Valley of Gold It could be worse, I could be taking you there with me

she thought of their few material possessions, of the earthly things they had. she would have traded the entire valley of gold for her mother's health. she thought of the fresh rabbit dusty had brought them that morning, but knew they couldn't spare the food.

explore it was, then — though it would take plenty of effort from all three of them to yield something more than barren earth.

in a rare moment of secondhand pride, dahlia beamed for her sister. you lead then, petal. we'll know it when we see it. we'll come up with something together.