by Candy Rae
The two of them returned to the settlement where Kath was trying to get her new family organised to leave. Matvei was anxious to be off. He moved restlessly from paw to paw as she fastened the youngest of the children they had collected securely to his harness.
Emily and Ilyei, who had volunteered to carry the next youngest and who was already tied on securely in front of her, watched. She leant forward to listen to the little girl’s chatter, a pensive expression on her face. Emily always looked sad these days.
The two oldest were standing beside Kath as she struggled with the buckles, the eldest giving her ‘helpful’ advice: not terribly practical advice if Kath’s expression was anything to go by.
Tara giggled.
: That one is going to be trouble : she intimated to Kolyei as they sauntered towards them.
Kolyei gruff-growled.
The elder girl began to tug at Kath’s tunic.
“Auntie Kath,” Tara heard, “who’s that girl riding that one?”
Kath glanced over her shoulder but before she could answer the elder brother piped up.
“Don’t you know that?” he said in the supercilious manner used by boys to their little sisters from time immemorial. There was a hint of jealousy in his voice as he gazed longingly at Kolyei.
“Bet you don’t know neither,” she taunted.
“I do though,” was his lofty reply.
“Prove it.”
“That’s Kolyei and his girl. They’re famous.”
“Why?”
“Cos they were the first that’s why. Everyone knows that.”
“The first what?”
“Tara was the first of the ‘Children of the Wolves’; that’s what the grown ups call them.”
“Hush,” said Kath. “Don’t tease your sister.”
Tara and Kolyei passed by the small group with identical grins on their faces. Kath looked stressed. Obviously motherhood was proving harder than she had anticipated.
Kolyei desisted from making one of his usual wicked comments although he was thinking them aplenty.
Tara giggled again. She didn’t think Kath was in the mood for any wisecracks right now.
* * * * *
