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glass roof was smashed asunder. She did manage to salvage her entire store of potions (the bottles her family used sealed better than any in the land), but the seed storage in the underground was, of course, unsalvageable. The underground was now a nasty, muddy well from which no one would ever drink.
And, to her amusement, the stable shed was just as it had been before the storm, if not damper and maybe listing to one side. The hay was gone, and the tall grass in the meadow was laid flat. Nag would have to do her foraging in the forest just like Saure would be doing, for the next week or so. Even then, her father would have to cut the hay. He always did. She was never strong enough to wield the family scythe.

The days went by after the flood. It took the better part of a week to clean out the house and the surrounding farm area. Saure finally forced herself to put together what she could of the green-shed, and was delighted to find that some of her seeds had germinated. She put sprouts into tiny sections of trays, and started her garden anew.
She managed to wash all of the clothes, but most were stained by mud for good. This wasn't particularly disheartening; her family didn't own anything too fancy, and she would re-dye what needed re-dyeing once her dye plants had bloomed. There were several other dyes she could procure from wild-growing herbs in the forest as well. She managed to salvage several of her parents' parchments, and hung these to dry, thankful her parents used charcoal instead of ink.
Still, though, no word or sight of her parents themselves. Saure's worrying grew by the day. Her pride in her good work of cleaning up the homeplace was shadowed, and she brooded often in her green-shed. Fred, who had been staying with her during this rebuilding process, did very well to stay out of the kirnfolken's sight. He was a great help hauling things and holding things for her, in a basket he would carry in his big teeth. Nag only nagged about how her stable should be put to rights, and then stayed fairly invisible while the rest of the work was being done. She, of

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course, respectfully knew when she was not useful.

All three would go down to the creek together (which now more resembled a river, it was still swollen from the flood) and forage for fresh things daily, once the cleanup had finished and the food store run empty. Saure had asked Fred why he never returned to his cave. He responded simply: "'Twas never a proper home. I reckon you'll need me around for a time, anyway." She agreed wholeheartedly, and hugged his furry neck.

---

Ten days after the waters had receded, life was falling back into some form of normality in the kirn. Although Saure seemed calm and collected on the surface, she was wrought with terrible worry for her parents. She never assumed the worst, just believed they were caught up somewhere without a cart. She feared the oxen had been washed away, at the worst. Her parents had weathered worse storms under more dire circumstances than in a wagon on a road. They were quick, resourceful people. They always survived. Saure resolved that it was only a matter of time. They would return with help and all would be well. Besides, she was looking forward to introducing them to Fred. She believed they would value the great puma as a fierce watchcat, who would protect the farm from unwanted grazers, lurkers and thieves.

So, the Fira girl shed her worry that day, and hummed a happy tune to herself as she raked and weeded the garden. She paused in her labor to look up at the perfect blue of the sky, and breathe deep the smooth, sweet summer air. She sighed, grinning to herself and planning the additions to her rebuilt garden.
This is why she smiled and waved to the Dess boy when he rounded the corner of the house instead of ignoring him as she usually did.