Ravenwood by Nathan Lowell Page A

realized what had happened. She closed her eyes and took deep, slow breaths to steady herself further. When she opened her eyes and saw the basket of bread and cheese on the table, she remembered that while the village was isolated–barely developed as a place at all–she was not alone. The people who lived in the huts around her had wintered here four times already and were cheerfully heading into a fifth. Her moment of doubt and fear subsided and the rabbit boiled over a bit, forcing her to focus on the here and now to adjust the pot hanger. She wanted the rabbit to simmer, not boil and that homely task centered her more.
    “Foolishness, old woman.” She berated herself for succumbing to self-doubt and anxiety even as she recognized the mood swing as a normal part of her life. She sighed aloud and set about getting her supplies in order to deal with it. “And you thought this was going to end sometime soon?” She chuckled to herself and shook her head.
    Still, she thought another cooking pot would be nice.
    With things arranged for her monthly reminder of mortality from the All-Mother, she found herself once more at loose ends and looking about her for something to do. She’d not had to deal with idleness in over twenty years. There was always something to do, something to learn, something to find or prepare or mend. She realized that part of her restiveness was the result of needing something to keep her hands busy. She would need a gathering basket for foraging in the woods, and wondered where to get the materials to make one.
    Thinking of the forest also reminded her that she had a pocketful of chestnuts. She dug them out and lined them up near the fire to roast, stabbing each one with the tip of her belt knife before putting it on the hearth. They’d make a nice accompaniment to the stewed rabbit. With her immediate needs addressed, she slipped out of the cottage and headed for the hut that Thomas and Sadie shared. She could tramp about in the woods herself until she found what she needed, but Thomas already knew the lay of the land.
    She knocked on the door and heard Sadie call “Come in!”
    She swung the door open and peered inside. Sadie was putting the final touches on dinner and Thomas was oiling his boots while the kids played a noisy game consisting largely of rolling around on the floor and crawling under the table and back out again. All activity ceased as she stuck her head through the low door.
    “Mum!?” Sadie seemed flustered that Tanyth should be knocking on her door. “Is something the matter?”
    Tanyth smiled and shook her head. “Not at all! I just wanted to ask your husband some questions about the area.”
    “Me, mum?” It was Thomas’s turn to look startled.
    She turned her smile on him. “Yes, you, Thomas. I’m looking for a stand of cattail, not too far away. Do you know of such a place? Someplace handy you can direct me to?”
    He scratched his chin thoughtfully before replying. “Probably the nearest is up toward the quarry. About a half mile in, there’s a bit of corduroy roadin’ through a damp swale.”
    Tanyth nodded. “Yes, we were there earlier today.”
    Sadie added a quiet confirmation.
    “Follow the swale north, up-hill about two hundred yards. There’s a smallish pond there with a nice stand of cattails, mum.” He hesitated. “Can I ask what you want them for?”
    “Baskets. I need to make some baskets for gathering.”
    “There’s enough there for that, mum. But there are plenty of baskets in the barn, if you need some.” He started to rise. “I can fetch a couple for you if you like, mum.”
    “No, Thomas, but thank you. I just needed to know where to get them.” She smiled and gave a little wave before closing the door again. She looked up at the sky and decided she didn’t really want to be wandering the woods at dusk. The sun wasn’t quite below the treetops but it would be in a matter of minutes. She could hear the men returning from the quarry