The family venture into the woods ...
Under Canvas – April 4705, Ogmore
"Careful Owain, don't run too far ahead," called Ianto looking after his eldest son. The boy was so full of energy it was tiring to watch him run around. "All right, girls?" he asked Holly and her friend, Reswale.
"Yes, Tad," smiled Holly. "This is fun!"
Ianto was not sure he agreed but smiled anyway. It was Holly's birthday – eleven today – and she had requested this … expedition instead of a party. Apparently at the age of eleven birthday parties became passé. The girls carried on along the path, following seven year old Owain who was charging ahead again looking for the signs. When the rest of the family did not appear, Ianto stood irresolute: should he stay with the leading group or go back for Jack and the younger children? He had made up his mind to go on when he saw Luke come into sight and behind him was Jack, Minda on his back.
"There you are. What held you up?"
"We saw a deer, Tad," enthused Luke, running up. His love of animals was still strong and he was delighted to be trekking through the back quarter of the property. In his hands he held a small notepad and had recorded all the animals and birds he had seen, using the icons as at not yet five he could not read or write. "It was eating grass."
"That's nice, sweetheart," replied Ianto absently, used to the boy's enthusiasms. "There's quite a gap between us and the others, maybe I should carry you and - "
"No, I'm too big!"
"Then you're going to have walk a bit faster, Luke."
"We're okay," commented Jack. "Everyone's got a tracker and they all know the rule. What's the rule, kids?" he asked.
"Stay on the path and follow the signs," chorused Luke and Minda, grinning. Their dad had made them repeat it again and again over the past few days.
"I'd trust these two more than the others," was Ianto's retort.
The four of them pressed on through the lush undergrowth. The path meandered round large trees and through glades and other open spaces but for the most part they were moving through a tunnel of large bushes. The two men picked up the pace a little but Luke was looking around him and when he found something of interest he would not be hurried. Even Minda halted them from time to time as she spotted a pretty flower or leaf and demanded her dad pick one for her. She was two years old and quite heavy for Jack to carry but she was too small to walk all the way to the campsite.
"At last," sighed Ianto when the small group emerged into a sun-dappled glade where Holly, Reswale and Owain were waiting for them. "Thanks for waiting," he called as they drew nearer.
"Owain didn't want to but I made him," reported Holly importantly. She glared at her brother who glared back. "Isn't this lovely?" she continued, spinning round with her arms flung wide to encompass the large open space.
It was a beautiful setting. Oak, birch and ash trees had created an almost perfect circle in which the native grasses and other plants thrived. A sea of bluebells swept away under the trees and clumps of primroses completed the perfect picture of Spring woodland.
"Pwetty flowers," cried Minda. "Want some, Dad." She hit him on the shoulders, her way of attracting his attention and of which he was getting heartily sick.
"I wish you'd stop hitting me, Minda." He released the harness and lowered it to the ground before letting her get out. She ran off immediately, with Reswale, to pick the flowers. Luke wandered around, studying a flight of butterflies and Owain and Holly started climbing a tree.
"Seems we're having a pit stop." Ianto stood looking round at the children and smiled, pleased to see them busy and interested in the natural world. He fondly remembered outings to the Brecon Beacons when he was a child and hoped these children would look back on this time with the same pleasure. He shivered slightly; thinking of the Beacons still brought back unpleasant memories of his past life.
"Fine by me." Jack was lying on his back, one arm under his head and staring up at the sky. "Come lie down with me."
"Now that's an offer I can't refuse," replied Ianto, grinning. He lay down close to his partner and rested his head on Jack's stomach. He reached for the other man's spare hand and held it in his own.
"We don't do this enough. We should do this every chance we get."
"We do it pretty often. Not overnighters, I admit, but walking round the property."
"Suppose it's easier to head for the beach or hop over to the island," mused Jack. "But this is so peaceful. Remember when there would hear traffic and see aircraft overhead? None of that now."
"Look, pwetty flowers," said Minda running up to join them. She plumped down on Ianto, thrusting a handful of bluebells under his nose.
"Very nice." He pushed the flowers away and took hold of the little girl, sitting her across his stomach. "Do they smell nice?" he asked smiling at her.
"Umm." She put her nose in the middle of them and sniffed loudly.
