butcher?”
Dawn cracked a smile. So at least that part was true. Maybe he hadn’t been spying on her after all. “That is what he said.”
“ Good, good! Well eat up. Classes this morning and then maybe a short trip to the meadow after lunch.”
Dawn nodded and smiled, Maria always did a good job of breaking up the monotony of class work. “Great plan, as always!”
Chapter 8
The afternoon soon slowly rolled by as Dawn sprawled on a picnic blanket and devoured her book. Nearby, Maria and Heather were working on lettering with a chalk and slate. The birds sang long high notes as a few high and mighty clouds finally surrendered to the day’s sun.
Maria suddenly sat upright holding her side and gasped a bit. With no small amount of effort she made it to her feet and breathed deeply.
Dawn was suddenly scared, “Are you all right? What is it.”
Maria smiled at her through some very obvious pain, “It’s okay, sunshine. I think it’s time…”
Dawn was now even more confused and scared, “Time for what?” Suddenly the obviousness of the situation caught up with her and she became very excited, “Oh! The baby!” She madly scooped up her book and tried to quickly fold the blanket. It was a mess, but it got done. She quickly stuffed it along with the slate board in the wicker basket.
“ Don’t worry about that, I’ll send one of the twins back for it.” Maria paused to catch her breath. “Do you feel comfortable going into town right quick for me?”
“ Yes, Maria. Of course, but do you need help getting back to the house?”
Maria made a long low sigh and caught her breath, “No, I’ll be fine this short distance. Get to Rachel there in town and tell here it’s time.”
“ Rachel, the midwife there at the apothecary. Got it!” Dawn turned to run toward town but stopped and turned back to Maria. She gave her a careful but firm hug and then started off again. Running like the wind she quickly crossed the field and turned up the old forest path. Quickly she made it to the stone road and pressed forward ever more excited as time pressed on.
By the time she made it to Rachel, she was well out of breath, barely able to squeak out the simple, “It’s Maria!”
Rachel smiled at the excited youth and informed her she’d be heading that way in less than ten minutes.
With that brief respite, Dawn thanked her and tore off down the road heading back toward the house. She had just turned off the stone road when it hit her. The forest was all wrong. Dawn stopped and looked around. She almost felt lost things were so different. She nervously scanned her soundings trying to figure out what was wrong. Suddenly she had it: there was no forest noise. No birds or squirrels, nothing!
Fear crept up on her in the unnatural quiet and she strained her ears as she cautiously started back down the path. Home was closer than the town, so that was where she headed. As she turned a corner around a very dense set of trees, she saw them!
Two large kartivalds were on the prowl. Looking like a demented cross between a warthog and a bear, they were not to be trifled with. What are they doing here? she thought to herself. They are lowland creatures and shouldn’t be ranging this far out. Her logic was spot on, not unlike someone finding a tiger in Europe, the beasts were just as out of place and just as dangerous.
She slowly started for a tree and then another thought hit her. Rachel would be heading down this very path soon! What to do?
The kartivald caught sight of her and Dawn’s mind was quickly made up for her: up the tree she went! Claws gnashing into the side of the tree she made quick work of the climb and soon found herself on a limb twenty-five feet up.
The largest kartivald was not amused. It charged the tree, smashing into the side with a horrible impact. The tree shook hard, but held its own. Dawn desperately clung to the tree as the beast pounded it again.
There was a crack this time.
Dawn cracked a smile. So at least that part was true. Maybe he hadn’t been spying on her after all. “That is what he said.”
“ Good, good! Well eat up. Classes this morning and then maybe a short trip to the meadow after lunch.”
Dawn nodded and smiled, Maria always did a good job of breaking up the monotony of class work. “Great plan, as always!”
Chapter 8
The afternoon soon slowly rolled by as Dawn sprawled on a picnic blanket and devoured her book. Nearby, Maria and Heather were working on lettering with a chalk and slate. The birds sang long high notes as a few high and mighty clouds finally surrendered to the day’s sun.
Maria suddenly sat upright holding her side and gasped a bit. With no small amount of effort she made it to her feet and breathed deeply.
Dawn was suddenly scared, “Are you all right? What is it.”
Maria smiled at her through some very obvious pain, “It’s okay, sunshine. I think it’s time…”
Dawn was now even more confused and scared, “Time for what?” Suddenly the obviousness of the situation caught up with her and she became very excited, “Oh! The baby!” She madly scooped up her book and tried to quickly fold the blanket. It was a mess, but it got done. She quickly stuffed it along with the slate board in the wicker basket.
“ Don’t worry about that, I’ll send one of the twins back for it.” Maria paused to catch her breath. “Do you feel comfortable going into town right quick for me?”
“ Yes, Maria. Of course, but do you need help getting back to the house?”
Maria made a long low sigh and caught her breath, “No, I’ll be fine this short distance. Get to Rachel there in town and tell here it’s time.”
“ Rachel, the midwife there at the apothecary. Got it!” Dawn turned to run toward town but stopped and turned back to Maria. She gave her a careful but firm hug and then started off again. Running like the wind she quickly crossed the field and turned up the old forest path. Quickly she made it to the stone road and pressed forward ever more excited as time pressed on.
By the time she made it to Rachel, she was well out of breath, barely able to squeak out the simple, “It’s Maria!”
Rachel smiled at the excited youth and informed her she’d be heading that way in less than ten minutes.
With that brief respite, Dawn thanked her and tore off down the road heading back toward the house. She had just turned off the stone road when it hit her. The forest was all wrong. Dawn stopped and looked around. She almost felt lost things were so different. She nervously scanned her soundings trying to figure out what was wrong. Suddenly she had it: there was no forest noise. No birds or squirrels, nothing!
Fear crept up on her in the unnatural quiet and she strained her ears as she cautiously started back down the path. Home was closer than the town, so that was where she headed. As she turned a corner around a very dense set of trees, she saw them!
Two large kartivalds were on the prowl. Looking like a demented cross between a warthog and a bear, they were not to be trifled with. What are they doing here? she thought to herself. They are lowland creatures and shouldn’t be ranging this far out. Her logic was spot on, not unlike someone finding a tiger in Europe, the beasts were just as out of place and just as dangerous.
She slowly started for a tree and then another thought hit her. Rachel would be heading down this very path soon! What to do?
The kartivald caught sight of her and Dawn’s mind was quickly made up for her: up the tree she went! Claws gnashing into the side of the tree she made quick work of the climb and soon found herself on a limb twenty-five feet up.
The largest kartivald was not amused. It charged the tree, smashing into the side with a horrible impact. The tree shook hard, but held its own. Dawn desperately clung to the tree as the beast pounded it again.
There was a crack this time.
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