Wider Green World

Chapter 1

Traveling the Grace wasn’t as easy as traveling the Beargrass. It was a larger river and their small craft took a lot more attention. Still they traveled easy and near the western shore so that they could easily put in to shore should the need arise. After several days, Dav’n recognized Drum Head Island coming up. The islands history with river pirates coming to mind, Dav’n put in at the far northern point of the island. Joining with Ivy, he used her groundsense stretched out to its fullest range. Nearly two miles with him in the link, still not enough to scan the whole island but at least give them confidence that they had landed unobserved. Or at least unobserved by anyone in range to mean them harm.

As they came back to normal senses Ivy raised an eyebrow, “so do we trust it and go around to the inlet even though we can’t see it or do we scout more.”

Dav’n grinned “never trust anything you haven’t seen with your own eyes, and well half the time doubt that.”

Lilly just shook her head. Really she was glad to be with two people who could think ahead about these things. Maybe she was sheltered but she just didn’t think like that.

“The real question is do we try to scout from the boat as we’re going down river or do we trek a bit overland until we can be sure it’s secure? If we go overland, can Lilly stay with the boat and handle it well enough to get away if trouble comes in behind us?” Dav’n had a look of consternation.

“I would think we could go up another mile or so by boat, repeat the same scan and then make the decision to go overland or not.” Ivy put in. Her tone said she wasn’t sure this was the best option either.

“Let’s you and I walk to the crest of that ridge about a mile in, scan from there and then come back for Lilly. We know no one is closer to her than that. If we detect trouble we can all ways come running back and get some water between us and potential trouble” Dav’n was frowning. This wasn’t a good idea but it was the most cautious answer. Then nodded, “Yeah I think that is our best option. They can’t make it to her faster than we can without horses and if they’re on horseback then we should have clear bow shot at them.” As he was talking he was unpacking his old steel bow and reading it for Ivy.

She just nodded in agreement and reached for the second quiver of arrows. Lilly looked nervous but forced a smile at them “Don’t take chances. Be careful”.

Dav’n smiled with more confidence than he felt, “that’s the whole point of doing it this way. For all we know we’ll crest the ridge and Uncle Witt will be waiting for us in the little cove.”

Slowly moving through the woods and scrub with Ivy leading the way. Her patroller training giving her more experience with this than Dav’n. Low whispers sufficing as they knew no one was withing the half mile she could see with her groundsense on her own. Just below the crest of the ridge they prepared the bows close to hand just in case and sunk into that other seeing and rose just above the ridge careful not to silhouette themselves against the sky. As they scanned out they saw the cave and no activity in or around it. The little cove did have a flat boat in it but it was making its way back out to the river. A scan of the boat revealed what looked to be a family boat making its way down river. Not exactly the most threatening thing they had feared. From this vantage point they took a little time to scan their path back to the boat and finding nothing amiss Dav’n took the time to deep scan this part of the island. Remembering Barr and Remo’s stories he looked for disturbed ground or... AH HA! There it was, a shallow depression under some fallen trees. The shallow grave and with it a carefully cashed chest of plunder. Crane’s bandits, Crane’s victims and their ill gotten gain. Wouldn’t take long to get. Taking a minute to mark the spot in his mind he disconnected with Ivy and smiled to her. “We need to get back to Lilly and let her know that everything is ok, then I saw something we need to take an hour or so to recover. Too bad we didn’t bring real shovels with us.”

“Shovels? I noticed you taking longer for a scan, what were you looking for?” Ivy quirked an eyebrow.

“Remember the story about the bandits who used this island back when my folks came down it years ago?” he asked while standing up and brushing off. “Well, every time they would have one of the gang decide to leave they would load him up with his share and let him go but Crane would set on them in the woods before they got away. Kill them and bury them and the loot, obviously planning to come back for it later. With groundsense it isn’t too hard to find these spots and we need some coin if we’re going to stay on the trip. Not to mention eventually I need to send Tent Wolverine some bride gifts for absconding with their best daughter” he winked at her.

They started their walk back. “So you want to get stringbound? I mean officially traditionally?” she asked a bit confused.

Dav’n barked a harsh laugh, “Well maybe not so traditionally, considering, but yeah I always assumed that was the end goal, didn’t you?” Now looking at her a bit concerned, maybe this was just youthful fun for her after all. He hadn’t really ever asked explicitly.

Ivy was getting misty eyed “I wasn’t sure you’d want to, what with throwing customs to the wind and all, of course a girl wants that, that security and trust that comes from publicly showing any and all that you are together.”

Dav’n let out a little breath he didn’t realize he had been holding, “well ours will say quite a bit after all who ever heard of three strings in it? Even Sarri Otter wears two strings one for each husband but I’ve been planning something a bit different for a while now. I just need some supplies and a place to work and maybe a conversation with Da about some groundwork I want to try...” he was trying to think things through and glanced over and she’s crying. “Oh what did I do now?!?! Usually it is Lilly who’s crying on me!” he exclaimed with exasperation.

She backhanded him in the chest, “can’t you tell the difference between tears of happiness and crying crying?” Then hugged him up tight, “you’ve been planning this and all along I thought I’d never get strings to show the people I love.”

Dav’n enjoyed the hug but couldn’t help thinking that he would never understand women.

They made it back to Lilly who looked at them in shock as she saw the redness in Ivy’s eyes. Ivy giggled, “no don’t look like that! Everything is ok, actually everything is great.”

Lilly’s confused look, gave Dav’n a burst of inspiration. He looked at Ivy, “Well you got your lakewalker tradition, I need to give Lilly her more farmer tradition.” With that explanation to Ivy he went forward and helped Lilly out onto the shore then went down on one knee, “Lilly, will you marry me?”

“Oh, Oh, of course” The tears came again, but this time Dav’n was ready for them. He gave her a hug and then when time was to get back to the days work, he handed her off to hug Ivy for a bit and the two of them started in talking about girlhood dreams.

Dav’n smiling at the two of them acting like a couple of preteens with a new puppy, but picked up the axe and one of the oars and headed off to find the fallen logs. It was messy and hot and well the smell wasn’t anything to enjoy but after forty five minutes of effort he had the small oilskin wrapped wooden box. Hauling it back after all of this wasn’t going to be easy but it was heavy. It was also locked. Ah well he’ll not risk busting the box here where he would have to drag the loose contents back to the boat when he can just open it with the girls in twenty minutes.

They saw him coming back filthy from digging with improper tools and sweaty and stopped him just a few feet from the boat. “You need to take a dip in the river to clean off!” They had set up the tarp as a shade and prepared some dinner while he had been off. “You’re not coming into camp smelling of rotting corpse and swamp.” Lilly looked at Ivy, “go make sure he doesn’t drown while I finish dinner.”

Well splashing and playing with Ivy wasn’t exactly torture, nor was getting fed by Lilly and then there was a last romp before they went into the cove where his family should be showing up any day now. The afternoon got away from them and the box never did get opened, just cleaned up as much as possible and shoved into the boat to make the trip around to the cove.

Chapter 2

The cove had a nice beach and there was plenty of room for setting up the tent and building a nice fire pit for cooking. Half a days work and camp was comfortable. Wood was cut and stacked the boat broken down and drying ready to be packed away. Dav’n was trying to break the lock without breaking the box with all the wrong tools to work with. Finally inspiration struck and he just pulled off the hinges on the back side of the box and opened it. He let out a long whistle, which brought the other two to inspect.

The box was FULL, silver Crays and Tripoint and Graymouth coins too. Opening a leather bag he found what had to be 100 small pearls all about the size of a grain of corn. Ivy looked at it impressed by the amount but Lilly gasped, “you could buy a big farm with that. Or a shop in a fairly large town. You could probably buy a smithy in Graymouth with that much!”

Dav’n grinned, “getting visions of us settling down in Graymouth?”

Lilly blushed, “well we’ve got to find someplace eventually” she said with a bit of embarrassment.

Ivy shrugged, “It could let us run for a long time if they declare you renegade...”

Dav’n smiled, “Well we can hope it doesn’t come to that but I’ve had some ideas about that anyway. This, well minus the pearls, as I have a plan for them, should provide good bride gifts to Tent Wolverine, and Tent White Tail. With your own Ma passed, I recon Aspen is the proper place for bride gifts.”

Lilly rolled her eyes, “I told Aspen I wasn’t going to call her mom,” she giggled. “If you think that makes it official and proper then I’m ok with it but I think it a waste of money.”

Dav’n shrugged, “Well it sends the right message. So what do you say to thirds. One third for our trip and expenses, one third to be sent to Tent Wolverine, a final third to Barr and Aspen. Will help them get started and provide a place for you if anything should happen to me. Also show the Lakewalkers that we hold to tradition. Can’t hurt my case with the Great Assembly.” He looked for agreement or dispute but both just nodded. “Oh and we may as well do a bit more checking around tomorrow and see what else we can find.” He grinned at them. “For the rest of the day though, I say we hit the river for a bath and see what pops up.” He winked and started stripping down.

Splashing and playing the three of them just lost themselves in each other and the beautiful early fall day.

Chapter 3

Two hours earlier further up the river, a small flat boat made it’s way southward in a convoy of two other flat boats. With dinner dishes done, and nothing to occupy her hands, the feisty little cook was wearing a hole in the deck. “I’m going to strangle him, then I’m going to hug him and strangle him some more!” Fawn had been on this tirade for the last three days.

Dag just nodded, “just leave enough that I can heal him back up between times love.”

She glared at him suspecting him of making fun of her. “And what in the Wide Green World was that boy thinking having us meet him here of all places? He was going to have his Aunt Berry dredge up all those memories. Unthinking lout! We raised him better than this.”

Dag knew they would be there soon and she needed to be calmer than this or the reunion wasn’t going to go well. So he just took her in his arms and held her close, “shhh it’s ok. We’re going to be with him again soon. Seems to me Sorril an’ Trill might have felt like this when you can dragging home. We don’t want a repeat of that mess from the other side now do we?”

“I knew you’d just take his side!” she pouted.

“Hain’t no sides and you know it. Not when it comes to family. Yes we need to rake him over the coals for just taking off like that, but what he told Barr has the ring of truth to it. We wouldn’t have let him just go.”

She turned to face him angry and ready to fight, “Of course not! What kind of fool mother would I be to let her baby go wandering the Wide Green World all alone and not fully grown!” She needed to get the mad out and Dag knew it so with a deep sigh he gave in and argued with her for a while. Once she was worn down from being mad and shifted to just being worried. He hugged her tight again and said, “Well unless I miss my guess we’ll make it to the island just before supper. We can camp there and wait for him. Barr just got back aboard after going to talk to the other two boats. We’ll meet back up with everyone in Confluence, it’s going to all work out. I love you.”

Fawn melted, all the stress and the worry and the anger, all just flowed out and she rested there safe and content. “I love you too. You’re still taking his side.” she said after a bit and with a heavy sigh. “Maybe and I mean MAYBE, you’re even right. I’ll just be a lot happier when I can see him with my own eyes and know he’s ok.”

Barr poked his head in, “All’s a go. Arkady and Sumac are going on with Berry and Witt as planned. Hawthorn decided to join us for picking up Dav’n. Guess he missed him and says he wants to check out the cave, since he couldn’t last time.”

Fawn rolled her eyes. “What is it with you men and your grizzly fascinations. He actually let himself get more than twenty feet from Chinda? I guess miracles are possible. Thanks Barr, I’d better go check on supper we might get lucky and have Dav’n waiting for us.”

As Fawn headed off Barr nodded conspiratorially to Dag, “Well I think our Hawthorn is planning to do a little treasure hunting to supplement his wages for the trip. He was asking me at our last stop how much bride gifts should be.”

Dag’s eyebrows raised a bit, “hmm... You think Berry knows this?”

Barr shruggred “she knows he’s smitten, I mean a blind man can see that. That he’s smitten that hard? I just wonder if Chinda knows...” Barr gave an even bigger grin, “that could end up being the real question.”

Dag’s turn to spring news, “well considering she doesn’t realize how much further my groundsense works than hers or yours, I’d say our boy is safe.” Barr gave him a quizzical look, “well they went scouting squirrels at the last stop too, so I don’t know if his question was in response or if she gave him her answer after he asked.”

Barr shook his head. “Boy’s lucky in a way, with her mother and father both being a mix and new to the camp, there shouldn’t be too much chaos from her leaving or him going to the camp.”

Dag nodded, “Wonder which way it’ll go. Hate to see the camp lose a patroller but with the new ground-shielded farmer recruits it’s not quite as desperate as it once was.”

“Well if he knows he hasn’t told me. Besides I’m a bit more worried at the moment about where my Lilly will choose to live.”

Dag winced, “about that,”

Barr grinned, “oh I’ve seen them together you haven’t yet. They really are making it work. As long as we can squash this mess with the Great Assembly, Wolverine Tent is now a willing home for them. Nor would they object if Ivy joined Dav’n and Lilly in Clear Creek or maybe Pearl Riffle?” Shrugged his shoulders. “One thing I have learned is not to plan for them. That little family cuts the path they want to and I’ve seen them move mountains or at least Sabin Wolverine.”

Dag grinned at that one remembering his old clan matriarch fondly but she wasn’t one to suffer fools gladly if Dav’n had really turned her around, he could work a magic all his own. Holding his hands up in surrender, “well it’s not me with plans for them. Fawn on the other hand... well mamma bear. You know.”

Barr grinned back. “Yeah I know, I saw what that trio did to Saelin Wolverine. I even tried to warn Fawn. I think she’s going to need to find out all on her own though.”

Barr got a conspiratorial look “Y’know, if you just give her another one to focus on...She’s not too old even by farmer standards”

Dag rolled his eyes, “Barr if I ever were to do such a thing the LAST person I would look to for advice on it is you.” All teasing Barr aside, it really wasn’t a bad idea. Fawn loved kids and it wasn’t like either of them were THAT old. Hmm....

After supper was all laid out and just needed to be put together, Dag stole Fawn away to just enjoy the scenery as they went. Standing in the bow of the flat boat they came upon Drum Head Island. Dag opened his groundsense and saw no threats. There were three young people playing in the cove. He wondered if he should warn them, NAH it would be good for them to be surprised since they obviously weren’t paying attention. Should he warn Fawn? Oh this was touchy. No, she needed a little view of our son’s new reality too. Once again he wished himself on the other boats headed down for a quiet trip to Confluence.

Chapter 4

Ivy splashed Dav’n while Lilly swam down to give him a surprise nip on the back side. All of them giggling so hard they didn’t notice the boat coming in until it was half way across the small cove.

All three went dashing across the shallows streaking toward their tent. Dav’n shouted “My bow!”

Ivy shouted back “No! Worse than pirates, it’s your parents.” Her groundsense had flicked out in time to shut down one alarm and raise several new ones. “I’m assuming that is your parents standing out on the bow.” she said in a low hiss as they ducked into the shelter of the tent. Fighting to get clothes to slide on over wet skin wasn’t an easy thing when she wasn’t in a panic. “This was not how I pictured meeting my future tent kin.”

Lilly was scrambling even more, “YOU! She’s a FARMER wife, she’ll think I’m a whore for sure!”

Dav’n gave up pants and just wrapped a blanket around his waist, “Enough!! I will deal with them while you two make yourselves presentable. It isn’t like they haven’t seen me come out wrapped in nothing but a blanket before.” he tried to sound confident, but what he really sounded was sulky. “Getting caught with my pants down, wasn’t in my plans either but since when has that ever stopped me before.” Shaking his head he went out to meet the boat that should be nearly to the little beach area by now.

On board the boat Fawn realized what she was seeing and tried to pull away. Dag just held her with him firmly but gently. “You KNEW!” she hissed.

He shrugged, “Groundsense. If Ivy hadn’t been distracted she would have noticed too. I know its a bit of a shock to you but you needed to see the new reality in our son’s life. The question is how are you going to react? As calmly as Trill and Sorrel did when they realized how I had been managing traveling for days with no working hands, or more like Cumbia?”

At that she did struggle and he let her break free, “I’m NOTHING like her!”

Dag gave her a very dry look, “Now’s your chance to prove it. Welcome two new tent daughters or alienate a son? The choice is yours. Even I can’t affect it, other than by making it plain to you.”

Fawn stopped her anger turning to ice in her belly. “Oh... oh was I... “

“No my love you were not, but you could have slipped down that path. Just remember Aunt Nattie, and we’ll all get through this just fine. She grilled me good but only testing, and willing for me to pass.”

Dag had to turn away a bit to hide the grin on his face. “I don’t think this was what our son had in mind either, look up at him. I can’t until I can do so without laughing.”

Fawn looked up to see the boat only a dozen paces from the shore and a very rumpled Dav’n standing wrapped about the waist in a blanket and putting on his bravest face. She wasn’t tempted to laugh though she suspected she would years from now. Dag just put his stump to the small of her back for encouragement as the boat settled on the sand. “Howdy!” He called out as if he was just calling out to him coming back from the corral back on Clear Creek.

Dav’n couldn’t help it he did laugh and shook his head, “Howdy, yourself. I guess it goes without saying that I’m surprised to see you.”

“Figured that, though I thought the lakewalker girl you have with you would have noticed our approach.” Only Dag could say that like he was talking about the weather.

Dav’n blushed furiously, “Well... uh... Hi Ma?”

Fawn jumped off the front of the boat and rushed over to her son hugging him to her. “I love you. I’m going to strangle you. Thank the absent gods you’re safe!” she was turning him back and forth just making sure he was all there even though she had gotten a little better look at him just moments ago than she had wanted. “Oh,” she said in shock, “I just realized I’m looking up at you now.”

Dav’n laughed a bit, “That happens with time I’m told. I love you too mamma. Sorry to worry you really I am. It’s why I sent all the letters. So you wouldn’t worry. Stop it, Gran gave me that look too when I told her what I’d done.”

Fawn managed to get a hold on herself finally. “go put some clothes on. Then I want to meet your new swimming companions.”

Dav’n couldn’t help but smile through the guilty blush, “sorry you had to meet them that way, but really Ma I think you’re going to love them. Just give them a second to recover from the shock of seeing their mother in law catching them before they were ready.” Ruefully he shook his head. Then it struck him, Da knew and let it happen and his eyes shot up to Dag still relaxing on the bow of the boat. Dag just laid one finger beside his nose and tapped it twice then nodded to his son.

“Be right back out. I think I may have some nerves to soothe inside as well.” Dav’n ducked his head and turned. Then stopped and turned back, “I really do love you and can’t wait for you to meet them.” Kissed his ma on the cheek and scrambled back into the tent where quiet cursing at hair that wouldn’t braid and socks that stubbornly refused to pull on was the order of the day.

Dav’n unwrapped the blanket and used it to dry off. “It’ll be ok. The worst is over, I think..” They both gave him a look. “No really. Da’s hand has been at work here. It wasn’t as bad as I expected it to be.”

Ivy grumbled, “yeah like I wanted to meet the famous Dag Wolverine Leech in my birthday suit while frolicking with his only son.”

Dav’n grinned, “I’m sure he was only a little jealous.” The look she gave him could have curdled milk and fried eggs at the same time. “OK, I get it too soon for jokes. It really will be ok.” pulling up his breeches and dumping his shirt on he sat on the bed roll and started lacing up his moccasins. “One good thing anyway. Lilly you’re a fantastic cook and I’m not meaning this as an insult but we’re about to have a treat. Ma cooks like Gran and she’s got a full kitchen on that boat to work with.”

Lilly shakes her head, “Oh your Gran was a great cook, I don’t take that as an insult at all. Maybe I can help your Ma and she can see I’m not just a lazy whore.”

Dav’n raised his voice a bit still trying to keep it inside the tent, “That’s enough of that! I never want you to say that again. You’re both wonderful and after we get over this initial awkwardness, Ma and Da are going to just love you two! So you might as well get used to that now.”

There was a general chorus of “I hope so”s and “we’ll see”s but no more negative talk. The dressing also went along a lot faster.

They came out of the tent to find Barr and Aspen dragging off a tarp of their own. Ivy whispered to him, “I’m going to strangle them both they could have bumped my ground and warned me.” Dav’n just smiled and shook his head. “shh love, I think there may have been a reason”

Chapter 5

Everyone was on the boat. Hawthorn after tying it up to a stake driven in the sand begged off to go explore. After Dag’s warnings to stay out of the cave until he had help, let him go figuring better he wasn’t underfoot at this point.

Aspen after some gentle teasing of Ivy and Lilly out of everyone’s ear shot gave them the low down. Fawn wasn’t ready for her baby to be a man. Dag knew the time had arrived. So when he saw what was happening in the cove he forbid anyone from giving a warning and demanded we all veil ourselves even so you were less likely to see. He moved her up to the front where she could get undeniable proof that her baby boy was growing up. Finally she smiled, “Good news is it seems to have worked. She’s gone from angry to confused. Otherwise this was shaping up to be a lot like Dav’n meeting your family Ivy.”

The men moved to the top of the cabin to be out of the way while Fawn retreated to her well ordered kitchen to prepare supper. Her plan of collecting her thoughts went out the window and both Lilly and Ivy expressed a desire to help. Ok Lilly was a help, Ivy was mostly in the way and of course Aspen needed to be there to be able to roast Ivy and to a lesser extent Lilly in front of their new mother in law. Especially since she just got done meeting Barr’s very confused parents two weeks earlier.

Up top things were a little more serious. Dav’n decided to show his new found skills to his Da. Linking up with Dag for the first time was a real experience. Barr was in the link too and just stunned into silence. They had a groundsense range of a little over five miles. Spending a little time playing and refining his abilities he quickly discovered and pointed out to Barr three more sites that needed digging at. This should provide good start up capital for Hawthorn and even feather Dav’n’s and Barr’s nests a little better. Dag was amused by this but mostly he wanted to see how much more he could see going smaller in a body. Dropping Barr from the link and handing him a ground-shield just in case the link needs to be broken in a hurry. Every time Dag thought he was to the smallest level he could see smaller. He had made it to forests of capillaries before on his own. With his son’s help he could see globular structures both in the flesh and in the blood. Inside these globs he could see smaller globs and twisted threads doing yet more work. What it was they were doing the absent gods only knew but it was fascinating to watch. Finally with a bump of grounds Barr let them know it was time to come up for air. “Fascinating” Dag said with an awed whisper.

“Isn’t it just” Dav’n said in much the same tone. “I can’t do any of that myself. When I like with you thought I amplify your abilities and also can use them. They say that was what the ancient Nodi did. Said it broke the world.” He shook his head to clear out the cobwebs. “Da, how likely are they to call out a hunt for me as a renegade? What happens to Lilly and Ivy? Will they be cast out and hunted too?”

Dag got serious. “If they declare you renegade and designate a hunt. It will fall only on you as long as Ivy and Lilly don’t follow you.” He wiped his brow and took a deep breath, “We’re going to see to it that it doesn’t come to that. This is serious though.”

Barr looked at him, “If you love them and the decision goes against you. You will have to cut them loose to save them. I’m grateful for the chance to call you my tent kin. I know Lilly is happy. Don’t let them hunt her as they will hunt you if this goes against us.” Barr looked near tears.

Dav’n nodded. “If there isn’t another way of course I don’t want them to die because of me. It’s my job to find the other way though, and I will. If I can find a way that it will work to be free of them even if they call for the hunt, don’t stand in our way. I know you love Lilly and I know you have your own guilt issues about her situation. I will run from her if it is the only way to save her. I want you to help me find that better way no matter what the Great Assembly decides. Da did much the same when he left Hickory Lake. He found a place where Farmers and Lakewalkers can live together. You helped him do it. Now I want to take it to the next level. Help us and if I must abandon her, explain to them both why. Don’t let this ruin their lives.” Dav’n did have a tear leak out. Then took a deep breath and regained control of himself.

Dag nodded. “A better way it is, regardless of the decision.”

Dag and Barr both looked up at the same time. “Ahh said Barr, I think Aspen is just signaling us that supper is ready.” He took a deep breath to collect himself too. Then looked at Dav’n, “I meant what I said. Lilly chose well and I am honored to call you kin.” then turned and started down the ladder to the main deck.

Dag, grabbed Dav’n in a big bear hug. “I am proud of you my son. You’ve grown into a fine man. Now lets put on the brave face for your mother and wives. That statement will takes some getting used to” he grinned at Dav’n.

Dav’n just smiled and shook himself and turned to follow Barr.

Chapter 6

Supper was, as Dav’n had predicted a real treat. Bread made in a real oven and beef and gravy over mashed potatoes. Lilly had even contributed some fresh wild garlic she had gathered earlier when she was planning to be the one cooking. Fawn, Lilly, and Ivy were all still overly polite and formal but compared to Dav’n’s reception and Tent Wolverine this was down right homey. Hawthorn had made it back and was sitting back out of the way trying to stay out of the line of fire. When dinner seemed going too well he took a bit of a shot at Dav’n but was quickly brought to heel by Barr bringing up his new love interest and some of his more recent embarrassment trying to make that work. Aspen of course teasing Ivy just enough to break through some of the stiffer formality but not with anything truly shameful. Much as they had at that memorable dinner at the Bluefield Farm, Dav’n started the story and then Lilly, and eventually Ivy took over.

Things got a little tense as they described the latest Wolf Malice. Fawn scared for her son, even though he obviously made it through just fine as he was sitting there eating her cooking. Dag interested in the more technical and strategic aspects.

“So how did you end up behind the Malice again?” Dag asked using rolls and silverware to lay out his map on the table.

Dav’n nodded to Barr, “I didn’t have a knife so I wasn’t hunting the Malice itself. I was hunting for Barr and Ash. Figured if I could find them and get them out of the mix, or back into it if they were well, that I would have done my part.”

Barr smiled, “If he hadn’t come along when he did, I probably wouldn’t be here. In the end I think we ended up saving him as much as he did us, but without his charging the Mudwolves, he would have been back safe in camp.”

Dav’n shrugged. “Anyway so I notice we’re behind the Malice and all or most of his forces are deployed forward of his position. I got to thinking about what you pulled with the Bone Marsh Malice” he nods toward his Da. “Seemed only smart to try the same thing. Ash wouldn’t give up his knife to me so we rode double. Malices aren’t used to a physical attack, being as they’re just a ground projection. So when a ground-shielded horse smacked in to it at full charge it just bowled over. I went flying one way and Ash went flying right on top of the prone Malice and got the knife in. Don’t really remember much after that. T’be honest, I don’t even remember that it was told to me back at camp after a lot of healing.”

“So did the ground-shield not protect right or what happened?” Dag asked trying to figure out how to improve them.

“Oh I think everything worked as well as it could have.” Dav’n shrugged. “Its just charging a Malice though effective, has it’s consequences. The shield compressed my ground and it wrapped itself up tight trying to protect me. Forced me into a cold dark place. When people tried to do ground reinforcements I could feel the warmth and unfortunately tried to kill them by clinging to it. We describe it as the drowning man fighting his rescuer.” Dag nodded and went thoughtful.

Ivy picked up the story of floating the raft to the other side of the lake and burning the fake raft to throw off pursuit. Hawthorn perked up for the description of the collapsible boat. The big story out of the way, the rest of the evening was mostly catching up on family news. Tent Wolverine gossip for Dag, and Fletcher and Clover news for Fawn. The evening drew on and finally it was time to turn in. All the young folks headed ashore to the various tents giving Dag and Fawn the small boat cabin to themselves.

“I’m proud of you.” Dag held her close.

“It’s not easy but they seem to take care of each other well. Ivy bothers me but I think its the same things I had to adjust to with Sumac at first. She’s not exactly the farmer housewife.”

Dag snorted. “She does well enough and Ivy does too, besides Lilly has the run of their household well in hand. Doesn’t seem like Ivy makes her do it all either which should save Dav’n some headaches.”

Fawn sighed, “I think I’m going to have to like them. I really don’t think it’s fair though, anything I can say bad about one or the other, the other of them makes up for it. A mother shouldn’t be outnumbered by her one son’s wives”

Dag couldn’t help it, he had to laugh at that one. “Yeah, I’m sure they did it just to spite you” As soon as he said it he knew he shouldn’t have, and yup right on cue the tickles began.

Chapter 7

Sun was barely up and everyone was already moving about. Fawn for breakfast. Dag helping Aspen, Ivy, and Lilly strike the tents. Dav’n, Barr and Hawthorn off to investigate the three spots Dav’n had noticed during last nights scan of the Island. By dinner break all were back to the boat and cleaning up their finds. More of the same. Divided up evenly they packed it away. Then the only real argument broke out. Hawthorn wanted to investigate the cave.

Barr rolled his eyes, “Remo and I went through it pretty carefully years ago. There isn’t anything there to find or at least not enough to warrant the time it would take to search it.”

Hawthorn not to be thrown off that easy, “Yeah well it wouldn’t take that long with Dav’n to help.”

Dav’n shook his head, “Can’t see through solid rock with groundsense. At least not fast. Takes a long slow approach to get more than a couple of feet into solid rock. We’ve got more from these three cashes than most honest men earn in a lifetime.”

Hawthorn shrugged, “yeah but no reason to let it sit up there and rot either.”