"Can I have a drink, Tad?" This was from Owain who had wandered over to join them. He flopped down beside his dad, sucking on a piece of grass.
"Help yourself from the bag. Pass me a bottle of water too." Ianto was gently tickling Minda who was giggling.
When they had rested for half an hour, drunk four bottles of water between them and eaten a few cookies, the family resumed their walk. Jack and Owain were in the lead, searching out the signs left for them by Jem and Dem, the Weevil handymen, who had gone on ahead and would, by this time, have set up the tents and other equipment for the family's overnight camp. Ianto came up behind, with Minda on his back, and the two other girls walking along with them. Naturalist Luke wandered between both groups as the mood took him, more interested in what he could see around him than his family.
Around four o'clock, Ianto and the girls crested a small hill and looked down on a natural amphitheatre to see five tents gathered round an open fire, a pile of baggage to one side. The older girls squealed and set off at a run down the slope to the campsite and Minda agitated to be let down too: like his partner, Ianto was also tired of the way she kept hitting him when she wanted something. He released her and she ran off after her sister, screaming with the joy of running. He followed more slowly looking around at the spot the Weevils had suggested for this camp and admiring their choice. All three girls were in and out of the tents and Jem, or was it Dem, Ianto was not sure, was looking on from his place tending the fire.
"Can we have this one, Tad? Please, Tad," called Holly backed up by her quieter friend. They were standing by one of the two smaller tents.
"I suppose so," he agreed. They ran over to the pile of baggage to find their overnight bags – pink for Holly and yellow for Reswale – and lug them over to the tent. Ianto popped his head into the tent and was pleased to see the two camp beds, sleeping bags and a lamp. "You settle in then," he said when the girls drew near.
"Where my bed?" asked Minda, looking anxious. She was looking in the girls' tent, eyes big and round.
"You're in with Dad and me, sweetheart, in the big tent."
"Want to be wiv Holly!" she protested, digging in her heels and not moving when Ianto took her hand. "Pwease, Holly!"
"This is for big girls to sleep in," said Holly not unkindly. It was her birthday and she was feeling generous to everyone. "But you can come and help us unpack if you like."
Leaving the three girls, Ianto went into one of the two large tents. This had a table and cooking equipment as well as other supplies. In the second of the large tents, he found three camp beds, two set close together and one set a little apart. All had sleeping bags and there were some lamps around too. He would be sleeping here tonight and he hoped it would be comfortable. Thinking of sleeping made him think of Jack and he went back outside.
"Where are Jack and the boys? They should have arrived before us," he asked the Weevil who he now recognised as Dem.
"Gone water." Dem gestured towards the right.
With them accounted for, Ianto went to the baggage and found the bags for himself, Jack and Minda and took them to the tent. He undid the girl's bag and placed it by her bed, putting Foo-Foo on top to make her feel at home. The other bags went in a corner. They only contained sleep suits, a change of underwear and sweaters for the chilly evenings. Back outside, he heard the girls' excited chatter and giggling and to one side saw Owain appear at the rim of the amphitheatre and career down the slope. Behind him, Luke came running and almost tripped but righted himself just in time.
"There's a river over there," said Owain breathlessly, running up to his tad. "A huge one and Dad caught a fish."
"Are you sure? I never knew your dad was a fisherman." Ianto was laughing at the thought; Jack would never have the patience to wait for hours on a riverbank for a fish to bite.
"He did! He put his hand in and scooped up a fish." Owain was outraged that his tad didn't believe him. "He said it's called scratching."
"Not scratching," corrected Luke joining them. "It's called tickling. And Dad did do it, Tad."
Owain glared at his brother, not liking to be corrected by someone younger than himself. "Scratching, tickling, they're the same thing," he said airily. He then realised that the girls had picked a tent. "Hey, we wanted that tent," he protested, standing at the open flap.
"Too bad. We've got it now." Holly was sitting on her bed while Reswale and Minda sat on the one opposite. Their belongings were scattered all around; trust Holly to get it messy in no time flat.
"It's not fair," started Owain but Ianto cut him off.
"Holly's right. You'll be in that one." He pointed to another small tent nearer the edge of the area. "You'll be able to protect us from intruders there."
