The Names Our Children Will Know

The Children Of Magonalt - Draft One

They left Sorvani the next day. They were headed back west to Magonalt, where Mark told them they could get someone to make books for them for very little. "All he'll want in return is a meal or something," Mark assured them. The trip took very little time compared to the trek to Howling Beach. They were well supplied this time, and even with the prospect of encountering more plague victims the farther north they went, the three of them were more optimistic about surviving now.

They crossed a few familiar rivers before coming to the Westing River that marked the border to The Provinces. From there, they crossed into the Aempt Plains and continued toward Magonalt.

The days had been shortening as they had arrived in Sorvani, but now the trees were beginning to change color, bright greens darkening to vibrant oranges and browns. There were more animals out and around their camps now, more things to hunt. They didn't go hungry. The weather turned cold the day before they arrived back in Magonalt, coating every blade of grass with shimmering frost and the faintest dusting of snow.

Jordan was so excited that she ran through clumps of long tall grass and reappeared covered in glittering crystals. The sound of her bright laughter filled the air and followed them all the way to the gates of the city.

Mark was the first to enter the city again, his long legs and quick stride taking him ahead of the two girls until he was almost running toward the city gates. Jordan laughed and chased after him, calling for him to wait up.

But Mark flew down the road, passing the city guards, racing through the city, finally skidding to a halt in front of his own front door. He panted, wondering if Martha and Easton would be home, or if they would be at the healer's home.

Tessa and Jordan caught up to him a few minutes later. He was still standing frozen in front of his door, one hand raised as if to knock. He took a deep breath and finally knocked, pushing open the door at last.

And was met by a fearsome snarl.

Two werians bounded forward on four legs, a growl in their throats and their long, gleaming claws extended. They burst out into the cold sunshine and landed on Mark, knocking him back. He caught the two large cats in his arms and staggered back to keep from falling over. He winced when the two of them stretched his stitches, even though everyone else had forgotten about them. The two huge cats were purring so forcefully that Tessa could barely believe that Mark was holding both of them.

One of them draped itself over his shoulders, and the other curled up in his arms. They transformed at the same time into a pair of small eight year old children.

Martha giggled. "You're back!" She shifted so that she was sitting on his shoulders.

Easton rolled out of Mark's arms and said, "Look what we can do now!"

Jordan and Tessa looked suitably impressed. "You can transform already?" Jordan wondered. "I wish I could."

Martha and Easton stopped chattering with Mark long enough to stare at Jordan. "Does that mean you can't?" They wanted to know.

"Jordan's a bit of a late bloomer," Tessa answered for her sister. "She's stuck with a werian that doesn't transform much anymore and a flyant that can't transform at all." She gestured to herself. "But she'll catch on eventually."

"We didn't know when you were coming back," Martha said when they were all inside. "And there were more plague victims close to the city. One of them even made it all the way to the gates, even!"

"I was scared," Easton admitted. "We did the only thing we could think of, to stay inside and practice. We had to keep safe."

"What did you do?" Martha wondered.