A Quest for a Pebble

Chapter One

           An owl flew, swift and sure, through the stillness of the mountain pines. It was early morning still and dawn was yet some time off. All was quiet and peaceful, here in the forest, huddled nearly on the very foothills of the Hardstone Mountains. It was early November, and only those things able to move freely escaped a thick application of biting frost. The owl swooped low through the trees, landing in its hollow in an old fir tree. As it closed its eyes and readied itself for sleep, not one but many creatures began to wake.

A certain group of creatures, those whom we are most concerned with, were about to wake quite close to the owl's sturdy fir. This wise old bird was but a few yards off from a large cabin, perhaps a few years old, and a few other buildings. These included a small barn, a forge, used for repairing tools, and an icehouse, more singular with its double-thick walls of mud and stone. Beyond this stood a few dozen acres of cleared farmland, surrounded by split-rail fencing. As you might guess, the specific persons that will be dealt with were the inhabitants of the cabin before mentioned.

On closer examination, the cabin was slightly more impressive. It had several rooms, likely added on after the initial construction, and an upper story, or more accurately an attic loft. Observation through the bottle-glass window on the first floor, though any such was difficult due to the quality of the glass, showed wooden floors, further evidence of its being established some years prior. Such observation also revealed a number of children lying on the floor, evidently fast asleep.

This situation was soon remedied, however. The materialization of an older brother from the loft above quickly roused the young fry, with much squawking and squabbling. The mother also appeared, calming the lot of them down and handing a screaming baby to the eldest girl, who was perhaps fifteen. A meager breakfast was quickly prepared and eaten, and then these younger children, numbering, in addition to those previously mentioned, a young girl and a pair of boys, were dressed and sent out for various chores and duties before too much time had elapsed.

The younger of these boys, probably seven or so, stumbled sleepily out to the barn to milk the cows. There were two of them there, mooing loudly as the boy pushed open the door. The boy's mouth opened into a number of large yawns as the level of milk in the pail steadily rose, the cow peacefully chewing its cud. The other cow was milked likewise, and two pails brimming with warm milk were brought back to the house, narrowly missing being spilled onto the ground several times by the lad.

Towards the back of the house, the two oldest boys began chopping firewood. Though the air was chill and the boys had only a pair of homespun breeches and a thin cotton shirt, they seemed not to mind the cold as the pile of chopped wood leaning against the wall grew. Not far away, chickens squawked loudly as a deal was forcibly made between a nine-year-old girl and themselves, exchanging a few eggs for a breakfast of meal. This they promptly ate, and continued their loud commentary on everything going on around them regardless.

Inside the cabin, the eldest girl calmed the baby while attempting to mend a boy's shirt, and the mother bended over the only bed in the house, pushed up against one wall and inhabited by a man, the father, who breathed in a rather raspy fashion and was bundled up among a great quantity of blankets. The girl looked questioningly at her mother, who shook her head. Frowns were mirrored on each of their faces, and a pair of sighs broke out from the lips of both mother and daughter.

"Mother, what should I do?" This query originated from the nine-year-old, coming in from her duties, and was soon echoed by her younger brother. The mother, a woman with a kindly face but carved with deep lines from trouble and worry, sighed again.