“Berry and Witt are waiting on us.” Dag put in. “I’ll not say no to one more day if you feel you must but the tents are already down even the collapsible boat is packed. We’re ready to shove off right after we eat. Two more days to Confluence, and we still have the rest of the trip ahead of us. Besides,” he said with an evil grin, “I thought you might want to get back to Chinda before she finds herself surrounded by all those boatmen in Confluence.”

Hawthorn grunted, “why do you think I want to find as much as I can? There’s the bride gifts and then setting up our own tent or maybe a keel boat instead if I can talk her into it.”

Dag’s eyebrow shot up, “Keel boat?”

Hawthorn nodded, “I figure Berry and Witt keep coming back up the Trace. If we could have our own keel boat to work on the upriver leg... Especially if Sumac and Arkady are as serious as they sound about staying in the New Moon Cutoff and not needing the new horse stock brought up via the Trace.”

Dav’n spoke up, “speaking of bride price, I’ve got something to take care of in a minute but first what do you mean Sumac and Arkady are moving?”

Dag waved his good hand, “well it never was permanent. He just wanted to be sure I got trained up right. Sumac, and raising Sanda and Kal kept them up north longer than originally planned. I think the winters are taking their toll, he’s not really much older than I am but he was born in the South.”

Dav’n asked “what about Shade and Sunny?”

Dag grinned, “they’re waiting us in Confluence. Couldn’t let them get sold off with the rest. The other three stallions went off to your Uncle Fletch, he’s getting quite a name for himself as a horse breeder in the area.”

Dav’n smiled, “Thanks for bringing Shade and Sunny, I didn’t want to leave them but they wouldn’t fit in the collapsible boat.” He stood up and went over to his pack and brought out the first box they found. “Bride gifts, he hefted the first sack and handed it to Barr. Only fair.” he said with a smile, “but I’m not calling you dad”

That got a laugh from everyone. Barr said “you know I’d rather you keep this for helping set her up right where ever you end up.”

Dav’n shook his head. “We’ve got plenty, especially after our expedition today. I want to do this as an investment against an unsure future.” He looked meaningfully at Barr, who just nodded and took the sack. “Also it will look good to the Great Assembly that I am keeping traditions. On that note, I kind of had to run off with Ivy.” He handed his da the other pouch, “can you make sure that the right courier gets this to Tent Wolverine when we reach the New Moon Cutoff? I think I had better steer clear of Lakewalker camps just to be safe until this mess is resolved.”

Dag grinned, “you want the money sent or camp credit?”

“After your experiences I think we’ll give them the coin. Let them decided if they want to trust their camp. I still have credit up there I can’t use, though I suppose the boat Tav built us is worth more than the little bit of credit I had on account.” Dav’n dusted his hands off, feeling good about getting that bit solved at least.

Dinner was served shortly, and that solved the argument about the cave too. After eating, floating lazily down the river was about all anyone wanted to do.

Chapter 8

Confluence was a relatively large Lakewalker camp. There were goods sheds down on the shore and plenty of Farmer/Lakewalker trade that happened with the boats that passed. Dav’n ducked inside and put on a ground-shield. No reason to advertise his presence. Lilly and Barr went ashore to meet up with the others and hear news from the camp. Dag too went but Fawn was content to stay with Ivy and have some one on one time. She had talked quite a bit with Lilly as they worked in the kitchen but Ivy was out helping pilot so not as easy to get to know. Ivy had been polite to the point of almost painfully avoiding anything that would show her as less than the perfect Lakewalker partner in Fawn’s eyes and Fawn was tempted to pick a fight just to get a peek below the facade. Tempted but not enough to risk it just yet. This may be a good time to really get to know the girl who was going to be in her life from now on. Fawn waited until dinner was done and the clean up started when she told Hawthorn he could go look at the good shed if he wanted and she and Ivy would clean up.

Ivy panicked but couldn’t really get out of it. “Glad to help!” she quipped and started collecting up the dishes.

Fawn let the giggles erupt naturally, “Easy, easy, the dishes aren’t going anywhere. I want to talk, and I mean really talk with you. I know that’s what you were afraid of” Fawn winked at her.

Ivy wondered if Fawn had somehow learned groundsense but just smiled, “Oh sure, what do you want to know?” she said trying to hide the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Fawn shook her head, all she could think of was starting out with “What is a woman almost old enough to be his mother trying to steal my son from that good farmer girl Lilly!” it was the farthest thing from how she felt but it would certainly break the ice. Getting a tight grip on herself Fawn smiled, “Ivy you know this isn’t an interrogation. Really it isn’t. Ok had I had ahold of you three weeks ago while I was still worried sick over my son and the alarming stories Barr had told it would have been.” She smiled to try to show she meant it. Seeing the look on Ivy’s face she thought the message was delivered as “Oh I used to be crazy but I’m feeling much better now.′ Fawn ruthlessly stepped on that little voice in the back of her head and tried to remember Aunt Nattie.

Ivy was thinking she was trapped and if she said the wrong thing she could stain every future conversation with her Tent—Mother. Blight it, men were supposed to have to deal with this not me. “I didn’t mean it like that! I just meant ask me anything.” she said but the back of her mind was saying “why me, Lilly can handle this, I don’t know what this crazy Farmer woman wants to hear”. She too grabbed that little voice in the back of her head and sat on her.

Fawn let out a long sigh, “I was really hoping I would be better at this. I remember being on your side of it. A fact my Dear Husband,” the sarcasm dripping from her voice, “reminded me of just before we stepped ashore back on Drum Head Island.” She got a rueful grin, “I didn’t really want to hear it. As usual though it was exactly the right thing to say. You’re a part of this family now and I’m not trying to trap you or trick you, I just really do want to KNOW you.” Then inspiration striking like lightening from the sky, her eyes flew wide, “I KNOW I KNOW, we can start talking about what we have in common. Wanna hear a cute but he finds it embarrassing Dav’n story from when he was little?”

Ivy grinned wide and true finally, “Is that some kind of trick question, of course I want to hear ALL of those. Especially when I can retell them to Lilly in front of him” she was giggling all real and true now.

Fawn smiled, the ice had been broken. “Well he was barely walking. It had been a hard day Berry and Witt were gone on the river, Dag was off with Arkady doing something. Sumac was visiting her patrol, get her to tell you stories about the first Farmer patrollers sometime, but anyway it meant I was there alone with the four babies. Nattie Marie and Sanda and Kal were all older and mostly playing quietly. I had to go out to bring in laundry and when I come back in Dav’n has my pots and pans all pulled out with a small pot on his head like a hat and the medicines I spent all month making scattered all around the floor about him. I was ready to cry and I yelled out ‘young man was that needful’ “she took a minute to wipe her eyes because she was already laughing at the story before she got to the punchline. “He looked up at me with those big eyes just as serious as a judge and said “neeful”. Both women were giggling now. “He had no idea what that meant he probably didn’t know more than about a dozen words by this point but he figured if it would keep me from tanning his hide then it was damn needful.”

Ivy was wiping her eyes at this point, “I can just see it. The real question is did it save him from the well earned beating?”

Fawn shrugged, “I was laughing too hard”

“Figures.” she smiled at her new Tent-Mother. “He probably had the same look he had when he told my grandmother that the trick they tried with the swampy ground, “made him feel like he really was part of the family”. I thought Grandma was going to have a stroke. I couldn’t even breathe between the laughs.”

Fawn chuckled “I’ll bet, Dag told me some stories about Sabin and said she wasn’t one to mellow with age.”

Ivy got up and started gathering the dishes, “I’m not stopping the stories you sit there and tell me all the Baby Dav’n stories you can think of. I’ll get these so you’ll keep telling.”

Fawn smiled at her, “nah I’ll help you with them. You’re right though I think we can talk and work now. I do ask one thing.”

Ivy felt the panic come back just a bit before she tamped it firmly back down “oh?”

Fawn smiled, “don’t clam up on me now girl. I just meant I gave you a story to treasure, and I think you do. So tell me what I want to know. Who are you? I know where you come from and that you’ve been a patroller and all of that means nothing next to who you are.”

Ivy was tempted to say something safe but then decided she would give treasured truth for treasured truth, “I’m a woman who’s lost her mind. Your son has hidden it somewhere I’m sure of it.” she let out a strangled nervous giggle. “Oh I know that sounds flip but believe me it isn’t. I know he’s ‘too young for me’ and I know we’re ‘from different worlds’. Your story though, it is just so Dav’n. He’s amazing. Don’t get me wrong, I know he has his flaws. He’s stubborn and used to getting his way. Too smart for his own good. Surely going to get himself in over his head one day. Your plan to lock him up in Clear Creek,” she winked at Fawn to take the sting out of it, “was probably a whole lot safer for the rest of the world if it gets in his way.” She sighed, “I found myself drawn to that. He was naive about so much yet so wise about what mattered. I need that in my life or I just drift. It’s not that I don’t have any ambition it’s just nothing but patrolling has ever been important enough to be an adult for. I’ve seen him just slam into what I thought were immovable objects and they just crumble to dust before him. Oh it isn’t that he doesn’t have his scars to show for it but... well for one thing he got me and Lilly not only to share but to quit fighting each other AND even to work together. NEVER saw that one coming.” she shook her head with a wry grin. “You ask me who I am, I don’t think it is important. It is who I am becoming that I am starting to really like. It’s like he does the same thing with life that he does with his groundsense, he takes what you have and then makes it bigger and stronger than you ever thought possible.” She just stared at the pan of water for several seconds, finally putting into words what had been running around in her head and heart for months. It fit. It was a treasured truth, maybe the more so when she looked up at Fawn who was just staring open mouthed at her.

Fawn felt the wind knocked out of her. She couldn’t ask for a better compliment as a mother. “Welcome to the family, very glad to have you and who you are becoming.” Dishes got finished without another word being said. Both women had a bit more to think about than they thought they had.

That evening Fawn wrote a long letter to Trill. Tears didn’t make the ink run too much as she described her two new daughters in law. She handed it to Dag, when she was done. “Hmm... I take it your talk with Ivy went well then.” He read it, “very well” he said in mild surprise. “Seems like our son chooses those he brings into our family wisely. “

Fawn took the letter from him and sealed it up. Turned down the rock oil lamp and snuggled down close to him. “He gets that from me you know.” The tickles began and giggles that were escaping the little curtained alcove were not those of a couple entering early middle age.

At the other curtained off end of the cabin Lilly and Ivy smothered strangled giggles when they heard. Ivy whispered in Dav’n’s ear, “at least they’re distracted” and her hand snaked down his stomach.

Chapter 9

One day blended into the next. Using a narrow boat stored on Berry’s boat, Dav’n was shuttled to all three. Making jokes and reuniting with family and friends. Showing Arkady his ability was a real event. Dag went with him on this run. All three of them sitting up on the deck taking turns exploring out and exploring in. With Dav’n linked to both Arkady and Dag they could get a view out to about seventy miles, or in far enough that they could see the strands that Dag saw were twisted ladders that unconnected and reconnected. It truly was amazing. Sumac broke them out of it at one point because they got a bit engrossed. Probably weren’t actually ground locked but simple curious obsession was so close as to be hard to distinguish.

Dav’n took a deep breath, “If we had something that wasn’t some one maybe we could see what your ground projections could accomplish. Hey I know, why don’t we try it on a non living target?”

Arkady and Dag looked at each other and shrugged, “A rock is a rock. Break it open and it’s just two rocks.”

Dav’n smiled, “do we KNOW that or do we THINK that?”

Arkady scratched his chin, “point. I’m willing if you’re willing”

Dav’n thought for a second, “well we don’t have a rock on the boat and wood used to be alive and so did leather... hmm water?”

They both looked at him a little funny, “you can see right through water. Sure it has tiny living animals in it, we can see that on our own.” Dag eyed him for a sec, “Why what do you suspect?”

Dav’n grinned, “that it’s water. We know there are animals in there we can’t see with our eyes alone, and we know that animals or at least people have the strands. Do the little animals have them? What about the water itself? How much do we know, and how much do we just think we know?” With that he got up and went for the bailing bucket and dipped out some water from over the side. “Let’s find out.”

All three concentrated and they saw the little blobs and that they were alive and that they had the strands too and all the other globs inside that people had when you got that small. When Dav’n directed them to focus on the water though they got a real shock. There were smaller blobs, almost like little clumps of rock banging around in the water. It was almost like well sand in that the little particles flowed around each other. They couldn’t get smaller to get a good look at the blobs. Dav’n reached out with a ground projection and tried to move just one but a bunch of them started moving really fast and floated away. He tried again and it happened again. He was just starting to get frustrated when he was thrown back into the regular world. Sumac was refastening the ground-shield around his neck severing the connection. “I couldn’t break you three loose any other way!” she was obviously angry and scared.

Dag was rubbing his eyes and Arkady was doing his best to soothe a concerned wife. Dav’n though looked back down at the bucket and saw the water was steaming. “Look! Look at this! It’s almost boiling.” he was pointing at the water but looking back and forth to his Da and Arkady hoping that they would have an answer.

Sumac stopped her fretting long enough to check out the water too. “Why is it doing that?” she asked confused.

“I don’t know.” Arkady was good and truly stumped.

Dag leaned back and scratched his chin wish his hook for a minute, “well, remember the paper”

All three faces turned to him like he was speaking gibberish but then Arkady clapped his hands. “oh good one, yes that has to be it!”

Sumac turned the on the peeved wife voice, “some one want to tell those of us who aren’t great and wise magi,” boy the sarcasm just dripped off that phrase, and Dav’n noticed Arkady cringe a bit, “just what you two think you have figured out?”

Dav’n bit back a laugh for self preservation’s sake. Dag just looked dry and about to return the sarcasm, but Arkady knowing that it would be a long night if he let either of the other two say anything hurriedly explained. “Before a groundsetter learns how to control his gift he almost always uses way too much power and generates a ton of heat. I usually make them repair a torn piece of paper until they can do it without burning it. I didn’t even think about it because Dag is way past that point after all of these years but it wasn’t Dag doing it was it?”

Dav’n felt his eyes go wide as he realized what had happened. “No, I used both of your ability but it was my skill or lack there of that tried to move the sand.”

“Sand?” Sumac was confused again, “It is water in the bucket”

Dag nodded, “sand, that is a good analogy. I wasn’t sure how to describe it myself”

Arkady nodded “well it isn’t perfect but yeah I think it will do.” then he turned back to Sumac. “The water is made up of little tiny grains of what look like sand. They bounce around and roll and flow over each other in the bucket.” He shook his head. “I’m not sure what this means but it is important. We need to write this down. Oh and we have to join Sumac into the link so she can see, she draws so much better than I do.”

Dav’n unfastened the ground-shield, and stretched “yeah ok, but we’re going to need someone to take her position as spotter.”

Dag nodded, “Hod! Can you come up here for a minute?”

A moment later heavy boots were on the ladder. Hod had grown up in to a rather large man. He stood almost as tall as Dag but was as wide as any three men. Homely as ever, his face had been scarred by a badger mudman, the long red claw lines down the left side of his face made him look vicious. Dav’n thought how odd in a man he knew to be one of the most tender and caring men he had ever met. “I can help?” Hod asked excitedly. He always liked helping Dag and Arkady, well except when it was to remove a limb but with his strength and precision with the cleaver no one could do it more quickly and with less damage to the stump.

Dav’n smiled up at his oldest friend, “Yeah and it’s real easy too. You know what groundlock is, if you see us getting locked then just put the ground-shield back on me and bring us all out. You’re going to make sure we all stay safe” Dav’n added that last because Hod wasn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer but he was determined to keep everyone safe. It was a big part of how Hod saw Hod.

“You sure I shouldn’t just hit you?” and he winked at Dav’n to show he was just playing.

“No, that’s quite alright! I just want to wake up from groundlock not have my melon split” Hod smiled back and settled it to act as spotter.

With Sumac added to the mix they could get an even clearer look. The grains were made up of parts too. They were moving too fast to tell exactly what it was but enough that Sumac could draw her pictures. Dav’n then brought them all back up out nice and slow then expanded out to the fullest again and slowly drew back down to normal. Sumac added another five miles too. That was good too know in a pinch.

They all came back to the real world and Hod was waiting there smiling at them. Sumac gasped, “I never would have guessed.”

Dav’n smiled wearily, “none of us did or could have but I’m bushed. Can we experiment more later?”

With that the visit broke up and everyone went back to think on what they had seen, and what it could mean.

Chapter 10-- Graymouth

Graymouth market was busy as ever and maybe busier. The place seemed to have grown since Fawn was here last. The selling of the Glassforge glass was going well and Witt sure seemed happy. Dav’n and the girls had run off to see the market and he said to talk to boat captains. Berry was off selling the flatboats . Barr, Hod, and Hawthorn had went up to help Arkady and Sumac take the horses and their gear to New Moon Cutoff Camp, it was just for a visit officially but they pretty much thought they would end up staying. Arkady said they would stay through til the spring before they decided for certain. Living back in the camp would certainly be different. Sumac back out on patrols with all Lakewalkers not farmers with a few Lakewalkers mixed in. Fawn wondered if she should go back there and if it would seem different now after all these years. She was lost deep in thought when she heard a gasp from the far end of the little table they had set up. “Its YOU! It really IS you. I never thought to see you again!”

Fawn looked over a bit startled, there was a woman about her age though more weathered and worn than she was. Fairly prosperous farm wife from the look of her dress... “How de,” Fawn said a bit confused. “I’m sorry but I don’t recognize you.”

The woman smiled kindly at her, “I don’t reckon as you would after all this time but you burned burned yourself pretty firmly in my mind, you and that husband of your’n as brought my Sparrow back to me.”

Fawn smiled at last “Cherry Bridger! It IS just so good to see you! How is Sparrow?”

The woman’s grin widened “So’s you DO remember. I’m so glad. Sparrow’s a grown man now got married last fall and a yongen of his own on the way. Is your Dag with you? Please say you’ll come to supper?”

“You don’t owe us, but I confess I’d love to see Sparrow all grown. Know Dag would too. I’m here with my son and his family too, and I don’t know what all they’ve got planned. Uh, when would you want us? I think we’ll be in town for a couple of days at least but I’m not really the one making the plans this trip.” Fawn wanted this and she knew it was something none of her family would deny her but still she didn’t feel right committing them to something without at least talking to them first. Who knows what Dav’n had promised the girls.

Cherry waved her hand, “tain’t about owing, it’s about seeing friends who risked everything to help us when we need it. Some family aint even that close. Ah heard afterward ’bout them chasing you off from your home at New Moon on account of it.” She shook her head, “wasn’t right of ’em.”

Fawn smiled even broader, “oh they couldn’t have done me a bigger favor, lookin back on it all. We had a wonderful home in the north, farmers and Lakewalkers lived together and worked together. Raised a family. My oldest, I was pregnant with her when we were here last, is actually patrolling with one of the camps up around Tripoint. Dav’n my son, who’s here with me, just recently went and got married. We’re not sure if we’re moving again or what but seeing you folks is sure to be good for Dag too. I’ll send you a note with how many to expect, traveling with all these people the one good thing is I can usually scare up messengers” she said with a laugh.

They waived good bye and Fawn found her whole day just looking so much better. She was still grinning from ear to ear when Dag caught up with her late that afternoon. “What’s got you all excited?” he asked with a smile. He always found it hard not to be happy when she was, she was just kind of addictive that way.

“Oh! GREAT NEWS!! You’ll never guess who I ran into today!” Fawn was bouncing like she hadn’t since before Dav’n ran off. Dag shook his head.

“Prolly not, so how about you just tell me so’s I can smile right along with you?” he grinned at her.

“Cherry Bridger! Sparrow’s mamma. She says he’s a grown man with a wife of his own and a youngn’ on the way!” her eyes just glittered. “Better yet we’ve been invited to supper tomorrow evenin’”

Dag actually laughed a good belly laugh that he hadn’t felt like doing since they found Dav’n safe and sound weeks ago. “Sparrow all grown up! That is a sight to see.” They settled in on the remaining boat for the evening, one less night they would have to spend at an inn.

Dav’n and the girls made it back from their adventures just an hour or so before dark. The girls each had brand new dresses and Dav’n was hauling around a big gator skin. Seeing the look in his Ma’s eyes there was no way he was going to refuse the supper invitation. Witt and Berry were staying with some friends they had made over the years of coming south, and with the rest of the party off to New Moon it was a quiet comfortable evening.

Chapter 11

Hod, Hawthorn, Chinda, Barr and Aspen made it back early the next morning, riding in the cull horses from New Moon to Graymouth Market. They told of being treated well by the camp despite being a mixed party. Seemed no one wanted to risk Arkady running off again. They didn’t think there were any tears when they decided to take the first chance to come back either though. Seems times change slowly but they were changing, even here in the more comfortable south.

Hawthorn agreed to run Fawn’s note out to the Bridgers. He and Chinda took off on rented horses. No one really expected to see them until after dinner. Dav’n smirked a bit at the bed rolls added to their packs for just a day trip but didn’t say anything. Hod made his excuses and said he had people to see and not to expect him back.

Hawthorn and Chinda hadn’t been gone more than an hour or so when they showed back up. Seems Lark Bridger had rode the wagon into town to take some cotton to market and would be happy to get everyone a ride there and back.

Hawthorn looked over at Chinda, “We’ve already rented the horses, maybe we should just take a ride for the day.”

She tried to look cool about the answer but her ground was a riot, “I suppose we should. Maybe we can get some of that spicy food you liked so much yesterday so we have dinner, too”

Dag grinned at the young folks, not sure who they thought they were kidding.

Barr got the bright idea of asking if Dag and Fawn wanted to use the tent that he and Aspen had been camping with, so they wouldn’t have to ride back after dark. Dag grinned at him, “Been calculating how to get the boat to yourselves have you?”

Barr realized he couldn’t play stupid on this one, “Well, I’ll not deny it would be nice but making the trip back to town from the farm might not be as much fun in the dark either.”

Dag shook his head, “Mmhum... Well as it happens, I actually think that is a fine idea. I’ll mention it to Dav’n too.”

So just before dinner five people took a little picnic dinner basket to the market and shared with Lark and loaded up their gear for an overnight stay. “Saves having to drive all that way after dark,” Dag said with a nod. “Besides it helps us out too, so’s we save a bit on the hotel stay. I think Berry will have that boat sold soon.”

Lark looked at the tents, “You’ns don’t need those. I’ll put those no good boys of mine up in the barn loft and you can have their rooms for a long as you want to stay.”

Dav’n raised his eyebrows a bit “But we’re Lakewalkers tents are what we do.” he said just as serious as he could but then couldn’t keep the strait face going and grinned at Lark. “Though barn lofts we do like, isn’t that right Ivy” and he winked at her. “Suppose we should give that to my folks though Da’s not as young as he used to be.”

Dag rolled his eyes and Lark barked out a laugh, “seems sons are the same the world over. Always let their mouth out grow their ability to back it up.”

Dag smiled. “Oh he’s partly right, if you’re offering a barn loft we’ll take it. Let the youngsters rough it in the tents.”

Lark says, “well if that’s what you’ns want we can set you right up. Old barns got cotton bales in it and the new barn’s got fresh hay. The offer to put the boys out there was real though. Young backs sleep rough better than older wiser backs do.”

Dag grinned, “that they do. That they do.”

Chapter 12

It was an enjoyable ride in the well sprung wagon. Everyone talked about the changes that had happened. Seems there was now a farmer healing booth at the trade post at New Moon Camp. Lark says they don’t have anyone who could do what Dag did for them but good healers there just the same. Talked a bit about the Graymouth folks talking about taxing the local farms. Lark shook his head, “Claims that they provide a market for us and we don’t do nothing for it. They already get a fee for setting up the booth but now they’re saying they want a part of the sales. Ain’t askin’ for much I suppose but I don’t see how they think they’s entitled to any of it.” Lark shrugged, “Suppose they figure because we’ll pay it. Where else you gonna take yer cotton to that needs that much?”

Dag nodded, “there is that I guess. I wish Witt were here, he’s good at figuring out how to get product moved and how to make good money in the doin of it too. I never had my mind work that way. I just see something and start doing it, wasn’t until I married Fawn, that I even thought about needin’ to get paid.”

Dav’n put in “yeah well Lakewalker camps work different. It works when you’re too busy hunting Malices to worry about the comforts of life. Wouldn’t really work for Farmers, especially city folk. I don’t have it all figured out either, got other things that work my brain, but I always paid attention when Uncle Witt was explainin things. ’Cause he does know what he’s talkin ’bout.”

Lark was really listening intently, you could almost see his mind working through it. “Maybe I need to talk to your Uncle Witt sometime then. When a youngster admits his elders know what they are talkin about it usually means they REALLY know what they’re talkin about.”

That got a laugh from everyone. The idle chatter continued until they pulled up to the old farm house. A lot had changed. It was painted, well white washed really but sure did look nice Fawn thought. There were several new outbuildings and the ‘new barn’ was easily as big as the whole house. Cherry came out to greet her guests. Greetings were exchanged and introductions made. Eyebrows raised a bit when Dav’n introduced his wives but everyone figured the ways of Lakewalkers in general were strange and if these folks were a bit stranger so what, they were good people who gave up their home to save a young boy’s life. The least his family could do is treat them like family.

Cherry said she had to get back to the kitchen and wouldn’t hear of guests helping work. They should follow Lark around to the back so they could wash up and see the new supper house that her Sparrow had made.

Dav’n had to admit washing up sure felt good. It wasn’t that the trip was that long but it was an unseasonably warm day. The cool water from the well felt great. Lark left them to it and went to unhitch the wagon and take care of the team. They were just finishing up when a young man in his mid 20′s came around the corner. Curly mop of light brown hair and a warm smile. Dav’n took an instant like to him, he was just one of those people.

“Don’t suppose you’ll recognize me! But you two are a sight for sore eyes!” He grinned and shook Dag’s hand and accepted a motherly hug from Fawn.

Dag took a deep breath, held it and then let it out slowly, “Seein’ you healthy happy and helpin your folks, well that’s just about medicine as far as I can tell. Makes me thankful we were makin’ the right choices.”

“Well Mamma an’ Judith won’t be ready for us to carry the food out yet, but you really should come in and see the new supper room I designed a couple of years ago. “ He just beamed and folks could tell he was proud of his new idea, “I keep hopin they’ll catch on and maybe I can build for a livin. Nothing wrong with farming, nothing at all but well this was fun, almost didn’t seem like work.”

They took a little path back through the flower garden and there shaded by large magnolia trees was a short tent looking building that didn’t stick out of the hillside but by about three feet. Dag couldn’t help himself, “I think I might need to duck” he drawled. Dav’n admitted he was a little concerned about how this was going to work.

Undaunted, Sparrow just grinned at them, “Just wait. Follow me.” then went the rest of the way around the little hill and then everyone could see full sized doors on the north facing side. He opened the large double doors and beyond them was a beautiful room.

Dav’n was immediately struck by the temperature drop. It was down right cool almost to give a chill after the heat of the day. Plenty of light was coming in from the top of the walls where the light cotton screening kept the bugs away yet let in fresh air and light. The walls were paneled with cypress wood, as was the polished floor. There were tiny gaps between the boards and the floor moved slightly when they walked on it. Sparrow caught Dav’n testing the floor with a look of deep concentration on his face. “Ah YOU noticed! Most folks don’t.” Sparrow was grinning. “Took me months to figure it out. Being mostly underground it stays cool. The root cellar is what gave me the idea. Root cellars get damp though, and who wants to sit in one for long? So I left gaps in the boards to let the damp drain or the moisture rise up and out the vents at the top. Floated the whole thing on a bed of sand and gravel. It means the floor sways a bit with a load but mold don’t build up like it did with the first floor I tried.”

“That’s so SMART!” it was Fawns turn to be impressed.

Sparrow was beaming as he showed off the walls that had an air gap behind them too and told that there was solid stone behind them. “I got the idea from some northerners who were down here one summer. They told me about how you keep ice for summer use.”

“Huh, never would have occurred to me.” Dag said with a shake of his head. “Does feel might comfortable in here. Someone did a real making on this table too.” he said as he ran his hands over the back of a bent wood chair.

“Well I can’t claim all of that. My cousin Card did the chairs but the table was my design and Papa and I built it. Seats the whole family, including in-laws and field hands. A full fifty people in a pinch or about thirty real comfortably. A bit big for tonight but it’ll be much cooler.”

Dav’n looked at Ivy and Lilly, “I’m impressed. If I find what I’m looking for you may just have a job building. Assuming you’d be willing to do some traveling, that is.” Both girls nodding vigorously in agreement.

“Oh what are you looking for? Maybe I can help?” Sparrow was just curious and didn’t know that Dav’n really couldn’t make his plans widely known.

Dav’n just smiled, “Well I can’t get into it too much. Not trying to be secretive but I’m lookin for a home that isn’t easy to get to. Don’t know how much help you can be less’n you know of a captain of a BIG boat who’s willing to get adventurous for a price. So far I’ve not found one who either took me seriously or was willing to run the risks.”

Sparrow shook his head, “Not really something I deal with a lot.” he got quiet and you could tell he was really thinking, “um, might ask Card though. His wife is from fisher folk.”

Dav’n smiled, “That might just work, are they going to be here tonight?”

