Chapter 19

KASSIE PICKED UP THE PACE, relieved to leave all the staringalbeit very politevillagers behind and pulled Lucky out of the bag, draping the compliant cat around her shoulders. After the first hour of cautious looks and careful steps their initial wariness wore off. They passed through the grazing lands of the village and the normal stock in the fieldssheep and pigsmade it feel just like wandering past a farm in New Zealand. Then the fields gave way to young trees, as if this land had once been farmland too. Lucky clacked in Kassie's ear when she spotted birds in the trees and Kassie reached a hand back to rub behind the cat's ears, making Lucky purr and knead the shoulder strap of her pack. The cloudy sky gave way to brilliant sunshine and the young trees grew sparsely enough for them to see the track continuing a way ahead.

I ENJOYED THE BEAUTIFUL SCENERY, it all looking so familiar in some ways yet totally different in others. Spindly, dark-limbed trees stretched for the sky with