At some point on this walk, Staar had gone off somewhere on his own without telling Tymber. Juni was still following impatiently.
The bell rang and they knew it was time for the next class. Tymber hated that bell. It had a dent in it that made the sound terrible. She remembered when a passing traveler had traded it for an old buckskin.
"Next we have reading and writing." Garth said.
"So we do." Tymber said. She noticed again that he had taken her arm. She must be a convenience; being the only girl in all of the classes. She wasn't sure how to feel about that, but as they walked to the clearing beside her family tent, she remembered what had happened earlier and felt anxious. She had pushed feelings into the butcher's mind -- something she thought she could only do with Staar! It made her wonder just what was possible...