Jeanne G'Fellers - Sister Lost, Sister Found by Jeanne G'Fellers Read Free Book Online

seems to prefer them.”
    Myrla hurried up the hillside and gathered an armful of the aromatic wildflowers. “This enough?”
    “Plenty. Now lay them on top of the meat and shut the box. It’s time we returned home.” Kaelan grasped the half-rotted rope dangling from the shed’s corner. “Get back to the tree line,” she told her daughter. “And keep low.” Myrla obeyed, taking position out of plain sight but visible enough to see her raiser ring the rusting bell at the rope’s top. Kaelan dashed to her side and pulled both their heads inside their green summer cloaks. “We’ll wait and make sure she’s around. I wouldn’t want the meat spoiling before she finds it.”
    “The bell!” Rankil jumped so hard root slices scattered across the porch. “Granny Terry, the bell!”
    “I heard.” Terry rose from the shady front yard bench. “Hope they enjoy the vine fruits. Let’s see what, if anything, they’ve left in return.”
    Rankil danced along beside her, more excited than she could remember. Maybe, if she were watchful, she’d catch a glimpse of one of them. She followed her grandmother through the garden, unable to contain her joy when they reached the smoker shed. Terry rapped her cane on the box lid. “Take a look.”
    Rankil took a deep breath, flipped up the lid, and reached inside. “Flowers!” She placed the bouquet in Terry’s hands. The old woman took a deep sniff and smiled.
    “Blue Hats. My favorite. Bless their kind souls. What else did they send?”
    Rankil unwrapped the meat and pushed her finger into the grain. “Deer meat and it’s so fresh it’s still warm!”
    “We’ll roast it with garden mushrooms and eat it with our beans. What a feast we’ll have tonight!” Granny turned toward the tree line and waved her cane high in thanks. Rankil squinted the same direction but saw nothing.
    “How do you know they’re up there?”
    “Oh, they’re up there, and I bet they’ve seen you.” Terry walked toward the house. “Come along. We’ve work to do.”
    “But—” Rankil ran her hand over her new, shorter hairstyle and looked to the tree line again. “If they see me, why don’t they come talk to me?”
    “Give them time, and they will in their own way.” Terry shuffled around the edge of the shed and into the garden. “Help me uncover the mushrooms so we can get out of this heat.”
    Rankil sighed and turned back, slow to retreat though she knew no contact would be made that day. What could she have said anyway? Did the Taelach speak the same language as the Autlach?
    “Kaelan, did you see?” Myrla rocked back and forth in her hunkered position. “There’s a sister down there around my age! What would she be doing so far away from the clan ranges? Think she’s lost?”
    Kaelan rubbed her chin, confused as well, but enlightened to the dangers. “No, don’t think she’s lost. From what I could tell, she seems to be helping Blind Grandmother. I think she’s misplaced.”
    “Misplaced?” Myrla stared at her raiser. “You mean she’s been raised Aut? But Taelach babies are killed if they aren’t claimed!”
    “Occasionally, one is allowed to live, but I’ve been told it’s a horrible existence. They’re slaved as children. Worse as they grow.”
    Myrla began crawling toward the tree line. “Then we have to rescue her!” Kaelan jerked her back to push a stern finger into her round face.
    “No, not in this manner. I believe she’s safe where she’s at for the present. Blind Grandmother seems to care for her. Besides, if she’s been raised Aut, she won’t know anything of our customs or language. This must be handled delicately.” Lowering her finger, Kaelan regarded her daughter in a kinder manner. Myrla had only wanted to help and that sort of blind courage, while foolish, was commendable. “We’ll discuss our discovery over the evening fire. Recca must know about this sister in need.” Kaelan took a piece of vine fruit from the bag and sliced