[Memory of Trees]

What on earth was that racket? May poked her head out of the wagon canvass, and her eyes grew round as she viewed an all-out brawl taking place not far away. Between her parents and the Whitfoots! Who would have thought? May couldn’t tell what they were fighting about, and, oddly enough, she didn’t really want to know. She had a suspicious feeling that the argument might have something to do with four shiny copper coins.

And in that moment, May realized something that had been growing on her mind ever since they had left Bree. Sure, she wanted things to change, and sure, she disliked the Whitfoots and the others like them. But she never wanted to hurt anyone. Fighting wasn’t the way to make things change.

It occurred to May to wonder where this sudden burst of tranquility had come from. Not from Grandpa Fordo, surely, and probably not her mother either, by the looks of things. She didn’t know, but I think that if Granpa Fordo could have seen her right at that moment, and heard what she was thinking, he would have said she looked exactly like her grandmother Primrose had once.

May was startled by a yell from Henry. “May, they’re coming!” he shouted, brown curls plastered to his head and eyes bright with badly concealed excitement. “I can see them coming, May,” he said again.

“Alright, I’m coming,” she huffed, hopping off the back of the wagon. There, coming towards them from across the soaked campsite, were two children – a boy about Henry’s age, and a little girl who couldn’t have been more than seven. As they came closer, May thought the scowling boy looked like trouble, but she couldn’t deny that the little girl was so cute her icy disdain began to melt a bit. Not much, but a little.

The four children stood silent for a moment, eyeing each other warily. Then the older Whitfoot announced rather sullenly, “My name is Crispin. I’m almost thirteen, and I don’t need a babysitter.” Henry’s frown deepened.

“I’m Alora,” the little girl piped up. She looked confused, and leaning close to May she whispered loudly, “Pardon, where are the babies you’re supposed to be sitting on?” Henry and Crispin howled with laughter, and May couldn’t resist a smile.

“Babysitting means we’re watching you and your brother, Alora,” she said, gently ruffling the little girls flaxen hair. Alora still looked a little puzzled, but this answer seemed to satisfy her.

May saw Henry and Crispin standing awkwardly beside each other, each stealing quick glances at one another when they thought the other wasn’t looking. She elbowed her brother, whispering through her teeth, “Say something to him, Henry.”

Henry scowled at her, but turned and said smilingly to Crispin, “Hey, Crispin, ya like to explore?” The younger boy’s eyes widened as he nodded yes. “Wanna check out the forest?”

“Sure!” Crispin quickly agreed and hopped off the log.

Henry gave May a defient, mischevious glance, and she hissed loudly through her teeth with frustration. “What are you doing?”

“We’re just going to do some exploring,” Henry shrugged off his sister’s penetrating eyes. “No big deal, Sis. Wanna come?”

“I do!” Alora excitedly stood up on the log, jumped off, and grabbed her brother’s hand.

May narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Where are you going, Henry?” she asked warningly.

“Just around the edge of the forest, that’s all. Come on, May…it’ll be fun.” Henry was using that wheedling tone he employed when trying to get his mother to do what he wanted. That was a bad move, because May hated it when he did that. Besides, little red flags were flying up in her mind. She kept her tone calm and polite for the Whitfoots.

“Henry, you know that’s not a good idea. Mr. Whitfoot’d skin you alive if he found out you were taking his kids into that forest.”

“Why can’t we ‘splore?” little Alora asked, tugging on her sleeve. “We do at home.” He had them completely won over.

“He’s not going to find out,” Henry said simply, throwing another look toward the adults. “You can come or not, Mayflower, but we’re going.” He glared obstinantly at her.

May could have screamed in frustration. She had seen Henry like this a hundred times before, and she knew that nothing she could do would change his mind. The three children started off towards the woods, but they were going slowly, halting every few steps, and May knew they were waiting for her to make up her mind.

Well, she couldn’t exactly let them wander off on their own, could she? At least this way she could keep them from doing anything too stupid. Wordlessly, May stood up and took Alora’s hand from Henry. He have her a triumphant grin.

May leaned over close to her brother, whispering venomously so that only he could hear, “Yeah, I’m coming to make sure you don’t kill yourselves. But you just wait until I tell our daddy what you did, Henry Chubb. I’ll be surprised if you can sit down for a week!”

That made Henry a little nervous, but not enough to make him stop smirking. And May thought she saw him mouth as he turned his head away, “Tattletale.” She ground her teeth.

And all the while the four children were getting closer and closer to the forest.