Chapter 2

I'm going to be beaten for this, thought Tymber. She imagined what they would do to her first. Maybe she'd get the belt. If she was very bad, they'd give her the ride. She remembered back when she was younger. Neolyn had let all the hounds off their tethers in the winter. The best of the hounds and then some ran onto the lake and fell through the ice, losing the tribe what help they had of finding food in the winter. They only had a few dogs left, and not enough to find food. After the winter supply ran out, the tribe almost starved and two young children were lost. Neolyn blamed the whole thing on Bron. Bron got the ride; they strapped him to the back of a horse and then dragged him all through the village and neighboring forest. Tymber shuddered when she thought of the scars all over his body; the limp in his leg; his terrible posture and the crippling pain he will forever endure. She started to shake. Staar licked her hand and growled at the approaching crowd.
"Tymber." The bulky man said in a low grumbling voice. It was the butcher.
Maybe they planned to chop her into little pieces! What pain would they make her endure?! Tymber could barely stand it. "Y-yes.." Tymber replied shakily.
"Presta the Elder would like to see you." The butcher said in his scary voice. The crowd looked at eachother and smiled slyly.
Presta the Elder! She never calls on anyone! Presta was the oldest of the Elders, and the wisest. She never left her tent and no one but her granddaughter was allowed in to tend to her. Tymber tensed as the people pushed her through the crowd and to the front. Staar snarled and curved his body so he was between Tymber and the crowd. People tensed and moved back. Staar trotted alongside Tymber the rest of the way. Tymber was happy to have his presence, but was terrified that she would lose him forever. Presta the Elder...It was all so much. Why would the old one want to talk to her? She must have done something very bad. She remembered the looks on the faces of everyone the night before. Maybe it was because she had gone to the festival. But she wasn't just going to stand by and let everyone think she'd taken longer than she actually had. She wanted to let them know that she was there with her spirit bond. And now she'll pay the price. Presta the Elder will surely be angry that Tymber disobeyed the ancient custom and condemn her to death. And after all she'd been through; finally getting her spirit bond, and only having him for a day, and now she'll die and leave him behind forever. And then Staar may die too. It is rare that anyone, man or animal, survives the death of his bond. Tymber felt Staar's anxiousness. He must have felt Tymber's fear and maybe even seen the images of death and childhood memories floating through Tymber's head.
They made it to the village. People stood around in silence. All of them stared at Tymber warily. Mothers put their arms around their children and made as if to shoo them into their tents, but couldn't help but look at the girl and her wolf walking along to the middle of the village.
"Oy! Looky what you're in for now, sister!" Tymber looked up and saw Neolyn astride a horse with her spirit bond at it's hooves. "Always knew you were a trouble maker! Oh well. Guess there's only room for one brat in a family."
"Glad it's you and not me." Tymber said quietly.
"Why you little...I oughta..." Neolyn got off her horse and with a confident stride, marched over to Tymber. If it wasn't for Tymber being pushed into Presta's tent, she might have met Neolyn's fist.
I would have stopped her, Staar told her.
"I'm sure you would have." Tymber said dizzily. She focused her eyes and saw herself sprawled out on a soft bear hide inside Presta's spacious tent. She quickly and clumsily gathered herself up and knelt in front of the Elder who sat on the other side of her small table.
"Stand up." The Elder's voice was surprisingly loud. Tymber stood up straight. "You aren't very tall. How tall are you?"
"Five and four, Elder."
"That tall?" Her eyes widened. "You don't look it." She motioned with her hand for Tymber to turn sideways. "Lift up your shirt." Tymber lifted her shirt up to her ribs. "You are very thin. Does not your family feed you?"
Tymber nodded. "S-s-sometimes m'Elder. Sometimes there isn't enough food and it is given to my sister."
"Your sister is Neolyn Infer?" Presta asked.
Tymber nodded and recognized the word "infer;" the last name given to a child who's parentage isn't known. In Tymber's and Neolyn's case, their father. "That is right Elder."
"I see." She looked puzzled for a moment. "Why do they not feed you and let her go hungry instead?"
Tymber thought a moment. "I suppose because she is bigger than me, and stronger."
"I know many things about this tribe, and I know that Neolyn Infer does not put in her share of work a pinch as much as you do. Not only that, but she is a trouble maker and deserves what may come to her." She turned around and dug through a bag. She pulled out some bark and wrote something on it with a quill and some reed ink. "Give this to your caretaker Berta." Presta handed Tymber the bark. Tymber stood there, waiting. "Well go child!"
