Wendigo Wars Read Online Free Page A

each other a final squeeze of the hand then let go and each began to speed their breathing up to a normal pace. Fleur was the first to fade away from the dream plain. She always was, being the most accomplished spirit walker among them. Violette disappeared next and Mathilde last, same as always - forever having to try just a little harder to get the job done.
    Mathilde stood up from her sleeping pad and stretched her back and legs. Morning had crept up on her whilst she had been in the dream plain and today was going to be a busy day. She rolled the sleeping pad up and went to store it in the corner of the room. There was a lot to do before the trip and only a week to prepare before she had to set off for Bucharest but first the day held a duty which Mathilde could not get out of and one which she knew that Seb would be dreading.
     

Chapter Three
     
    To get to Amelie’s rooms Mathilde first had to navigate the courtyard. Most settlements were long disused castles, forts or monasteries, and at the centre of each one was a courtyard which acted as the centrepiece to the community. The courtyard had a large, low burning fire which burnt at all hours of the day and night. All of the settlement food was cooked on this fire and as Mathilde navigated it she could see its many other uses in action from curing hides to drying out wood and to acting as the primary source of heat in the settlement. Mathilde walked past the stalls around the edges of the courtyard. People called out in greeting to her and offered her food or drink to welcome in the day. Mathilde smiled warmly but shook her head at everyone who spoke to her, though she knew that they were asking out of kindness. Money and trade had been abandoned when the White took hold and everything in the settlements was done for the good of the tribe. Mathilde was hungry but she never allowed herself the luxury of breakfast until she had checked on her Protectorate. They needed to be woken and briefed for the day ahead. She had decided to wait until the afternoon before she updated them on the Bucharest situation.
    "Morning Julia," Mathilde called as she watched a young woman, five years her senior, waking up and stretching out. "Look-out duty on the outside today."
    Julia nodded and smiled then drifted off to eat before the long day on the settlement lookout post began. Mathilde carried on her walk around the alcoves, greeting each Protector with similar words and assigning them duties. On a normal day the duties were usually to stand on the lookout post, work on the outside where the animals were tended and vegetables grown, work at the fishing hole catching snow seal and fish or to work with the blacksmiths making and repairing tools and weapons. These were the daily duties of the Protectorate along with regular fighting practice.
    Mathilde finally reached the rooms which were home to Amelie - Mathilde's favourite place in the settlement. This was where Mathilde and Seb had been raised along with Carer Amelie's other charges. As Mathilde entered the alcove and stored her sleeping pad by the door she noticed a young boy. Twelve years old, small and skinny he turned to smile at her and wrinkled his freckled nose.
    "Morning Mathilde," he said as he bounded over to her for a hug. Mathilde ruffled his red hair and hugged him back.
    "Morning Jaya," she said to Amelie's only natural born child "Have you seen Seb this morning?"
    "He went out to get bread and cheese for breakfast. Are you staying for breakfast? Stay for breakfast please."
    "Of course she is Jaya. Get your sister a seat," said Amelie as she joined the conversation and shooed some of her younger charges out of the alcove "Get to your classes children" she called after them "and don't dilly dally at the rabbit pens". The three small children ran off and promised not to stop at the rabbits. Their giggles betrayed their fib.
    Jaya was not the real brother of Mathilde but Carers often called their charges brothers and