The meal was quickly prepared as if the women were used to extending hospitality to strangers on a daily basis. The Kyote had some mysterious stew and offered a coarse grained bread that was warm and crusty.The trailer was filled with laughter and celebration. Jeb and Devlin were hailed as heroes, accepting many slaps on the back. The Kyote men would slip outside in pairs and come back inside with louder voices and raucous laughter. Taryn finally figured out they were sipping some kind of local fermented grain.She had heard of this liquor in Home but they had no such fermented beverage there.<br/><br/>The Elder Grandmother frowned at the men but the frown was more a token gesture of firm affection. Taryn laughed at the by play. She ate until she had to loosen the waistband on her pants and then ate some more. Raschen stood talking with the men, waving a chunk of the bread to punctuate his words. Taryn wished they could just stay with these simple people. Her children could be happy here.<br/><br/>Lily and Jax had no joined them in the trailer and Taryn acutely felt their absence.Taryn couldn't figure out why they had been excluded.<br/><br/>"Hey, Ma." Jeb called. "This here rabbit stew is really good. Seems like the Hase was really fat this year."<br/><br/>Taryn gagged and spit the stew out in her spoon. She eased over to Raschen and murmured an inquiry<br/>"Where is Jax?"<br/><br/>Without stopping to really acknowledge her, he nodded toward the outside. Taryn eased over to the door where the Elder Grandmother was,<br/><br/>"Excuse me, we have to travel more tonight," she said and crooked her finger to Raschen. "Thank you for the meal but we have a long way to go." Taryn backed out the door and hurried past where the men were imbibing on the moonshine. In the distance she could see Jax and Lily waiting. Stopping to burp, she didn't wait for Raschen but hurried on to meet the Hase couple.<br/><br/>"Oh, my goddess," she blurted as she joined them. "You are okay. I was worried. We have to get out of here. I don't think you guys are safe here."<br/><br/>Lily picked up a pack as did Jax. "What's the hurry? Where is Raschen?"<br/><br/>They started to walk on. Taryn looked back, knowing that the Kuguar wouldn't leave her side, trusting he would soon join her.