I am certain Lone Eagle came near to demanding we live in the village for the remainder of the year, but he made no determined fuss when I returned to Teacher’s Mead. I saw to the livestock we’d brought back and made certain the dogs had survived the winter, fed them, and put them on guard. Then I built two good fires so the house was warm and a meal simmered in the fireplace by the time Lone Eagle arrived home.
“Where’s Otter?” I asked, aware that sometimes he did not appear until the second night.
“I told him to stay away,” my lord and master answered breezily.
“You did what?” I rounded on him with a ladle in my grip. A cold hand grasped my heart as I realized my earlier fears had come to pass.
Surprised, Lone Eagle stuttered. “He…he’s too old to hang around like he does! Have you lo