Sparrow plastered back on his habitual grin, “Oh of course, the whole clan. Twin boys just a couple of years younger’n me. A daughter bout the age of your wives, and a girl not yet thirteen.”

Dag smiled, “sounds like he’s been busy since last we spoke.”

“Papa keeps him pretty busy. See they bought the farm next to ours and we put them together. See there’s this new way of making a farm. Everyone gets shares. You get to vote what gets planted based on your shares, and you get paid out at the end of the year based on your shares. You can even sell your shares to your brother if you want to quit farming. Or just leave them and get paid on them if you don’t need the money to do something else. Doesn’t take away from the farms money that way and you get paid from your shares. Usually end up spending most of it on a man to do your share of the work if you’re not here to do it but still. Some brothers up river got the idea from the way the new sail factory was set up. Bunch of the people who used to work the little looms were going to be out of a job when the new water wheel powered loom came in. Well the owners of the sail shop didn’t want to hurt folks who’d worked for them for years. So’s instead they collected up all the worker’s savings and used that to build the new loom and gave everyone who put in toward it shares based on how much they put in. Now every year they get some money back based on how much money the water powered loom makes. Some of them as is too old to work and live with family use it to pay their part and not be a drain on the family. Says it can be willed like a farm or a cow according to the town clerk. So’s that just seemed smart. Card didn’t have to move away and we’ve got a bigger farm and even hire on a few folks when needed to work it in the busy times. “

Dav’n wished again that he had Uncle Witt with him. “Da, remind me to ask Uncle Witt to look into that. Sounds like it could be something we could really use.”

Dag rubbed his hand over his face wearily, “been wishin’ we’d brought him for a while now.”

Sparrow walked back to the back wall and touched a panel and it swung out like a door. He walked down two steps into a wine cellar. “Mamma will want a bottle of this plumb wine, and I’ll grab three bottles of this strawberry. Lets see here... Oh yeah this porter to go with the roast.” he smiled up at Fawn. “Don’t worry we’re still farmers at heart but we’re learning a few of life’s luxuries from the city folks.”

Fawn giggled at him but Lilly and Ivy just looked like they were worried about not knowing what fork to use. Dav’n just looked at the well stocked wine cellar. “Do you make this yourselves or is this all bought from a winery somewhere?” he asked.

Sparrow smiled proudly, “This is all ours. Card’s farm had a nice orchard and a small vineyard on it. His wife got a job with a winery before she had the twins and learned what she needed to know. Most of it she says is just keeping everything clean and then using a bit of the old pressing for each new pressing. I don’t really understand it all, but it sure do taste good.”

As they were coming back up from the little cellar area a small army of young folks was coming in the door. Pretty obvious that they were Card’s brood because just as advertised the twins looking like mirror images of each other hauling in dishes and the young girl with chestnut colored hair bouncing in behind them with real glass glasses in a straw packed box. The boys put down the dishes and introduced themselves. The girl just smiled up shyly and did a little curtsy “Nice to meech y’all. Robin and Jay, you know mamma and Aunt Cherry will have your hide if they bring in the food and find the table not set.”

The brothers rolled their eyes, “Our sister the born tyrant, teased Jay “ but Ivy noticed both boys got back to work. Dav’n felt a little odd seeing them obviously still acting like children and being treated as such and yet they were both at least four years older than himself. He dumbfounded himself for a second there. He just realized that Da and even Ma had been treating him like and adult for most of this trip. He couldn’t have managed to work that miracle yet could he? Now really confused he lost track of the conversation lost in his own thoughts.

Before things got too far in came the rest of the clan, carrying dishes and crocks all steaming with Lark being last with a large metal roasting pot. It was almost like a cast iron camp oven but oval and from an obviously lighter metal. Card followed his wife in with another heavy crock that was obviously hot by the way he was holding the towel between his hands and it.

All of the food was sat at the far end of the table. It smelled AMAZING. Cherry spoke up, “since we’re all family here, I thought we’d just serve it the way we normally do. No need to get fancy for family. You youngn’s stand back though and let our guests serve themselves first.”

A large pot roast with carrots and potatoes was in the pot that Lark had brought in, with enough to feed everyone twice over. Cherry had brought in some little quarter moon shaped rolls and it had a large crock of good salt butter beside it. A pot of okra gumbo and yams in a molasses syrup rounded out the feast. It was fairly obvious by where the family took up their seats that men sat on the right side of Lark who was at the head of the table and the woman took the left side. Ivy and Lilly looked a little nervous but after some conspiratorial whispers with Starling, Jay and Robin’s middle sister, and Belle, Card’s wife drawing Heather, Sparrow’s new bride into the mix they all sat together just down from Cherry and Fawn. Poor little Piper sat all the way at the end but since it meant no body was paying much attention to the fact that she had mostly the sweet yams on her plate she seemed not to mind being ignored. Dag of course sat next to Lark as the guest of honor, then came Card and Dav’n was surprised to see himself then Sparrow and the twins. Lark cleared his throat and the table got silent, he offered up a prayer of thanks for the bounty of food and family and friends as dear as family and asked for prosperity to follow all the works of their hands. Dag who never really thought much on things of the spirit found himself oddly touched by the gesture. Sure the gods may be absent but if that didn’t stop a man for being grateful so much the better.

Supper if anything tasted even better than it smelled and after many compliments reddening the cooks faces they got down to story telling. The Bat Malice, and Wolf Malice stories of course. Farmer patrollers, which got some real raised eyebrows. One side of the table amused themselves with stories of raising children and charcoal making experiments that were supposed to be dinner. The other side with healing folks and bad weather and good harvests. Dav’n got drawn into a discussion of building and new ways of living with Sparrow. The wine flowed free and everyone relaxed and was enjoying the company when Piper who had been good all night caught just the right lull in the conversation to ask the question, “If you’re both married to Dav’n then where are the strings that the Lakewalker women all wear? Even Fawn has one.”

Belle looked mortified, “Hush child!”

Ivy just answered, “Dav’n says he wants to do a surprise but he won’t tell us and is making us wait to do it until he is ready”

“Why ever for?” Heather blurted out and then shut up wishing she hadn’t had that last glass of wine.

“Good question Heather!” Lilly spoke up. “Says it is a surprise well I for one want to know. I bet if you and Piper help, me an Ivy can get him to tell!” she says with a big grin.

Ivy seeing this as the perfect chance joined in “I’ll go for that! What d’ya say Piper, will you help us?”

Piper not willing to speak up after being told to hush, made her eyes really big and grinned nodding up and down really fast. The twins looked at each other, “he’s in for it now” said Jay.

Dav’n was feeling the pressure and he looked up the table to Ma and Cherry for help but all he got back was an amused questioning look. “Ok look there’s this special stuff that goes into Lakewalker marriage cords. Not just the hair that is the obvious part. I’ve been collecting the stuff I need but I want them to be different than the normal and so haven’t got everything yet and I don’t want to go into it because it’s kinda well embarrassing.”

Lilly seeing her opening “Ivy did you know we embarrass him?” with mock shock on her face.

From down the table Dav’n just heard one of the twins “yup he is cooked. Seemed like such a great guy too” which brought chuckles from his side of the table.

Ivy not to miss this opening, “why no I thought he got past that whole embarrassed thing on the trip from Leech Lake. Big strong hero of the Wolf Malice fight, and embarrassed by lil ol’ usu?”

Dav’n could feel his face getting red. “I wish you’d let me surprise you. In PRIVATE.”

Fawn finally spoke up, “Son, my beloved son, if you don’t tell these girls they are going to pop and I’m not talking about just your two but your dear mother too!”

“OK! Look, inside the strings is supposed to be things that are important to each person. I don’t have all the parts.”

Lilly shrugged, “I just was thinking some lilies, and Ivy told me she planned to use some ivy in hers since she was just a girl.” Ivy nodding.

“Well we can do that if you both want.” Dav’n reached into travel bag that was sitting behind his chair and pulled out a small leather pouch. “I thought we’d use these things”, and pulled out a ragged piece of Lilly’s old dress. “Its what you were wearing when you stood up to the man you thought was your father and became your own person. It was a piece of your victory” He looked right at Lilly. Then looking to Ivy, “and here’s some poplar fluff from the trees I cut to make the raft. When you claimed your victory and the right to choose your own path” Ivy looked like she had been struck by lightening. Pulling out another raggedy scrap of canvas, “A piece of the original Tent Bluefield, that sheltered us our first night as a family.” He pulled out the pouch of pearls and pulled out one, showing them the hole that had been carefully drilled through it. “Pearls from our time at Drum Head Island where I got the victory of reuniting with my family without having to lose me.” He looked up the table “Thanks Da, Mamma”. “The holes in the pearls are from the Graymouth jeweler that I went to see yesterday.” He rubbed his hand over his face in frustration, “The last piece will be from our new home when I find it. Surprise.”

The table was stunned to silence for a minute. Finally Starling broke the spell, “well if you don’t want him, I’ll take him.”

Her mother gasped, “Starling that isn’t good to even joke about.” Everyone else seemed to disagree as the general chuckle was hear around the table. Lilly and Ivy were both crying and smiling and Dav’n felt like a sappy chump.

“OK then does he have a brother?” Starling asked almost as a plea for mercy which brought another round of chuckles.

The rest of the evening was light banter trying to not leave Dav’n too embarrassed about sharing a piece of his soul in front of everyone.

While folks on the farm tended to turn in early, tonight ran pretty late. Even later for Dav’n when Lilly and Ivy got him alone. Pretty long for Dag and Fawn too but not for the same reason. The question of giving Dav’n that little brother, or sister was being debated. Ok better to say discussed amid giggles and cries of “but diapers again after all these years!” and more giggles.

Chapter 13

The trip back to town was even more comfortable as they were all riding on bales of cotton. Lark dropped them back by the boat but asked if he could come back and talk to Witt after he dropped off the cotton. Figuring they could always send a runner to Witt they agreed. As they walked up to the boat Dag started to frown. “Everyone’s here except Arkady and Sumac. Looks like we have company and Hod is hurt.” Dav’n and Ivy both reached for their knives, but Dag shook his head. “Don’t seem to be a problem now but looks like there was some excitement while we were gone” as he said this Barr stepped out of the cabin and waved.

“I’m glad you’re back! I wasn’t sure what to do, but I think we’ve got things settled down for the moment. Come take a look at Hod if you will while we explain.” Barr looked tired. Even his ground was thinning.

Dag nodded, “Be right there.” He turned and eyed his family. “Never a dull moment.” he said with typical Dag blandness.

Removing the bandages Dag inspected the long cut on Hod’s back. It wasn’t ragged, the blade had at least been sharp but he’d been in the river. This close to the town there was no telling what washed out of the sewers and into the river. Dag shook his head. “Well you’ve done right so far,” he nodded toward Barr, Aspen, and Chinda. “T’groundwork is fine and kept the infection down. Leaving it open wasn’t bad either but I’m going to let Fawn get in here and start to sew him up. Anyone want to do the introductions?” he asked nodding to the bench up against the far wall where three women were sitting, bed boat women by the look, and fellow swimmers. Dag was getting a bad feeling about this as he looked at the bruises on the face of the youngest and oldest.

Berry stood up from the other wall, “This is Pearl,” the oldest, “Ruby,” looked like late twenties in a hard life, “and Sapphire.” nodding to the youngest who looked about sixteen. “They had a boat over in drown town. Seems our Hod was spending some time with Ruby when one of Sapphire’s... uh gentleman caller’s wasn’t bein’ much of a gentleman.” She smiled to the three very bedraggled looking women who all looked grateful for her kind rendering of their story. “Hod, not being raised by wolves, decided that the cad needed to go, and that it wouldn’t be too bad if he had a good pounding to see him on his way.” Hod who was wincing as he was sewn up gave a chuckle at this despite the pain. Dav’n couldn’t help it he grinned broadly at this news. “Well unfortunately that wasn’t the end of things. Seems the cad was newly in the employ of a local criminal gang and so three of them came to pay Hod a visit.”

Hod grunted, “snuck up behind me while I was returnin’ some beer. Still left one with a busted head.”

Berry shook her head at him, “hush you and just get better.” You could tell she was a bit worried for him. Hod was big but open wounds and river water was the end of a lot of men, Lakewalker medicine maker or no Lakewalker medicine makers. “So retreating back inside he held the doorway. When they couldn’t get to him they decided to throw a bottle of spirits and a torch on the boat.” Dag rolled his eyes envisioning this, Dav’n shrugged, he wouldn’t say it but it was how he would have handled an enemy he couldn’t beat in a fair fight. “Well long story short they ended up in the river and losing their boat.” you could hear Berry’s heart break on that one.

Pearl mumbled in a barely audible voice, “got out with only what we could swim with.”

Sapphire said with a little bit of awe, “But Hod got us all to a safe spot and got us a boat out of drowntown and back here. Thank you again for taking us in last night.” she looked to Hawthorn who looked stuffed sitting over by Witt. Chinda looked a bit flustered but didn’t say anything.

Berry not missing a beat, “We’re glad to.” she glanced at Hod. “Tonight could be a bit more interesting finding room for everyone but we’ll manage something.” She sighed a bit then shook her head back to the story. “So anyway. While Chinda here did what she could for Hod, Hawthorn came to find me and Witt, and Witt rode off on our friend’s horse to find Barr and Aspen.”

“Wasn’t easy, when you Lakewalkers want to not be found you manage not to be found.” Witt said with a sigh.

Barr grinned ruefully at him, “Sorry, we forgot some folks can’t just bump our grounds politely when they need to talk. We hear this lunatic screaming our names at the top of his lungs at the edge of the little wood where we had turned off to camp. Glad he’s got good lungs.” Aspen flushed.

Berry hid a smirk, “so any way we all end up back here just an hour or so before dawn. Someone was lurking around and might have been watching our boat but with the crowd now at the boat he didn’t stick around long. I don’t know if we’ll have any trouble tonight but....” she shrugged.

Dag nodded as Fawn finished up with Hod. Dav’n spoke up, “While Da is taking care of Hod, I should go find us rooms at a local Inn.”

Dag shook his head, “Not so fast. First this will be easier with you here. Secondly lets not get too worried about tonight just yet. Lets you and me take care of Hod, and check out these ladies to be sure they’ve suffered no ill effects.” he nodded toward their new guests. “Then we can all get a little rest up and hold a planning session.” He made a point of looking over to Dav’n, “Sound all good to you?”

Dav’n shook his head to clear the cobwebs, “Uh yeah sure. Just trying to make sure we all have a place to stay.”

Hod nodded at them both, “Told ’em I’d keep ’em safe. Told ‘em once I had mah people back with me it would all be ok. Makin’ things ok, its kinda what we do.”

Dag got a distant look for a second. “yeah Hod I suppose it is. Fawn, could you see if we have anything not quite so water worn for these ladies to be a bit more comfortable in?”

Dav’n started to turn toward Ivy and Lilly but they were already moving, “we’ll just get Tent Bluefield set up on the deck to give a bit more shelter and a private place to change,” said Lilly as they were out the door.

Dav’n put his hand on his Da’s shoulder, “Ready?” Dag nodded, and Dav’n saw the look of concentration set in as he went to work on Hod. Even with Dav’n boosting his ground abilities, Hod wasn’t an easy fix. Time was going to have to heal it naturally but at least this way he shouldn’t be in much pain and the nasty infection that was trying to get started was squashed flat.

Dag sat up and drew in a gasping breath. “We both need a minute before we work on anyone else. Hawthorn, can you go see how it’s coming with the extra room on deck? How about the rest of you go help him. No ladies not you, I’ve got some questions to make sure we get everyone all healed up.”

Dav’n started to leave too but Dag stopped him. Once the room was cleared except for Hod and his guests. Dag drew in a deep breath, “Hod has another infection. It’s not one I can just cure in one setting even with Dav’n helping. I’m not judging but your career has certain occupational hazards. I suspect he picked it up from one or all of you. This means you’ll need to be treated too.” He stopped and watched for reactions. When he didn’t get more than worried looks he continued. “This will probably take some time. About four weeks at a guess. As Hod says we’re about making things better but it means you’ll be here for a bit at least. I can’t see from a distance if it is one of you or all of you. You really don’t want to be working during this time. I know it is hard to lose the income but you’ll just pass it along to anyone you, um... work with.”

Pearl spoke up, “I didn’t know we was sick. I know about it though. I didn’t think there was a cure.”

Dag sighed again, “Oh there is but it’s long and hard on the medicine maker who’s doing the curing. I’m not asking for money you understand,” then catching their look, “nor um... services. What I do need is for you to all be as useful as you can while we figure out how this is all going to work. I know you’re used to having your own boat and running your own lives. If you want better though I’m gonna need you to work with me the best you can.”

Pearl smiled, “Oh Mr. Dag, my girls will be the very model of propriety and help.” Both the others nodding vigorously.

Dag gave them a tired smile, “Oh propriety is over rated but try to be good guests and neighbors. As to the other troubles. Maybe it won’t come to nothin’ but if it does there aren’t too many street gangs that really want to fight trained Lakewalker patrollers, I’ve got four of those, myself and Dav’n and Witt and Hawthorn are not bad shots either. Hod needs to sit this out and let his back heal. Can I count on your help with that.” More vigorous nods. “Good. Now go see what kind of clothes they’ve managed to wrangle for you. I’ll need about five minutes with each of you once I’ve had some time to rest up to see what needs to be done.”

The three all stood up and headed for the door but each one took a moment to stop and thank Dag before they headed out. Dag looked up at Dav’n, “I’ll need your help with this too. I wanted you to also learn that there are risks. Just in case you ever got the urge to wander from Ivy and Lilly. Shh... I know but you’re young and it’s all new. This was for later. An’ Hod, I don’t blame you for needin’ a little company but maybe you should talk one of those girls into givin’ up the profession and takin care of you on a regular basis. They all seem like nice enough ladies considering what they’ve been through, and I don’t just mean last night. You of all people understand what it is like when life is hard and you’re alone.”

Hod nodded. “Don’t think they’ll have me. I saved some money and I work hard but I know they make more’n I could bring in. Any of ’em.”

Dav’n smiled at this, “Hod, I think you underestimate yourself my friend. Maybe you underestimate them too. Give this a little time to settle down, and see how it works out.” Dav’n couldn’t help but smile to himself a bit, this sounds like the perfect job for Lilly and Ivy.

Everyone got treated medically the best as could be at the moment. Dag was right and the women were going to be with them for at least the month it took for treatment. The ladies did look a bit odd in the mixed and matched spare clothes that could be found but Dav’n couldn’t help but think that might be a good thing. Dressed up as they were they couldn’t help but be reminded of what they were, maybe this would give them a chance to see themselves differently. It was kinda the reason he’d spend the extra on such nice dresses for Lilly and Ivy. Wouldn’t hurt for them to each see themselves successful and beautiful too for a bit.

Lark made it back, and he and Witt and Hawthorn went off to an inn to talk business. Dav’n broke free of everyone and headed out to the docks about time for the fishing boats to come back in.

nIt had been a long day by the time Dav’n got back and with way too little to show for his efforts. Seems while folks needed money, none of them needed money bad enough to risk their boats exploring for islands they’d never seen.

Berry, Witt, Hawthorn, and Chinda all went back home with Lark to continue the conversation and meet a few folks Lark knew. Hawthorn was all excited but Chinda looked a bit pensive as they pulled away in the wagon. They left a little early in the afternoon trying to beat the storm that was coming in.

Pearl being experienced with boats sought out Dag to warn him that the direction this storm was coming from meant it would be a rough one. Dag called Dav’n and Barr in on the quick council and asked, “Pearl here believes we should beach the boat not just tie it up and drive in deep stakes to prevent it from being swept away in any flooding.” He looked to Dav’n with a question in his eye?

Barr hid a smirk behind his hand. He’d see this before Dag training up a new Patrol captain. Making them made decisions. He knew Dav’n didn’t have the experience to make the call but having Dav’n figure that out was half the point of this exercise. Dav’n thought for a moment, “doesn’t that mean we’d have to rent horses to pull it back into the water after the storm?”

Pearl nodded, “better’n bein’ swept away. Storms down here aren’t like anything northerners are used to.”

Dav’n hated this. If she was right and they didn’t do anything then people could get hurt. If she was wrong they lost a lot of time money and hard work. He hesitated and then thought of Ivy or Lilly having to swim for their lives.... he shrugged, “don’t see how we have much choice but to err on the side of caution. We can afford the horses better’n we can afford being swept away in the storm.”

Dag nodded satisfied and looked to Barr. Barr grinned, “What you lookin’ at me for? This is Dav’n’s show I just been rushin’ around trying to keep up.” Dav’n snorted and Dag grinned.

Dav’n said, “gonna be a long night and aught to move everyone we can to an inn for the evening. I’ll stay here with the boat. Leave me Pearl since she knows about boats.” he looked over to Barr, “you mind stayin’ too in case we need groundsense? Don’t figure as there’s any reason to risk anyone else.”

Barr, groaned but knew he was right. “Yeah, we’ll send everyone else with Dag. You know the girls aren’t going to approve.”

Dav’n grinned, “that’s why we’re sendin’em with Da. They can complain to him.”

Evening was spent getting ready for the storm and when it blew in, it blew in.

Chapter 14

Three long wet windy days later the weather broke. Those from the inn made it back to the pier where the boat was tied up first, but the boat was gone. Fawn panicked, “where are they?!”

Dag unfurled his groundsense but couldn’t find them. He started to look worried. “Pearl’s been on the river her whole life and ran a boat for much of it. He and Barr aren’t unfamiliar with boats either. If they broke loose,” he said looking at the stakes they had driven deep into the bank washed away, “then they’re down stream. I should have left them more people for the oars though.” he said with a tone of worry.

Everyone was rushing around trying to get organized to search when Ivy called out. “They’re ok. Dav’n an’ Barr just bumped my ground.” Before she could finish Dag was already smiling. “They’re a ways down river, coming this way.”

Dag reached out when they were finally in range. They were both tired but mostly unhurt. Dav’n’s ground was different. Something had happened. Pearl wasn’t with them either. Plenty of time to hear the story once they got here. So he settled in like everyone else to wait.

Dav’n pulled up in the collapsible boat, pulled in the right float and re-lashed down the drift wood poles he was using for rigging. Stumbling back on the shore is was obvious both he and Barr were exhausted. “Glad to see you.” he found himself rushed by Fawn, Ivy and Lilly. “Some one got something to drink. It was a lot harder paddling up here than I thought it would be last night when we started out.”

Ruby approached shyly but asked, “sorry to butt in before you rest but where’s Pearl is she ok.”

Barr quickly put her mind at ease. “Everyone is fine, well everyone on our side anyway. She stayed with the flat boat out on the little island we beached on. Its about ten miles or so down river.” Barr grinned in memory, “said she wasn’t losing two boats in two weeks if it killed her.”

Ruby smiled and everyone else chuckled. After they found a place to sit the story started coming out. Seems on night two of the storm the friends from Drowntown who were on this side of the river decided to try to cause problems. Dav’n dropped three of them with arrows but not before they managed to cut enough ropes that the remaining ropes couldn’t hold. They floated down river Dav’n and Barr using groundsense to miss the worst of the floating wreckage in the river but before they got themselves too far Pearl had the sense to beach them on one of the little islands.

Dav’n shook his head, “we need to get people back down to her before anyone can try to finish what they started but I couldn’t leave you all up here worrying about what happened.” The exhaustion on his face couldn’t mask the rage.

Barr pulled Dag off the side, “I barely stopped him from declaring a one man war on Drowntown. He’s not himself just now. Things will be bad enough if those bodies wash up with Lakewalker arrows in them.”

Dag nodded. “You talk to Lilly and have her and Fawn drag him back to the inn. You go get some sleep too. I’ll need Ivy, and Aspen though to help scan for the bodies as we head back to Pearl. Sorry.”

Barr grimaced and nodded.

Dav’n put up a fight about being ‘sent to his room’ as he called it until Lilly proved she wasn’t just some shrinking violet and all but dragged him back. Ivy hid her smile but looked to Dag, “she always was better at that than I am.” she whispered.

Dag grinned, “Its because he sees you as tough and fights back harder, besides you’d have just manipulated him into doing something else that needed doing, long enough that the boat would have went down river without him and then he would have rested because he had no other choice. I’ve seen how you two work him. I’ve also seen that it is almost always for his own good.”

Ivy at least had the decency to look a bit embarrassed, “If we don’t he doesn’t take care of himself”

Dag chuckled, “don’t worry after almost twenty years of marriage, I just recognize the signs better. He still hasn’t figured it out. At least not that he’ll admit it to himself yet. Come on we’ve got a full day ahead of us too.”

A full day they did have too. The boat was going no where, but the good news was they could move some folks back down to it that evening and take a little strain off of their funds. Loosing the boat was a hit but not as bad as all of them having to stay at the inn for however long it would take to sort out their next move. Dag really hoped Dav’n could find his boat captain soon or they would end up spending too much of what they made on the trip down river for it to pay. Oh the money they found on Drum Head Island would last them for years but that was for establishing the new home not to be used up living off of.

When Dag and Ivy finally made it back to Fawn, and Lilly late that evening, and the collapsible boat was broken down and stored in the stables everyone was exhausted. Witt and his family hadn’t made it back yet but they may have just stayed to help repair storm damage, but that was another ride on rented horses if they weren’t back by tomorrow evening. Dav’n having slept through much of the day spent the evening with Lilly helping Ivy get a bath and rubbing down sore muscles. He tried to put out of his mind the disaster this was turning into, at least for one evening. An evening that they could all share a real bed. Freshly washed and relaxed they didn’t even come down for supper but ate a bit of bread and cheese sent up to their room. Dag and Fawn were both coming to the realization that globe trotting in early middle age wasn’t what it had been when they were younger. Or at least in Dag’s case when he was used to it from patrolling for years. Still a warm bath and a soft bed and Fawn went a long way to making life better. He was a bit worried about Dav’n. Killing men wasn’t like killing mudmen and eventually his son would have to come to grips with that night. He didn’t want to share these thoughts with Fawn so he distracted her instead, ok if he was honest with himself he needed the distraction too.

When they all met for breakfast the next morning, Ivy got a startled look on her face and looked to Dag. He just shook his head slightly and cheerfully said “Howdy, you three look like you’re doing better.”

They all answered with tired smiles. “I’ll be doing better if we can find that boat captain before I have to disappoint Barr and go on that rampage through Drowntown.” Dav’n said with a slight growl.

Lilly took his hand, “stop that you’ll worry your mother.” She too got a bit of an odd look as she looked at Fawn.

Fawn missing it just stretched “I could have slept in until noon and I didn’t even paddle up and down the river yesterday.”

Ivy got a wicked grin, “Oh sometimes just having a real bed can leave you with less sleep than you thought it would.”

Dav’n turned red, and Dag coughed and changed the subject. “So what is the plan for today. Assuming that Witt shows up as we think he will?” he turned and looked at the door where a man in the ragged clothes of a fisherman came in looking out of place. “Huh... unless I miss my guess son that man is here to talk to you. His ground is roiling, got the desperate look of a man about to take a chance against his better judgment.”

Dav’n turned to look, then turned back with a hungry grin. “He does at that doesn’t he”. He stood up and motioned to the fisherman, “spots open at our table friend. Looks like you could use a hot coffee this morning.”

The man looked at the Dav’n then back and the door, then squared his shoulders and said in a raspy voice, “Thank ye, they call me Cap’n Hollow. Bein’ as it’s too early for a shot of rum, that might be just what a body needs.” as he walked over shook Dav’n’s hand and looked at the rest of the table and dipped his head in respect.

Dav’n pulled up and extra chair for him between Dag and Ivy and waived at the girl waiting tables, “Another coffee over here please.” he called out. She smiled and nodded. They waited for the coffee to arrive and the man to take an appreciative sip before he seemed settled enough to get down to business.

“I’ve heard said that you folks need a boat and are willing to pay good silver for a trip?” he looked nervous.

“For the right kind a’ boat, we need one who’s seaworthy and large enough to take quite a few passengers for an extended trip.” Dav’n eyed his reaction.

The fisherman stroked his beard nervously, “well I got a boat plenty big but it’s the extended trip as is the problem. I’ve got a note on my boat and if I’m not here to make payments on time well then there’s problems for my family left behind. T’be honest with you I wouldn’t even be here but I’m going to be late on a payment after that storm and the repairs to m’boat... I hate to say but I’d need most’a t’payment upfront.”

Dav’n had an angry look come over his face, “How much are we talkin’?”

Captain Hallow hung his head. “I need 30 silver a week just to keep good with the books before I pay the men or see any profit.”

Dav’n winced. “So how much to just clear your note?”

The Captain smiled a sad smile at the naive youngster before him. “Well now it don’t rightly work that way son. See I took out this loan and it has what they call ‘early payment penalties.’ This isn’t a loan you’re intended to pay off.” The man shook his head the same way most men discuss the weather as if it was just what it is.

Dav’n looked to his Da without understanding. You can take a loan and you pay it back plus some for the using of the other fellers money. Who ever heard of a loan you could never pay off?

Dag’s face darkened and his voice hardened, “Let me guess the terms of this loan were written for you and you really needed the money.”

