”A rare and wonderful oddity! The attoab is a truly spectacular sight to behold!!… Deceptive at first glance, you may mistake it for any other grazing animal. Until you are met with strangely familiar features more man-like than animal. That face! Those feet! Even their mannerisms mirror our own!! Here you’ll find it happily humming along to its favorite tune.”
I heard those words many times. My travels had landed me in the employ of a show, moving from fair to fair for a few seasons. Tending the animals that would be put on display for the amusement of onlookers. I regret that it was not my showmanship, but my farm experience that put me in that position. They had several hands, but I was secure in my job, being the only one who had a history of working with attoabs.
That was how I met Sandy. She was about average size for her kind, in my experience. Tall enough for a grown human to meet the gaze of those big, brown, impassive eyes. The attoabs I remember from my farm days all had the more common fur coloring in grays and browns that hung long, thick, and course. Sandy on the other hand, had a sandy coat with rust colored markings. Regular grooming had also left her fur smoother and shinier. I recall putting it in braids and bows on several occasions for some added flair, along with wigs or outfits for her performances.
She was in good health, having been treated fairly well, with the exception of having been spoiled on sweet treats by the former hand. Most likely this was to compensate for their lack of training knowledge. Attoabs are very affectionate and can become surly when left alone or ignored too much. I had to give her a lot of attention to correct her diet to a more nutritious grain and hay. After that I only used treats as a reward for performing to keep from spoiling her again.
Despite her many travels her feet remained in good condition. Her back hooves showing a healthy amount of wear and no signs of splitting or cracking. The front feet had all their human-like toes with no sign of breaks from overwork. Her well maintained nails were often covered in color. This grabbed your attention adding to the marvel of her shuffling and dancing in the shows. She quite enjoyed this part of her grooming, smiling and flicking her cow-like ears when she saw the paint jars brought out. All the time making happy popping sounds with her lips.
The shows could always be a little tense at first, especially with few attoabs seen, even in their native western mountains. When the cloth dropped in the well lit tent we would be standing there motionless. The gasps from the audience would make the rounds from the front to the back with many craning to see. Sandy stayed excited and stiff with anticipation. As children stared in wide eyed wonder, or ducked behind the nearest adult. They would soak in her human like face. Their imaginations clouding out the distinctly animal features. We held our positions just long enough to let the tension simmer. Then I would abruptly start playing my ecks sticks. Sandy’s feet would start to shuffle, her lips puckered and began humming along to the rhythm. That was when the crowd would lighten, amusement breaking out among them. She always loved the attention of the crowd. Her eyes would widen, brow raise, and a whole body sway would accompany her shuffling.
I think back fondly on my time there. Under my care she was always eager to give a show that entertained. It’s always great working with an animal that enjoys what they are trained for. If treated right, that’s what you will find with an attoab.
From the Wandering Journals of Iben Quory