February 15, 2024, 10:43 AM
Easy halted them as the drew near to Moontide, an anxious flutter in her chest. She had a premonition, this time one easily interpreted: Sumac would not be here. Still she lifted her voice to call for —
My son!
And waited with her heart in her throat. Then a voice answered, heralding the arrival of a son, but not the one she'd hoped to find here.
"Arjun?" she said aloud, glancing back at her two companions. She had no explanation for this mix-up, but she tried to look as though this didn't worry her when, of course, the bottom had dropped out of her stomach.
"Mother?" Dutch called as he trotted up to the trio. "You didn't tell me you were..." He gawked briefly at her rounded belly before looking up at Spruce and Moonshadow. A bright (if not somewhat strained smile) crossed his features. "Who are your friends?" he asked.
"Moonshadow," said Easy, getting right down to business as she pointed out first the woman, and then the younger man: "And Spruce. We came to visit Anurag — what have you done with him?"
"Ay, woman," said Dutch, "Is one son not as good as the other? I saw him not long ago. He had all his limps and most of his wits about him."
Easy was still trouble, she looked back at her friends, and the back at Dutch, clearly unsure what to do. In turn, her son grew more concerned and, likewise, turned a look on her companions. His eyes lingered, wide and stricken, on Spruce.
"I will go and search for him," said Dutch. "You will be near?"
"Yes," said Easy, and then she watched helplessly as her son swept away.
Easy turned back to Spruce and Moonshadow.
"I'm sorry," she said with feeling. "I know you have traveled far for me. Let's find a place for you to rest your paws — we can hunt later."
The forest was rife with sheltered places to set up camp. Easy settle in near Moonshadow and, looking between them, asked, "Where will you and your son make your den?"
My son!
And waited with her heart in her throat. Then a voice answered, heralding the arrival of a son, but not the one she'd hoped to find here.
"Arjun?" she said aloud, glancing back at her two companions. She had no explanation for this mix-up, but she tried to look as though this didn't worry her when, of course, the bottom had dropped out of her stomach.
"Mother?" Dutch called as he trotted up to the trio. "You didn't tell me you were..." He gawked briefly at her rounded belly before looking up at Spruce and Moonshadow. A bright (if not somewhat strained smile) crossed his features. "Who are your friends?" he asked.
"Moonshadow," said Easy, getting right down to business as she pointed out first the woman, and then the younger man: "And Spruce. We came to visit Anurag — what have you done with him?"
"Ay, woman," said Dutch, "Is one son not as good as the other? I saw him not long ago. He had all his limps and most of his wits about him."
Easy was still trouble, she looked back at her friends, and the back at Dutch, clearly unsure what to do. In turn, her son grew more concerned and, likewise, turned a look on her companions. His eyes lingered, wide and stricken, on Spruce.
"I will go and search for him," said Dutch. "You will be near?"
"Yes," said Easy, and then she watched helplessly as her son swept away.
Easy turned back to Spruce and Moonshadow.
"I'm sorry," she said with feeling. "I know you have traveled far for me. Let's find a place for you to rest your paws — we can hunt later."
The forest was rife with sheltered places to set up camp. Easy settle in near Moonshadow and, looking between them, asked, "Where will you and your son make your den?"