Tymber put the bark in her pocket and she and Staar left the tent. She looked up and her eye met Neolyn's fist.

Tymber woke up in her tent. She was laying in her bed and her eye hurt something terrible. She looked over and saw Neolyn sprawled in her blankets, being tended by Berta and some other women. One of the women looked at Tymber. "Well, it's fine enough that you're up to see what your evil mongrel has done to your sister." Neolyn moaned as if for effect. "Oh hush dearie;" the woman cooed, '' you'll be up and around again soon. Poor dear." She shook her head.
Berta's eyes slitted. "And as for you, you will care for your sister. You will do anything she tells you to do. After all, it is your fault."
"What happened to my eye?" Tymber asked, rubbing it.
"Your eye!" Another woman gasped. "Why your sister is mauled by a discusting mutt, and all you can think about is yourself!"
"You deserve that for all you're worth." Berta said angrily. "Too bad it wasn't you who was ripped to shreds, then maybe we could have got some work done around here."
Tymber yawned. She was so tired and her head hurt that she couldn't think properly. "Well, I suppose if you call what she does 'work.' "
"Why you little bitch!" Berta screamed. "How can you look so much like your mother when you act nothing like her at all?! Nothing! Go right this minute and scrub down every inch of Neolyn's new mount."
"Mount?" Tymber asked.
"That's right! She found her spirit bond first, and she got the prize! That horse is The Red's foal, bred last spring. Still young, and full of heart, and suitable for a leader. Not a little beggar brat like you!" Berta screamed, exasperrated. "When your sister wakes up, you will tend to her every need. And the needs of Cerber."
"Cerber?" Tymber inquired.
"Oh, for the Gods' sakes, will you stop asking questions?!" Berta yelled. "Neolyn's spirit bond, the mountain lion!"
As if for effect, the large cat prowled through the open tent door. It was the first time Tymber noticed Staar beside her. His lips curled up and he started to growl. Cerber crouched low and his ears went back as he hissed. He slunk over to where Neolyn lay.
"Get out! Now!"
Tymber pulled her hand away from her eye and propped her body up. The women all watched her as she left the tent and Neolyn opened her eyes and smiled wickedly at her.
The horse was tied to a tree outside. He was still tacked. Tymber wondered how long he'd been left in such a state. She felt the wet under the leather and decided it was time to give him a cool rinse. Staar quietly followed her in mock anticipation for what was to come. They came to the creek in the forest where the the horses were commonly brought over to drink and rest. It was bare, and probably unused for some time, as horses were a rarity among the tribe. No one there had fair training experience, and the horses were often terrible behaved. When they got too saucy for anyone to handle, they were sometimes sold to passing travelers or otherwise beaten, slaughtered, or tied to starve; for punishment. Tymber wondered how this horse had made it so far. Already over a year old. Not a gelding either. He must be a calm one. He wickered as she pulled off his tack.
What do we do with him now? Staar asked.
"We let him drink and cool off." Tymber answered.
Why?
"He's thirsty and terribly overheated." Tymber replied. She noticed Staar kept quiet, but seemed dissappointed that he'd now have to work for his dinner.
You forgot something. Staar said.
"Did I?"
Yes. The bark that the old one gave you.
"Oh my, Presta's note! And here I'd forgotten all about it.." She pulled the bark out of her pocket and looked at the blotched ink. Pushing her blonde hair back, she made out the words.
She was the only woman in the tribe who knew how to read, aside from the Elders. Her friend Race had insisted that she learn. She missed Race. She remembered when the Elders decided it was time for him to leave. Nobody knew why. Maybe he'll come back one day. I can show him how well I read now. Tymber thought.
It was difficult to read the ink because it had spread and was smudged because it didn't have time to dry. She read it aloud:

"For the next week, Tymber Infer will get Neolyn Infer's share of food. She will rest and Neolyn will take over all of Tymber's chores. Tymber will be given the stallion, and will participate in her schooling on the after morrow."

Tymber could barely believe her eyes. "He's mine!" She said, "And I start schooling the day after tomorrow! That's before all of the other girls! I wonder why they would put me in class before the other girls." Tymber wondered a moment. "I'll be in class alone? Wait. Hmm that's odd."
She gives you this beast? It is very kind of her. Staar said.
"But how do I thank her?" Tymber asked. "We are not able to go to her unless she calls for us."
Who cares for her? Staar asked.
"Her granddaughter. I suppose I can get her to thank Elder Presta."
