What the shepherd heard, perhaps

BLEAT

The sound a lamb makes when it’s calling out for its mother.

This clue plays on the sound a sheep makes, which a shepherd would likely hear. "Bleat" is the onomatopoeic word for that noise, fitting the idea of "perhaps" since it’s a common but not guaranteed sound in a pastoral setting. The phrasing hints at the answer by focusing on the shepherd’s experience rather than directly naming the animal.