His belief that this would assuage Owain's indignation proved correct. The boy beamed and immediately ran to get his bag before anyone could change the arrangements. Luke watched him but did not join in, he was showing his tad a spider he had found. With Jack and Jem back in camp with supplies of water, the family settled down to an evening under canvas. The boys, with some help from Ianto, organised their tent and then helped Jack and Jem gut the fish they had caught and others they had brought with them. The older girls had taken one look and decided they did not want to get messy and set off to explore. Minda had wanted to go with them but, against her protests, Ianto kept her in the camp and played a counting game with her. She soon forgot about the others. Time passed pleasantly and about an hour later, with the meal cooking over the fire and in the supply tent's oven, the family were all back in camp.
"You're it," said Jack, touching Holly and haring off. "Catch me if you can!" The others took a moment but then realised what was afoot. The boys scattered and Ianto scooped up Minda and made off after them. Reswale, unused to Jack's sudden games, was left flat-footed.
"You're it!" shouted Holly, tapping her friend's shoulder and ran off.
"Beast," cried Reswale and chased after the others all spread around the area. She caught up with Luke and touched him.
The game continued for another half an hour as they chased around. Ianto put Minda down at one point and she was immediately pounced upon by Owain, who was 'it' at the time. The little girl tried very hard to catch the others but they were too fast for her so Jack allowed himself to be caught and then sought out Ianto who, much to the kids' delight, climbed a tree to avoid his partner. He was still up there, watching the mayhem below, when Jem announced supper was ready. Breathless and in high spirits, the family gathered around the fire.
"Tad, you cheated. You're not supposed to climb trees," complained Owain, sitting cross-legged on the ground.
"You're just jealous you didn't think of it," Ianto replied, passing Minda a serving of her favourite cheese and vegetable bake.
"He's always jealous," commented Holly, taking the plate of fish and vegetables from Jem. "Thank you," she said, smiling up at the Weevil.
"No, I'm not."
"Let's not argue about it," said Jack, bringing peace back to the fireside. "Everybody got something to eat?" he asked.
"No." Luke was sitting patiently beside Minda.
"Oh sorry, pumpkin. Here you are." Jack handed over a plate of fish. "Tuck in, everybody."
Other than various slurping noises, it was quiet as everyone ate their meal. A day's hiking and then the energetic game had made everyone very hungry and the food disappeared fast. Second helpings were doled out to those who wanted them and they too were quickly eaten. Dessert was fruit, cut in pieces and served in a large bowl. The kids considered it great fun to dip their fingers in and take the fruit as they wanted rather than putting portions into the small bowls provided. Talk centred on the children's activities and Reswale made them all laugh with tales of her mother's failures as a cook. To finish the meal, Ianto brought out a birthday cake for Holly with eleven candles on the top. She blew them out in one go and everyone then had a piece of cake, declaring it delicious.
While Jem, Ianto and Reswale washed up, Jack took the others for a short walk to the stream – which Owain still insisted was a river – and collected another container of water. The water was crystal clear and Luke would have stayed much longer looking at the fish and other creatures swimming there if Jack had not herded them back to camp. Minda was very tired now and Ianto took her the tent and got her ready for bed. She insisted on a story but was asleep before Ianto had finished reading the first page. Leaving the lamp on low, he pulled the tent flap down and went to rejoin the others.
"I think it's time we all had a story, a ghost story," began Jack in a 'ghostly' voice, looking round at the children seated on the ground. They shivered and giggled. "This is about a girl called … Holly. On her birthday, she went out into the woods with her family and what do you think happened?"
"She was eaten by a witch!" shouted Owain.
"She fell down a hole," suggested Reswale.
"Not even close," said Jack, grinning at them. "After supper, she went to bed in her tent which she shared with her best friend, Reswale, and went fast asleep. In the night, she was woken up by the sound of music. Ghostly pipe music. Looking out she couldn't see anything but that music drew her out of the tent. Her friend didn't stir, still dreaming of exploding cream cakes." This was an allusion to the tales Reswale had told earlier and all the children laughed delightedly. They had unconsciously drawn nearer to Jack and were staring at him, eyes wide and hanging on his every word. "And no one else stirred either or her brave brothers would have rushed out to save her." Owain looked a bit sceptical at this but Luke's face glowed at the thought. "Even her tad and her dad slept on, unaware of what was going to happen to their gorgeous daughter."
