2
Ianto was kneeling in the snow, digging around the garden he could find underneath, the first of the spring bulbs starting to spurt. Beside him Hope came to a halt, lifting her head to sniff the air with wide eyes "What do I smell? Tadda? What is that?"
"Spring" Ianto replied softly "It's some flowers down in the valley, I think it is finally happening my love. We are shifting to the light side of the cycle."
"Not gonna snap back?" she asked with worry and Ianto laughed as he pointed and she saw a flock of birds passing overhead.
"They know more than we do, look at them all returning. Yes love, it seems that we are coming out of the cold" Ianto smiled as Hope lit up, taking off with a whoop of glee.
By lunchtime everyone was waiting impatiently and Ianto sat looking around the huge table then sighed. "Yes. Spring is finally here, we are finally seeing daylight."
Cheers.
"So … we will need working bees. Some to dig the last snows out of the gardens so the bulbs have a better start, some to help snow plough the fields so the grass can come back and some to go down to the river and start checking the levels and ice breaking away, look for the return of fish etc." Ianto spoke calmly as people started moving in their seat, some soft murmurs of excitement done the end where the kids were and Ianto smiled as he looked down at them. "also, the birds are returning in force, those that hid or migrated are coming back to build their nests. They need nesting material so anyone that wants to go gather the discarded wool and such from the Farm Cave and anyone cleaning their hairbrushes need to remember so it can be added to the babred wire fence along the edge of the west field for nesting materials."
After the meal the groups started to huddle and they worked out what they wanted to do, had to do and really didn't want to do but agreed to anyway. Hope was watching her Taddy intently and he knew before she said it so when he turned to leave the bathroom and found her outside the door he said it first "Yes, and a recon mission to the city."
"I wanna go!"
"You have to get past your Dad"
She slumped and theatrically stomped off to try her luck, Ianto half hoping Jack would say no but he knew Jack knew better, saw that their daughter was beyond her years and as a Wolfling was entitled to hunt like the rest of them.
He made it to the bedroom with Pip almost asleep when Jack appeared "Rothamsted Manor?"
"Well the steam engine is fully operational, Bonny did her job there. Thomas Tank Engine needs a good blow out to see how he performs on some track line … if he is as good as we hope then … I think we can take a little train ride to that facility." Ianto agreed.
"A couple of wagons, a passenger one and we can all go on our merry way?" Jack snorted "Just like that?"
"Why not Cariad" Ianto replied sagely, "We can do whatever we want, if the track is true. I think me and Marley need to scout first, run the line in case of damage. If it's broken or trees are down we need to know."
"Hope will not like that" Jack snorted.
"Why I will take her with." Ianto replied calmly, "Would take Dean if I could but I know you would really fret then."
Jack stared at Ianto long and hard then said softly "Then it looks like four of us are going. I can't hold him back, he is Wolfling too. So unfair when Hope was going at his age."
"We can't do it in a day. It will be an overnighter. Pip will not like both of us gone" Ianto sighed, then knew Jack was right. Pip would be fine, if a little sulky with Mica and Michael. He knew they would be well protected along the way, the Mara already galvanised for some fun and he nodded.
"Great. I will take the ATV and we can run it along the tracks where Tommy Engine will run, then I can take a chainsaw with me in case I have to clear track." Jack was excited, thinking about the mission and Ianto looked over at Pip who was sitting on the bed listening with a scowl.
"Come on little man. If it's all OK then it can be a real adventure for some who have waited all winter for some hope. You know we need stuff, we need fresh supplies. We cannot live on bloody turnips and carrots. If that seed vault is intact it could renew us for years!" Ianto cajoled, "You will grow, I know you are angry now but in time you will grow and if this works it means one day you might get to be the train driver you wanted to be once, remember? We are there. Steam power again. When you are maybe six or seven … old enough for an overnighter and if it's a safe route you might be going on adventures too. But we have to pave the way, it has to start with some recons."
Pip knew his Tadda was right and looked at his little wooden train he loved so much. He had wanted to be a train driver in his last life, not always a vet, had collected trains and loved the romantic idea. Even as Anna had poked at him for it.
He could not deny the chance for himself and the betterment of the pack.
He finally nodded.
agreed.
