The herd

Nobody owns these beasts, and the account presents ownership as impossible. After two summers of familiarity, they accept Bram as harmless and allow him to sit nearby while they eat, giving him a trust he values.

Their feeding includes tearing grass, moving their heavy heads, and flicking their ears against flies. Bram knows their ordinary alarm response, which involves noisy snorting, stamping, raised heads, a few awkward running steps, and an eventual return to eating. When Bram later walks among the feeding animals, they respond with ear movements and let him pass. They offer no answer to his final questions, and their heads continue moving through the grass as he watches them.