"What's going to happen?" demanded Holly, shaking with excitement.
"Well, the music drew Holly into the wood around the camp. She walked further and further into the wood until she came to a moonlit glade where she saw little people, elves, dancing in a large circle to the sound of the pipes. They went round and round and were having a wonderful time."
"Sure they're not fairies?" giggled Holly.
"Absolutely sure," replied Jack, glancing at Ianto, "no fairies in this story. They were elves, boy elves and girl elves, and they were dancing and dancing. Holly wanted to join in, her feet were tapping and then the elves stopped and looked at her and they invited her to join them because she was such a famous dancer with lots of medals and trophies. So she joined the circle of dancers and … she's still there today. Dancing and dancing because once you join the elves' dance you can never stop."
There was silence for a moment and Holly put her hand to her cover her mouth. Then Luke spoke. "You mustn't go, Holly," he said urgently, getting up and running across to her side. "Please don't go."
"It's just a story, silly," she replied. "It's not going to happen." She looked across at her dad who just raised his eyebrows as if he wasn't sure and then at her tad who saw she was just a bit scared.
"Of course it isn't, sweetheart. Just one of your dad's silly stories." Ianto smiled to reassure her and she relaxed again. "I think we've had enough scary stories for now. Let's sing some songs instead."
With an appreciable lightening of the mood around the fire, Ianto led the children in singing some old favourites and some others that he had learnt from them. Next, they played some memory games where players had to memorise a list of items starting with different letters of the alphabet. This caused some fun as Luke had to go by the sound of the words and Owain got quite a few wrong too. It was growing dark and they were all wearing sweaters to keep warm. The boys were allowed to stay up later than usual and were thrilled when they were got to roast marshmallows on the fire to eat with a mug of hot chocolate. Finally, it was time for all the children to get to bed and Jack saw to the girls while Ianto looked after the boys. Luke was asleep before his head hit the pillow and Owain wasn't far behind. The girls were still talking when Jack left them with firm instructions to put the lamp out after half an hour - and not to listen to any ghostly music. With the Weevils bunking down in their own tent, after setting the perimeter defences, only Ianto and Jack were left to sit by the fire and stare into the flames.
"That was a lovely evening," said Ianto lazily. He was propped against a supply box with Jack's head in his lap. "You really scared the kids."
"I know," he chuckled mischievously. "But everyone should be scared once in a while, does you good."
"At least you didn't make them fairies." Running his hand through Jack's hair, he smiled down at the other man. "I'll never forget them."
"Nor me."
After some moments of silence, Ianto looked up at the profusion of stars spread out across the firmament. "All those stars up there. How many of them are populated?"
"About a quarter. Most planets are too hostile to support any kind of life."
"I don't think I'll ever get used to having all that life out there. Even now, after all I saw when I with Torchwood and in the past eleven years, I still find it hard to believe."
Jack took Ianto's hand and stroked it. "It's true, love. Promise."
Leaning down, Ianto kissed Jack long and slow. "Pity we've got Minda in with us," he said, breaking away until the two men's faces were a few inches apart. "I could do with a spot of .. dabbling."
"There's nothing so romantic as a campfire," replied Jack, pulling him down into another kiss. "Let's stay here."
"You say the nicest things," murmured Ianto as he let himself be drawn further into the kiss. They eventually got to bed an hour later.
Jack had Luke and Minda, the early risers, washed and dressed without disturbing the others before six the following morning. They shared a cookie and a drink round the fire and then went off to the stream to observe the wildlife there. Luke pointed out a few interesting creatures while Minda searched for flowers and leaves that caught her eye. When they wandered back into camp an hour later, Holly was up but the other three were still slumbering. With a wicked glint in her eye, Holly suggested they play a joke and in no time she was safely hidden in a tree and Jack roused the camp the cry, "Holly's missing!"
Owain rushed from his tent, in his sleep suit, and charged about looking for signs of where she had gone. Reswale stood to one side looking frightened and Ianto, after seeing Jack's wink, played along making appropriate noises of concern. Luke was full of suppressed excitement, torn between keeping the secret and wanting to tell everyone. The hunt continued for ten minutes until Holly suddenly shouted from her hiding place and Jack and Luke fell about laughing. Ianto helped Holly down where she was engulfed in a hug by Reswale, who had been convinced her friend had gone with the elves. After that excitement, the late risers got washed and dressed before they all devoured the breakfast of eggs and bacon cooked over the open fire. They ate at the table as the younger children especially found it easier to manage that way.
