“If the hembra won’t take on another baby, then we can put Dixie in a separate stall, and I’ll come feed her every four hours,” Stevie said. “Hopefully, the cats will bed down with her once they check out the place.”

Stevie opened the side door of the van before it was even unhitched. Dolly jumped out and meowed several times. Kittens came from different corners and followed her over to where the hay was stacked up. She flopped down on her side and started to purr, and soon all her babies were kneading her belly and nursing.

“I guess she figures a barn is a barn, no matter where it is,” Stevie said as she picked Dixie up and carried her toward the stalls.

The mama hembra began to hum when she saw Dixie, and her baby ran over to stick her little nose out from between the rails. Dixie wiggled as if she wanted to be free from Stevie’s arms, so Stevie opened the stall gate, set her down, and removed her diaper. The hembra sniffed the new baby all over, and her daughter headbutted the newcomer. Stevie moved slowly into the stall with all three alpacas and put Dixie’s nose against the hembra’s milk bag. Dixie’s tail shot up and she started nursing.

“Thank you, Miz Hembra,” Stevie sighed.

“Would you look at that?” Cody came up beside her. “Looks like you won’t have to come to the barn every four hours in the cold to feed the baby. I was going to suggest that we take her and the cats to the bunkhouse if Maggie didn’t adopt her.”

“That’s sweet, but she’s so much better off here, and the cats have probably never known anything but a barn. They’d feel all cooped up in a bunkhouse,” Stevie said.

“I’m not surprised.” Jesse joined them. “Alpacas are herd animals, and they’re loving toward their own. The only trouble you’re going to have now is if you try to take that baby back from Maggie. She will fight you for it.”

“I’m just glad she’s found a good mama. I think the cats saved her life, but she needs her own kind,” Stevie said.

Jesse’s phone rang, and he slipped it out of his hip pocket. “Hello, darlin’. Yes, we’re in the barn and yes, Maggie has taken to the cria, so all is good.”

He listened for a few minutes and then said, “That’s a great idea. I’ll tell them.”

“Tell them what?” Cody asked.