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Once they had all agreed that it was safe, the next morning Ianto approached with Jack following him like he was walking his dog. Pip and Nelly were already there with some things for the children and the boy turned to raise a hand "Hey Dad."

"Hello son" Jack called back as he neared the camp and took on the scared faces, the horse he was leading full of energy still. Ianto was appearing in as small of a dog form as he could be, making Shadow appear larger as he walked over to sit next to him and watch. Shadow immediately turned to touch noses and enquire through the bond if the bubba was OK being squished like that.

Ianto sent amusement back. The pup was fine.

"Beautiful horse" the axe man stepped forward, clearly the leader here "I am Thor."

Jack raised an eyebrow "So… can I be Hercules?"

Thor laughed "Because of the axe, yeah. I tried to explain to them that Thor had a hammer but they are not comic buffs."

"Ah… well… if my accent is not enough to warn you... Captain America was my favorite" Jack replied as he took a seat and reached out to pat Nelly "Are you OK there poppet?"

"Yes Grampy" she smiled as he leaned against him.

"So… your Pip here says this is your valley? You've cleared it out pretty well. Must take some patrolling though" Thor said as he looked around.

"They are not here…your problem." Jack replied sagely "They have lost you in the valley over that way but they are pissed and still searching. They might still come this way, which would make them our problem too. We need to know what the hell they want from you so bad."

"Me" a pretty girl said. Fifteen? Sixteen? Ianto found himself looking up at her as she stopped to croon and bend over to pat him "Wow… dogs. We don't see many that are friendly these days."

"Way of the world" Jack agreed "so… why are they after you?"

"My father is one of their leaders. I got away and ran… finally found these people who took me on. Winter and I was cold, scared… so alone. He will never stop looking for me. I hope he fucking dies falling over a cliff or something."

Ianto did not like this, glancing at Jack as they both knew a blood feud would not go un-avenged. They now knew that they would definitely come this way.

"Why did you leave?" Jack asked.

"Because he… he is my father and it was wrong… he… mama said it is the way for women and I should just bear it… that sooner or later he would get tired of me and give me to one of the men but… I could not stand him… touching me… I feared a baby" she grimaced and Jack felt ill. Ianto growled low in this throat to show disgust.

"I am sorry. In the before time a daughter was loved… cherished and protected. Not used like a possession. If ANYONE touched my daughter I would kill them all" Jack told her "I am sorry your father is not a good man. You are clearly safer with these people, they seem to like you."

She nodded, glancing at the young boy watching nervously to one side. Jack nodded at him "your buck?"

She blushed as she nodded.

"Holy shit" someone said in the background "that monster has another one. That makes… holy shit balls of fire… twenty rabbits? Oh my god... rabbit strew tonight. I can almost taste it already."

Ianto looked at Jack and blinked slowly as they had a conversation the kids could not hear then Jack grunted and nodded "Right. We can provide you with some supplies to help you along your way and…"

"But Grandy!" Nelly rose and swung to address Ianto "they are good people and the autumn is upon us… soon winter will come again and it will be harsh for the babans … come on."

Ianto looked over at Jack who shrugged and said "Don't look at me. I already said my thoughts now."

With a soft chuff the sleek little black dog rose and slid off into the long grass and Jack grinned at them as he pointed at Shadow still sitting in the long grass "My boy here will show you a camping spot that had barricades to stop any Zs from surprising you with a wakeup call."

"Thank you" Thor said with relief.

"Running water… there is a copper bath if you are wanting a hot one… just need to light the fire under it for a while. And don't forget to put a towel in the bottom so you are not sitting on the bare metal... your balls can cook."

"Dad!" Pip said with horror "Nelly is right here."

"Sorry mother" Jack said to her automatically, then rose and slapped his cowboy hat against his leg, looking up at the sky "Gonna rain. Best we move, sweetheart you need to go home as your mother is looking for you. Ask Ianto for a ride back"

"Yes sir" she nodded and walked off into the grass after Ianto.

Thor looked at Jack with interest "Ianto? There IS someone out there with another horse?"

"No" Jack said with a vague shrug "He was here. You just didn't notice. Don't worry… we have an eye on the others. Come on… let's break camp before lunch, be there long before nightfall and get you settled where it is safer, get those rabbits cooked."

Jack was not sure about this, but he was starting to see Ianto's point.

If the other group were larger than they first thought and more powerful they might have a war on their hands. Better to let them go, help them keep going rather than taking them in and inviting the wrath of another settlement.

But Jack's eyes did slide to those little kids.

Same as Ianto's had.

/

/


I was asked for a coupling list on the youngsters so this is what i have so far

Hope and Ifan

(Solomon and Holden are fighting over her like Ifan does not exist but there is more going on there than meets the eye.)

Dean and Frank Weevil.

Pip is with his Nelly.

Stephen and Travis

Trixibell and Forrest but she is not sure

Eric and Keera (maybe… early courting days)

Lewis, Leon, Gill and Freya are all single and do not care