Read only; Siv and Miqui capture a slave and his horse.

The witch-woman had almost completed her project. She was pleased with the progress; the hides were tanned and only needed to be cut and shaped. A beautiful feather shawl hung in her home, kept hidden and out of sight. Siv was advancing with things now all too well—she had made small decorations to keep her busy, and spaced out the home with guests in mind. Her daughter would be able to shift soon, and undergo Salsola’s coming of age ritual. This she would need to sort out, but her mind was focused elsewhere now.

She had been out with Miqui when she had first seen the man. He was some sort of hybrid—dog by the looks of him—and speaking to himself. A rather bedraggled horse, overburdened with bags, was trailing by a frayed and dilapidated looking rope. Siv’s purple eyes took in this sight with one thing in mind; profit. White teeth gleamed as her lips pulled away from her gums. The horse snorted and tugged at the rope, causing the dog to grunt and shout at it.

“Ya stupid thing; I ain’t never should’a traded that chest fer ya,” he grumbled, looking about as if he was lost. “Now where th’ hell did those traders go? I know they came north…”

Siv’s ears rose sharply. The traders were certainly the ones who had set up camp near the city to the south. She slipped behind the trees and smoothed out her hair. A massive, giant woman, she was imposing—and nude as she was, a striking figure. Her appearance caught the man off-guard, though the initial fear was replaced by a hungry look she knew all too well. The witch smiled. “I heard you,” she said smoothly, dark chest rising with each breath. “A bit lost, are we?”

“Oh a bit; I’m after some merchants that came through. Big pack of ‘em.”

“Oh? Are you a trader yourself?” Siv took a step closer. The man was unarmed; he was smaller than she was, but stockier. Of course, her weight was deceptive—willowy as she was a powerhouse lingered in her bones. A shadow flickered behind the horse; she saw a scarred face and saw what it intended to do.

“Somethin’ like that. I’m a carpenter by trade—make things, mostly. What about you?”

The wolf closed the distance between them. She was close enough to touch him now; her eyes gleamed savagely. “A witch,” she growled, and as confusion cut across his face, her companion struck. Miqui rushed from the forest, throwing his arms up. As the dog cried out, Siv snatched the rope from his hand and grabbed his wrist. Overwhelmed, the two Salsolian’s did not need to struggle much to detain him. Siv eased the jumpy horse while Miqui bound the man.

“I think he’ll break,” Siv commented at the look from the hybrid. “We’ll take his horse and his supplies; and a carpenter would be a good addition,” she thought of Hrafn and frowned severely. “Let’s get him back.”

The two Family members, their captive, and the horse began moving west.