Wheeling Gull Isle when we're young we set our hearts upon some beautiful idea

Well, this wouldn't do.  She checked on the children — one, two, three, four — and made sure Maegi was content remaining in charge (although she probably wasn't).  She slipped in and allowed them to suckle for some time before she grew anxious about the newcomer's distance.

But Blondine, too, had been nervous around children — she figured that it was probably something like that and nothing so insidious as being cursed.  She emerged from the den after the children had fed and shook the dirt from her pelt.  'Io began to walk towards one of the island's more scenic territories that she'd come to learn was christened Coaltree Rise, hoping that maybe this would entice the newcomer.