Dragon Fire - Book 2 [discontinued due to rewrite]

Chapter 7

Gwinn stumbled as quick as she could down the stairs,

"I cannay find her" she called breathlessly,

"She aint here" replied Eva or Estelles (she could never tell their voices apart),

"Check all the rooms! Check the fields!" she shouted to the rest of the sleeping household, to little effect,

"So shes up an gone, so what?" said Eva contemptuously, sticking her head out around the doorway to her and Estelle's room,

"Shes not fully recovered ya silly girl!" Gwinn shouted at her, "get yer brothers up an search everywhere",

Eva pouted and bustled off haughtily, she made her way down the corridor banging on every door she passed.

A few moments later Oska poked his messy orange head out of his door, blinking in the weak candle light,

"Ma? Its nay light outside yet" he yawned,

"The girls nay in er room! Put some clothes on an go find er!" she ordered, he retreated grumbling,

She turned towards the front door in time to see Simeon amble through, looking tired and grim.

"Dear! Marcie is gone from her room! I have roused the boys to search for er!"

Rather than look alarmed, Simeon merely shook his head, "Let em sleep a little longer love" he said, placing a calming hand on her cheek, "I heard er leave and followed"

"Yea did?" Gwinn asked relieved, "Where did she go?"

Without speaking he took her hand and led her out of the house, the sound of many sleepy grumbles followed them.

Simeon led Gwinn round the back of the property. The sky was lightening slowly and the forest stood as a black wall against the pre-morning glow.

Gwinn clutched her husbands hand, "She did nay go back" she said incredulously, staring at the inky depths of the forest,

Simeon shrugged his broad shoulders,

"Not to the village, but maybe she cannay live away from the trees" he said thoughtfully,

"It nearly killed her" Gwinn whispered,

Simeon put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, "Maybe she will come back to us" he said into her hair, she nearly wept.

It seemed they stood there for an age.

Then there was a rustle of dry leaves.

Simeon thrust Gwinn behind him and palmed his knife, dropping into a crouch.

After a moment, Marcie emerged from the dark trees. She stopped when she saw them standing there and her eyebrows rose in surprise.

On her back was a large pack and strapped to it was a bow and quiver as well as several fat rabbits.

If she had been one of her children, Gwinn would have slapped her in the face for scaring her so. As she was a grown woman she escaped with an angry look and scathing tone of voice,

"Why did you run off girl?!" she asked as Simeon rose from his crouch, his eyebrows drawn down angrily,

"I had to get my stuff, and I caught you some dinner" she said sheepishly,

"Without tellin a soul?!"

Marcie blinked, then her mouth set in a straight line, she hoisted her pack higher,