Captain Hollow, smiled the sad smile. “Kina like now. Takin’ this job is the only way to catch up on the payments but I fear it may lead me and mine to ruin. Don’know what your boy has planned but sounds a bit like sailing for the edge of the world. I’m not all excited to do that, but you have silver and I need silver.” he shrugged. “Without the storm, I wouldn’t be behind so we wouldn’t be talking.”

Dav’n thought for a moment, “that so? Must be a lot of men in your position after the storm.”

Captain Hallow’s ground erupted Ivy noticed, Dav’n must have hit on something there. She reached out and took Dav’n’s hand so he could see what she was seeing, though without seeing the before she didn’t know how to discretely tell him. “Might be, but my boat’s they best an’ she can be ready to sail with the tide, IF we can come to terms on the silver I need.”

Dag drawled out, “Well now seems to me like getting the silver only buys you some time before you’re right back in this spot again. ’Nother storm, or get sick... Seems to me it would be better to change your luck all the way around.”

Dav’n and the Captain both looked at him. Captain finding his voice, “yeah but just like paying off the note, can’t really do it.”

Dav’n catching his Da’s train of thought. “Well see, I’m going to need a boat and the services of a good Captain for some time. Might be that we would want to renegotiate your agreement.” Dav’n grinned, then shrugged, “Or might be just that we get your family out of harms way, and the rest of us sail away. IF I find what I’m looking for, then might have a nice new home for ‘em. If I don’t find what I want then we’ll probably not be makin’ it back and well be nice to have them somewhere else among good people who don’t write those kind of deals.”

The Captain, and Dag too got a real curious look on their faces and for completely different reasons. The Captain because he was trying to judge if the boy could really do what he was promising to do. Dag, because that wasn’t where he was going with this but just moving the family out of the way would probably work better. “Sos where would ye suggest they go, not havin’ much in the way of money an’ all?”

Dav’n grinned, “well I happen to know where there is this large home up north who’d owners are flat bottom boat people. Unless I miss my guess all of the time they’ve spent with some farmer friends of ours out at their place was making arrangements for my Uncle Hawthorn to buy a keel boat and move their cotton up river without going through Graymouth where they’re trying to increase the tax. So a quick, ok not so quick ride north on a keel boat, then back down on a flat boat. That puts them out of the hands of locals for bout a year. By then we’ll know if we’ve found a new home or not. They wouldn’t be going alone. The family I’m talking about is where I’ve lived my whole life.” He looked over at Fawn. “They can use Arkady and Sumac’s spot with Kal’s being for any kids. Wouldn’t even put anyone out, since they’re staying at New Moon Cutoff.” Dav’n looked proud of himself for rearranging everyone’s life to his satisfaction. “’Course we’ll have to ask Aunt Berry, but I’ve never known her to turn away folks in need.”

Captain Hollow shook his head, “A whole year away? I don’t know how many of my men would go for that.”

Dav’n asked “How many men do you need? I know some folks familiar with boats...”

Captain Hallow snorted, “these aren’t no flat boats boy. Meanin’ no disrespect to your folks, I’m sure they’re fine people but the sea, she’s fickle. T’answer your question though,” he stopped and thought. “We need a minimum crew of four plus me. My son can come with me for this run so’s that’s two experienced. Two more experienced with boats, might do the trick, with passengers pressed into service as needed.”

Dav’n nodded. “I wish Barr was here instead of back down at the flat boat. Excuse my father and I for just a moment.” As Dag and Dav’n left the table Fawn, Ivy, and Lilly were all looking daggers at them but not willing to get in the way of what ever tactic the men were planning.

Back up the stairs Dav’n turn on Dag and just asked, “So who all is coming with me? I’d kind of been counting on you but with Ma’s new condition, and all I expect you’ll want to head north with the others. Chinda will go with Hawthorn of course. I can probably talk Barr into going on with me, he’s another experienced boat handler and an increase of our groundsense range.” Dav’n rubbed his face, “What calculation am I missing?”

Dag grinned, “well your Ma for one. I don’t think she wants to miss this little adventure of yours. Lets go back to the table and we’ll find out.”

“Cap’n Hallow,” Dag started out “thank you for being patient while we conferred. Groundsense has many uses and made this conversation a bit more difficult than it needed to be. See my son and his wives have seen something this morning that I haven’t had a chance to tell my Fawn about...”

Fawn started bouncing all excited, “It worked? It did why else would everyone have been acting like they had something they wanted to say all mornin’.”

Dag smiled at her, always amazed at how bright and alive she was, “Yes it worked, we’re expecting, and Dav’n thought that would make you run home to be in the north when it’s born.”

Fawn frowned. “I’ll admit giving birth on a boat doesn’t sound like a smart move for anyone involved. In nine months though we should have either found what we’re looking for or given up and be headed back.” You could tell she was thinking hard on this, then she nodded “I’ve got two daughters and a son, and the best groundsetter midwife in the wide green world for a husband. Maybe we can let her be born in his brother’s new home.” Then she grinned at Lilly and Ivy, “got to get a place used to havin’ babies around.” Both blushed.

Dav’n nodded, worried for his Ma but secretly glad to not be deprived of his Da’s help just yet. “So, we need to talk to Aunt Berry and the folks down at the boat as soon as possible.” He looked at the Captain, “you need to talk to your family. Terms are as follows, one hundred silver crays to be paid out to your wife, where if she listens to Uncle Witt she’ll buy a load of Tripoint iron goods with it for their trip back south next winter. We’ll cover their upkeep and get them out of town before any retribution can fall on them. If we find what we’re looking for you will also be paid in a good parcel of land with a cove for you to build a dock, as long as you stay and provide fish and transport. Agreed?” Dav’n stuck out his hand in the manner deals were sealed among boatmen.

Captain Hollow hesitated for just a moment, “Agreed” as he took the hand in a firm shake.

“Can you have your family ready to move tomorrow afternoon? That will give us the time we need to make arrangements on our side. Don’t make it too obvious what you’re plannin though in case we end up having to delay for some reason.” Dav’n quietly adds to himself, I hope.

The Captain nodded and stood up. “Yer sure a different sort. I think I can learn to like it.” He favored them with a gap toothed grin and out the door he went.

Dag looked at Dav’n and dryly said, “Now if only his tub isn’t a death trap...”

Dav’n flushed. He’d forgotten to inspect the boat. “Between you, me, Ivy and maybe Barr and Aspen we can groundwork it into thinking it can fly if we need to.” Dav’n growled. Ivy just smiled sweetly at her father in law.

Witt and Berry showed up not long before dinner time. Sparrow was driving them back. Dav’n was correct in his suspicion and Hawthorn and Chinda were off looking for a good keel boat as they spoke. Witt seemed a bit nervous about taking a family they didn’t know into his home, but Berry put a stop to any issues he had by reminding him that they didn’t know Hod when he had come to live with them either. Could he honestly say he regretted that. So it was settled. They needed to find a keeler and enough men to work the oars. Shouldn’t be too hard though with all the flat boat crews needing to go north. Especially with all of Berry and Witt’s contacts.

Chapter 15

Dav’n should have known that tomorrow afternoon was being optimistic, would have known if he had had Dag’s years of experience moving large groups. Still it was only two days later when Hawthorn’s new keel boat “The River Horse” was headed up river loaded with family, friends and big bales of raw cotton.

Sparrow who had stayed for a day to help shift supplies with his wagon first for the keel boat and then again for Captain Hallow’s “The Fish Wife”, and to Dav’n’s great relief it was a stout vessel a bit on the large side for a standard fishing trawler but well suited for his plans. With Captain Hollow, and his son sharing the captain’s cabin. Fawn and Dag in the cabin usually set aside for the bosun, Hod and his ladies and Dav’n and his ladies all found themselves in the crew cabin with individual hammocks. No quiet pleasure cruise but, Dav’n thought if he could find them all a new home, away from Malices and Lakewalker councils and Townfolk crime bosses and suspicious farmers, maybe just maybe he could relax and enjoy some time with his family.

Before he went back home Dav’n pulled Sparrow off to the side. “I want you to start drawing up some ideas for a house. If I find what I’m looking for, you may get to build for a living after all. You’ll need to come up with several ideas, as there may be more than just my house needing work. Don’t tell Ivy or Lilly as I want it to be a surprise for them to be able to sit down and look at some drawings and lay out their new house.” Dav’n smiled at him and handed him twenty silver crays.

“What’s the money for?” Sparrow looked surprised.

“For your drawings of course.” Dav’n grinned at him. “besides don’t tell me it won’t be nice to have a little something extra with the baby on the way. Oh and give this to Arkady when it’s her time.” Dav’n handed him a small sealed note. “No sense leaving these things to chance when you’ve got an in with one of th’ best groundsetters in the world.”

“I, I don’t know how to thank you.”

“Just give my girls something incredible that hopefully doesn’t break my wallet”

The tide was going out, and the Fish Wife was on it. Leaving behind the little island with the flat boat stranded on it Dag was a bit sad to see the loss it represented but as catastrophes on the river goes, it was minor. Sun set was amazing, and sunrise more so as they had gotten away from the outflow of the Gray and the water was a sparkling blue. They settled in at maximum groundsense range from the coast, about sixty miles with all of them connected, scanning for inhabitable islands. Sailing into the sun.

Captain Hallow was uneasy about being out this far as they normally didn’t really lose sight of the shore though the Lakewalkers kept reassuring him that they hadn’t lost sight of it. Storms could blow up quick here but they claimed to be able to see a long way around for that as well. Thirty years on the water and he was reduced to taking some landlubbers word as to where he’s at. No question about their claims that the women folk could cook though. If supplies held out he might end up as wide as he is tall on this trip. Each of the men spent some of the day with him or his son learning how to sail. Can’t really give them a decades experience in even a one year trip but these folks learn fast.

Two days out, Dav’n calls out for the Captain to join them up on the prow. “Cap’n, we’ve spotted a large herd of fish just to the south of us. It means leaving sight of the shore briefly but with a little work we can stretch our supplies quite a ways in a couple of hours. What do you think?”

Captain Hollow scratched his beard, “First off it’s a school of fish, not a herd. These aren’t cows. To your point though as long as we turn back toward shore before the sun sets... we can always just put the setting sun on our port side and end up back at the shore. Lets do some fishing.” he broke out in a grin.

Twenty minutes to catch the school and with a little lakewalker persuasion to get them into the nets they had enough fish for weeks in less than two hours. Captain Hollow was impressed. “Fishin’ with you Lakewalker folks is a different animal.” he said with a smile while shaking his head. “Almost feels like cheatin’ “

Fawn smiled at him, “I should tell you the story of a catfish on the river sometime or a bass he made jump up out of the lake and right into our boat.” The Captain gave her a look like he was expecting a tall tale, but when everyone else shrugged their shoulders like they had heard this story too many time already, he rethought it.

They turned back to where the Lakewalkers could keep an eye on the shore and then turned to cleaning and salting the fish. Throwing back any but the best of the catch because no sense to clean it just to have it go bad before they could eat it. Life pretty much went on this way for the better part of three weeks. About two weeks into the trip Dav’n and Dag had completed the treatment of Hod and his new friends. With clean bills of health Hod pulled Dav’n aside and negotiations commenced for a few private hours each to have the cabin to themselves. Hod smiled, “I think they might really like me. Oh I know a lot of it is just glad to be out of their situation but Pearl and Ruby seem to be happy with our life now. I think Sapphire thinks I’m too old for her, and really she’s right. She also isn’t too happy with being the scullery maid with Ruby. I explained to her that it’s what I did and what Barr did on the Fetch when we didn’t have enough skills to do the other things. I think maybe she just misses her old life.” He looked a little sad at that.

Dav’n shrugged, “Can’t save everyone my friend. Who knows maybe she’ll come around. I’ll have Lilly and Ivy try make her feel more at home. Any way you look at it though you did all of them a good turn. Even if they go back to their life they were in a bad spot and you did right.” He smiled at the gentle giant and silently wished him the best of luck.

Thank the absent gods for ground reinforcements, Ivy thought as Dag worked on her sunburn. Ivy, Fawn, Dav’n, and even Lilly though she tanned up nicely after burned themselves badly after a day pulled into the shore to replenish fresh water and some time swimming. Pearl knew better and warned them but sometimes you’ve just got to learn the hard way. Dav’n and Fawn tanned and got along better, but poor Ivy just didn’t seem to tan and so ended up wearing long sleeves and a hat for most of the trip.

Chapter 16

About week four of their zigzag scanning pattern they noticed the coast started to curve to the south. Little islands too numerous to count sprang up a week later. These were not really any bigger than those at the mouth of the Gray. Three weeks were spent exploring these hot buggy marsh islands with little to show for the effort except fifty nice gator hides, and Lilly’s bout with yellow fever. The whole crew was happy to break back into open waters again. No sooner than they were clear of the tepid swamps and they came across a small chain of islands. Small but a few with fresh water sources. They could work. One all the way off to itself even had the crumbling ruins of an old brick fortress. It was in bad repair and really might wash away in the next storm, as one part of the wall already had but it was tempting to Dav’n. Pressing on they found a large landmass to the south of Fortress Island as Dav’n insisted on calling it. Problem was, while it was vast enough that even their combined groundsense couldn’t see the other side over the mountain ridge, complete blight recovery had only made it about two miles inland. The land further in wouldn’t be habitable for generations. Not exactly what they were looking for. Another three days of sailing and the mainland turned again and headed north this time. The waters were a bit rougher here but they found the ruins of great city. Mostly overgrown unlike the one they went through on their trip down the northern reaches of the Gray. Dav’n organized a scouting party and they searched the area right down by the shore. About two to three miles in the ruins continued but the Blight wasn’t recovered yet.

When they got back to the Fish Wife, Dav’n, Dag, and Barr found the whole place in an uproar. Seems Captain Hollow had caught Sapphire plying her trade with his son Van. The Captain was irate, Sapphire was pouting and sulking, and everyone else was some variation of angry with one side or the other. Dav’n didn’t really know what the problem was, it wasn’t like Van was a child, he was sixteen, though still a child in his father’s eyes perhaps. Dag and Barr exchanged looks and with a raised eyebrow, both sat back dumping the problem right into Dav’n’s lap.

Dav’n listened to both sides and quite frankly he thought that Captain Hollow was probably in the wrong but it was his son and his boat. Dav’n thought a little more, it was a boat he paid for, at least the use of until the island was found or one year was up and they had barely been out eight weeks. When the sides took to shouting at each other, he slammed his fist down on the barrel he was leaning on. “Enough! I’ve heard absolutely enough!” he made a big show of being angrier than he actually was but he really didn’t have the time to be playing these games. “First of all Captain Hollow, I think your son is old enough to be his own man, however he is not my son nor is he my crew. There for as your son and your crew he is yours to discipline as you see fit, end of story. What is not acceptable is that I hired you, with good silver, to do a job, not have family squabbles in the middle of finding my new home. You will therefore see to the disciplining of your crew and maintain order.” The Captain not used to being dressed down on his own ship by a boy younger than his son started to protest but caught the look of murderous rage that Dav’n was projecting and decided to quit while he was still getting what he wanted. Having not lost his momentum arguing with the Captain, Dav’n then turned to little spoiled Sapphire. “You, young lady, are here as a guest. At my pleasure so to speak. I am not pleased. At our next civilized port you are free to take your leave of us should you find the Captain’s judgment not to your liking.”

“We were just...” she started.

“Blight it girl, I don’t care what you were just...” he stared hate and discontent into her. “You will abide by the Captain’s judgment in matters where his son and crew are concerned or you will find somewhere else to be. BEFORE we reach a civilized port if you cross ME! Are we clear on that?”

Ruby who had been supportive of Sapphire started to make a defense for her, but Dav’n caught her gathering herself to speak and cut her off. “That goes for all three of you too if it must. I’m not saying that she was wrong in what she did only in how its been handled since. Be good guests and neighbors is what I believe was asked rather politely of you in return for our assistance. Time to live up to that end of the bargain as well as you have in the past or part ways. In a civilized port by preference or not if you leave me no alternative. Or stay as long as you like, as good guests and neighbors. Am I clear?”

Pearl spoke up, “of course, only reasonable considering.” she glared at Ruby and Sapphire, “so answer the man’s question.” With mumbles of clear from both young women Pearl looked Dav’n in the eye and nodded firmly.

Dav’n let out a long sigh, “It’s all I ask. Folks we’re really really close to finding our island. We can all have homes on these beautiful beaches and spend our days playing with our children in the surf or you can go back to your old lives when we get back. It’s not that much longer.” He shook his head and headed up to the prow so no one could see the shaking in his hands now that the rush of the moment was over.

In his wake Dag and Barr exchanged a surprised glance and brief smile then headed off to soothe any ruffled feathers the Captain may have. Catching a meaningful glance from Dag, Fawn headed off to do the same for Hod. It was a quiet night in the boat’s galley that evening but for better or worse the anger of the afternoon seemed to have mostly faded.

That night all of those with groundsense joined up and extended their reach and they saw one small island off to the east. Gentle winds favored their approach and agreeing to rotate shifts through the night watching for any reefs or shallows while they made their way to the island.

Chapter 17

Oh this island would do! A bit on the smallish side but beautiful white sand beaches and surrounded by reefs where fish were abundant. The new growth over the old blight was probably three generations old leaving some large trees and plentiful stands of bamboo. Birds and sea turtles were in abundance as were mango and coconut trees and wild sugar cane. Looking closer it was really a small grouping of islands. Fresh water was there. Not in great rivers or lakes but there were springs on the island. They found a good deep water harbor on the south tip of the south island and anchored the Fish Wife in the open bay and put the collapsible boat together and started making trips ashore. After scanning with groundsense and determining the larges animal on the whole island were the great sea turtles they all spread out and explored as they saw fit. The only rule was at least two at a time in case someone fell into a hole or cave. There was a city here at one time, but it had long since weathered away. Dav’n decided that eventually he wanted to go up the coast and explore some of those cities. Even if it meant wearing the ground shield to protect from the Blight.

As they all gathered back at the landing site in the cool of the evening of the third day Dav’n asked the big question. “We know this is only one of a chain of islands. What we don’t know is how big or how long to explore them all. Do we want to claim victory here? Or do we want to continue on to see what else may be waiting for us?”

Captain Hollow grunted, “I said I’d find you a new home and this looks like all the home a man could ask for. I say we go back and get our families and bring them here to enjoy this paradise we’ve found. Don’t get me wrong I’m grateful to you for including me on this, as I found the perfect spot for my home just a short walk from this very beach. I miss my wife and my daughters and certain members of this party are corrupting of my son. I want to start building my life again.”

Dav’n was disappointed but he held his tongue for the moment. Mostly because those who thought that the Captain was being unreasonable about the whole Sapphire incident all started talking at once. Dav’n held up his hand and surprise of surprises it got quiet. “Hod, what do you think?”

Hod shrugged his shoulders, “this a better place than any I’ve seen since I left Clearcreek. It was home, so it was beautiful. This could be home too,” as he put an arm around Pearl and Ruby and they just looked smug.

Dav’n smiled and nodded. “What about you Barr?”

“Oh I figured Aspen and I would just settle near you and Lilly and Ivy, prolly with Dag and Fawn near by too sos we could all see the grand kids we’re going to start pestering you for.” and he grinned at them.

Fawn piped up, “and soon too your little brother or sister will want playmates” and everyone laughed.

Sapphire spoke up finally, “well Van and I talked about it and we’re going to stay in these islands, but if his dad is going to be on this one then we’d prefer to be on another” Van winced but didn’t argue with her.

The Captain roared, “He’s not living with you, you tramp. I’ll not tell his mother I let him run off with some bedboat whore.” Well that did it. The yelling started, and went on, and on, and on. Dav’n finally grew tired of listening to it and nodded to Ivy and Lilly and the three of them wandered back to their tent.

Hadn’t even settled in for the evening when both Dag and Barr bumped Ivy’s ground. She smiled, “I think we’re about to be visited by all of my in-laws at once.”

Dav’n grinned, “you know I never thought I’d say it but I do wish Ash and Saelin were here.”

Ivy giggled, “Yeah now, not the way they were when we first got back home.”

Dav’n wiggled his eyebrows at both of them, “what can I say it’s my irresistible charm” Which earned him a double team tackle. Could have been fun, but that would have to wait the family was arriving.

Dav’n looked up at the worried looks on Barr and Dag’s faces and just smiled. Dag started, “Um, why did you leave? It was getting pretty ugly back there. Your patrol is disintegrating.”

Dav’n shrugged, “What was I supposed to do? A repeat of my scene on the Fish Wife?”

Barr said excitedly, “Well yeah! That worked.”

Dav’n shook his head. “That worked then. Now it doesn’t matter.” he held up his hand to stop the outraged responses. “Then I needed to find my island and secure my family’s future. Now even if the Fish Wife sets sail, not that I think that likely, we can make it back to the coast in the collapsible boat. Hugging the shore line the whole way we can even make it back to the Gray and up to meet Uncle Witt next fall. Oh yeah it’ll be a lot harder but it can be done.” He stretched out on the sand and sighed, “See I have the benefit of two very smart women. Ivy thinks that Sapphire is just playing a game, using Van to win the power struggle between her and the Captain. Lilly says from Pearl’s actions she recognizes it too. I know what Van is dealing with, it is part of what made me start my trip last spring. He wants his da to see him as a man and let him make his own choices. I didn’t see it at first, don’t figure too many men who’ve not been on the wrong end of it would, but Sapphire is a mistake. So is the way that the Captain is trying to ‘save’ him.” Dav’n sat back up and looked his Da in the eye, “You handled it much better though at the time you couldn’t know that I wasn’t making the same mistake. The worst I see happening is Van and Sapphire make a home on the northern island. We all go back to the Gray way early. I have to put off exploring the other islands until next year. Van realizes his mistake when the Captain comes back with the rest of his family and we all move on from there. I’ll try to talk some sense into everyone once they’ve gotten the yelling out of the way and make it a better solution. That wasn’t going to happen tonight. I left so we wouldn’t have to go through this, until after I had proven that I could fix my own mistakes. Welcome to my victory. Oh not this island because I think there are better out there.” he waved toward the ocean. “From here it doesn’t matter what the council decides. My family is safe. No Lakewalker has the groundsense range without a Nodi to find this island chain and not many Farmer fishermen will risk it. Victory is mine and tonight I am going to enjoy it. Feel free to start a bonfire and enjoy it with us if you like.”

Dag looked at Barr, and Barr looked at Dag then both started laughing. “I’ll grab some wood, just find Fawn a comfortable spot she’s looking like all that baby making is tiring her out. I get tired sometimes just looking at her.” Dag said and headed for the tree line. Barr just shook his head and ushered the ladies into a nice position a few feet from Dav’n, Lilly, and Ivy. “Have a seat, I’m going to dig out a little pit for the fire. I just wish we had some of Lark’s wonderful wine cellar available.”

Everyone was relaxing around the fire and enjoying the coolness of the evening breeze when Van and Sapphire came storming up towards the collapsible boat beside Dav’n’s tent. “Hold it right there. Just what is it you two imagine you’re doing?” Dav’n asked without bothering to stand up.

Sapphire turned and in a pout said, “We’re going to borrow the boat and camp on the north island. I’m not going to spend one night with his father.”

Dav’n sighed, “No you aren’t. ’less you plan to swim over there. Either of you touches my boat without my express permission and Ivy here will put an arrow through Sapphire’s pretty little empty head, and I’ll do the same for you Van. Da or Barr will probably get your da since he’s unlikely to be reasonable about he whole thing no matter how pissed he is with you at the moment.”

Both young people looked shocked, “You wouldn’t!” Sapphire gasped in outrage.

Dav’n chuckled, “Had the Cap’n teach us the basics of sailing in case it came to something like this. No one steals my boat and no one strands me. Now what you are going to do is find a spot down the beach to camp, it’s a nice night and I’m sure you can find ways to keep each other warm so you don’t really need a tent. In the morning Van, you and I and your da, along with my da, and Barr here are all going to have a chat. The same one we tried to have before everyone started screeching like toothless old hags who only have hard tack to eat. We’ll come up with a smarter way to do this. Any foolishness before we’ve had our talk is just goin’ to get good folks hurt that really don’t need to be. We can all be friends or we can argue, an’ lets just be honest about it, my folks argue far more effectively than you two do. Now run along.” He snuggled back down between Lilly and Ivy never having stood up.

Dag was just sitting there looking intimidating, Barr and Aspen were both trying to not break out in giggles. Lilly and Ivy were both a little shocked, but hid it well for appearances sake. Van and Sapphire just stared at them wide eyed and then looked at each other and moved right on down the beach.

Once they were out of earshot, Dav’n opened one eye and said “Da, I think you aught to sleep in your cabin tonight and maybe Barr and Aspen sleep on board too just in case. Though I don’t think we’ll actually have any problems.”

Dag looked over at his son and dryly replied, “you think?”

Dav’n shrugged, and Barr and Aspen both broke up into gales of laughter. Finally Aspen got enough air back to say, “That was the absolute BEST Umal impersonation I have ever heard.”

Dav’n grinned, “Man does have a way with words when he wants to doesn’t he.” Ivy joined in the giggle fest at that. “Might be a good idea to tell the Cap’n tonight what happened and that we wouldn’t really have shot them all and dumped their bodies in the ocean. We’d have just given those two would be thieves a good beating and then let him deal with them. That way he doesn’t get the wrong idea.”

Barr chuckled, “Yeah, unless I miss my guess we’re going to have to work with him for a while.” Dag just shook his head.

“Da, you might want to have Ma with you for this one, but tell him to let Van stay on this island with Sapphire while we go explore and pick up the rest of his family. Describe, or better yet let Ma do it, all the work that a typical farmer wife takes for granted. Hauling water and cooking and washing clothes, after a couple of weeks of playing house Sapphire is going to realize just

what keeping a house entails. Van gets to eat the cooking, over an open fire no less with none of the needed iron work, of a girl completely untrained for such things. Told you I married smart women,” he hugged Lilly. “He has to hunt the food and then she burns it. He has to build the shelter, and unless I miss my guess he’s no idea how. She’ll be tired and bitchy about it, and there will be trouble in paradise. By the time his mamma gets back her boy will be all ready to rejoin the family. Or he’ll have lit a fire under Sapphire and gotten her in line. Either way, the Cap’n loses nothing but the company of a son who’s being mighty short sighted at the moment.”

Fawn laughed, “You’ve got this all figured out don’t you?”

Ivy giggled a bit, “Remind me and Lilly sometime to talk about our first week on the road to Leech Lake.” Lilly groaned.

Dav’n yawned, “I can’t tell you four how much we missed you, and I love talking to you all but I think the girls and I are going to turn in for the evening. Please kick some sand over the fire before you head back.” With that he stood, and helped Ivy and Lilly up and they all waved sleepy good nights.

Chapter 18

Well Fawn and Dag had their little chat with Captain Hollow, and he was smiling an evil gap toothed smile by the time they were done. In the morning when Van and Sapphire joined the the men for the meeting Dav’n just quirked and eyebrow, “I thought I’d only invited the men Van, or does she make the decisions in your new little family? If so then she can stay but you’ve got to go back with my ma and the other wives.”

Van reddened, “Anything you can say to me you can say to her.”

Dav’n shrugged, “Ok Sapphire, pull up a chair and we’ll start just as soon as Van’s back with all the other wives.”

Captain Hollow to his credit didn’t crack a smile but his eyes held gales of laughter. Van finally asked Sapphire to go wait with the wives, and the fight predictably ensued. No one made any motion to start the conversation until one or the other left. Finally it was Sapphire who stormed off. Dav’n predicted a bumpy few days for Van. “Now, since we’re all here and distractions are removed,” he began receiving a glower from Van, “Here’s what I propose. We’re still a month away from ice breaking up up north. I doubt the River Horse has made it up past Confluence yet, so’s there’s really no need to go rushing back.” he held up his hand as if to stall the Captain’s argument. “Van isn’t going to leave Sapphire and go with us anyway so why not just leave him here with her? Maybe on the north island since that seems to be where they want to settle and they can get started building a house and breaking the land. The rest of us know enough about sailing to help you navigate around these islands. We’ll just do some basic exploring. Hit that big island off t’the south and follow it back to the mainland. We should still be back to the Gray by the time the ice gives way up around Leech Lake, or maybe a little later. That way if Da wants to be at the Great Assembly, he can be. For me, I just need to know how they rule, not that it matters much as to where I’ll be raising my family.”

Barr and Dag both nodded. The Captain made a big show of not being happy about it, but in the end agreed. Van seemed shocked to have won the argument but scampered off to tell Sapphire the ‘good news’. As he left Dav’n smirked at the Captain, “Y’know if he does some how manage to turn her into a useful and respectable wife you’re going to have to accept her in the end?”

The Captain looked pained for real now, “Yeah, but after talking to your folks last night, I think they have the right of it. This really is the best plan.”

Dav’n grinned, “Yeah my folks are pretty smart that way.” he just let it go at that though he did notice the smirk on Barr and Dag’s faces.