"Time for a game, kids," said Jack, rubbing his hands together and grinning at them. "What shall it be?"
"Soccer!" cried Owain to no one's surprise.
"No," complained Holly, "we always play that. Let's play hide and seek." The others, except Owain, supported her.
"Hide and seek it is then. We hide and Holly has to find us."
"Hold on," said Ianto before they started scattering, "no one's to go too far away. We don't want to lose any of you for good." The children groaned; Tad was being careful again.
"Tad's right, kids. No one to go outside this hollow. There's plenty of cover and Holly's going to shut her eyes really tight, aren't you gorgeous?"
"Yes, Dad."
"Okay. Holly's going to count to one hundred. Go!"
The children shot off, giggling and screeching as they fought over the best places. Ianto was pleased to see Reswale take Minda under her wing and help her find a hiding place. Jack grabbed Ianto's hand and pulled him into their tent.
"We can hide in here," said Jack.
"Where?"
"Under here. In you go." He pushed Ianto under the camp bed against the side of the tent and arranged the sleeping bag to hang down over the edge hiding them before joining his partner. "Isn't this cosy?" he whispered, wrapping his arms round the Welshman.
"Umm, I like hide and seek," agreed Ianto, kissing Jack. "Pity we aren't naked."
"That can be arranged."
They chuckled and continued to kiss and fondle one another as outside they heard furtive giggling and occasional scuffles as the children ran around. Then Holly's call of "I'm coming!" reached them and the two men lay in one another's arms, listening as she started moving round the camp.
Holly decided to check the obvious places first and found Luke in his tent with the sleeping bag over his head. He was quite happy to be the first one discovered and sat by the fire with his notepad going over all the animals and insects he had seen. Next, to be found was Owain who had climbed into one of the supply boxes but left the items he'd removed in a heap alongside, a real giveaway. It took longer to discover Reswale who had climbed the tree Holly had been up earlier in the day. There was no sign of Minda or of Tad and Dad and Holly was getting quite frustrated, enough to ask Owain to help her search. They finally discovered their parents under the camp bed and pulled them out. Everyone started looking for Minda but no one could find her. Reswale, who had helped hide the little girl, refused to say where she was unless Holly gave up. Jack was amazed that Minda had managed to stay still for so long and not given herself away.
"Minda, you've won. You can come out now," called Holly, looking all around. There was no movement anywhere in the camp.
"Reswale, where is she?" asked Ianto, getting worried about his little girl.
"Over here." The girl led them to a thick bush and parted to leaves to show Minda curled up in the hollow middle. "She's gone to sleep," said Reswale.
"Sweetheart, wake up," called Ianto, reaching in to shake her gently. "You won the game."
Minda sat up and rubbed her eyes. "I won?" she queried in wonder. As the youngest, she had never won a game before.
"Yes, you did, love," said Jack from above where he was keeping the branches of the bush back. "Well done." She crawled out into a big hug from her tad and her dad.
With the game complete, it was time to pack up the camp and they each put away their own personal possessions while the Weevils started on the tents and other equipment. The family waved goodbye to Jem and Dem and began the walk home which would take about three hours. Minda started out walking and they all stayed together although Owain raced off from time to time and Luke stopped and started. Jack was with Holly and put an arm round her.
"So, my gorgeous birthday girl, did you like your sleepover?"
"Oh yes, Dad. It was wonderful." She leant against him and he was amazed anew at how tall she was. It seemed impossible that she had grown so much in just eleven years. "Thanks for arranging it."
"No problem, I enjoyed it too, we all did. It was great idea."
Holly smiled up at her dad than ran to her tad. "Tad, thanks for letting me have this treat," she said, slipping under his arm.
"My pleasure, cariad. You enjoyed it?"
"Uh huh. Can we do it again?"
Ianto laughed. "Of course we can."
The overnight camp was such a success with the whole family that many more were arranged over the next few years.
More from the family soon.