Give her a gift. A fine deer or elk, maybe. Staar suggested.
Tymber laughed. "That may be your gift. I'm going to give her something even more special."
More special than food? Food is for living. Nothing is more special than life. Staar countered.
"True, but tis an odd gift for me to give her. Not so odd for a wolf, mind you. Remember that these classes I will be taking are for your sake as well. She deserves a gift from you." Tymber replied.
You are right. Staar said. I will give her the good gift, and you may do as you choose.
Tymber laughed. "Alright." she said. "But right now, I have to clean up my horse."
When she cleaned the stallion appropriatly, she took him back to the village and decided that she would clean his tack so he gleamed when she told everyone that he belonged to her. Then, after telling Berta that Neolyn was to do her chores, Tymber would go and find a gift for Presta.
Tymber grabbed one of the rags that was hanging on the line beside her tent. She dipped it in the soapy water bucket a ways away, wrung out the rag, and then polished the tack until it shined. Neolyn had made an awful mess of it.
"Tymber!" Berta called for her. "Where have you been! It is past dinner and we needed you to peel the potatoes. Neolyn had to use her hurt arm peeling away at all of those things. You put her through torture on purpose!"
"I have been cleaning my horse, like you said." Tymber said, slyly adding the "my." Oh Berta would be raging!
"What do you mean your horse! Oh, never mind, you're obviously just jealous. Now get in the tent and tend to your sister. She's running a fever. Your stupid bond probably gave her some disease."
"I don't have to do anything for that brat. Presta gave me a note." Tymber said happily.
"Note! Why a foraged note, no doubt! You have an awful imagination, girl." Berta critisized.
"I do not lie! See for yourself!" Tymber handed Berta the bark. She watched Berta's face sag.
"This can't be real." she said.
"But you wouldn't risk it, would you? You know how angry Elder Presta would be if you disobeyed her." Tymber said.
"Fine. But I will speak to the grandchild about this, you hear! I will know if you lie to me, and if you do, then you will pay! I'll give you another round of the belt."
Tymber winced at the thought of the leather strap coming down on her bare skin. "Yes caretaker." Tymber said through her teeth. She looked down at Staar. He was concentrating on a butterfly that flew around his nose. "Come on Staar. I need to find a gift for Presta."
Fine, but then we will get my gift.
Tymber mounted the horse and they went into the forest. She knew that it would be hard to find anything. After all, the people in the village didn't have anything much, and definatly not anything they'd be willing to give to her. The forest didn't have anything very special either. Tymber was hoping to get ahold of something like an odd shaped rock, or some pretty flowers. But she knew the real place to get things was outside these parts. But it was forbidden. No one in the tribe was allowed to go outside of the village and the surroudning forest. It would mean an astounding punishment. But Tymber was eternally grateful to Presta, and it clouded her judgement.
She turned her black mount into the direction of the road. After a long time of riding, she saw many people. This must be a marketplace, Tymber thought. It was so loud and Tymber's untrained ears were in pain from all the noise.
They look like a flock of quails. Staar said, behind her.
Tymber nodded in agreement. People were scurrying about everywhere. Nobody even turned and looked at her. There were several other horses. Tymber didn't wear the same style of clothing, but she supposed that she blended in fairly well. However, she noticed the shortage of spirit bonds. She started moving into the housed part of this town. She noticed that some houses had dogs, and there were several chickens running around, but where the people's spirit bonds?
Staar sensed what Tymber was thinking about. Maybe these people don't have spirit bonds.
"Not have a spirit bond?" Tymber replied, astounded.
Why not? Staar asked.
Tymber couldn't think of a reason. She got off of the horse and led him back to the market. "I'm going to pick out a gift now." she explained. She walked up to one stand, where a man had jewelry laid out. "Wow," Tymber looked down at Staar and told him, I bet you that Presta would love something like this!" She looked back up and noticed the man looked at her with an odd look. Tymber shrugged it away and went back to looking. She saw the most beautiful necklace. It was a shiny white but changed colours when you looked at it in different perspectives. It was made of perfectly round beads. Tymber wondered how they carved the rocks so perfectly. "Excuse me," Tymber said to the man, "but may I have this one?" She pointed to the necklace.
"Sure little lady." the man replied. "That will be five golds."
Tymber looked surprised. "Golds?"
"That's right." the man replied. "You either got it or you don't."
Tymber looked at the ground. "I don't." she said.
"You look too young to have that kind of wealth anyways." the man said. "How much do you really want this necklace?" he asked.
"Very much so." Tymber replied, her eyes starting to brim with tears.