Hod and his ladies agreed to go exploring too. So after dropping off Sapphire and Van, the rest of the small crew headed out for unexplored country. There were a lot more islands in range than anyone suspected. Many of the smaller ones fully recovered for a couple of generations with lush vegetation and a very odd lack of any animals other than birds and turtles. After weeks of travel Dag and Fawn asked to be dropped off on one of the islands to search for more of the necessary herbs for Fawn’s anti nausea medicine. Lilly, Ivy and Dav’n decided to use the collapsible boat to paddle out to another island just over the horizon to explore for the day and have a night to themselves. It was a nice place, too small to be a home but a great place to play naked in the surf and pick up shells on the beach. Late in the evening Dav’n was linked with Ivy and Lilly questing with his groundsense just idly exploring and relaxing when all of a sudden the water on the other side of the island felt wrong. It was blighted. BLIGHTED! He disconnected the link, and veiled his ground, “Malice” but Ivy was ahead of him clamping down as only an experienced professional patroller could. Lilly too was veiled but not tightly. Dav’n went scrambling through his gear and found his ground-shield. Shit, only one. He looked at Lilly and put it on her, “but what about you?” He shook his head and put his finger to his lips to quiet her.

“Only got the one and no one has a knife.” he whispered. “Ivy I’m going to need your help before it realizes we’re here and then we’re all going to make a mad dash for Da, assuming this works.”

He took out his bow and got it ready, Ivy was looking at him funny. “get me one of those pointed cone shaped shells.”

“Have you lost your mind? We’ve got to run!” she whispered back urgently. To her credit while searching through the pile of shells they had collected for what he asked for.

“It’s something I’d been thinking about for a while and planned to have Da with me to try. A gift for Ash and Mari. Guess it gets tested here first. We try to run in the boat and that thing came from the ocean it would be on us in an instant. This probably won’t stop it long but it might buy us time.” He had the bow strung and was pulling one of his arrows. Clumsily tying the shell to the point. “Sorry about this but it has to have affinity and I don’t know if I have it being half breed.” With that Dav’n use the arrow point to cut Ivy across the back of her left arm and roll the whole mix in her blood. Then tapping into her ground he began a making, Dag had explained how he created the ground-shields to Dav’n long ago when he was just a boy working in the Medicine Tent. One of the early experiments drew the ground from the person, or in this case mouse, wearing the shield and the mouse eventually died. Malices don’t die, but if I can turn a ground-shield into a ground-cage, it might keep it busy long enough to make it to Da and his knife. Oh Dav’n built and over built it, crying out in pain as he closed the invocation.

Ivy was in tears, and holding her sides. He looked at Lilly, “help her to the boat but don’t launch until we’re sure this worked. Out in the water you’re just sitting ducks.” He gives them both a quick kiss and a thin smile, his heart pounding worse than it did when he charged the wolf malice he started off across the island. It was rough going, he couldn’t really see much by the little quarter moon that was shining tonight. He could feel the wrongness as he got closer. No mudmen yet thank the absent gods. He finally broke through the trees and there it was, about three hundred yards down the beach. Jogging his way up the beach he was surprised by the way he could feel his ground pressing in on him furling even tighter. This thing was huge, it had to be as big as the Fish Wife. It was black and gleaming in the faint moonlight. Da had said that the advanced ones were beautiful, but this one looked like something out of a nightmare. It had never eaten a person, the thought came to him. I was the shape of a cross between a lobster and a sea urchin. It was old too. He could feel it pressing on him and he hadn’t even attracted it’s attention yet. A hundred and fifty yards, he nocked the arrow. He could see what had it’s attention, a turtle nest, blight it more than one hundred eggs all busy making new life. With a feed like that, he couldn’t complete the thought. Run, run, run, over and over in his mind, only a few more steps and he drew and it noticed him reaching out just as he loosed the arrow it ripped him open like his groundveiling meant nothing, oh it hurt, just liquid fire pulling his life from him and then it was gone. He couldn’t move. All he could think is no, not here again. The cold the unending cold and loneliness.

Chapter 19

Ivy saw the flash from the over the trees. It looked like lightening, but way faster. “He did it! It’s working for now, paddle like his life depends on it because it does.”

Lilly was incredulous. “We can’t just leave him!”

Ivy shook her head, “Get Dag, Get the knife in. Everything and everyone else later. Dav’n knew this. Now quit crying and paddle, blight you!”

Lilly met her half way and bawled her eyes out while she paddled the small boat until her musles burned and her joins felt like they had splintered glass in them. After an hour of sheer terror and torture the Fish Wife appeared out of the dark. Barr and Hod pulled the two girls over the side and just tied off the boat while never really breaking pace. The wind wasn’t perfectly in their favor but they should be back on the beach in less than a half an hour. Ivy was gasping for air, “Big Malice, came out of the ocean! Dav’n, oh I don’t know. Had to get a knife.” she shuddered and gasped and then joined Lilly in hysterical tears.

Dag ordered them moved below decks for what little shelter that would be. Ground-shields had been handed out and Hod and Captain Hollow each had one. Fawn was locking Pearl and Ruby in her cabin, and Ivy and Lilly in the Captain’s. The Fish Wife came to the edge of the jagged shoal. Over the side Dag, Barr and Aspen went. The swim to the now well lit shore took another ten minutes while the massive Malice was flashing as it fought against the groundwork shell it found itself in. Dag started to stab the knife in but stopped at the last minute. Would it work through the shield? Blight it probably not! He was thinking furiously, “Barr, Aspen, get Dav’n!”

Down the beach not far they could see his crumpled form, and while his ground was veiled tight they could see he was alive. As they came up to him Aspen grabbed Barr, “Don’t touch him, remember the last Malice. Grab his shirt and we’ll pull but don’t let him actually make skin to skin contact with you or you’ll be no good to either of us.”

Barr’s eyes grew big as he realized she was right then carefully putting a hand in his belt and one at his shoulder, he and aspen drug Dav’n toward the water’s edge. Captain Hollow and Hod saw what was happening and dropped into the shallower draft little boat and cast it loose. Paddling toward the two dragging the injured Dav’n between them.

Dag was watching the Malice, it kept fighting and it kept shrinking. Since he had been standing there wondering what to do it had shrank from the side of a flat boat to about the size of four horses. Then all at once it shrank again and the shield winked out. Dag sprung, Knife going in deep and breaking but the ooze coated him, burning like acid even against his closed ground.

Hod and Captain Hollow rolled Dag in the surf and cleaned him trying to remove the black ooze before dumping him unceremoniously in the collapsible boat and paddling back to the Fish Wife. Hod was shaking, the Captain collapsed. Barr tried to give ground reinforcement to Dag. Aspen was blight sick. Fawn took charge. Settled everyone down, triaged the situation as only years of experience in a medicine tent will allow. With Pearl and Ruby now out of danger she sent Barr down to release them and have them help get hammocks laid out for the sick.

Back on deck Dag had regained consciousness but was too weak to even move. Aspen was much the same. Poor Dav’n was off to the side where no one would accidentally bump him. His mother had made him comfortable as she could but until those with groundsense recovered enough to help him, there was nothing anyone could do. Pear helped the Captain pull himself together and Ruby did the same for Hod. Both still looked like they were in shock but they could get the Fish Wife headed back toward the mainland. Fortunately the Captain had a life time of experience and had been carefully making charts as they went through the first time. No groundsense to lean on but he was a man who knew his craft and had a pretty good idea of where the mainland lie.

It was a hard week and every oat on the boat had gone first into Dag’s ground and then into Dav’n’s. Lilly stood by ready with a ground shield to force him to let loose of Dag. A week passed and still he didn’t wake. They could coax a little broth down him but he was loosing what little fat reserves an active boy of sixteen has. Dag was doing the best he could, as were Ivy and Barr and Aspen. They could tell that they were losing the battle unless they could get more real food in him. Lemon and honey for the morning, and broth and gravy at night. Pearl came up with the idea of fish oil, and it seemed to work better than the broth. By week three they were close to the Graymouth and they were getting desperate. Ivy had shared a bit more of her ground than she could spare and was sick again. Barr and Aspen were both looking a bit ragged. Dag was a ghost with flesh. Dav’n had been ripped up deep and mercilessly. It was the middle of what would be week four when they finally made it to the New Moon Cuttoff. Just anchored in the middle of the river they paddled Dav’n’s listless body to the bank and Barr went at a dead run for Arkady. Tightly veiled Barr slipped past the bored sentries and ran straight for Arkady’s old home. He bumped Sumac’s ground and she noticing his raggedness rushed out to meet him before he even made it all the way. “Barr what is it?”

“Dav’n groundripped bad. Weeks ago. Dag bad off too.” Barr choked out between gasps. “Need Arkady and anyone you can trust and spare.” Still panting, “On the bank of the river by the Farmer market.” He collapsed to one knee and just breathed.

Sumac was a bit stunned but years of patrolling had built up instincts “rest in the house when you can move,” she called over her shoulder as she took off at a sprint.

Chapter 20

Oh another flood of warm, it was just so cold. Drifting for a minute Dav’n realized it wasn’t going away, there was a gentle warm stream. He floated on the stream and then realized that he needed to swim. This felt so good and swimming was hard. Then the memory hit ‘Malice!’ screamed the voice in his head. Swim for the lives of the whole world, got to get to the knife.

Dav’n opened his eyes and gasped, “Malic...” his voice gave out, his throat dry. Some one was pushing him back down, blight it got to get the malice. His eyes focused. Arkady, well and a lot of people. He blinked.

“Shh, its alright the Malice was taken care of weeks ago.” Arkady said in a tired voice. “We need some water. “

Pearl showed up with some water and a spoon. As the Lakewalkers moved back she settled in and spooned him a couple of sips of the water so he wouldn’t have to lift his head up. Oh it felt like it was cracked open. “Ivy? Lilly?”

Arkady gave a soft chuckle, “everyone recovering just fine, sounds like you will too. Just rest.”

Everyone ok? Da, had to be Da. He let out a long sigh and felt the darkness come again but this time it was just soft and comfortable not cold and draining.

Arkady looked down at him, sure didn’t look like the dire threat some were trying to make him out to be. “Let him sleep. I’ll take some of those promised ground reinforcements now and we can go check on the others.”

Dag’s eyes opened as he felt someone trying to match grounds with him. Arkady was leaning over him and Dag just opened up. He could sense Arkady’s wince as he saw the damage. Dag felt the warm flood into him, felt strength returning. Finally he pushed at Arkady with his ground, and Arkady backed off and as he came up out of the shared connection he smiled tiredly at Dag, “I thought I taught you that groundsetters don’t hunt Malices. You’ll be blight sick for another week or so but you know how to take care of that. I’ve already seen Dav’n and we got him to wake. He’s sleeping now but just sleeping. His ground is ripped and it’ll be a month or more before he’s feeling like himself. Oh and you should sleep too.”

Getting shakily to his feet Arkady asked Fawn about any others. “All fine, just really tired. They all gave too much of themselves to keep him alive. Arkady, thank you just isn’t enough.”

Arkady smiled, “Oh from you I don’t even need that, but I would do with something cool to drink and as much of the story as you know while I sit here and rest up.”

Fawn smiled at him, “we’ve got water and it’s a bit lukewarm, but I promise after you rest you’ll get more of the story than anyone else.” She looked meaningfully at the Fish Wife, “Once we’re on the boat.” In a quiet whisper, “We plan to tell the story but location will be left out. In case things go bad at the Great Assembly.”

Accepting the water and the need for caution, Arkady took a sip and relaxed in the shade. “Fair enough, so what can you tell me.”

She went through the story as she’d gotten it from Ivy and Lilly and a bit from the others who were awake to talk. Even pieces of Dag’s story but mostly she just wanted him to sleep. As she ran down, he looked at her intently. “Ground-shield as a weapon” he couldn’t keep the trace of awe out of his voice. “Makes sense after your experiences but I never would have thought...”

Fawn looked over at a very nervous Ivy and Lilly hovering over Dav’n, she motioned for them to join her. “These two could tell you more about the making. I wasn’t there. It was Ivy’s ground Dav’n used. So she had to have seen it.” The girls came up and gave their Tent-Mother a firm hug.

“He’s going to make it,” Ivy said on the verge of tears. Lilly was past the verge she had wet trails running down both cheeks and a grin that wouldn’t go away plastered to her face. They both looked at Arkady like he had just produced a miracle.

“Oh don’t look at me like that you two. He just needed a groundsetter who wasn’t ripped up himself.” He shook his head, “Dag could have done the same thing, if he hadn’t been injured himself.” He smiled at them, “Now tell me of this magery our boy has been doing while no one was watching him” and he winked at them to break the tension.

Lilly shook her head, “I saw it but I don’t really understand what he did.”

Ivy chuckled, “I won’t say I UNDERSTAND it but I recognized the patterning. It was a ground shield but instead of drawing ground from the nut it drew ground from the wearer. Since a ground-shield blocks all ground in or out, Dav’n thought it would work like a cage on a Malice that is all ground projections. The harder it fought the harder the cage became. Seemed to work too. Held it right there less than a hundred paces from the unconscious Dav’n for over an hour and didn’t eat him. Then Dag came and that was the end of the Malice.”

Fawn giggled, “He has a way of doing that doesn’t he?”

All three just smiled at her, sharing her pride and admiration. “Seems it runs in the family.” Arkady grinned. Fawn just gave an acknowledging shrug but her smile didn’t fade.

As they were resting Tapp came sauntering up, “Arkady what’s the emer... uh, Fawn isn’t it?” he asked noticing who all was sitting there.

Fawn smiled up at him, “Howdy.” and thought to herself, Dag’s wearing off on me after all these years.

Tapp was confused. Captain Bullrush was off to the north for Great Assembly. These folks weren’t declared renegades yet and they’ve been nothing but friendly but... somehow this was going to cause trouble for their camp. “Umm... Everyone ok?”

Arkady took this moment to collect himself. “My apprentice took it in his head that he was a patroller and killed a Malice. A rather nasty one from the sound of it. He’s blight sick bad. Needed my help.”

“A Malice around here and a bad one at that?!” Tapp was ready to sound the alarm. Dag may be a lot of things but he’d seen enough of the man to know he didn’t lie.

Arkady held up a hand. “Relax, I don’t know the exact location and I’m not sure these folks do either but it was along the coast south of here about as far as Luthlia is north. They had been riding the coast. Came up out of the ocean.”

Tapp was alarmed but gathered himself. “They’re not supposed to come up on old blight! Everything else was blighted in the Malice war wasn’t it?!”

Ivy put in, “The best we can figure, it was washed out to sea down one of the rivers. Then finding itself not on blight, come up. Was told it looked like a giant lobster thing. Big and OLD. Feeding out beyond any patrol’s reach.” She shook her head. “Can’t fight them in the water, and I’m not suggesting we try but now that the coasts are recovering we need to find a way to watch them.”

Tapp had more questions but before he could begin on poor Ivy, Arkady stopped him. “Dag killed it. Dag is resting. When he’s healed enough you’ll get your report. In the mean time, he just saved all of our hides again. What’s this make Fawn? Twenty seven?” At Fawn’s nod, “Twenty seven times over. I think we can let him rest a few days before he has to write a report. It’s all been over for weeks at this point anyway.”

Tapp didn’t like it, but he couldn’t argue with that. He hated that sinking feeling in the pit of his gut that the long war just got longer and more dangerous. Worse that they didn’t have the means to fight it. Not if one could just come up out of the ocean anywhere on any coast. How do you patrol for that? He nodded. “Sorry, this is just big news. The report should be sent north before the Great Assembly breaks up.”

“Oh yes, yes it should. On that we both agree completely. I’ll talk to Dag as soon as can be. Maybe you could ask some folks in camp if they would mind giving ground reinforcements to speed his recovery?” Arkady asked as he closed his ground.

Tapp nodded again, “I’ll put out word. Do you need anything?”

Arkady looked at Fawn and she shook her head, but Ivy spoke up “can you authorize a courier to Captain Umal in Leech Lake Camp?”

Tapp looked at her a bit funny but said “yes it could be done, but won’t he be at the Great Assembly?”

Ivy brightened at that, “He might,” then she thought more, “No better send this message to the camp itself. If he’s not there then Ash Wolverine will be the back up. He won’t be at the Assembly so it’s safe to send it to him. Then added Tent Wolverine will guarantee payment if Leech Camp doesn’t.”

Tapp’s eyebrow arched a bit, “Aren’t you a bit young to speak for a Tent that casually?”

Ivy grinned from ear to ear, “Just tell Grandma Sabin, I said so. She might grumble but she’ll shell it out. Besides I’m fairly certain for this message Leech Lake will gladly pay the messenger.”

Tapp shook his head and smiled, “On your head be it, when can you have the message ready to go?”

“Two days.”

“Anything else?”

Arkady just shook his head, “Only let the sentries know that I’ll be out to the boat” he nodded at the Fish Wife, “at odd hours and I’d really appreciate them keeping half an eye open”

Tapp grinned and nodded. “Get some rest Arkady you’re starting to look a bit ragged yourself.”

With that he was gone. Ivy was doing the happy dance and they all looked at her, “Arkady you were wonderful by telling the accepted story before you knew better with your ground wide open, no one will be suspicious and my home is safe. I could kiss you but don’t want to tangle with Sumac” and she winked, he replied with a chuckle. “Also I get a messenger directly to daddy. With the story and the new ground-cage info and a message for him to find Berry and Witt to be able to come to me and Dav’n even if things get hectic.”

Fawn nodded impressed. “Smart girl. Come to think of it, I might need to send Witt back to West Blue. Mamma would so love the new place. The milder winters would add years to her life. .. and she can meet the new grandbaby,” then looking at Lilly and Ivy, “and great grand babies, I hope.” They flushed but only nodded.

Chapter 21

Weeks went by and Dag was back on his feet. The news came back from the Great Assembly that the whole Dav’n situation got completely knocked aside by the more pressing news of the new Malice threat. Oh they would still resolve it at this meeting but what once looked like a month plus travel time was quickly turning into all summer long. Word came they asked Dag to give his briefing to the council. He sent a report instead. Massape Crow just smiled and explained to them that she had known him since he was a boy and if he didn’t want to come they would spend way more time hunting for him than hunting for Malices.

Dav’n was awake more and more now. He and Arkady and Dag talked circles around the Ground-cages. With the help of the two groundsetters and the chief knife maker in the camp sworn to secrecy as to Dav’n being here they even succeeded in making twenty five ground-cage arrows. They didn’t have any Malices to test it on, though Dav’n was secretly grateful. They theorized and guessed about ocean Malices. Dag explained that he doesn’t think the ground-cage was broken but that the Malice just shrank enough that the arrow eventually fell out. Dav’n wasn’t able to help in the makings. He could barely connect to Lilly and Ivy’s ground and that not for very long, it just took too much out of him to try. That blighted Malice very nearly got him and he knew it.

Dag and Arkady, co authored a paper on the ocean Malices and how they couldn’t be fought from the water. Attested to their size, which many at the Great Assembly had trouble crediting. Of course Dag’s answer was ground-shielded Farmer patrols on the coastline. With this recommendation they sent the twenty five ground-cage arrows. They also included that Dav’n was their creator and while not available to testify because he wouldn’t allow himself to fall into their hands should they decide to murder him, he did send a report as to Malice attack right up until he was being groundripped and blacked out.

It was shortly after they sent this off that Dav’n went to stay with Sparrow for a time. Ivy and Lilly were stunned by some of the house ideas that Sparrow had come up with. Sitting in the supper room in the cool of the evening they went over some of his drawings. “These are just amazing” Lilly said.

Ivy sort of numbly nodded her agreement, “Sessile, but I knew I wouldn’t be living in a Lakewalker Camp when I joined this crazy patrol” she said with a wink to both Lilly and Dav’n. “Really Sparrow, I never imagined some of these things were possible. Even in a Farmer home.”

Sparrow was really enjoying the reaction he was getting, “Well some of them haven’t ever been built and they may not work quite as well as I hope but the principles are sound. For instance this little cart that travels up and down on the rope and pulley. It hasn’t been done in a house but it’s basically the same system we use to get bales of cotton to the barn loft and back down on the cart. Just with a box to hold things in. So it should work. Diverting the stream to go under the house so you can have an outhouse inside without the outhouse smell. Well it depends on if you have a stream or if it flows fast enough, I guess. I do know that funneling a channel up stream of the outhouse room so that clean water can run around the clay jars off of the kitchen will work, it’s the same basic principle as any spring house that nearly every farm has. So even if we can’t work out the outhouse in house.” he grinned at his own wit” we can still use it for that.”

Dav’n smiled weakly still trying to get back up to strength even six weeks after waking up. “So now for the real question. Will you come next year and help us build it?”

Sparrow looked at him stunned. “Uh how can I? The farm, and yeah the baby will be here by then but traveling with a baby that small and no home of our own?”

Dav’n nodded. “All that is things to work out. Would you if you could?”

Without hesitation, “Of course. This is exciting! Just, I don’t want to leave Papa and Card short handed, and Heather’ll strangle me.” Lilly laughed out loud at that. “’S’not funny, she can be mean” Sparrow said with a grin putting lie to the words.

Lilly just shook her head, “I didn’t mean she wouldn’t WANT to at first. You haven’t seen this place.” Ivy was just nodding vigorously. “Clean sandy beaches and water as blue and clear as glass. Wild fruit and nut trees all over the place. Yeah it can be a bit hot and the sun will burn you quick but we’ve learned to work in the mornings and evenings and play at night. When the sun is the worst we snooze in the shade or work on small projects that don’t need to keep you out in the sun. I never knew there could be a place like this. Fish is plentiful and just there for the catching.”

Dav’n chimed in, “there are several empty areas where I plan to release pigs and goats to just go feral and fend for themselves. Then when the time comes to get more meat we can just have some folks with groundsense,” he winked at Ivy, “start at one end and push them past the little tower where they can be easily shot. Then cleaned and hauled home.” He shrugged, “thinking about doing the same thing with chickens and rabbits, and any other thing we can come up with.”

“Won’t the wild animals just get them?” Sparrow asked confused.

“No, but well I can’t explain why until we know you’re coming with us. Remember I could be a very unpopular person with the Lakewalkers if this Assembly of theirs goes against me. I can’t leave folks behind who can be questioned on how to find me. Not fair to put you in that spot or to risk us. Lets just say that you could be helping me design a whole new world, not just new houses. Oh and if you want a farm how does a mile on each side sound?”

Sparrow was stunned. Then he looked at Dav’n closely, “you’re serious?”

Ivy giggled, “he’s being cheap with you, hold out for two miles.”

Dav’n rolled his eyes, “Ivy’s always the greedy one. Might not be two miles on a side around folks he wants to be around or work with.”

“You are serious!” Now he just looked worried. “How can I break this news to the rest of the family?”

“Well that’s sort of why I said in a year. Gives you time to hire a man to work for your shares, or find a buyer for your shares if you want. Also gives you time to find a few second and third sons who want to be your work crew and then maybe try their hand at farming the new land. Don’t get crazy with it we’ve still got to get everyone and what ever family is going there by boat and well that takes some arranging. Say maybe a four man crew with accompanying wives and children?” Dav’n shrugged, “Maybe more later once we get settled in?”

“Let me talk to Heather.” he swallowed hard, “yeah gotta talk to heather.”

Dav’n yawned, “sorry I’m still not my old self yet. My point is you know Hawthorn, I think your Papa has business with him now, well you can always get word to me that way. Just won’t be quick is all. May take a year or even two to answer you.”

Ivy looked at Lilly, they stood up. Lilly collected the drawings and Ivy put Dav’n’s arm over her shoulders in a not too obvious way to support him. “Sparrow you know we like to talk but I’m going to take this one back and make him sleep for a couple of hours. While Lilly and I drool over these drawings.” She smiled at him.

“Yeah uh good. I should be getting home. It’s going to be a long night.” Sparrow nodded and then walked out the door shaking his head as if it just got filled up with cotton.

Chapter 22

The weeks passed and word came back that the ground-cage arrows, had cause the Great Assembly to blow up again. Would they replace Sharing Knives? Should Knife makers make them or should they be their own making? Was it really the son of the Mage who married the Farmer who figured this out? It is the same one who’s the Nodi? Well doesn’t that change things? All the camps were focused in on different questions. Two months of meetings moved into three. Hickory Lake who agreed to host the Assembly being fairly centrally located and Dag’s home camp was sending out provision requests. No one had planned on this. Dag and Arkady both seemed fairly pleased with the chaos. When Dav’n asked them about it, Arkady would only grin. Dag would only say that fighting the long war had made Lakewalkers stagnate, and if they weren’t challenged with new ideas and soon that they would calcify and even if they won the war they would lose themselves, but refused to elaborate.

Hawthorn got back to the Bridger’s Farm late that summer. He had the rest of Captain Hollow’s family in tow. Seems they loved Clear Creek but when word came that everyone was back and with news of what was found they rode down, planning to return north again with Hawthorn to meet Berry and Witt and the flatboats in the fall. Mrs. Hollow threw a fit when she learned that Van had been left behind. She settled down, if unhappily, when she was told there was nothing to be done for it now.

Starling had made her presence known. She glued herself to Ivy and Lilly when ever far chores could be effectively dodged for a couple of hours. They talked about the Malice of course but also about the island though they were very careful to be vague about details of location. Leaving her to think just like everyone else that it was south and west not south and east. She helped them dream over Sparrows drawings. The three of them gathered in the evenings with an old spinning wheel and she would help them get practice. She said now that they had found a home Dav’n would be sure to want to make their marriage chords as soon as he was well. They both looked at each other and at Starling, yeah she had it bad but she really wasn’t thinking this whole thing through. They gently tried to dissuade her in her Dav’n obsession, though to her credit she never chased after him directly. It was always Lilly and Ivy she sought to subtly persuade that they “made a great team”.

One of their late night conversations while lazying about the bed turned to Starling. “I almost feel sorry for her.” Ivy said. “Not that she won’t make someone a fantastic wife but all that effort she’s going through right now. It has to hurt.”

Lilly sighed, “Yeah, I remember being so desperate to get out of that old life that I used to have all sorts of fanciful dreams.” Lilly stretched languidly in a way she couldn’t have brought herself to do in front of anyone even last year at this time. “Don’t feel sorry for her. She’ll find someone. Once we’re gone, she’ll start looking closer to home.”

Dav’n was tired. It felt like work just to keep his eyes open but he didn’t want the girls to think he was ignoring them, so he casually asked, “she fixated on someone she can’t have?”

Lilly and Ivy both looked at each other then couldn’t hold back the giggles. “I don’t know can she have you?” asked Lilly.

Now Dav’n was confused. “Oh she isn’t interested in me, we barely talk.” His brain was too tired for girl logic.

Ivy laughed, “Well you’re sorta right. She doesn’t know you, you you. She is however absolutely obsessed with the concept of you. Malice fighter, discoverer of new worlds, romantic who wants to make beautiful meaningful marriage chords for his wives...”

Dav’n flushed, but Lilly took up the game seeing that it was getting to him and let out a melodramatic over the top sigh. “You two are just being silly. I mean she’s a pretty girl and all but it isn’t like you two she wolves don’t exhaust me enough in my weakened condition,” he couldn’t hold back a small tired smile, “she would just worry the scraps until there was nothing left of me.” Then pulled his arms up to protect his ribs from the retribution that he knew was coming.

They finally decided that he really did need to rest and let him recover. “She really does have a thing for you and she’s smart enough to know that we’re the first mile she has to walk.” Lilly said softly, “I can’t say even that I don’t like her. She’s a wonderful young woman.”

Ivy finished for her, “But she’s not ready to marry yet and her head is filled with romantic nonsense. She’d be another one like Sapphire, only less annoying. At least she IS genuinely likable on her own.”

Dav’n chuckled, “Far be it from me to doubt your superior understanding of the workings of the womanly mind” he said with just the right amount of sarcasm to earn him ‘the look’ from the both of them but not enough to earn a return to the exhausting rough housing of earlier. Then with a more distant tone, “I wonder how Van is doing?. Part of me hopes he can wake her up and snap her out of it. She didn’t seem bad to me just out of her element.”

Ivy snorted, “she was pretty and batted her eyes at you. Men!”

Lilly just snuggled in a little closer, “No, it isn’t that. Or ok isn’t JUST that. Our Dav’n is in the business of ‘making things better’, and sees a young girl in a bad spot and knows that growing up and making Van a good wife, would be better for her in the end than the other options available to her. Picking from limited options is something I understood all too well until Dav’n found me and ‘made things better’.”

Ivy stretched and snuggled in on the other side and sleepily murmured, “if you say so. I think he just liked the way she wiggled.” then gave him a halfhearted tickle and was almost asleep before he stopped squirming.

Chapter 23

More time and Dav’n was doing pretty well now. He had helped the Bridger’s with the harvest and spent a little time in the tiny forge on the farm. Mostly it was designed for farriers but with what he learned from Sage he was able to fix some hinges, and the fixtures on the wagon, and even turned out some new nails for the supply bin. Cherry and Lark were both ecstatic because it meant not having to send it off. Dav’n enjoyed spending a little time back on the forge. He did notice that fresh water always appeared as he was working, whenever Starling was over for her visits. He grinned, and shook his head. Smart women. I wouldn’t even have noticed, he thought to himself.

