Annie pulled Toshty forward as she moved closed to Breister. “I’m not going any further with you, Breister.” He looked at her questioningly. “As you know, some of my past is not very pleasant. I’m not proud of that. I want to leave that behind me and start a new life. I know there are Grizzly Bear trackers all over the Bottoms looking for me. If I go to the Bottoms, my life will be over...” She stopped and looked at Toshty.
“I’ve asked Annie to marry me,” Toshty grinned. “And she seems to like crazy old Owls!” He hugged Annie’s shoulder with one of his wings. “So, we’re taking the long route back to the cabin,” Toshty said, with a look of contentment. “We’ll see you there later, perhaps, but don’t wait for us. We’re going back to the Rounds to get married first. Annie can’t go to WooSheep Bottoms, and we don’t want to go to the Drownlands or the WooPeace, so that leaves the Rounds.”
Breister nodded and smiled at his friends. “I wish you the best...in making your unbroken circle of friends stronger,” he said with a loving look at his happy companions. “Now, I just need to find the rest of my circle!”
“Don’t worry, Breister,” Toshty replied. “We’re not leaving you in the lurch! I can give you directions to my cabin. When you get there, make yourself at home...” He paused, looking embarrassed. “I actually need you to do something for me there,” he continued. “I have some art lessons scheduled for tomorrow. There will be a couple of Otters and a Fox who will come to the cabin expecting me to teach them to paint,” he laughed. “I’d be much obliged if you would be there to tell them that, well, uh,” he smiled at Annie, “that art lessons are postponed until further notice!”
Breister smiled, but felt a bit annoyed. His friends were leaving him. Not only that, but helping Toshty might delay his own search for Helga.
“And, Breister,” Toshty said, “the young Fox I mentioned—name’s JanWoo-Corriboo—she’s one of the most amazing young beasts you’ll ever meet. She can take you to the ‘Mountain That Moves But Stands Still’—you can trust her completely and she’s as brilliant as they come. You’ll be in good hands with her. If your Helga is anywhere to be found, JanWoo-Corriboo can help you find her.”
Breister’s annoyance evaporated. He was happy for his friends and felt confident of his path forward. If all was not yet well for him, he felt somehow that things were improving.
The three friends loaded their belongings back in the bladder canoe and set off again. “We’ll paddle with you a bit further toward the Bottoms,” Toshty said. “There’s a little sandspit that is covered with trees, bushes, and reeds. We’ll drop you off there. It’s not far from my cabin. Then we’ll paddle back to the Drownlands Cutoff to catch the running-wagon back to the Rounds. The next time you see us, we’ll be husband and wife.” Toshty beamed.
A few hours later, Toshty beached the canoe among some dense reeds. As Breister got out of the canoe, he was well concealed by vegetation. Only the faint rustle of leaves and the gurgling of the stream broke the silence. It was as if they were in a small pocket of life in a vast and barren land.
“Don’t be fooled by what you see,” Toshty advised. “Just around that bend up ahead lies WooSheep Bottoms. Unless I miss my guess, you’ll start hearing the wild screams of young beasts at the swimming hole as soon as you get out of these trees. But don’t go to the swimming hole. Follow the directions I gave you. You’ll get to the cabin just fine.”
The friends enjoyed a last round of farewells. Then, Toshty and Annie paddled away. Breister watched their progress for a while until Toshty’s voice came wafting back across the water. “Tell JanWoo-Corriboo that I told her to show you the painting she calls Eye Of The All,” Toshty yelled. “She’ll know what I mean.” With that, the canoe floated around the bend and Breister was alone.
Breister sat watching the place where the canoe had disappeared. He half-expected Toshty and Annie to reappear. But, no, he didn’t really expect that at all. He just hoped with all his heart that this would not be the last time he would see his friends. Slowly, he reached down and picked up his pack. He took out a piece of Bison bread and, munching on it with a special pleasure coming from his growing connections with the Rounds, he walked away from the river.
He had not walked more than a few minutes, following the directions that Toshty had given him, when a large squad of Grizzly Bear trackers stepped out of the brush and surrounded him. Although Breister had nothing to fear from the trackers himself, his heart beat wildly.
Grizzly Bear trackers were specially trained officers of the law, whose task it was to track down the worst rogues and bandits and bring them to justice. They were renowned for their bravery and skill against the most dangerous desperadoes.
A particularly large Grizzly Bear, with part of his ear gone, and a long scar on his nose, stepped toward Breister. Showing his law badge, he growled, “Where ya been, and where ya goin’?”