Fire

a.k.a. Riri

The Wild Spirit Who Chose Trust

When we first met Fire, she was the epitome of a wild, untamed spirit—fearful, malnourished, and heavily pregnant.

Despite her condition, her fierce personality earned her the name "Fire," and she quickly rose to take charge of the herd with a fiery determination.

While Riri’s body recovered quickly with good food and medication, her heart remained guarded. It was heartbreaking to watch her cower in corners at the mere sight of a human. Simple tools like a broom or rake would send her fleeing in terror. For nearly three years, this was our reality. She eventually allowed two of us to walk near her, but physical touch remained a boundary she wasn’t ready to cross.

We never gave up on Fire.

As time passed, the dynamics of the herd shifted. Fire eventually lost her place as the leader to Storm, a difficult transition for a goat of her stature. As she became less secure in the hierarchy, even the younger goats began to push her away from food. We made sure she always had a safe space to be nourished, yet Riri still kept her distance from us.

The turning point came through a crisis. After accidentally pulling the entire sheath off her horn, we had to intervene daily—cleaning, bandaging, and administering antibiotics. True to form, she fought us every step of the way. But then, almost three-and-a-half years after her arrival, something shifted. Riri walked up and took food directly from my hand.

That one moment of bravery opened the floodgates. Today, the girl who once lived in a state of "tremendous fear" now welcomes soft hugs and gentle touch. While I will always admire the fierce leader she once was, the older, softer Riri who has emerged is a gift. It is a privilege to provide the extra care and nurturing she needs as she grows older. I will humbly walk this path with the girl named Fire, for as long as she needs me.