Chapters of a Life: There's no place like home

6

The sound of the cart on the river rock echoed in the canyon. Finally, they had arrived, I hung back to see if any of the Apache had tagged along. "Meg got any extra tails?" I sent her way.

"Nope only the ones on our butts", she sent back with a giggle.

Rolling my eyes I headed down to meet my pack. "Niall how did it go", I ask stepping from around a boulder.

Luke's eyes darted to me, "Yer dead", he stays trying to grasp what he see's in front of him.

Stepping in front of him my wolf addresses his wolf, "What has he done."

His wolf has ascended and bows his head before us, "He has told his Alpha of yer death. We were followed but they lost us in the fog of the fifth morning. When the warriors came back and said you were dead they took them at their word and took that information back to the pack."

"Are they still following us?"

"No, once they heard you were dead they had to go back to get close enough to link the Alpha."

"Niall", was all I had to say for Luke to drop like a stone.

"How bad is it?" Alastar asks.

"Edgar, how do you feel?" I move over to squat down next to him as he sits by the river.

"I feel stupid for trusting him. I'm an old wolf I should be smarter than this. Forgive me", he asks as he bows and holds my hand.

"No it is I who asks yer forgiveness, I sent you into danger with a viper for a partner. You did well. I am proud to call you family", I tell him standing up. Offering my hand he accepts and I help him up. "What did we get?" I hadn't been around the boulder so I had not seen what our trade

"Ooo, they are gonna love us back home. Come see," says Meg grabbing my hand and pulling me.

Rounding the corner I was flabbergasted. Two large wagons being pulled by two teams of fours stood ready. How in the Goddess had they got these? Looking back at Niall he laughed, "They really wanted those arrows ya made." He leaned over and pushed my bottom jaw up. "Well come on yer not gonna see just standin' there."

Gathering my senses I moved forward with Alastar flat out laughing at me.

The first wagon was a loom. "It has many things with it they are in baskets there in the front. I hope Mary wasn't blowin' smoke when she said she knew how to use one of these", Meg says. I am just shocked. Moving to the second wagon it is full of bags and baskets.

"We have seeds from all over, there are things called peppers that burn your mouth without being in a fire", Alastar stays.

"Tomatoes are these red round fruits that are sweet and juicy and come in many colors". Edgar says. I can tell they were a favorite.

Looking at Meg, "What was yer favorite. It was the watermelon they described. It is to be planted in the late summer and comes in in the fall. I can't wait to try one."

Looking at the haul and then at the pack, "I can not speak to the amount of pride I feel today. You were all put in a bad situation by someone whom we had been asked to trust. Not only did you come out alive and well, but also got more than I ever thought possible." I tell them.

"Oh but we are not done", Edgar says taking my arm.

Moving me behind the last wagon and back a ways there stood my stallion with several mares, some sheep and rams, nannies and billies. My legs got weak. "How did you get all of this. Really!" I needed to know.

Laughing Niall gave me a side hug and steered me to the back wagon. Putting me up there he followed as the rest of them also loaded up, Luke had been tied up, his head covered, and thrown in under the loom.