassured him. “I’m just not being real used to being up here, you know?”

“That is very understandable,” Orrin’s hand moved from its place holding the saddle to grip their ankle gently, guiding it into the stirrup more firmly so that it could provide them a better support. “But you need not rush yourself, you are doing perfectly fine as you are. Take your time and we will get them all eventually. Do not worry.”

“Yeah I’m hearing you,” Mihal said, letting Orrin guide their leg to a better position. “Let’s uh, let’s be getting started yeah?”

“Are you sure you are ready?” Orrin questioned, still concerned.

Mihal rolls their eyes at him, holding their hands out for Trigger’s reins. “Yeah, I’m being sure. Let’s get them all back homewards, yeah?”

“Alright.” He still hesitated a moment before handing them the reins. 

They don’t immediately fall out of the saddle once he does; so Orrin nodded to himself and moved to lift himself onto Maple’s saddle, the shiny Mudsdale easily supporting his weight with her bulk. The Pokemon used to being ridden by him as a part of her usual exercises. 

He had worried that Trigger wouldn’t be the best fit for Mihal’s first real time riding on their own but the Winged Galarian Rapidash was behaving, moving carefully and not doing anything too sudden to throw them off of his back.

“Alright,” he said again, sitting with an easy confidence. “Let us go get the wayward Pokemon back under control.”

“That’s what I was sayin’.” Orrin was sure that Mihal was rolling their eyes at him but he didn’t turn to look, instead turning Maple in the direction of the Pokemon loose in the fields so they could get the work under way.

There was a beat of only one set of hoofsteps before Mihal started to follow him, adding a second, slow rhythm of hooves behind him. He listens to it with half an ear, keeping the majority of his attention focused forwards on the herd of wayward Pokemon ahead of them. He could see a number of Tauros freely roaming the area while the Miltank seemed quite content to simply graze close to home, Wooloo scattered about like pieces of cloud rising from the grass. 

Mihal would probably be able to manage the Miltank on their own, they were slow moving and unlikely to put up much of a fight, especially with the help of Mihal’s Altaria to sing them into a deep dozing state if they for some reason decided to be anything but placid and compliant. One could never be too sure with Pokemon, that’s why it was best to have a backup plan.

“Do you believe-?” Orrin started, turning in the saddle to look at Mihal behind him only for their quiet voice to cut him off, equal parts fond and amused. 

“Do I think I can be handling some Miltank?” They finished for him, Orrin nodded as they snorted a tense little laugh. “Yeah I’m being thinkin’ that me and Lavenza can be handling them while you’re getting the rest a them.”

“If you need anything do not hesitate to call out for me.” Orrin’s voice was a firm, steely thing (or as close as his voice could get to it) allowing Mihal no space to argue or dismiss his words, or so he would like to think. The raised brow he got from them informed him of exactly what they thought of his faux order. “Please.” He tacked on, folding under an amused but pointed gaze.

“You betcha,” Mihal hummed, starting to guide Trigger away from Orrin and Maple over to the group of Miltank, their Altaria sweeping down to join them, wings beating at the air gently and a soft song thrumming on the air around her.

Orrin watched them for a moment, just to assure himself then they weren’t going to come to any harm, before turning himself away and towards the Tauros, urging Maple into a faster trot to the group of bull Pokemon cantering around the open fields.

He found himself pulling Maple to a halt before they reached the herd of Tauros propper, the Mudsdale coming to an easy stop, huffing a soft breath under him. 

“We might need a bit of assistance leading them all back to their new paddock ourselves,” he mused, looking between not only the Tauros but the Wooloo scattered about; while he was sure Mihal would be able to get some of wayward sheep Pokemon there were others that were farther out and showed no signs of wanting to return to their home. 

Maple huffed under him, throwing her deep blue mane about her head, a reaction that didn’t mean much of anything to Orrin.

He was going to assume she was agreeing with his assessment though.

Thankfully he had Bec to help him, the little Rockruff used to rounding up Pokemon from Orrin’s own family farm and guide them back to where they were supposed to be. He was used to the work and would thankfully be more than happy to help Orrin today.

The Rockruff shook his head as Orrin released him from his Pokeball, stretching his legs out before barking, turning in place to look up at his Trainer seated atop the familiar figure of the Shiny Mudsdale. 

“Are you ready to do a bit of work?” Orrin asked, getting a bark of agreement from the Rockruff. “Wonderful,” he said, pressing his heels into Maple’s side and taking off at a brisk walk towards the herd of Tauros. “Let us get them all back inside before midday, shall we?”

Perhaps if he were lucky he could finish getting the wayward Pokemon back into their new paddock quickly and have enough time to do something that wasn’t work with Mihal before the day was done.

The Tauros were a bit tricky to work around, even with Bec’s assistance they wanted to take off in any direction other than the one he wanted them to go, and were more than prepared to make their displeasure at being herded known to both Orrin and his Pokemon in kind, snorting roughly and throwing their horns at them.

Bec and Orrin were more stubborn though and eventually between theirs and Maple’s effort they were able to get the Pokemon back to the paddocks waiting for them, closing the gate to the area behind them.

From there it was easy to gather up the Wooloo scattered about the field, Bec bounding ahead of Maple’s hooves and winding between bundles of white fluff and Trigger’s own hooves as Mihal slowly worked to guide the slow, unhurried Miltank to their own paddock.

Orrin didn’t say anything when he finished closing the gate to the Wooloo’s new paddock as Mihal was just starting to bring the Miltank into their own, choosing instead to focus on his hands and not the pleased, self-satisfied smile painting their expression as they guided the Pokemon into their new little area.

Orrin closed the gate on the Miltank, letting Mihal take their time in dismounting Trigger on their own, forcing himself to let them do it on their own instead of hovering and fussing over them until they became less than impressed with him and his mother henning.

“There we are,” Orrin hummed for lack of anything else to do, fussing with his hands over the gate’s fastenings. “Everyone has been tucked away where they should be and we are free to go.”

“Ya sure?”

He blinked, turning to Mihal with furrowed brows. “I… yes?”

They snort a laugh at him, ignoring his gaze to focus on running their hand down Trigger’s neck, their dark skin contrasting the horse Pokemon’s gray coat. “Ya sure ya ain’t gonna find another thing you need us to do first?”

He blinked again, unsure of how exactly he was supposed to answer that other than another questioning “yes?”

“S’long as you’re sure.”

If he hadn’t been before then he wasn’t going to bring that up now.