Just Another Day

For several days the clan would walk many miles during the day and huddle together at night. The horses and people would drop their burdens for a sleep before they were loaded up again the following morning.

Dai was not explicitly with the clan. He and his family kept a short distance from them. Soon enough, it was time for him to leave the Heyen behind and return to Wynfall. Anoki and Kadin were bid goodbye as Zihna and Eru followed Dai to the city.

Wynfall was just a stony blip on the horizon after a few days' travel, but Zihna was vigilant in seeing that the cubs did not transform back to their natural state. She often walked beside her horse and let the cubs take turns riding Calamri. She had very few belongings tied to her horse as Anoki was often charged with seeing after the tipi they shared.

As the great stone walls of the city loomed above them, Dai prepared to say farewell to his wife and son for a few days. He would have to herd the Urych on to the stockyards as his wife sought out his mother, Mrs. Birchfield.

Iris Birchfield always welcomed her family with open arms and looked forward to their arrival every year. Her son's income afforded her to live comfortably and she saw to it they were well fussed over during their stay.

Dai spent his days reviewing the other herds and solving their problems. While he had his own herd, he was over many other herds who had invested in his family's cattle. His nights were spent with his family. He especially enjoyed reading stories to his son.

Eru and Shanku did not enjoy their days as much. To start with, they had to dress in clothes they were not used to. It itched and pinched, it was stiff in many places, and perhaps worst of all it covered their backs. Should they have needed their wings, it would have been painful to shift back to their natural forms. With all the layers of clothing they had to wear, it would have been downright impossible to remove them all in time so they could freely use their wings. Zihna did her best to teach them how to rely on their dulled senses and to read their surroundings so they would not be caught by surprise as often and would know how to avoid potentially dangerous situations.

Mrs. Birchfield hired a tutor to oversee them. Master Woodstock lectured them from morning to afternoon on histories, theories, and many other things that bored Shanku to no end. Eru was not very entertained either. When not being instructed by Master Woodstock, they were tasked to many chores around Mrs. Birchfield's home to teach them responsibility. Mrs. Birchfield also saw to it to teach both of the cubs how to sew and knit.

"Cookin' and cleanin' all day long!" Shanku complained roundly to Eru one chilly afternoon as she carried a basket of dirty laundry.

"Except for school in the mornings," Eru sighed as the window he was cleaning squeaked.

"And why do I have to wear this thing?" Shanku growled as she tripped over the hem of her skirt once more. "I hate dresses!"

"Wynfall is a strange place," Eru frowned. He didn't much care for his clothes either. They were tight and scratchy, and at times he wasn't sure if he or Shanku was covered in the most layers.