“Just so we don’t have to weed.”
When we pushed our way through the main room doors, the room was empty and the breakfast dishes waited. It had been a hectic morning. I didn’t know who to thank for getting up early to make the oatmeal. It wasn’t Mary. I’d pulled her from her bed so she could come with me to greet the new family.
I went to the stove and saw someone had been kind enough to put a pot of water there. It was already boiling. Mary and I got to work. Before we had half the dishes clean, Rilla and Ann joined us with their children. Together, we finished the dishes quickly.
Leif walked in from outside as we stacked the dried plates and bowls. In his arms, he carried a bunch of the reeds.
“If you’re finished with the trough, can I use it? Weaving works better if we keep this soft,” he said.
I nodded and watched him set them in the trough. He pumped some water and poured it over them.
“Ready?” he said with a smile.
“What are you doing?” Rilla asked, curiously eyeing the leaves.
“Leif is going to teach us how to make baskets so we can store things,” Mary said.
“I would love to learn that, too,” she said. Leif handed her several of the leaves and took a few more himself. They brought them over to the table.
“We’ll need to spread out to have enough space to work, but let me show you how to start.”
Before I could join the rest at the table and watch Leif, Gregory came in from outside.
“Not you two,” he said looking at Mary and me. “We’re going back to the marsh.”
Mary and I both groaned.
“What you brought back was a good start,” Leif said. “But we’ll need more to make enough baskets to store what’s in that garden. If you pick enough, we can make mats for the floor, too. And bring back whatever tops you can. It makes a soft stuffing.”
Gregory held the door, waiting while Mary and I shared a look. We’d both slept deeply because of the day before. I hadn’t asked her how her back felt, but the idea of spending another day doing the same thing made me want to run for my room. I was willing to bet she felt the same way.
Yet, going back to the marsh meant mats for people to sleep on and possibly stuffing for the pillows she and I had just talked about—Leif had probably overheard us. Making this place into a home would take some work, back-breaking, sweat-inducing work.
“Come on,” I said with a sigh.
Together, we walked out the door.
On the ground just outside, I saw two finished baskets. One was the baby’s and the other Leif must have made the night before. Mary picked up both and started following Gregory across the clearing.
I took two steps, then I found myself swept up from behind. I squealed and automatically wrapped my arms around Thomas’ neck. My pulse jumped as he grinned down at me.
His boyish smile and the amusement pouring from him warmed me.
“Ready?” he asked.
In his arms, I felt like I was ready for anything. I nodded, and he ran.
* * * *
When I would have kicked off my shoes and stepped into the cattails, Thomas stopped me.
“It’s getting too cold for you to do that. You stay here and stack what we pick.”
Stacking the fronds the three of them pitched onto dry ground wasn’t very hard; but within an hour, my back wanted to quit. I stretched, twisting this way and that, in an effort to relieve the ache.
“Ready to stop?” Thomas asked. Mud smeared his arms up to his elbows as he stood calf-deep in cold water. His pants were rolled up to his knees.
“We were never ready to start,” Mary grumbled. She and Gregory were similarly dirty and standing in the water. Gregory moved over to her and gently rubbed her shoulders. I watched her sag against him.
“Yes, I think we have enough for today,” I said.
Cattail tops filled both baskets, and a very large stack of leaves waited beside them. If Thomas carried me, it would leave more for Gregory and Mary to carry.
“I know I’m slow, but I think I’d like to walk back,” I said. Hopefully the walk would loosen up my back muscles.
No one argued with me, and we worked together to tie the leaves into bundles. Gregory and Thomas carried the majority. I managed the last two bundles while Mary carried the baskets. When we had everything in our arms, Mary and Gregory took off, running ahead. Thomas and I walked through the trees.
Again, I wondered if I was doing enough to make the buildings into a place where people would want to live. Were pillows, mats, and clothes enough? Would it sway the rest of the pack when they returned?
“Have you heard from them?” I asked. He didn’t ask who I meant.
“They don’t contact me. But I did let them know about Ann and Leif’s daughter. I think they sent the new family, too, by sharing that news.”
“How’s your head? It hasn’t seemed to bother you since they left.”
His gaze softened as he glanced at me.
“It’s been better since they left. One or two of them tests my hold daily but the rest of the time it’s tolerable.”
“Do they know about me?”
He shook his head.
“You asked me not to say anything. I won’t. But others might. It’s only a matter of time.”
I frowned, worried. What would happen when they found out?
“I can feel your concern, Charlene. It will be all right. Even if they do find out, they’ve separated into smaller groups to spread out and cover more territory. They won’t be able to cause trouble until they’re back together, here.”
That worried me more. With Bine living in town and most of Thomas’ pack leaving daily to look for work, it left very few to help Thomas if the need arose. At least he kept Gregory close. Then I realized there was one person I hadn’t seen at all since Claiming Thomas.
“Where’s Grey?” I asked.
Thomas sighed and looked off into the trees. “He worries as much as you do. He’s left the pack so there’s one less rope to hold.”
“What?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
“It’s not as bad as it sounds. He’s with Winifred. They’re preparing him to be an Elder.”
“Elder Grey?”
He nodded. Though his expression was blank, I felt the wave of sorrow that consumed him.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong. Grey is doing what he has always done, sacrificing his future for the future of someone else. Only this time, his sacrifice will benefit all of us, not just me.” He caught my confused look. “Being an Elder means you serve the people, never yourself. He can never have a Mate once he becomes an Elder. If he even thinks about it, he’ll die. He’ll never have cubs...”
I’d lived with them long enough to know a Mate and cubs were at the top of every man’s mind. To give that up to protect not only his brother but me and the future of his people was humbling.
I shifted the bundles in my arms and reached out, gently touching Thomas’ shoulder. “Tell Winifred to thank him for me.”
Thomas nodded. We walked together in silence for several meters before I heard a rustling ahead. Gregory and Mary ran toward us. Mary wore an amused smile. Gregory ran just a few steps back and to her side, keeping an eye on her.
They stopped in front of us, and without a word, Gregory took Thomas’ load. Mary held out her arms for mine.
“You don’t have to,” I said.
“Tub’s half full,” she said, “and there’s more water hot on the stove. If you hurry, you can have the tub first. Take too long, and it’s mine.”
I surrendered what I carried and looked up at Thomas as they took off running. There was only one way to hurry back.
Thomas opened his arms.
* * * *
I leaned back in the hot water, sighing yet again. It was heaven. My sore back didn’t feel sore anymore, and my hair no longer smelled like marsh.