Dag and Fawn rode upriver to Glass Forge with Hawthorn when he went back north. Said they planned to spend a little time in West Blue. Fawn was huge at this point but they went easy and you can’t say that Dag wasn’t the best one to have along after all of Arkady’s hard work training him up. While he was up that way Dag took two days to look in on the Great Assembly at Hickory Lake, and have a chat with Dirla and Fairbolt. Instantly he regretted it. Even without seeing Dar or his mother, the various makers descended on him like a pack of ravenous wolves. He showed them what he knew about the ground-cages, then explained that yes, it was Dav’n who figured it all out.

Mari who was being run ragged stopped by long enough to make sure he was ok, and was amazed at exactly how well he really was doing. “Dag, I’m surprised! Actually I’ve never seen you look better. Aren’t you worried for Dav’n?” she asked.

Dag grinned and his ground was open, “Never been prouder of him. Remember when I told the camp council it didn’t matter what they decided because I had decided for them?” She nodded. “Well it seems Dav’n was paying attention to those old stories. He’s found a place for he and his wives to raise their family in peace no matter what this ‘Great Assembly’ decides to do.” She could see his ground and he really was having the time of his life. “Fawn’s about two months from giving us a new daughter. We’ve all but decided we’re joining Dav’n.” He shrugged. “Yeah my life is pretty good.”

Mari was a bit speechless, “There’s so many big events, I don’t quite know which one to comment on first. Uh yes I do, did you say WIVES? As in more than one?”

Dag laughed, “yeah normally I have thought that a bad idea but they make it work and well. Two new tent-daughters, one Lakewalker from my old tent up in Leech and one a half Farmer girl.”

She shook her head still trying to wrap her mind around his glee, “and congratulations on the new baby, but to leave that fine big home with a baby on the way.” she looked worried.

“Oh it’s not like we couldn’t go back or what ever we want in the future. Berry and Witt are staying, unless we can talk them into making the move. The new place is so much better. Oh it’ll be some work to get it ready but, well if you ever give up patrolling and are willing to resettle then let me know. Just find Witt, or stop in at the Bluefield farm. None of them will know where we’re at enough to get anyone there but they’ll know where contacts can be made.”

Mari blinked, give up patrolling. Well maybe eventually but... “I might do that in a few years.” she just looked at him, “Especially if it can make me this happy while everything seems to be falling apart.” She just shook her head and waved as she went running off to put out the next fire this blighted Great Assembly of doom was causing next.

He had had a similar conversation with Dirla and Fairbolt. He took the time to meet with Umal and thank him for helping Dav’n. Umal shook his head, “I’m just sorry I couldn’t stop this nonsense. He did well against the second Wolf Malice and if this thing was as big as you’re saying down south... Never even got to give him his Bowdown and he earned it.”

Dag grinned, “When I saw it, it was the size for four horses lumped together. It was shrinking pretty fast too. He put the arrow in it over an hour before. He said it was as big as a Farmer barn and I believe it. Don’t know if there are any more like it but you can’t discount it. We can’t very well patrol the whole ocean. As to his Bowdown, I think Lilly and Ivy have been taking care of making him feel the hero for a while now.”

Umal grinned and shook his head, “Known Ivy most of her life, and sure didn’t see this coming for her. Was right frightful to watch them put the workings on Sabin though. Never seen the like. Favorite grandaughter, and don’t let no one tell you different, and your remarkable young man just set them up and boom got the knife in. That Lilly not letting them use her for a wedge was beyond price as well.” He still couldn’t stop chuckling. “Tell him where ever he is and what ever is decided I will always wish him well.”

Dag was just about to break with pride, “I’ll let him know. He speaks very highly of you and well of the camp as a whole.”

With that Dag figured it was time he had better get back to Fawn. He saunters into the kitchen just to clean up a crying fit. Tril and a very hormonal Fawn had been reminiscing about Sorel. Everyone else was out tending to evening chores. After his teary welcome home Fawn says to him, “Uh I kinda made one of those big decisions we usually talk about while you were gone.” Dag quirked one eyebrow up? She looked a little flush, “I talked mamma into joining us next year, once we’re settled. Oh Dag it’ll be so much better for her arthritis and...”

Dag just stopped her with a kiss, “Shh... of course the matriarch of Tent-Bluefield should be with us if she wants to be. I’ll make sure she has a comfortable spot.”

Tril looked a little worried but you could tell it was about the trip not the arrangements, “Dag, I don’t think there is a Farmer man alive that would react that easily to finding out his mother in law was coming to live with him.” she gave him an ironic smile.

“Good thing she got a Lakewalker then isn’t it” Dag winked. “Y’know, I know you haven’t seen your mamma in a while Spark, but if we’re t’meet Berry...” he just let it hang.

Fawn nodded drying her eyes, “yeah I know in the morning it is. We’ll have to sneak out to keep Sawyer from hiding in a saddle bag.” laughing through her tears. Dag had picked up a new admirer since they had arrived. Sawyer was impressed with him now that he was older, last trip through Dag had just been the scary half of Aunt Fawn.

A courier arrived in the night, bumping grounds with Dag about three hours before dawn. Dag stumbled down the porch steps and out to the barn where Tavia and Rase were waiting for him. Rubbing sleep from his eyes, “Well were you sent or was the news just so bad you had to warn me?”

Rase smiled, “neither really. Just figured you should know that the Assembly ran over it’s time by enough that they tabled everything and agreed to meet again in two years time. We’ll be heading back with the Pearl Rifle delegation when they get here but we asked and they said it was ok to let you know.”

Tavia smiled, “your boy following in your footsteps turning the world upside down every where he goes. Maybe we should start ours before what ever comes next.” she gave a little laugh to show she was mostly kidding, and reached for Rase’s hand.

Dag blew out a breath he didn’t know he was holding at the news, and then smiled tolerantly at the teasing. “Well have you decided what camp you’re going to settle in? You two must have been around the lake by now?”

Rase shrugged, “In the north we’re more useful, the south is better to raise a family. We go round and round over it.”

Dag nodded, “Well it really was good to see both of you, but I left a warm bed and a very pregnant wife in it who will worry if I don’t get back soon. Maybe in a couple of years, you might have new options. If you can’t decide you remember Boss Berry and her little brother Hawthorn? Well they still run the river and while it will be a long time for a reply, they can get a message to me if you’ve ever decided to try out a whole new way besides north or south, farmer or lakewalker.”

With that he turned and headed for the house, leaving both of them confused as to what he meant and half scared that one day they would find out.

Chapter 24

Glassforge had grown over the years since they first stayed there but the inn was still there and they were able to get the same room that they first had. This trip had all the makings of a second honeymoon except that Fawn had reached the miserably pregnant stage. Still it was nice to see some of their old friends. Sassa was even talking about giving up work in the glass shop to take up something less demanding on his lungs. Fawn and Dag told him that they had found a great place if he really wanted a change of pace but it was so far away that if he decided to go he would probably never come back this way. He wasn’t sure about that so they introduced him to Hawthorn when the River Horse made port and let him know that if he wanted to take them up on the offer that Hawthorn would know how to get word to them.

Hawthorn smiled at Fawn’s rounded waddle and Chinda tried to make her comfortable. Berry and Witt floated past about three days later and they all headed back for the New Moon Cutoff.

Less than a weeks travel from the camp, Fawn went into labor. Chinda and Dag were more than enough even when things got a bit dicey at the end. It worried Dag and he vowed that this one would be the last. Berry was happy for Fawn but kind of fell into a funk. Seeing Fawn’s new daughter, named Berry of course, made her sorry that she and Witt had never managed to have a child. There were several hopeful moments but each one ended in disappointment. Even Dag and Arkady couldn’t figure out why. Arkady’s story helped her deal with the grief some, but still it was a hole in their lives. As she passed forty last spring she pretty much gave up. Still...

So it was that as they pulled up to the small dock thrown up by the Bridger run co-operative just across from the Lakewalker camp that the whole family was reunited. Even Captain Hollow’s family with the exception of Van and it was time and past time to return to him. Three days of making arrangements with the Bridger’s and all that they were going to sell was sold and at a reasonable profit, and all that was being loaded on the Fish Wife was loaded. Pretty noisy this trip for in addition to all of the people, there were chickens and goats and pigs. Cows and horses would have to wait until the next trip but good Tripoint tools were stored. Tearful good byes were said to Berry, Witt, Hawthorn and Chinda. Promises to come back to meet them in a year were exchanged and then the Fish Wife set sail. Three house down river Hod was seeing to the pigs when he noticed they had picked up a stowaway. Starling had somehow gotten herself aboard and secreted herself in the hold where the pig feed was stored. More delays ensued while Dav’n, Ivy and Lilly sat her down and explained why this wouldn’t work. In tears and begging to be let stay Starling made her case about how she could help and how it would be great. Dav’n finally just stopped her. “Look, this isn’t how this is done. I’m sure you heard how Ivy and Lilly finally decided to have a place in this family.” He waited and she sniffled and nodded. He continued, “you’re not ready to make this choice. I know you’re the same age as I am but we’re at different places in life.” He wearily rubbed his eyes, “It’s not that I am rejecting you. I still have to find my exact spot and still have to build a home. I don’t know if any of that can be done in time. Until I can take care of the responsibilities I have, how can I take on any more?” He hurried along before she could protest that she wouldn’t be a burden, “What I suggest, is you go back home. You enjoy being with your family.” She rolled her eyes, and he only grinned, “Yeah I know how that sounds but try appreciating them, because in learning to appreciate them you will be learning what it takes to make a family of your own. So IF, and I say IF in two years time you still feel the same way, the four of us will find time to have a conversation again. You know Hawthorn will be here several times a year and he will always be able to get a message to me. Oh it may take some time but doing this the right way is the only way it will be done. Or I’ll have no part in it.”

Lilly and Ivy both stood up, “Might as well agree,” Ivy said.

Lilly just nodded, “Trust me, you have no idea how stubborn he can be when he gets like this.” Then to take some of the sting out of her words, she leaned down and kissed Starling on the temple, “We got a similar lecture about what Tent Bluefield will accept and what it won’t and I for one remember not being one bit happy about it at the time.” She continued over Ivy’s rueful chuckle. “Lets figure out how to get you back home.”

Well their stowaway ended up back with her family. Lilly asked them to please go easy on her and even Ivy put in a good word or two for her. All of this meant that they missed the outgoing tide. One more day after nearly a year of waiting and it wore on everyone.

Once out of the river though they had favorable winds and recognizable landmarks from their previous trips. Known places for fresh water and what not. Over all it was a relatively pleasant if severely over crowded trip.

Chapter 25

Van was sitting on the beach as the sail came into sight. He never thought he would be so glad to see the Fish Wife. Oh it had been a crazy year. All the things that just went wrong. The fire in their first hut. The storm that blew away their second. Fighting with Sapphire those first three months. Not talking to each other for another month. Finally working together to build their third stronger hut only to find out he’s going to be a poppa in another five months. He realized that if they had been anywhere but this where food was practically falling on them at any given time they never would have made it. Sapphire realized it too now, though those first few months were harsh, on both of them. Even her cooking had improved Van thought, or maybe I’ve just lost my taste buds.

Joyful greetings all around. Things were busy settling folks in, even those for whom this island was just a temporary chance to have dry land under them again. Van pulled his dad off to the side to “help check the boat”. Van shook his head “Da I’m so sorry. We were such idiots. I mean we made it work and things are better now but looking back I can see what you saw and I am so so sorry about the things I said and the way I treated you.”

Captain Hollow broke out in a big smile, “Damn, that kid is smarter than he looks. It was Dav’n’s idea to let you experience the problems and said you’d come around. We’ll I’ve come around too. She seems to treat you different now. Even treated me different. Far as I’m concerned nothing need be said about her past. We’ll just say she was on the rocks and Hod and you came to the rescue.” He smiled at his son. “No need to fret those who need not be fretted.”

Van shook his head, “I’ll not be covering up things. They are what they are, and no need for shame in them. That much I have learned from her. What she was, isn’t what she IS, and what she is now is the mother of your first grand baby.”

Well that news hit hard, oh he knew it was possible even probably likely, but to hear it confirmed... it felt, well now that he actually felt it, it felt wonderful “Congratulations son. I think maybe we will stay on a very nearby island so as to be here if you need help.”

Van felt the weight drop off of his shoulders, “Actually sir, we were hoping you and mom might just stay here. Next door so to speak.”

The Captain didn’t trust his voice not to crack, he just nodded and beamed broadly at his son impressed at the growth a few months could make.

The Captain wanted to take time to settle his family in. Dav’n complained that they needed to get to their island and more importantly get the animals settled on the various islands. Plenty of time to settle in before the next trip back. Besides they would need to find some way of making money if they were going to continue to trade with the mainland. He did pay the Captain for services rendered, then compromised at helping them settle his family in Lakewalker style tents that they had enough people to quickly erect but then they would set off to establish the animals and hunt for Dav’n, Dag and Barr an island for Tent Bluefield. There certainly was tension over this but it was hard to be too unreasonable with a man who helped you find a home like this one.

They were gone for a little under a month settling rabbits, goats, and pigs on several of the smaller islands. Chickens were saved to be dispersed on the same islands as the inhabitantsthe. A hunting moratorium was declared for two years for rabbits and four years for pigs and goats No one was really happy with this but no one wanted to eat their seed corn either. All the animals were settled except for the handful that Tent Bluefield said they would find homes for themselves, by the time they reached malice island. The Captain was all but ready to string up Dav’n if he didn’t decide soon. He was missing home and had missed much of his families lives. When he was fishing, at least he was home most nights. This had been hard on everyone. Finally settling on two more weeks of exploration and then in the Captains words, “I’m putting you off on the first rock I see.” He smiled to let them know it was an exaggerations but Dav’n realized he was pushing the man further than he should. They all still needed him for the future.

Twelve long and contentious days into the two weeks Dav’n spotted what he needed. It was past several large islands that we’re yet recovered from the Blight. Far out to the east, past a break in the islands that stretched even their combined groundsense range to find, there were islands and not just any islands these had hills. Almost mountains. Peeks that could support watch towers and water towers, a new innovation Sparrow had talked about. This was HOME. He fair to danced on the deck. Even Dag was laughing. They spent a full day unloading. Tripoint tools sent down by Berry, and rolls and rolls of sail cloth purchased by Lark for them so it wasn’t seen who was buying. Spinning wheels and single bottom plows. Now it was up to them. This land would be what ever they would make of it. For them and their children. Isolated yet not alone. Here he would have time and space to think, and see just what is possible.

Early the next morning they bid a fond farewell to the crew of the Fish Wife returning to their home. Hod, Pearl, and Ruby deciding to stay with Dav’n and Dag ‘at least for a bit’ as Hod said. They went a little ways down the beautiful white beach and set up their tent. Fawn and Lilly got the little iron stove set up in the shade of a coconut tree and started the basics of a camp kitchen. Ivy, Dag, Aspen, and Barr started setting up quick little lean to tents for everyone. Dav’n was getting the collapsible boat back into service. The day was a hot one, even for this part of the world. Once dinner was fixed, and with all the tents functional at least everyone just lay in the shade and marveled at their new home. “Six months Dav’n said to no one in particular.”

“Six months what,” Fawn said dreamily.

Dav’n stretched lazily, “I’ve got six months before the Captain is back to figure out how to get us set up well enough to bring Gran here.” He yawned, “starting tomorrow.” then chuckled.

It was met with answering laughs. “Yeah, and probably Sparrow and of course the horses.” Ivy went on... “All this work to get here, and this is just really the start.”

Lilly sighed, “We’ll figure it out. TOMORROW! For now, I think I want a nap and then a swim.”

Pearl smiled, “I’ll second that. All that time on a ship, I just never got my hair washed right.”

Fawn groaned, “Don’t remind me.”

Dav’n rolled to where he could look at them without actually having to get up, “Ok tomorrow. Except for one thing and we do that soon as the sun sets. Everyone with groundsense meets by my tent and we give the island a once over. Check for any remaining or worse new Blight, and find the closest significant source of fresh water. That’s too important to wait.” Mummers of agreement went all around.

Water wasn’t as hard to find as Dav’n had feared. There were several fresh water pools and even a couple of freshwater springs. Higher up the mountain one of them even fed a small stream. There was a little natural terrace on the side of the mountain by the spring fed stream. It was easily big enough for a couple of dozen houses. They would also need a place down by the shore because of all the dependence on the ocean but a place up higher with some better breezes really sounded good. Truth be told most of that would have to wait for next year with the horses to help with the clearing of the terrace. They also found what had to be the remnants of villages. Most of them washed away or rotted to dust or buried in the sand but still there was plenty to explore, unfortunately that would have to wait. With Berry sleeping in a gently swinging basket they called everyone around the central fire. “Well water can be had, but the question is do we want to carry it? Or move to it?” Dav’n asked and held out is hand palm up for discussion.

“Well that depends on where it is at,” Fawn said irritated that they weren’t giving details because most of those here could see it.

“Sorry Spark, the stream is up the beach a ways and the grounds a bit rocky. So not quite as comfortable as this beach though probably a bit better in a storm.” Dag was thinking that Van’s story about the first shelter burning and the second blowing away might prove a cautionary tale.”

Barr grinned, “Oh we can just carry water since all just get Aspen to do it.” Which of course earned him a very sharp elbow in the ribs.

Ivy snorted, enjoying seeing her friend happy. “You know this whole build a shelter thing sounded good but what if we SHOULD just be more nomadic like our Lakewalker ancestors? At least until we find a spot that it good enough to settle in.”

Lilly wrinkled her nose, which made Fawn catch herself before she wrinkled her own. “Well the Lake Lords weren’t nomadic.” she said trying to put a good face on it.

“Don’t know that they are the example we want t’use Saprk.” Dag drawled. “Lordship destroyed the world.” he recited the way a man would say water is wet.

Dav’n felt his skin crawl, “Really? I thought it was the Nodi? Or out of control magery or who knows what else they’ll blame it on. I’m not saying that they are who we want to emulate or not, but how do we really know? Just like Uncle Barr’s pot helmets, how do we know how much of what we were told was true, and how much was just convenient?”

Dag, starting to give the wise lecture stopped himself, “Well because... uh hm... might have a point there son.”

Dav’n sighed a little dejectedly, “I wish I didn’t. I mean we were told Lakewalkers don’t marry Farmers. Nodi are universally a bad thing. Lordship cause Malices. What do we really KNOW, and how much do we just think we know? I wish I had an answer.”

Barr tried to liven things up a bit, “Well you just figure it out and let me know, in the mean time we kinda need to figure out what to do tomorrow.”

Pearl yawned, “well why not move closer to the water but stay on the soft sand. See what we can do about a nice shelter, more than a tent but not a home either. That way we’ve got a place by the fresh water, and where we can still access the beach easy. Then we’ll all split up and wander the beach and inland looking for where we want to set up. Who knows might not even be on this side of the island. Who knows what we’ll find?”

Dav’n grunted general approval, “Well we’ve got a pretty good idea just from our groundsense search but yeah it wouldn’t hurt to poke around a bit before we commit to anything. I just want to have something resolved soon because there are two very pressing projects that I want to get started on. First I owe two very wonderful and patient ladies their marriage cords. “ there was a general rumble of agreement from all gathered. He continued, “Secondly, I need to figure out a boat. More than the collapsible boat, probably less than the Fish Wife. Something so if we ever loose the services of Captain Hollow for what ever reason, we’re not stranded.” That met with silence then a general hum of agreement too. “While doing all of that we need to do what we can to be ready for those who will come next winter. Seems funny to talk in seasons in a place like this but you know what I mean.”

Laying in the surf, in the dark. Looking up at the stars and wondering. Dav’n knew he should get back up. Lilly or Ivy one was bound to notice him gone before long. It just felt good to be here with no one asking him for a solution. Just the rhythm of the waves, and the lights in the sky. Tomorrow would be work. The next probably exploring. Tonight was just tonight. Finally he stood up and walked into the surf to wash away the sand and headed back for his bed roll. Enough time for tomorrow tomorrow.

Ivy woke up while it was still dark. Ah that’s what it was, little Berry was hungry. She slipped out of the tent and sent her ground in to be sure everything was handled. As she expected Dag was still sleeping but Fawn was nursing the babe. She retreated from the scene and thought about her new tent-mother. She hadn’t really expected that wrinkle with Dav’n. Not bad though, she was wise in her own ways. Still a little high strung but in terms of years only a little bit older than Ivy herself. Yeah that’s not the thought you need to be having, she reminded herself. She walked ankle deep in the surf, the night was cool and the breeze smelled of salt. This new home was strange but it was going to be home. She smiled. Oh mamma, I so wish you could see it. She ducked back in and snuggled into her bed roll, make it a home when there is light to see.

Lilly heard a noise and got up to check on it. Quietly she slipped from the tent. She smiled at Fawn who was sitting beside the rekindled coals of the fire from last night the gray light of predawn just peeking in. Her eyes got big as she realized what she had done, and she dashed back for the tent, she didn’t even think about it just came out here as naked as she slept. Now wrapped in a soft cotton blanket she slipped out. “sorry ’bout that. It’s so warm here I just forget.”

Fawn smiled, “oh I suspect we’ll all loosen up around each other over time. Just a consequence of living together.” She held out a cup of tea for Lilly, “I’m used to getting up early and had to feed little Berry anyway. Might as well get some tea started and we can get breakfast going after a bit. If you’ll sneak over to check the chicken cages once the sun pops up we can probably add scrambled egg to the left over fish from last night.”

Lilly had gratefully accepted the tea, “what ever you need. We’ll get it figured out once we all can settle in. I like the mornings too. I think we’ll probably learn to like naps in the heat of the day as well. I feel like my whole rhythm is off but maybe it is just adjusting to the new reality. I never dreamed I’d have a home this beautiful or rich.”

Fawn smiled, “Yeah Fletcher would just die for this much land and weather like this to work with. I tried to get him to come along but he likes Pappa’s old place.”

Lilly smiled. They just sat there for a long time just sipping tea and listening to the waves and the birds. Yes this was going to be home.

Chapter 26

Dav’n woke around dawn to the smell of eggs and fish in the fry pan. He missed the cool morning air in the north but over all he thought ‘I can get used to this’. He went down to the beach and took a little short swim, found a quiet spot and took care of the morning necessities, and thought about how they were going to house all of these people. The weather was nice and shade was really the biggest shelter concern, well and privacy. They could do one big common shelter for gathering together and small sleeping huts for privacy. That would probably be quickest. He ducked under the cooling water one more time and then headed back for land because everyone else would be up soon. Better they should discuss it than he should just start making plans.

Dag was up and after a quick trip to the brush, cleaned up and started to haul back buckets of fresh water. He was already thinking that they would need six trees each to do the tents like at Hickory Lake. That would mean cutting and dragging twenty four trees, all without horses to help. They had a couple of good axes and even a good cross cut saw and rip saw but even so this was going to be a lot of work and would still use up a third of their canvas to cover it all. This was going to take some planning. He started sketching it out in his mind, as he headed back to the fire for his first cup of tea.

Barr didn’t want to get out of bed. Aspen was warm and soft and in a cuddly mood this morning, but he knew that everyone would be up and that there was plenty to do. All the urgency of the weeks preparing for the trip was gone now. Still, there would be time this evening when the work was done, so he pried himself out of Aspens arms and forced himself to dress and head back to the fire where he could already smell breakfast cooking.

Hod was tired, Pearl and Ruby had been restless all night and kept him awake. They weren’t used to sleeping on the ground even if it was soft sand. Ruby said she felt sick and then went running for the bushes. He didn’t know what to do to help so when Pearl said she would take care of it he was happy enough to make his way over to the little stream and haul back some fresh water.

As they all gathered round that morning, Ruby did look a wreck. Fawn looked at Ivy who just nodded yes. Fawn got up and went back into her tent for a minute rummaging around. When she came back she handed a bottle to Ruby, “This stuff is wonderful, at least it really helped me.”

Ruby looked at her confused and then her eyes got big. “Are you sure?”

Fawn just smiled, “We live with Lakewalkers now, all you got to do is ask. I asked so I could know how best to help.”

“Oh, OH, so everyone knows?!?” she looked scared for a minute.

Fawn shook her head, “I only asked Ivy but yeah any of them that look at you could know if they bothered to look. It’s taboo for them to mention it usually, mostly because the first months are always so chancy. I can have Dag actually give you a check up later if you like.”

“Um, yeah. Oh what will Hod say? What if he is mad?”

Fawn just tapped a finger beside her nose, “Take it from one who has known him since he was just a boy. Your biggest worry with Hod will be keeping him from wrapping you up like Glassforge Crystal and not letting you do anything.” she giggled just a bit so Ruby would smile and not be so worried.

“After breakfast then.” she nodded. Looked over at Pearl who was just smirking. She’d known too, or suspected Ruby thought. Well I guess she would. A baby, ME? Who’d have thought?

Once everyone had gathered around and breakfast dished out. Dav’n opened the conversation, “So anyone do any thinking about what kind of home we’re going to put here?”

Dag nodded and started describing the three sided tents and his concern about the amount of rope used and canvas as well as dragging the trees without horses to help. Dav’n let him go on with this for a bit and when there was a lull in his monologue he nodded, “good that’s one idea. Anyone else? This can be whatever we want. It will probably be fairly temporary as we’ll want to build better shelters in better places for longer term but I think this is a great spot for a gathering and supply camp.”

That brought Dag’s head up “Huh, hadn’t thought of it that way.” Everyone else seemed to be confused about it as well.

Dav’n continued, “Well we know we want a place higher up the hill sides, and we’re probably going to want access to several of the resources around the island at different times. I’d normally say as they come in season but here I think what I mean is as they ripen.” he shrugged. “So do we really want everyone to have their own house here? Or do we need a collective space for gathering and gear storage, and maybe one or two private shelters for who ever happens to be here at the time? We’re all here now, but as we explore, I’m sure each family will find spots on the island that they like best. We still all have to work together a lot of the time, but maybe we also want places to be alone or since we’re all married couples, scouting squirrels,” he grinned at his Da and Barr, “is all good for patrolling but no one wants to live like that.” Lilly thought about coming out of the tent to her mother in law by the fire. Could just as easily been Dag or Barr or Hod, and well that would have been more embarrassing. “So my thought, is we make a big open shelter house. We can set up tools and such in there, then we spread out a bit more to set up tents more like Da was talking about. Only maybe we only need one or two here, and then after we explore, maybe we can put up a few more. Then up on the hill top we put more permanent homes?”

Hod’s brow wrinkled, “But where are we going to sleep in the mean time?”

Dav’n shrugged, “where you want. What are you needing that you don’t have?”

“Ruby needs a real bed. Sleeping on the ground isn’t working.” he rubbed his own back in sympathetic pains.

Dag nodded, “Older bones don’t adjust to a night on the ground the same way they did when I was young either, but I think I’m understanding what Dav’n’s suggesting. Hod what if you three just made a little hut and a bed? One room. Then the kitchen here was in the big building or better yet just outside of it. Then you find another spot and built one room and a bed and when you need to be on the far side of the island for some reason you already have a bed there waiting for you?”

Hod thought about it for a minute, “that’d be alright but then I gotta build two huts.”

Barr nodded “Gathering camps. No Hod you wouldn’t. You build the one here, and maybe Dag you too. Then do the same thing when we explore the next spot we want to set up camp. All of us won’t be using all of the huts all the time so probably need only two sleeping huts and maybe the work hut at each spot. It could work.”

Dav’n said, “This is probably a pretty important camp. We’ll boil for salt here more than likely and probably build my boat too. So this camp needs to be a bit bigger. We’ll need maybe ten trees forty paces long. We build two rails like a hitching post rail as tall as a man. Then we just lean the other trees on it and tie them together at the top and then cover it in canvas.”

Barr nodded and looked to Dag who was also starting to nod. Hod still looked worried but shrugged. “I think it’s a plan. We’ll have to sell your mamma on it as I think she was planning on a house like we left in Clearcreek.” Dag smiled.

Dav’n shrugged, “She can have that up on the hill. Wait until you see some of the ideas Sparrow was working with. This is just for a few folks to spend a couple of weeks gathering salt and coconuts and maybe those long yellow fruit I saw up the beach. Also saw some mango which would be good to add to our supplies. Oh and we don’t have to do it today but we may want a smoke house for any fishing we do here and then want to move up the hill.”

With that they broke up and went back to talk to the ladies and sell them on this idea. It was met with some skepticism by the non lakewalker women. The idea of moving a household didn’t fit the farmer mind set but all were willing to try it.

The work was hard, and it took longer to cut and move the trees than they had thought it would but in the process they struck unexpected gold. They discovered stands of an odd tree or maybe just weed but it was hollow and strong, while no knew what bamboo was it didn’t take them long to realize it was easier to cut and workable for the roof they wanted meaning they could actually end up with more supports for their canvas with fewer trees cut. Actually they may have a couple extras. The small canes were also useful for walls. Use just like the willow canes in the north. Three long hard days and they had a long building framed with palm wood supports and bamboo slats that was forty paces long and thirty paces wide, and four times the height of a man at the peek. Once covered with canvas it was dry and relatively cool. The ladies hadn’t been idle during this time. Once the discovery of bamboo was made they began fashioning sturdy beds with tall corner posts and rails high up that supported curtains. They each had a thick canvas mattress stuffed with the shredded hulls of the coconuts that were scraped out and added to the existing flour to extend it and make fine biscuits for supper. Upon inspection the long yellow fruit was found to be wholesome and sweet. Sliced thin and grilled in the pan it made a great snack when everyone took a break in the heat of the day.

