Chapter 7: A Strange Walk

As Cinnamon followed Vanessa and Ernon to the tents she mentally slapped herself. "Idiot!" She thought. "It's no wonder Muriel looked at you like that. She meant cobbler as in shoe maker, you dummy! Pies indeed!" "Ugh" she grunted in disgust to herself shaking her head.

"Are you ok Cinnamon?" Ernon asked.

Cinnamon looked up startled. "What? Oh! Yes, I'm fine. So what do I do?"

"Well, let's start with rolling up the bed rolls. Then we can take down the tents and pack up." Ernon said.

"We'll start with our tent." said Vanessa holding out her hand, "I'll show you how to roll them tight, so they make a smaller bundle."

Putting her hand in Vanessa's, Cinnamon said, "Um ok." and together they walked over to the tent she'd slept in and then crawled in.

A short while later, although longer than if Ernon and Vanessa had done it themselves, everything had been packed up and they were ready to go.

"Are you sure my pack isn't too heavy for you?" Sharmon asked concerned that it was. Her pack was not the largest of the group's, it was about the size of a large school back pack, nor was it the heaviest, that one being Harnley's. However it still held all the things she needed to survive in the wilderness for weeks at a time, both in the various pockets, or strapped to the outside of it. And now it also included Cinnamon's nightshirt and sweater as well.

Cinnamon wiggled and bounced a bit to settle the weight on her hips more evenly. Then she pulled the waist strap a little tighter before tightening the shoulder straps some more. Once she had the pack settled comfortably, she looked up at Sharmon and said "Yes I think it's ok." Then she took a few careful steps around.

"I think I'll be ok" she said with a small smile. Indeed, although it was heavy the pack felt much more comfortable than her school pack at home which was filled with all her text books, a couple of binders, gym clothes, and other needed school supplies. In fact Cinnamon was almost convinced Sharmon's back pack was lighter than her school pack. It was, almost, but the weight of Sharmon's pack being on her hips, and not her shoulders, made it feel much lighter.

Sharmon, not quite convinced, just nodded her head and said, "Alright, but if you need to rest let one of the others know."

Cinnamon nodded her head, in agreement. Just then Harnley came puffing up from the stream with his pack on, several, pots and pans, and a couple of axes, were clanking and clunking as they swung to and fro with his every step.

He waved his hand in greeting and said "Ah there you are lass. I've been meaning to ask ye, what manner of weapon be this?" With that he held up a slightly bent shower door handle.

Cinnamon's eyes widened and then she giggled and told him.

"Ah, I thought it be mighty strange looking to be a weapon but see'en as it's not from these parts I wasn't sure." Harnley said.

Sharmon gave him a look and said "Right" very slowly.

Harnley gave her a look that said he'd like to take his battle axe, which was within easy reach, and take a swing at her. Instead he growled, "Ye didn know what it was either wench."

Sharmon's eyes darkened and Cinnamon looked back and forth between them alarmed. Fortunately she was saved from being in the middle of a fight when Ernon came up and said, "Let's not start that now. We have a long walk ahead of us."

Lancos hefted his pack to settle it more and said, "Ernon's right. You can kill each other later." Then he jumped and stumbled a bit as Muriel discreetly kicked him in the shin with the side of her boot while walking past. Cinnamon bit her lip to keep from giggling at Muriel's completely innocent expression. And with that, they began to walk. Sharmon quickly out distanced the other's to scout ahead, to make sure there was no trouble waiting for them.

Other than to point out some sites or plants to Cinnamon, they walked mostly in comfortable silence for a couple hours, since holding a conversation wasn't easy when walking single file. When there was room for two or more to walk together quiet conversations broke out. It was during one of these that Cinnamon got another shock. She and Muriel had been quietly talking and comparing their homes when Cinnamon asked, "Oh, how I forgot to ask. How long will it take to reach us to reach Avondelle?"

Muriel looking uncomfortable didn't answer, however Lancos who was walking in front of them did. "Avondelle? About two weeks."