"I say now, don't cry." the man said. "I'll make ye a deal."
Tymber's eyes sparkled with excitement. "I'll do anything!" she said.
"I'm going away for the week and need someone to help tend to my stables and animals. I have a stable hand already, but it's hard being just one person and looking after the beasts. So if you show up every morning fore dawn and help until noon, and my stable hand tells me that you're doing a swell job, I'll give ye the necklace."
Tymber thought for a moment. She remembered that classes don't start in the morning for another month, when she goes into her cooking class. She'd have time to do this. It would be hard to get away without anyone noticing her but it'd be worth the risk. She needed to pay Presta back for what she did. "I'll do it." she told the man.
"Good!" he said joyfully. "Now, just so I can get to know you better, why don't you join my family and I for dinner?"
"I'd be grateful." Tymber said, feeling her hungry stomach growl. She watched as he put all of his treasures into a bag.
"Now let's get on going." he said when done. "I live only around the corner." Tymber took a good look at him. He was bald, but had some white hair at the sides. He didn't look old, however. He was overweight, but it suited him. He looked jolly, with his full rosy cheeks. "My name is Potter." the man told her.
"My name is Tymber." she replied.
"Do you live around here, Tymber?"
"No." Tymber said. She didn't know whether or not to reveal where she truly lived. "I live outside this place. Not in a town. Just in the forest."
"Must be lonely." he said.
Tymber nodded her agreement. "I don't have any friends," she told him shyly. Staar nipped her hand. "Except Staar."
This was the first time Potter noticed the wolf. "Holy! Is he a mountain breed, or a hybrid?"
"Neither," Tymber said proudly. "He's a wolf."
"Full blood?" At Tymber's nod, he went on. "Better be careful with him around here. There's a bounty. All of the mountian breeds or hybrids are supposed to wear a collar or something that will make them stand out."
Tymber looked down at Staar and examined his expression. What? You expect me to wear a collar? he asked. Tymber nodded. Oh for the love of... Staar grumbled.
"I'll keep that in mind." Tymber said.
"Nice horse you got there too." Potter metnioned. "Got a fine build. I reckon you'd get alot if you'd stud him. I might even ask you one day, once I find out what his temperment's like. What do you call him?"
"I haven't named him yet. I only got him today."
"Where did you buy him from?"
"He was a gift. We don't buy things where I come from. Things are given as gifts only. On occasion some things will be sold to passing travelers, but only in return for other goods." Tymber explained.
"Well, he's a fine lad if I ever did see one. Here's my house." he motioned to a small and homely cottage near a very large field. Tymber loved the work that the houses seemed to be built with. She'd never even seen a house before, she she'd grown up around nothing but tents.
"It's a very nice house." Tymber told him.
"It's modest enough." Potter said. "Let's put yer horse and wolf into the stable out back." They walked into the field and he helped her untack the horse and put him in the stall. Tymber reminded Staar to behave and they went back to the front of the house. Potter opened the front door and two small children each grabbed hold of a leg. Tymber was shocked at how these children behaved. In the tribe, the children must kneel and bow their heads when their father comes home. They'd never scream like these two. What shocked her even more was Potter's reaction to it all. He bent down and hugged them both, and then threw them both over his shoulders as they squealed with delight. "This way!" he screamed back at Tymber. She followed him into the kitchen. The house smelled so good inside, and she finally caught where the scent was coming from. There, laid on the table, was a huge feast. Turkey and potatoes and corn and everything else laid out in a beautiful arrangement.
Potter hugged his wife who had walked in through another way, and she kissed his cheek. "Did you sell anything?"
"Sold a necklace and two rings. Ye know, Kereb is marrying that Sally girl."
"No, why she's only just turned fourteen!" his wife replied.
"Well, he told me straight out that --"
"Why Potter, who's this?" the wife interrupted him and finally saw Tymber.
"She's the girl who's going to help Daire tend to the work while I'm gone." Potter answered.
The wife sized Tymber up. "She's awfully small," she said, "but she looks determined. How old are you girl?"
"I'm sixteen m'am." Tymber said shyly.
"Sixteen. Daire is twenty. You don't think they will..."distract"...eachother the entire time, do you?"
"Martha, for Heaven's sake! Daire is a trustful fellow, and Tymber here is, I'm sure, a hard worker. They'll be too busy to frolick around like deer."
"You better hope so." Martha replied. Then she smiled sweetly. "Tymber dear, come join us for dinner."
Tymber slid into the seat she was offered.