After a good meal and some stories told about their village in Nassina, they all settled in for what they expected to be a chilly night. There were seven of them, so three would bed down in a tight circle around one fire and the other four would repeat the arrangement around the other fire. Last words were exchanged and jokes told about how Zinia and Chala were faring with a houseful of youngsters, as each of the travelers dropped out of the conversation and off into sleep.
Dravo was awake when the first rays of the sun probed the dark sky on his right. He enjoyed this part of the day. The only sounds were from birds and small animals, with the occasional whistle of a breeze, and the quiescence gave him time to think. He knew that this day would be easier for them since they had already s
