Chapter 3

The sky went red and the animals became restless. Bowman sensed it was coming. The wind was coming.

Mumpo walked into the cottage. Pinto was moving. He paused and watched her pacing around the cottage. She turned with a gasp. She had not expected him t be standing there.

"Mumpo...Err...What are you doing back so soon?" she asked him. Her face was not red and Mumpo knew that she had not been crying any more.

He walked over to her and he took her face into his hands and kissed her passionately. He smiled and she grabbed him again. They kissed again, but this time, it was more vigorous. She slipped her hand towards his chest. She felt his heart beating with so much strength.

For the rest of that night, they lay together, embracing and showing how much they loved each other. The darkness crept in and their night ended.

Bowman awoke with a start. It was warm...too warm. He smelt the sweet aroma of fresh bread. His nose tingled at this new sensation. He smiled. Falcon stood over him. His daughter's hair flowed in the wind and in the early morning light, shimmered with light.

"Sisi," he said. "What's going on?"

"Bread, Bo! Bread!" she squealed. She was overjoyed at her first loaf. "I've learnt how to make bread!" She skipped around the room with the loaf above her head.

Bowman smiled weakly because of the burden that rested on his shoulders. He knew that if he didn't find a way to save the Manth people, this pleasure he got from his family would not last long.

Sisi ripped off the end of the loaf and gave it to Bowman. Falcon stuffed her face with a loaf that she made. Ira was not as boisterous as most boys and ate slowly. Siri had failed to appear.

Siri sat in her bedroom and slowly read over her textbooks. She was a quiet child and only enjoyed reading and the odd game with her siblings. Sisi tried to get her involved with her family as much as possible but to no avail.

Bowman stood up and held Sisi in his arms. They were close, but their relationship had been unstable as Bowman had not been talking for a while. Kestrel wasn't talking either.