Murdock sat at the fire thinking. All of them had escorted Reed to the general area of his cave having immediately concluded their negotiations. When they left, they set a course for the ridge straight downriver from Rogers’ group. Everyone was still in shock of what they heard from Reed.
“Now what do we do?” Heather asked. “Do we escort Wagner home, or do you have something else in mind?”
“I’ve checked all the waterskins and we are in dire need of water,” Wagner said as he came in close to the fire. “Sorry, things didn’t go as you planned. I was hopeful, but that’s how it goes sometimes.”
“Can I ask what your group needs?” Murdock asked.
“We barely made it through the winter,” Wagner explained. “I like to froze to death trying to take a deer just before the end of winter. Food wise, w