Ok, so the curtained beds weren’t as private as individual tents but after sleeping the first night on a real mattress Dav’n realized exactly what he had been missing. No one made it out of bed for long that fourth day except when the heat of the day finally had everyone opening the curtains seeking the cooling breeze coming off the ocean. In the evening thought Dav’n asked Barr for a hand and they hauled in a large crate, and opened it with much fanfare. One great wheel spinning wheel, it was one like his mother had always envied but never really had a place for. Lilly and Ivy were dancing because they knew that meant he was planning to work on their marriage cords. Ruby and Pearl also knew this was important and a nice wheel but they didn’t have any idea how to use one.

Dav’n grinned, “It was a bit more money than I really should have spent but my marriage cords are important, and over all this should pay back once we move in some sheep. Though that is more money and well we really need to figure out how to generate some of that.” He shrugged, “We can live pretty well here just off the bounty of this island, or with a little industry and taking advantage of our trading partners,” he coughed, “Uncle Witt,” and grinned at his ma. “Well with a little effort, I think we can do VERY well. That’s assuming Da and I don’t come up with any more novel groundwork.”

The conversation began about all the different things they could do. Some very reasonable others, not so realistic. It was fun though and a few good ideas were hit upon. Dav’n and Barr were assembling the wheel and Fawn was unpacking some cotton she had brought along. Dav’n realized that exploring was going to be delayed but the look in Ivy and Lilly’s eyes told him this was long over due.

Chapter 27

So the next day as his wives practiced using the wheel and spinning the finest threads they could Dav’n spent hammering flat three large silver crays, shaping them into a large thin silver oval with two long smooth holes on either side to attach the cords. He dished each in blank into a very shallow curved bowl and carefully with a dull chisel embossed concentric circles. So when you turned it over as it would be worn it had a nice raised pattern. That evening they each made thin fine threads with deep groundwork for strength. They each put their ground into their cords made of their hair. Dav’n with his hair in the mixed bundle borrowed Ivy’s groundsense to look deep into cord twisting the fibers tightly that the wheel ever could. The hem of Lilly’s dress and the poplar fluff twinning in tight into the fibers from Tent Blueflield and the fine coconut fibers stolen from their mattress, and his hair and ground wound around it all. Just four paces worth of cord but so much groundwork that he was exhausted by the time it was complete. The lakewalkers present all just looked stunned. Dag whistled a low note, “Now son that is a making.”

Dav’n smiled weakly, “I think we’ll have to wait until tomorrow to complete the job. Sorry ladies but one more day, is all we’ll need.”

Everyone just grinned as the two took him off to their curtained bed. It was another late morning. Everyone was just really enjoying having their soft beds and cool breezes. Dav’n finally rolled out of bed and got some breakfast, ok by this time of day it was more like an early dinner but he knew he would need his strength for what he wanted to accomplish. Each of the cords the girls had made was again tightly twisted around the thicker cord of Dav’n’s. Weaving the combined cords through the pearls allowed a nice band about an inch wide with three pearls width just offset of each other, binding each of the ladies not only with Dav’n but through Dav’n to each other making one band, one where once there was three and the groundwork changed slightly, each of the component parts no longer completely what they were but united now. Drawn through the smooth slats of the silver medallion and joined back to the band. No there wasn’t the fanciness of the ceremony that usually accompanied a stringbinding, but this was something uniquely theirs. Each one had one on their left hand and each could sense the others in it.

Fawn said, “They’re beautiful.” Ruby and Pearl were both nodding enviously. Dav’n smiled and Ivy and Lilly were both giddy. Dag sat looking at them for a long moment, then called Dav’n over so they could talk.

“You know, I’ve had an idea. Didn’t want to try it while Spark was pregnant. Can you join a farmer in a combined groundlink like you do with lakewlkers?”

“Huh,” Dav’n didn’t know what to say. “Never thought to try. You want ma to see what it’s like to be able to see ground?”

“Well I did something sorta like it for her Aunt Nattie so she could see Fawn. I want her to see your bit of magery there with the marriage cords.” he shrugged, “I also want her to be able to see ours”

“Well if you’ve already sort of done it and you have me to work with now... Don’t see what it would hurt to try it?” Dav’n shrugged, “If it works maybe we can help the others to see what grroundwork is and more importantly what it isn’t.”

Dag grinned at his son, “Kinda was one of my thoughts. Longer term but why not start with the Farmers among us?”

Gathering everyone around Dag explained what he wanted to try. “If we can make it work with Saprk, then we can extend it and include anyone who wants to see. If you don’t please go find somewhere else to be so you don’t get caught up in the swirl but if you want to see stay close as we may have to actually touch you to include you.”

No one was about to leave. This was like peaking behind the curtain of the world for Farmers. Dag nodded to Dav’n who linked with him and then with Ivy and Lilly and with Barr and Aspen for good measure. Then once they were all linked and fully immersed in that otherworldly other perception, Dav’n reached out to Fawn. It wasn’t working. He could link to her easy enough but he couldn’t make the link two way. He tried several things until he saw Dag reach out with a groundprojection and help him draw her in. Oh this was working. Fawn gasped and Dav’n showed her his wedding cord and all the deeper meaning that was visible to those with groundsense. He showed her her own, with all the love and hope and life refound that was woven into it. The lifetime of pain and joy and discovery that shimmered just below the surface. The cords were different, his and his Da’s both never done before and both amazing in their own ways, but different and beautiful. Fawn was crying and reached out to take Pearl’s hand. Dav’n having seen what Dag did, tried to include her in a different way and this time it worked. Hod too was added but at the last minute he hesitated. Ruby was pregnant. Who knew what this would do to the baby. His concentration started waiver at that moment and the connection dropped.

Fawn’s tears started a wave. Soon all the ladies were crying except Ruby who was just looking confused. “But... but I didn’t see anything.”

Dag sighed a bit, “That’s because Dav’n had the presence of mind to think of something that I in all the excitement didn’t think about. That’s enough said on the subject unless you’re ready to tell those who can’t see.”

Ruby flushed as realization came to her, “Oh yeah. Guess I didn’t think about that either. Um, Hod, honey. We’re going to have the first baby born on the island.” She looked at him, her concern as to his reaction open on her face.

Hod was stunned. His ground did flips. “WHOOOO!!! are you sure?!” the grin on his face right down frightening. Dav’n was fairly certain he had never seen the big man this happy about anything before.

Ruby was crying now and nodded, “We live with Lakewalkers now, Dag’s already checked and so far all is healthy”

Hod was already on his feet, picking up Ruby and dancing with her then realizing he was manhandling a pregnant lady had the typical farmer reaction of panic and making sure she was ok. Pearl had a sad smile but hid it quickly when Hod turned to her, “We’re going to be parents.” He was about to explode. Dag was just grinning at him and Barr was trying to hide a smirk. “Well there’s a lot of reasons to celebrate today!” He looked to Dag, “is it a boy or a girl?”

Dag laughed, “Too early to tell. If you want to know ask me next month.”

After that the party broke out in earnest. Seems someone had thought to hide back a couple of bottles of wine, and they came out and the rest of the day and most of the night was spent just enjoying the good news. Ivy, Lilly, and Dav’n opted for sleeping in their own tent quite a ways down the beach that evening. They didn’t really make it back until much later the following evening. No one doubted that they were fine and didn’t want to be found. Newly weds were like that, Lakewalker and Farmer alike.

The newlyweds had just rejoined the main group, Dav’n pulls Dag aside and they join groundsense. It was as big as he feared when looking at the leading edge, even with the extended range that Dag and eventually Barr added the end of the storm wasn’t in sight. Remembering the storm in Greymouth, Dag set everyone to work bringing what ever would easily fit into their shelter and tying down anything else as securely as possible. Dav’n half collapsed the boat and pulled it into the shelter, out of fear it would blow away.

Dragging in the last of the bundles of bamboo for the fire, when the storm hit. It was a solid wall of water just falling from the sky. The first day wasn’t too bad, everyone enjoyed relaxing. By day two they were running out of things to do and everyone was getting short tempered. It was stuffy and while the wind was whipping as if to tear the very island out of the sea, they had to be so buttoned up so as not to blow away that the air was close and humid and even a bit smokey from the stove. No fresh gather was possible. The screened off corner where the privy bucket was kept stunk. Of course poor little Berry decided to put their feelings into sound and at the top of her lungs no less. Day three dawned, and the moods darkened, Lilly and Aspen got into an argument which drew in Ivy and Barr. Dav’n considered the possibility of just tying them all up in the corner, Dag just laughed and shook his head “Son this storm won’t go on forever but tying them up and sticking them in a corner to get through it, would haunt you for eternity even if you could somehow magically pull it off.”

Pearl was pouting. Everyone except Hod and Ruby knew why. Hod and Ruby were just in their own baby on the brain world. Everyone knew that she was feeling neglected and a bit sad that she wasn’t the one with the baby news, it really was only natural. Unfortunately there wasn’t any privacy to clue in Hod or Ruby tactfully and no one thought bringing up another argumentative topic was a good idea. So Pearl darkened one corner of the shelter, and everyone quit trying to cheer her up.

It was the middle of the third evening when the winds stopped. Dav’n woke from the unusual quiet. Pulling to him Ivy and Liily’s ground sense he stretched out his groundsense. It had passed and yet there seemed to be another storm approaching. He bumped Dag’s ground, and Barr and Aspen too. No one was happy with being woken but the chance that the storm was over was too good to just pass up. When they all had gathered in the central area away from the beds and those still sleeping or at least pretending to. They extended groundsense much further this time and could see the storm round as a plate but with a large calm center. Dav’n was the first to ask, “so do we wake everyone give them time to leave the tent for a bit of fresh air or do we just take care of what chores we can before it hits again? We won’t have much of a window.”

Dag and Barr both laughed at him. “you’ll get strung up if you don’t give these women a chance to go to the stream and wash up.” Dag said as he went off to wake Fawn.

Barr and Aspen were already stripping down to make a run for the surf. Dav’n just grunted and went back to wake up Hod and family. “break in the storm, likely to be short lived. If you want out of the tent for fresh air or a quick bath, now’s your chance. This break probably won’t last until dawn.” With that he joined his girls who were also stripping down as much a propriety allowed and bolting toward the surf.

Well with the tent aired out a bit and everyone with a fresh wash. The waste bucket emptied and new coconuts gathered, not so much for food but because while they were drying they smelled a LOT better than the tent had been smelling. The respite was way too short. Only a couple of hours before the rain and wind chased everyone back in. Fortunately in that time someone had gotten to Hod, and explained things to him. While Pearl wasn’t ‘all better’ she at least was getting the attention she needed from the man she needed it from. The next three days weren’t much better than the last but at least everyone held on to those precious few minutes between the furry of the storm.

Dav’n couldn’t help but wish that the Fish Wife was safe, she probably hadn’t had quite enough time to make it back to their home island yet.

Chapter 28

The storm finally passed as they tend to do. The surf was way too wild for Dav’n to be willing to risk it in the collapsible boat, so instead they did some exploration on foot. The waves had left a treasure trove of debris up on the sand. Drift wood was gathered including some pieces of what he feared was a boat. Also found were some gold rings and other shiny trinkets. Who knew how long they had been in the water. They found a large shark stranded in a tide pool. That took the better part of a day to properly butcher and stretch it’s hide. The teeth made Dav’n do some real thinking and he took them to Dag. “Their ground says rip flesh and break bone. With some groundwork could they be better arrow points than we get from iron? Or at least easier to get here than the iron is?”

Dag examined them for a bit and nodded, “Don’t see why not. Wouldn’t cost nothing but a bit of time and effort to try.”

Dav’n smiled, “Well if just figured it would be something we could make here and it works well maybe we could send a few to Nattie-Mari and Kal. I feel kind of bad that they are up there missing all of this. Oh maybe not getting stuck in the tent all week but well you know what I mean.”

Dag chuckled, “Yeah, I miss them too. They’re getting their own experiences though. Makes them better able to take care of themselves and better able to help here if the time comes.”

Beach combing and picking up after the storm took another three days but the ocean was calming back down to it’s usual roil. Dav’n was conflicted. They needed to explore their area and see what they had to work with, and they also needed to build a boat that survive a trip back to Graymouth or at least back to Hollow’s Isle. They discussed it in the evenings and no clear priority was apparent. Both desperately needed done. Finally it was decided that Dag, Hod, Barr and Aspen would put out in the collapsible boat for a trip around the island. Ivy, Dav’n, and Pearl would work on the boat project and that Lilly, Fawn and Ruby would finish salting down the shark before it went bad and try to spin some workable rope from the coconut husks, the latter being a project that all except the experienced spinners had doubts about.

Three weeks later the exploration team paddles back to the beach with big smiles and the little boat loaded to a dangerous level. Seems the treasure hunt was successful, Dav’n thought bitterly, recalling his own pitiful attempts to make a bamboo raft that wasn’t just a way for him to end up swimming back to the beach. Once the welcome homes were exchanged and news on the lack of progress on the boat reported. Ruby and Lilly showed off the coils of heavy strong rope that had been made from the coconut. Fawn brought out a large crock and looked at them with a grin, “Well I don’t know how this will taste but I tried fermenting the coconut milk just like Belle did for the wines she was talking about” Fawn opened the crock and sampled the first sip. She made a face. “Well that was a fail.” Everyone took a sip for themselves but universally it was agreed this was a fine vinegar for cleaning or even cooking with in small doses but as a drink, it really wasn’t going to work.

Finally the explorers decided it was their turn to unpack their treasures. Dag motioned Barr and Hod back to the boat and then turned, “Have I got a treat for you.” Barr and Hod both straining under the weight hauled out a long narrow table top with a whole cut in it. Dav’n wasn’t sure what the big deal was until he got a better look, it was solid rock. Not just any rock this was polished on the top side to the point you could see your face in it.

Fawn and Lilly just looked at it, “Amazing, I’ve never seen anything like it” Fawn was just nodding in agreement. “With it being rock we could set a hot pan right on it and not hurt a thing.”

Aspen grinned, “Dag said you and Fawn would like it. Said anyone who’s ever spent a lot of time working in a farmer kitchen would see it’s worth right off.”

Fawn brightened, “Oh we do, we do. This will be so much easier to keep clean and hot pans won’t scorch it. It’s beautiful.” She gave Barr and Hod each a peck on the cheek and a little more lingering kiss for Dag, “Thank you all for bringing this back. I know it isn’t light.”

Barr and Hod just snorted. Hod smiled this time, “Dav’n I don’t know what material it is made of but I think I found something to help you with the boat.” He returned to the boat and brought out a box that he opened and pulled out a model boat. Not just any model boat but one made out of bamboo. Oh if this was a model of a real thing! Dav’n broke out into a grin, “You’ve just given us what I’ve spent three weeks trying to drown myself to figure out!” Pearl had a rueful grin on her face too. “Hod you may have just saved the day. That may be the single greatest treasure of your trip.”

Barr smirked, “maybe but I bet everyone will be happy to see this. He pulled out a short bundle of what almost looked like the stuff they were building with.

They all looked at him a bit funny but Ruby was the first to recognize it and grabbed for one of the canes, “If any of you don’t want yours I’ll take it” as she shoved the end of the cane in her mouth. Others followed suit and eyes were big all around. Ruby laughed “So we have some wild sugar cane. That sure is nice.”

Barr and Aspen both coughed, “Um we have a whole field of it. Fawn, Dag said it was about the size of your pappa’s wheat field back in West Blue?”

Her eyes grew bigger yet, “Pappa always planted about twenty acres in wheat! That represents a small FORTUNE in sugar! No one cut any more until we can find someone who knows how to harvest it right. That’s too much to just waste!”

Dag laughed, “Oh I suspect we can use as much as we will need and still have plenty for when we have the folks who know how to do it right.”

Fawn still made a face, being wasteful just didn’t sit well with her farmer sense of thrift, but she wouldn’t argue. It was awfully good. Especially she thought in some tea in the morning.

There were plenty of other odd things. Knife blades that were obviously old but showed no sign of rust, and were still sharp. A bronze plaque with some type of writing on it, though it wasn’t any language any of them knew. There was plenty here to justify more exploration and not just on the island but first they had to get home set up. Aspen was the last to pull up her treasure, a large lump of heavy gray clay.

Pearl looked at it and wrinkled her forehead, “well that’s nice an’ all but don’t you need a bunch of tools we don’t have to do anything with it?”

Aspen smiled, “Oh for fancy stuff sure but not for the things we need right now. Just a really hot bonfire will do the job. Though one day we could make a real kiln, but it’s resources I don’t know that we have to spare just yet.”

Chapter 29

Well it was a hard three months but on a bright and clear day in late spring Dav’n, Dag, Hod and Barr sailed the newly constructed “Independence” into Hollow’s Bay. The Fish Wife was at anchor and appeared to have weathered the storm without any irreparable damage. The Hollow’s seemed to be still living off of her more than half the time though they did have a stoutly built little cabin on the shore.

There was a little alarm as their strange looking boat sailed in to the harbor but soon they were recognized from the shore and warmly welcomed. Stories were exchanged and a fishing trip organized for the following day to stock those being left on the island during their next trip to the mainland. Captain Hollow was impressed with the Independence, constructed out of mostly tied bamboo her twin hulls with a bamboo planked deck was unlike anything he had seen before. Oh she was slow but at a full fifteen paces long and eight wide she had tremendous cargo room and sat high enough in the water to manage most of the shallower reefs. She also handled like a barge but the Captain said that was mostly due to how we rigged the sails and he could help us with that or we could get them professionally rigged at Graymouth. Most amazing to him though was the relatively low cost. Almost everything except the sails was sourced from the island itself. Two of stocking those they were leaving behind and loaning Captain Hollow the use of Barr for navigation and the running of his ship and they were off. The winds were favorable and the ocean mostly calm and gently rolling as they started out.

They stopped three days out from the island in the swampy coast of the mainland. Spent the time hunting the gators that thrived there in abundance. It was fresh meat for the trip as well as valuable hides that could be salted and sold for a good price in Graymouth. The meat that wouldn’t keep served well for bait along the way and several sharks were also skinned and their teeth laid in as trade goods. The sharks grilled up well with the limited cooking abilities of Dag who had mostly taken over that work. Even with the two weeks in the bog land the Fish Wife and the Independence made the Graymouth in just under five weeks. Captain Hollow was all smiles, they were getting better at this. Learning their way. He made port in Graymouth only long enough to talk with some old friends. They warned him that he had a price on his head for ‘skipping out without paying’ on his loan for the Fish Wife. He made his way up river quickly after that to the landing across from New Moon Cuttoff. There was quite a nice little dock there by now. Plenty of business being done too. The Independence not being as well known opted for another night in port to discuss changing the rigging with better sail arrangements.

Independence may not have been well known but she was certainly drawing a lot of attention. Dag and Dav’n stayed up on deck and Hod ducked off the boat as soon as he could to go in town picking up some supplies. While everyone was curious two Lakewalkers manning the deck cut the mobs down to a minimum. The men at the rigging dock looked on curiously but it was a professional curiosity. With a little haggling over price, it was agreed that for three hundred silver, most of what Dav’n had saved back for the trip without getting into the house fund, the sails would be properly rigged and then they would have the needed pattern for any future boats. Two days were needed to get the rigging done. They did meet the representatives of the local crime boss. Things were different this time though. While still demanding payment not due them, they seemed less inclined to openly tangle with the Lakewalker crew.

With their few supplies laid on board and the rigging complete they went up river under sail to meet with the Fish Wife and help lay on the bulk of their cargo for this trip. Meeting Lark and Sparrow at the docks they were impressed with how far they had come. Seems Hawthorn and Witt had met with two other keel boat owners who they convinced also to use the upriver dock. Barr had taken off to see Arkady and Sumac about the horses that were heading off with them this trip. Lark was happy with the new arrangements they were getting better money for their raw cotton than they often did at the mill and first dibs on good from up river before they were marked up in Graymouth markets was a good thing too. They had managed to draw some unwanted attention from Graymouth though. Seems the city elders were demanding payment even though they were not using the Graymouth markets anymore. Seems the greed of the crime boss and the greed of the city council of Graymouth wasn’t much different.

“Will they try to force a collection?” Dag asked dreading the answer.

“Oh I think they already would have, except that we’re not making ourselves and easy target and they’re a little concerned to try any rough stuff this close to the Lakewalker camp.” Lark grinned. “The city elders might be brave enough against outnumbered farmers but Lakewalker magic still has them concerned.” He turned more serious, “I think it is only a matter of time though. I hear that Sparrow wants to come build houses for you?”

Dag nodded over to Dav’n, “his project not mine. I’m just a poor patroller, “ and grinned.

Lark shook his head in amusement, then looked over to Dav’n. “Could you use him this year instead of next?”

Dav’n looked a bit pressed, “Well things are going slower than I had hoped but I suppose, why the rush?”

“Well some of us can see the way the wind is blowing with the city and wouldn’t mind being quite a ways away from them. If the land is like you’ve told Sparrow, a few of us might sell off our farms to our neighbors who think it’ll all blow over and start fresh where the city is a long way away.”

Dav’n nodded, “Well the land is as we’ve said. Found twenty acres of sugarcane just growing wild in one spot. Brought you some for trade. Lilly’s wanting more cotton for the wheel I got her, an’ I’m wanting to talk to Belle a bit more about how that wine making works.”

Lark grinned. “You sure you’re not just getting in good with the new mother in law”

Dav’n turned tomato red, “I don’t know if that’s ever going to happen.” he held up his left hand showing the strings now bound there, “I’ve got my plate pretty full as it is. This is for my ma who tried to make wine from coconut milk and didn’t really succeed.” he shrugged. “As to Starling, I told her we’d all talk about it in two years and I’ll keep my word. I made no promises then nor now other than to talk about it.”

Lark grinned even bigger, “I hear the words, yet I see the face and they tell different tales”

Dag cleared his throat, “Alright Lark you’ve had your fun. My boy is right about one thing, his plate is pretty full.”

Trading went on pretty much as expected. Barr and Sumac came up leading the horses. Space it seems was going to be grid locked for a LONG time. This trip was filled up before they even really got started. Sumac pulled Dag off to the side while the horses were being loaded.

“Hey we might be joining you sooner rather than later. Anton isn’t happy with our being here and just to be honest, I’m not thrilled with some things that are going on. I made sure each of the mares have been bred up to a Stallion not of our own. Anton and the Graymouth elders have been bumping heads lately. I keep trying to explain to everyone who will listen that a Lakewalker/Farmer war is only won by the Malices but few in Graymouth have ever seen a Malice. Blightedly few in this camp have ever seen a Malice. Surprisingly and some what annoyingly the only one really raising a fuss in favor of my point of view, is Neeta.” she just shook her head.

Dag nodded, “she may well be a murderous coldblooded bitch, but she’s seen a Malice. Next to a Malice, she’s just self absorbed and petty, and she knows it.” he may have sounded calm but his tone showed that he shared Sumac’s distaste at their dubious ally.

Sumac blew out a long sigh, “Anton goes on and on about how lordship nearly destroyed the world and that we’re not their lords but in the next breath is talking about riding a patrol in to town to remind the farmers that we’re not to be trifled with. All because their new plan to tax surrounding areas for the ‘great things’ Graymouth provides. Anton is wounded in his pride that it as come to this. Instead of doing nothing, neither pay nor fight unless attacked he wants to make an example. We’re not ready to leave just yet but I think soon.”

Dag looked grim, “You know we can’t just run away from this. If it gets out of control...” He shook his head, “Of course you should come. We’ll send word to the other camps. Maybe they can talk sense to him. I’ll write Fairbolt tonight. In the mean time there is no need for you to be here in the middle of this foolishness.”

Letters exchanged and horses loaded. Even young Sparrow, Heather, and little Willow in her own basket were loaded up, as were the three young families who were Sparrow’s building crew. Dav’n had spent an evening at Cardinal’s farm. Officially to talk wine with Belle but Starling found him and Dav’n did spend time with her. A firm reminder that their official conversation was still more than a year off left her frustrated but Belle smiling. Dav’n wasn’t immune to her charms, she was a pretty girl with a quick intelligence. Her subjects of interest were fairly limited but she was young and really hadn’t seen anything of the world beyond a days wagon ride.

Tensions seemed to be building here on the mainland. It looked like folks had forgotten their mortal peril just because it was not on their door step and instead decided to compete for who can be the most petty and short sighted. Dav’n shook his head. Better get set up out on the island and quick. Won’t help if a Malice gets loose because of it that little voice in the back of his head kept telling him. Of course one of those monsters from the ocean could be just as bad. There was no such animal as ‘safe’ only out of the way so you weren’t taken completely by surprise. Then there was only strong enough to fight back or not. The voice in the back of his head wouldn’t shut up, ‘What happened to that guy who left home determined to show them all what a half breed could do?’ He heaved and inward sigh, that was when I was counting on the rest of the world to be sane. Dav’n just shook his head to clear the gathering doom in his mind and get on with business.

After a quick talk with Captain Hollow they decided to take Graymouth at a run. Slip past fast and get out to sea before anyone else could throw a wrench into their plans. As it turned out that was a wise choice. They weren’t challenged in the city but as they left there was three boats that tried to follow. Emphasis on tried, following ships with Lakewalker crews in the dark wasn’t something for the faint of heart. One boat ended up lodged on a sandbar the other two were quickly shaken by a quick double back. They would continue to sail west looking for the Fish Wife and the Independence who were sailing east now and under full sail.

Chapter 30

It was good to be home. Dav’n thought that first night in his own bed with Lilly and Ivy both laying with him. His thoughts had wandered back to the chaos that was brewing on the mainland. It all seemed so foolish. So unnecessary after all Da’s work making it so Farmers and Lakewalkers could work together. In the north they were finally turning the corner, with the addition of Farmer patrollers more ground was getting covered more regularly than it had in decades. Sessiles and first molts were found and dealt with long before there could be a repeat of a Bone Marsh or Green Spring. The trouble brewing in the south though was threatening all that progress. Dag was troubled and Dav’n could see it. All this centering around Graymouth. It just didn’t make sense to Dav’n. Ivy and Lilly each started kissing his neck. It was distracting and he was sure that was the purpose, he needed to think about these things. Ah well he didn’t need to think about them tonight.

Weeks passed and the new arrivals were properly amazed at the land they had found and the number of islands they passed before they got to this one really let it sink in that they weren’t being sold a bill of goods. There really was land here for the man who wanted to break it or plenty of land owners who would pay well for a man to build for him. Sparrow got started with clearing a road up to the terrace where the main house was planned. There was so much potential here. He and his men would be paid and paid well for this and with a little work they could even build themselves a fine plantation here.

Everyone threw into building and developing. Off hours were spent exploring the ruins. Horse Island got explored for a bit one day when Dav’n and Dag went out to be sure they were getting along fine. Riding Shade again after all this time felt great and seeing the ruins made him realize how big the culture was that built it, and now they were gone. They didn’t even have Malices trying to eat them. He needed to learn more. He needed to explore the large ruins on the mainland. Not today though, today he needed to get back and check on the house. Gran was going to be coming in another two months and she needed a place to put down roots. Arkady and Sumac were less a concern as they were lakewalkers and adjusted to travel better but still he should check on it. He also worried for Berry and Witt in the north. What would they do if they couldn’t bring down flat boats because of the troubles. The voice in the back of his head chimed in again, ‘Nothing you can do about it boy.’ Dav’n never wanted to admit that particular voice was ever right so he amended it to himself, ‘nothing can be done about it today.’

The trip back to Graymouth in the late fall was even more tense. Drowntown actually had fires burning in it. They didn’t stop to ask questions but moved on up stream just as fast as their sails would push them. The dock put in last summer by the farmers was gone. They just anchored the boats in the middle of the river and went ashore in a collapsible boat. The Bridger farm was a burned out shell. Cardinal’s farm was not burned out but it wasn’t Cardinal’s family who was living there. Questions to the new family were particularly unhelpful. This wasn’t good. New Moon Cuttoff was not the sleepy camp of last summer either. Guards at the gates were watching and patrols now roved the perimeter. They wouldn’t let Hod or Captain Hollow enter but directed them to the refugee Farmer area where they used to have a market. Dav’n went with them, asking Barr to stick close to Dag as they went in to check on Arkady.

They were just in the refugee area when Dav’n saw Lark and Cherry. Rushing over to them, Cherry just collapsed on Dag bawling. When finally we got her calmed down and everyone else had arrived. The story came out that they had sold the farm and were moving out. When the tax collectors showed up. Lark growled, “They took everything we had and burned the house. The money from the sale of the farm was safe, or should say hopefully it is where I left it but the tools and even Cherry’s dishes were all taken.”

