Chapter Two
It wasn't until a few weeks later that Lya brought up the question of Merrick's leaving.
"Have you found a way back yet?" she asked as she was cutting some food for supper.
He looked up startled. He had almost forgotten about trying to find a way to Turtle Cove. After he'd agreed to stay, things had fallen into a type of routine. A rather pleasant one. "No."
"I was wondering because...I think I'll go with you."
"Why? What about the forest here?"
"They hired an outside contractor. They sold the forest. All the animals are already leaving. The wolves have already gone on to their hunting grounds so I don't really have to worry about them. I won't have a reason to stay."
"I'll appreciate a friendly face."
She turned to him. "So you don't have frends there?"
"They died during the battle of Animaria."
"I forgot. So, we should leave w/in the next 2-3 days. No one's going to want this place...but it does hold a lot of memories. I think I'll send it to mom; that way I won't worry about it."
Wth that decided they started talking about what they should bring. The dried herbs, what ever fresh ones they could find, her books, the knick-knacks that she had lying around, that had some property or other, the medical things, etc. The next day they started packing. Everyone must have wondered what was going on, but it must have been said that she was leaving, because many of them went to say good-bye, bringing small gifts to thank her for the years of help she had done with her herbs.
Finally the day to leave came. Muttering under her breath, Lya jerked her hands in the direction of the house and it vanished. She focused for a moment then sighed. "Delivered. Let's go, Coal, Merrick."
With that she took Merrick's hand and Coal's collar and they too, vanished.