Shorn: Chapter 33

Then Melda was in the mix, crying and hugging too. Kit gave Shorn a look. Shorn put up his hands. The surprises just kept coming, one after another. Moll’s changes in direction were a bit much to keep up with. Humans were always surprising him with their emotions.

“Let’s go check on Daisy,” he suggested. Kit was heading for the barn before the words had left Shorn’s mouth.

Daisy was still lying down, but Shorn could see that she’d eaten some of the hay he put down for her. He figured that was a good sign. He really didn’t know anything about cows.

Kit dropped beside her, petting her forehead. “What’s wrong, Daisy?” Daisy rolled an eye to look at him and sighed. Kit looked up at Shorn. “We have to help her.”

“I don’t know how. I have never taken care of animals, and they do not have cows on my world.”

“Maybe Dale will know. He’s old. He must know lots of things.”

“We can ask him.”

Kit leaned over and gave Daisy a hug. “We can’t let her die.” Tears ran down his cheeks. “We have to help her.”

“We will.” Shorn picked him up. Kit clung to him as he carried the boy out of the barn.

The women had all gone inside the house. Pol came running up.

“I didn’t see her by the swimming hole.”

“She’s back,” Shorn said. “She went to get Moll’s bow.”

Pol frowned. “She should have told me. I’d go with her.”

“She didn’t tell anybody,” Kit said.

Pol saw the tears. “What’s wrong with you? I thought Lysa was back.”

“It’s Daisy. There’s something wrong with her.”

Pol’s expression grew alarmed. “She’s sick? Is she going to be okay?”

The boys ran off to the barn. Shorn went inside. Moll was in her room, the door closed. Melda was sitting at the dining table with Lysa, a stern look on her face.

“I know, I know,” Lysa said, hanging her head. “But I was afraid if I waited until morning, it would be too late. She’d be gone without her bow to protect her. It wasn’t hard. I know the way. All I had to do was follow the road. It was darker than I thought, where she left her bow.” She shivered slightly at the memory. Rascal was curled up in her lap, snoozing. She stroked his back. “It’s good I had Rascal with me. He wasn’t scared at all.” Rascal looked up at the mention of his name, little nose sniffing the air. When he realized no food was forthcoming, he dropped his head and went back to sleep.

“I know you know the way,” Melda said. “That’s not what scared me so. It’s what can happen to you out there. Remember those wolves we saw last winter?” Lysa’s eyes grew wide as she considered this. “What about the catamount track you found by the creek? What if you ran into one of those?”

Lysa swallowed visibly. “I…didn’t really think about that.”

Melda placed her hands over Lysa’s and squeezed. Her smile looked weary. “You’re growing up, Lysa. Faster than you realize. You have to be smart about things.”

“I’m sorry, Mama.”

Melda pulled her into a hug. “I’m just glad you’re okay. How about some breakfast? You must be starving.”

 

In a remarkably short time, Melda had the table covered in food. They all gathered around. Melda insisted on saying a prayer first, expressing her joy that her daughter was home safely.

Everyone dug in. Rascal jumped onto Lysa’s lap and tried to steal some of her food, but she swatted his paw.

“No, Rascal. You know you’re not allowed on the table.”

Rascal trilled sadly.

“You have a whole bowl of food right over there.”

Rascal put a paw on her arm and tried his best sad look.

Lysa shook her head. “It won’t work.”

Rascal huffed and jumped down, waddling sadly over to his bowl.

When the meal was finished, Moll spoke up. She’d been quiet during the meal, watching the boys argue over the last piece of bacon, Ren trying to feed her doll, Rascal haunting the shadows under the table, searching for dropped scraps.

“I’m…sorry for everything, how I acted and all.”

“It’s nothing,” Melda tutted. “After what you’ve been through? I can’t even imagine.”

“Still.” Moll glanced at Shorn, then looked away as if unable to meet his gaze. “I’m really grateful for what you did. I mean that. I won’t forget any of it.”

Shorn dipped his head in acknowledgment.

“I won’t stay too long, I swear. Just a few days. And you can put me to work. I don’t know much about farming, or anything, really, but I can learn.”

Melda pursed her lips. “No.”

Moll’s face fell. “No?”

“You’re not just staying for a few days. It’s still not safe. The slavers could come back.” She looked to Shorn for confirmation.

“The winter snows will be heavy in the mountains between here and Merinoth. It will be difficult to travel over them. By then it should be safe. At least until spring.”

“But I can’t—”

“Yes, you can,” Melda said firmly.

“I can’t take Shorn’s room.”

“I am happy in the barn,” Shorn replied. “I cannot hear Kit’s snoring there.”

“Hey, I don’t snore!” Kit yelled.

“Yes, you do!” everyone replied in unison.

Even Ren chimed in. “You snore bad.”

“It is decided, then,” Melda said, getting up and carrying some plates to the kitchen.

“I can work, anyway. I have to help.”

“Oh, you’ll help. Everybody helps. But not today. You need to rest.”

Moll looked at Shorn. Shorn shrugged. “It is best to agree with her. She does not give up easily.”

“Okay. If you say so.”

Lysa jumped up and cheered.

“Maybe Lysa can show you around today. You’re going to be here a while, you might as well know where everything is.”

“I’d love to,” Lysa said.

“Me too!” Ren yelled. “Me too!”

“We should take Moll to the swimming hole,” Pol said. “Do you like diving? There are rocks to jump off of.”

“I don’t know about diving, but swimming sounds nice.”

“Help me clean up first, and then you can all go,” Melda said.

The twins and Moll started clearing the table enthusiastically. But Shorn noticed that Kit was just sitting there, a look of concentration on his face.

“You are not excited to swim,” Shorn said. “Why is this?”

“I’m worried about Daisy. Are you gonna go talk to Dale today?”

“Yes.”

“Can I come with you?”

“You’ll have to walk. I’m not planning to take the wagon.”

Kit threw his chest out. “I can walk all day.”

“Go put your shoes on. There is no time to waste.”

(If you're interested in reading more of Shorn's story from the time before this current one, go check out Wreckers Gate. It's book one of Immortality and Chaos, the series where we first meet Shorn. I will warn you that he doesn't appear until book 2, though!)