Dav’n dreading the answer, “Card’s family?”

Lark smiled at him, “oh there we were a little smarter. There were a dozen of them when they hit me and I was by myself. When they came for Card we had gathered up some neighbors. Card had sold his place too. We were hoping to come your way to be with Sparrow.” he ducked his head a bit as if asking if the offer was still good. At Dav’n’s answering nod and the seething anger just behind his eyes, Lark found a hard smile, “Well at Cards we were waiting for them. None of them made it back home that night. Card and his family are camped up river a ways so as not to draw unwanted attention to us and our Lakewalker friends here. They’re pretty touchy too but that Sumac is beyond a jewel. She’s seen to it we’ve had the need fulls and at no more cost than one would normally pay. Good people even if that Anton is a bit of a prick, honestly I shouldn’t speak against him, he’s only looking out for his own.” Lark shook his head.

Dav’n looked to Dag, “we need to talk. Lets get them aboard the Independence and out of sight. We can go up for Card’s folks after sunset when no one is to see.”

Dag nodded but he didn’t like the murder in his son’s eye. He knew what that kind of rage made a man capable of and had lived with the rage and with it’s consequence too often in his own life to like seeing it in Dav’n but they couldn’t talk just yet, not without Dav’n seeing it reflected in his own eye. “Do that, I’ve got to get to Arkady. We need to know what the situation is here.” Dav’n just nodded.

Getting everyone loaded up was a bit of an adventure but they settled in it was Lark’s family plus the hired man who was working Sparrow’s shares. He had no family and no place else to go so he’s coming along too. Plenty of farm work back on the islands with all these new mouths to feed.

That night they went up river to Card’s camp. It wasn’t just Card’s family but two more as well. All had participated in the defense of Card’s farm and so were not safe here. Dav’n sighed but settled them in. This was going to be a cramped trip once Gran got here. The Fish Wife hadn’t taken on anything more than minimal supplies. They had been intending to get more animals but that seemed less likely now. Dav’n sent a runner down to New Moon overland with a message for Dag. He was heading up river and going to try to meet with Hawthorn and Aunt Berry, there was no reason to let them stumble into this mess.

A week pushing north and they came across them tied up to the east bank camping for the evening. Two flat boats and Hawthorn’s keel. Once they anchored in the middle of the river and sent the boat to shore they were in for a bit of a surprise. Not only was it Gran Trill but Sabin and Ash and Saelin. Two half bloods like himself and Sassa and his wife, their children having decided to stay in Glassforge. Dav’n greeted them all and was very happy to see them but a little worried about how he was going to get them all home. Around the camp fire he gave them all a sketch of what had been happening in Graymouth. Finally he fell silent and just stared into the fire.

Berry spoke up, “sounds like we run the risk of making our way down there just to end up a loss for the trouble.”

Dav’n shrugged, “Oh I figure they’ll be happy enough to see trade boats but they might put more of a squeeze on you than the usual fees. My concern is because you’ve been known to trade with Cardinal and Lark, they might have it out for you on your own. New Moon will probably buy your goods but I don’t know about the boats.”

Witt was staring into the fire. “We started to prosper by cutting them out when they got greedy, and this is their counter move.”

Ash scratched his chin, “Don’t know much about farmers but don’t they risk boats just not going there anymore?”

Witt shrugged, “Where else would we go? Oh we can make some trade in the north but getting southern goods, well you pretty much have to use Graymouth because all the rivers feed into the Gray. They are the end of the road so to speak. Not to mention they have the most people and the most money of all the towns, so they are a good trade spot.” He hesitated, “when they’re not trying to rob you that is.” his shoulders slumped.

Dav’n said, “I’ve an idea but I don’t know how workable it is. Don’t know that we can just trade past them and not stop there. They tend to go overland and attack the farms who set up docks. What it we tried to find a northern rout?”

Berry shrugged, “Isn’t one.”

Dav’n nodded, “Maybe not and maybe no one has been willing to go through the blight because the Gray was always so much easier and better?”

Witt shrugged his shoulders, “ok even if there is one, we don’t know it. What makes you think there is one?”

Dav’n wiped his face with his hands and sighed, “Oh I know there is one, I just don’t know where it is and if it is navigable. See I’ve done a lot of thinking about that blighted Malice that hit us on our first trip. They don’t come up on old blight. The Malice that blighted the ground would have eaten them too. So it had to wash out to sea from somewhere around Dead Lake. If we could just take it’s path back up to the Lake then we’d be able to trade that way.” He looked at the faces around the fire. Doesn’t matter for tonight. We just need to figure out how to get those of you going with us past them, and those going back up river compensated for their goods and their boats.”

Witt and Berry in the morning loaded on as much of their goods as Dav’n could onto the Independence and still have room for people. This was going to be a mostly miserable ride once they got to sea. Gran and Sabin were both troopers taking the cramped quarters in stride. Dav’n apologized over and over to both for not being able to get them private cabins. The best he could arrange was for them to share the one semi private cabin at the back of the covered deck. Amazingly enough they seemed to actually enjoy it, and each other. Berry and Witt sold their boats to Sassa, with the understanding that they could sell them and get the money back and a small profit. Ash and Sabin signed on as crew, so that they could help make sure that the inexperienced boat owners could make it there and to New Moon as soon as possible.

Dav’n left Uncle Witt with a promise that they would find a way, even if it wasn’t navigable by flat boat so that if the worst happened he and Berry could join the rest of the family in the new home. In the mean time without having to pay to over winter and work their way back north they should have enough to live on for a couple of years. He promised he’d either come or send someone before then.

Chapter 31

Everyone on their new boats, and each made his own way. Dav’n took the Independence south dragging the anchor to slow her down. No reason to make Sassa look as if he were traveling with them. Starling spent time with him on the trip. Well chaperoned by the crowded deck but they talked. Losing her home was hard on her, even though she was planning on leaving it next year anyway they stole her hope chest. She had been filling it for her whole life to let her set up house keeping with a new husband, and now she was empty handed. Dav’n tried to get her to relax and to realize how rich the land they were going to really was but until she saw it she had only her own farm as a point of reference.

At New Moon everyone shuffled their boats again. Trying to balance the load. It was better than the river trip but not by much. A little short on food even for the trip they knew that they would have to spend some time either hunting or fishing. Running past Graymouth was about the same as the last time. Ash was laughing so hard he almost fell off the Independence when they flew over some shoals that there was no way the chase boats could clear. That night he reached out and bumped grounds with Dag on the Fish Wife and they altered course heading back east, again leaving their pursers chasing their false trail west.

It took the better part of six weeks to get everyone ferried to the proper island and enough supplies laid in to help them all get settled. The Bridgers and other farm families all settled on a small island about twelve miles to the south east of the Island Dav’n had claimed for their home. This was close enough to be in easy boat ride yet gave them privacy to live how they wanted. Finally home everyone just took two weeks to spend with family. Settling everyone in, and recovering from the stress of the trip.

Trill and Sabin surprised everyone by choosing to set up housekeeping together. A little cabin had been made for Trill, with just a little furniture adjustments they had a tidy little home for the two of them. Close enough to spend most waking hours with little Berry, yet not be woken with every cry and whimper.

Sassa and his wife went off alone, spending their two weeks walking the beach trying to find where they would like to settle or maybe something else.

Lilly and Ivy had been busy while he was gone too. It was a Lakewalker style tent constructed from woven bamboo and a roof that was made from split bamboo canes off set so that there were no gaps. They took great pleasure showing it off to him, especially since it was three miles away from the main boat landing. Nearly complete privacy, out of groundsense of any unaided Lakewalker neighbor or family. It was just good to be home. He started making bows with bamboo split thin and laminated with strips of shark hide. He needed more sinew for the groundwork to take properly but still these were above average. The small wheeled pulleys made from local shell worked well and the coconut fiber string was a suitable substitute. They spent too little time bow making and too much time swimming and playing but after the whirlwind of the last year they had earned it. Dav’n made the mistake one day of talking about the trip back with Starling. Both Lilly and Ivy had tried to play it off as if it didn’t bother them but Dav’n felt the cold wind blow over the conversation.

Finally it was Ivy that said it, “Dav’n you cannot just marry every woman who wants to marry you!”

Lilly was just nodding her agreement. “Ivy and I were a bit of a special situation. How can you even consider bringing some strange woman into our home?”

“Look, BOTH of you. I didn’t say I wanted to marry her or that I didn’t, I simply said we made her a promise and we’re going to keep it. To keep my promise I spent some time with her on the trip here, and she seems nice. She’s smart if limited in experience of the world but how many people scramble all over the place the way we have?” Dav’n was frustrated, he didn’t like the way they were being so uptight about talking to her. It wasn’t like he was asking her to move in or anything. The bickering kept going and eventually he made up an excuse to make a trip up to Horse Island.

Dag, Barr and Ash went with him and were all listening to his grumbling with a smirk. Finally Dag said in the very blandest of tones, “so your wives aren’t excited about you adding a third, hmm, you’re not going to get too much sympathy from most men.”

Dav’n rolled his eyes, “Da I don’t care that they don’t want her in the family. I’ve been unsure of the wisdom of it myself. I am frustrated beyond words that they want to throw a fit over me just keeping my word. They would be hurt beyond belief if I lied to either of them, but somehow they think it is ok for me to give my word to Starling just to get her to do what I wanted and then not follow through seriously? It doesn’t make sense”

Barr and Ash both busted up laughing, “You expect sense out of a woman when the heart is involved?” Ash just shook his head in bemused agreement.

Dav’n threw his hands up in the air, “You don’t understand my girls are SMART, I mean scary smart. They called that whole Sapphire thing in no time flat. Then out of no where they just start acting like a jealous child. They know I wouldn’t bring anyone into our family without them agreeing it is a good idea, so why the jealous act?”

Ash smiled, “Son, for them it isn’t a decision. For them it is an emotional instinct to protect. Protect their positions, protect their time with you, protect the position of children that hopefully will be coming soon, eh?” Dav’n just rolled his eyes and got on with the work they came here to do.

Barr finally asked as they were boarding the boat to go home, “Do you love her?”

Dav’n smiled at Barr, “Love is a choice you make, not the warm fuzzys you feel. You taught me that with Lilly. You didn’t have to be in her life, you CHOSE to be. She was being raised by another, you didn’t have to step up and be the father she really needed. You could have used the excuse of her mother’s choices to wash your hands of it but you chose to love her, even when she was really really angry with you. So to answer your question, I can love her but I won’t jeopardize my family to love her.”

They got back to the island and started making plans for exploration up the coast. They would need to lay in provisions, and get things settled for those staying on the island. They had been back now almost two full months and it was past time to start looking on the mainland. Dav’n was sort of glad to get away. He wouldn’t admit this but Lilly and Ivy were both still irritated with him, so better to go and let things calm back down. Barr was happy to be going too. Aspen had started putting their main house in order and was finding dozens of little and not so little projects for him. He wasn’t lazy and he didn’t mind fixing up a nice house but they had their whole lives to work on it. They kept up this way they’d end up positively sessile. Dag was enjoying being home and he and Arkady had dozens of projects that needed their attention but with Dav’n going out even with Barr and Ash going with him, Dag felt he should be along. Vil and Lag the two half Lakewalker new recruits volunteered to go as well. Said they had enjoyed exploring the island but mainland city ruins were just too much to pass up. Sassa and his wife too asked for a ride to Hollow Island. Sassa had decided that he wanted sailing lessons. If they were to live on islands, then knowing how to handle a boat was a must.

Dropping off Sassa and his wife they picked up Van who was really just excited to get away from Sapphire for a bit. She was nesting and it was driving him nuts. They should still be back in plenty of time for the baby.

Chapter 32

The mainland city was only overgrown on the coast. As they made their way in a couple of miles the Blight took over. Dav’n pulled out his ground-shield to help cut the effects. Vil, Lag, and Van turned out to be the best group for exploring the blighted areas. They went ahead to map what they could while those with more sensitive grounds explored what they could of the weed choked shoreline.

They found more polished stone like the table that Fawn had claimed. It took some work but it was well worth the effort to haul to the Independence. They also found strange writing on several stones and a few bronze plaques that hadn’t completely corroded away. They also found odd pipes with very finely worked taps. Barr grabbed up these thinking that they might fetch a good price as patterns in Tripoint, assuming that we could figure out how to reconnect without having to deal with Graymouth. Mostly it was just crumbled brick and stone and some chunks of twisted badly rusted metal.

Once Vil and crew returned from their mapping mission brief excursions into the city were planned and carried out. Some gold and polished gems were recovered. Again not of immediate use but should they ever get back to a civilized part of the world most folks would trade for such as this. They found what had to be a graveyard, but the size of it went beyond anything in their experience. Most of them were used to little family plots with wooden markers. This was a square mile of carved stone. Of course as big as the city was it shouldn’t surprise them but somehow it made it seem more real.

Hauling back their plunder to the Independence they decided to sail north along a channel of ocean that seemed to wander behind a long running chain of barrier islands. They sailed for days but there seemed to be cities large and small dotting the coastline every few miles. The mind boggled at how many people it would have taken to fill them all. Surely it was more than the Wide Green World could hold, yet at one time it had. After nearly a month of poking around it was time to head home. Van waded ashore with his small bag of goodies. Sassa decided to stay for a while longer and learn more. So after just stopping long enough to share news and a quick dinner, they headed back toward home.

Since they were traveling an area they didn’t usually explore they were all spending as much time as they could with their ground sense melded and extended. They charted several smaller islands. Really little more than rocks jutting up from the water. Also several reefs and shoals to be aware of. They even found two wrecks of great massive ships on the bottom that could be explored when they had more time. Though as deep as they were it wouldn’t be more than a few seconds that anyone could spend down thirty feet. Dav’n was just scanning a section of water off to the west when he caught the blip of a person on one of those rocky islands. The ground showed that the person was injured or weak. They hadn’t thought anyone else was in these waters so they of course headed that way. When they got closer they could see a small bamboo boat, much smaller than the Independence. Really not something that should be out in open waters like this in case a storm blew in. The small form sheltering under the sail was familiar to them all. What in this world was Starling doing this far from Bridger Island. Dav’n panicked, “Malice, had to be what would drive her to run in this dinky boat. Get me in close Da, I’ll tie off her boat and get her aboard.”

Everyone sprang into action and in short order the small craft was tied to the Independence by a tow rope and Starling’s unconscious badly sun burned and salt encrusted form was stretched out on the deck. Barr took over the captaining with Lag and Vil working the sails. Ash helped Dav’n get Starling under the shade of the little cabin, then Dav’n linked them all together so Dag could begin to save her life.

Half an hour later as they came up from healing her as much as possible, she was resting. Dag shook his head, “she didn’t have enough water or shelter. She’s badly burned and as soon as she can keep her eyes open long enough we got to get water into her. She had started drinking salt water sometime yesterday by the look of her. Two more days and she would have been beyond all help or hope.”

Dav’n nodded, “stay with her Ash and I are going to link up with Barr and get us the quickest path home. Once we’ve unloaded her and picked up Sumac and Ivy we’ll head for Bridger Island to fight the Malice.”

That evening as they landed on the coast Starling woke when they picked her up to carry her ashore. “You saved me.”

Dav’n brushed her hair aside, “you’re safe now, can you tell us about the Malice?”

Her eyes flew open in alarm, “What Malice? Where?”

Dag looked at her, “Isn’t that why you left your home in that little boat?”

Starling shook her head, “No, no Malice, thank the absent gods. I just wanted to come see you,” she looked sadly at Dav’n. “You were so nice on the trip out here and then you just forgot all about me. I figured your island was only a few miles away, and then I got out of the sight of land and got lost. I couldn’t turn around, going forward for four days wasn’t helping much either.”

Dav’n hit the roof, “You pulled this fool stunt because you didn’t want to wait until the year was up and we could talk about it?!? What in the world were you thinking!? You almost DIED!”

Dag nodded and Ash and Barr each pulled him away further down the beach. Dag looked at her laying there too weak and in shock to be yelled at, “He’s right you know. Wasn’t the smartest move. Since you’re here though I think you should stay and rest up. Think I know just the people to help. Rest up, you’ll need your strength.” He couldn’t help but smile a bit, foolish young people over estimating their abilities and scaring those they left wondering about them... Dav’n getting upset about that was just a bit more irony than he could handle with a totally straight face. “Dav’n,” Dag called out, “We’ll need to let Card and Belle know we found her and she’s ok, but she shouldn’t be moved. Can you ask Lilly and Ivy to come down here to the beach tent for a few days?”

“Blight it, yeah Belle’s got to be worried sick and they don’t even have a boat to go looking for her, though might be a blessing in that. We’d have to go out to find them too.” with that he took off up the mountain at a run.

Vil nodded at Dag once Dav’n had taken off. “We could just carry her up there on the blanket same as we carried her off the boat. She don’t weigh hardly anything.”

Dag grinned up at him, “of course you could but you won’t and you won’t mention this idea to Dav’n or Ivy and Lilly either”

Vil shrugged, “Sure boss what ever you say.” Dag saw Barr and Ash flash him a grin too.

Barr and Ash called Dag over to them and once they were all out of earshot, Ash grinned really big, “you matchmaking?”

Dag chuckled a bit, “nah, at least not really. These kids are going to have to figure this tangle out for themselves. I’m just arranging it so the one’s making that decision, and we’re all married men we know who that will be,” plenty of chuckles greeted that statement, “are all trapped together to sort it all out.” He shrugged, “Fawn will make sure nothing too bad happens, in a couple of days we’ll move her up to where Fawn, Saelin, Trill and Sabin can hold the final inquisition.” He let that sink in. “The three of us will take Dav’n and head to Bridger Island to let Card and Belle know she’s ok, and bring them back here. The hard part will be coming up with an excuse for that to take a week or so.” He grinned at them, they shook their heads.

Ash whispered, “you never change.”

Ivy and Lilly got back to the beach with Dav’n not long after. They moved Starling into the tent and got her into a comfortable bed. Dav’n started lecturing her. He was in mid rant when Starling started to cry, “I’m sorry, ok! I just was lonely and it was only twelve miles! How did I know I’d get lost?”

Dav’n wasn’t to let tears stop him, he was angry and he was scared. If she had died it would have been partly his fault. “How did you think you wouldn’t?!?! Without groundsense we can’t see from one island to the next. Without several of us linked together we can’t see that far. No one even with normal groundsense could see enough to know how to make it to the next island!”

“Captain Hollow does it! He doesn’t have groundsense.” she was hyperventilating now.

“Captain Hollow has been sailing his whole life. He’s forgotten more about it than I’ve yet to learn! You can’t just DO that kind of thing!”

Ivy and Lilly both tuned on him, “Leave her alone, she knows she made a mistake,” Lilly was gently pushing him toward the door of the tent.

Ivy took the other side and gently but firmly he was being herded out, “She need her rest, and her mamma needs to know she’s safe.”

“We love you but you’re mad and it isn’t helping right now,” then each one kissed him on the cheek. “Guess we’ll just take care of this until you get home.” Two weary smiles and then one last push and he was outside the tent.

Dag and Barr were calling for him from the deck of the Independence. “Time to go. Not fair to keep folks in a state of worry.” Off they went, Fawn waving to them from the sand.

Chapter 33

Bridger Island was in an uproar when they got there that only settled a little with news she was safe and healing. “My baby’s been gone for a week! Why didn’t you bring her home?” Belle was not at her best at the moment.

Dag just shook his head, “She was close to dead when Dav’n spotted her. She’d gotten turned around and blown off course. Missed the Island and couldn’t see to get home either. If we’d gone straight home instead of exploring a bit we’d have missed her. She’s weak and needs water and real sleep but in a couple of weeks she should be fine.”

Cardinal had poor Belle wrapped up in his arms by now and she was settling, “Dag, Thank you just isn’t enough...” He choked back a sob of relief too. “What was that girl thinking!?”

Dav’n kicked the ground, “She wasn’t and part of it is my fault. I should have never told her that there was any way for her to join our family. She’d have been hurt but she wouldn’t be trying to take a glorified narrowboat out to where she can’t see land. I’m so sorry Card, Belle. I never meant this to happen. I...”

Dag cut him off, “well I told Spark that we wouldn’t be home for a couple of days anyway, since we’re here I might as well check on how things are going. Dav’n, why don’t you go up the beach a little ways and set us up a camp.”

Dav’n looked at him, “Sure if you want but I figured we’d just stay on the Independence?”

Dag nodded, “sure but not tonight, for one night I want my feet on solid land”

Dav’n conceded that point then turned back to Starling’s frazzled parents, “If it makes you feel any better, I lost my temper with her so she probably isn’t real happy with me. Also I left her with Ivy and Lilly, they are taking care of her and they’ve both been plenty pissed at me for some reason lately. I’m sure they’ll have her convinced to come home. Who knows they might all three decide they’d rather be over here.” With that he turned back to the boat to collect what was needed for camp.

Dag turned back from watching him walk out of ear shot and smiled just a bit, “My boy has a lot to learn yet, but he’s right about one thing. I left her with Ivy and Lilly sos they could decide his future. I don’t know what the three of them will cook up but,” he looked at Card and grinned a bit, “as married men we know that what ever they decide he’ll end up doing.” That earned him a rueful snort from Card and a chastising smirk from Belle. “Either way, it should put an end to these stunts. I left word with Fawn and Saelin to keep an eye on things and I think I heard muttering from Trill and Sabin before I left the cabin, poor kids”

This brought a bark of honest laughter from both parents, “Sounds like you are taking good care of her.”

Dag smiled, “She’s a fine young woman. She’s in good hands. So I figure we come up with enough excuses to spend a couple of days here, then I take either or both of you there and find out what fate awaits my poor clueless son.”

Over the next couple of days Dag and Card made excuses about what needed to be done before they could go pick up Starling. Dag worked on helping Belle and Cherry lay in some healing herbs and medicines. Card asked Dav’n for some help building up some drying racks for fish, and then there was a small shed for keeping the wet off of the farm tools. Plenty of time just Card and Dav’n working and talking about just about everything. Card even tried to run his daughter down a couple of times but Dav’n jumped to her defense, taking the blame and shielding her. Card hid his smile and went back to work.

Three days later, Card and Belle were loaded on the Independence, and after a few last minute orders to the twins, everyone was headed back to check on Starling. Fawn was waiting for them at the beach with a broad smile. Hugs and greetings exchanged all around. “She’s fine she’s walking and talking. She is with Ivy and Lilly up with Sabin and Mamma, helping card coconut fiber to make more rope.”

Dag took Fawn into his arms, it had really been too long of a trip. “Dav’n take these good folks up to see their daughter and your ma and I will join you in just a bit.” Dav’n went plodding up there hill, Card and Belle anxiously following hand in hand.

Fawn nuzzled in, “you playing matchmaker old patroller?”

Dag smelled her hair and felt her soft and warm there with him, it was good to be home. “Well not so much that as just saving time. Things gotta get hashed out and Dav’n was just going to muck them up while it happened. He likes to think he’s in charge and while they do all three dote on him, when it comes to things like this, they make these decisions. So I put them together and got him out of the way doing something useful if it does work out.”

She cuddled in tight, “Oh it’ll work out. Though if I know our boy, he’s going to go up there to help her pack and that will just have him staring down a united front.” she couldn’t help but giggle. “I should have warned him, but it’s kind of like me seeing them on Drum Head Island, some things need to happen. Suppose we can slip back into the cabin of the boat for just a bit?”

He smiled, “Thought you’d never ask.”

Well Fawn knew her son, and while he was polite and apologetic he did exactly what Fawn said he would. All but offered to help her pack, and it went over about like Fawn thought it would. By the time they walked up the hill they could hear from the little hut on the left, Sabin’s voice “You children have a home here go to it, your grounds are all a mess.” Trill finished the dismissal, “And if you wake up little Berry before her mamma gets back, I’ll have your hides.”

Dag, and Fawn passed the four grumpy youngsters as they left, and got inside in time to watch all four of those remaining struggling to smother their laughter. “See it went about as we expected?”

Sabin caught her breath, “Dag you got a good one there, she called it almost word for word.”

The six of them sat around and had some tea and caught up on the latest news. Dag occasionally would extend his groundsense just enough to check on the roiling boiling grounds from the large house on the right side of the road. When his attention would return Fawn would just raise an eyebrow at him, “oh still at it. Seems our boy isn’t as smart as he thinks.” Dag shook his head, “Surrender now son and accept your fate, it’s been almost as kind to you as it was to me.” he hugged his Spark up a little closer.

Card couldn’t help but ask, “Doesn’t he want to marry her? He sure jumped to her defense the few times I purposely tried to tear her down in front of him.”

Belle giggled, “Of course he did. He’s just fighting to make sure it’s what they all really want.”

Sabin snorted, “Partly, and partly because he just is stubborn, gets it from his father I hear.”

Dag took the ribbing with his usual bland look. His family was safe and growing. He had Arkady back so they could experiment some more with magery. Things were going to be ok as long as war didn’t flare up on the mainland, and he really couldn’t stop them if they really wanted to fight it out.

Late in the afternoon of the next day, the four made their appearance. Dag noticed their grounds had changed, and smiled. Dav’n drew up his courage and walked over to Card and Belle, “Sir, I’d like to ask for your blessing to marry your daughter.”

Card smiled inwardly, he sure did look nervous. “Would it matter?” Card asked with a grin.

Dav’n nodded soberly, “To her joining my family, no sir. It WOULD matter to me though, and also to her.”

Card hesitated stamping down the temptation to keep him roasting for a little while longer but Belle just ruined any chance of that by giving him a big hug. Dav’n smiled but except for a brief moment to readjust to his new mother-in-law hugging him never broke eye contact with Card. Card grinned, “Welcome to the family son.”

A relieved smile and handshake later, “Card, I know bride gifts are our custom, and she should have them. I’ve spent my silver on our house. I have horses in foal and some things saved back from our trip to the mainland...”

Card laughed, “Oh Dav’n stop. Please just stop. You saved her from the sea. You saved us all from Graymouth. You took us to our new home. What more could a little bit of silver possibly mean? The only thing I want from you now, is grandkids.”

That brought gales of laughter from most of those in the crowd, the four of them just got a bit red faced. “Um, we were talking about it. I still have things to do on the mainland and don’t want to abandon pregnant wives to do it. Nor will I take them along into what can only be very harsh conditions...”

Dag, held up his hand to stop him before he rambled on. “Another time and we’ll discuss it. You’ve got a Father and three Tent-Fathers to lean on for help and guidance. For now celebrate your newly larger family and try not to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders.”

Chapter 34

Supper was fantastic. Everyone was talking about how far things had come over the last three years. Dav’n was telling about the city they had explored when Ivy said, “I hate it when you put on that ground-shield. Every time you do it makes your string itch on my arm.”

Lilly said, “I kinda like it because then I know he’s trying to be safe, instead of doing something crazy”

Ivy snorted, “Like a ground-shield is going to keep him from doing something foolish”

Dav’n said, “Hey it protects me from the Blight, and you know what that can be....” He didn’t finish the statement but got an odd look on his face.

“Dav’n you ok, honey are you there?” Starling was looking worried.

“Shh shh shh... give me a second.” he snapped, he was thinking furiously there was an idea and it was a big one but it was just outside of his reach.

Ivy was offended on Starling’s behalf, “hey you can’t just talk ...”

Dav’n slammed his hand down on the table, “That’s IT! Oh ho ho, that’s it!” he was laughing and standing up dancing around like a crazy person. “Oh I marry smart women!” and went around kissing all three very confused ladies.

Dag yelled “DAV’N!!” in what Fawn called his Captain Patroller voice.

Dav’n stopped and looked at all the confused looks he was getting from around the table, and he smiled big. “This may even be better than Ground-Cages! Oh you all heard what they just said didn’t you?”

Lilly shook her head, “He got this look right before charging after a Malice with an untested bit of groundwork.”

Starling said plaintively, “Tell me he’s not planning anything foolish, I’m not even officially married yet, too soon to be a widow.”

Dav’n was still dancing from foot to foot, “Oh no baby matter of fact this might make those suicide style charges less likely”

Sabin did bland well, maybe even better than Dag, “So is this new dance part of it or is that just to keep the rest of us questioning your sanity?”

Dav’n blushed. “Ok Da, I’m going to ask you a question but don’t answer me in words, just blink once for no and twice for yes. Do you want more mangoes?” Dag looked confused but blinked once. Dav’n laughed manically, “Sabin? Did Da want more mangoes?”

Frustrated now she snapped, “NO!”

“How did you know? He didn’t say anything.”

“He only blinked once.” she was rapidly losing patience with this game.

“EXACTLY, Shield on, shield off. Or if he did shield on and off and then on and off again. Most importantly anyone able to read Ma’s wedding cord would have known the answer even if he had been all the way on the mainland.” Still seeing confused looks, “Belle! You’ll understand how important this is, how much would you have given to be able to call for help when you couldn’t find Starling?”

All of a sudden mayhem broke out as everyone realized what he’d just discovered. “Hey hey, it’ll take some work to figure out how to use it, but...”

Arkady and Dag were already nodding, this could be done! Things were certainly looking up for the new little island society.

END BOOK 2