I have a bad feeling about the pranks.  Though I could be wrong.

I am sooo sorry I didn't post for so long, like I have said this is a super busy time for me, but that doesn't excuse the fact that I have neglected this thread, please forgive me. 

Everyone got to work right away, Corliss and Julia sewed, Alder dug a fire pit in the main chamber of the cave, Aiken and Maida gathered fuel to save up for winter, and Clay turned one of the spare rooms into a larder. It was a productive day, and by the time they were done, and the sun was setting, the roof of skins was finished, they had enough wood inside to last them a month, and the dirt shelves that were carved out of the walls of the larder were stocked with dried food.

It was a good thing to, because that night was a cold one. When they woke up the world was frosted over and the smell of winter was on the breeze. It would still be a while till winter hit with its full fury, but it was good to be prepared. Last minute projects where finished up the next morning, and then everyone met for lunch. 

“So, what should we do with the other empty room?” Maida asked, taking a big bite of her fish. Aiken snuck Argos a piece of his meat and shrugged.

“I think we should turn it into a room for Argos, but that’s just an idea.” He said, ignoring Corliss’s frown as he gave Argos some more meat. This idea was agreed upon and they set to work gathering pine branches and reeds to provide bedding. Argos sniffed his new room for a while, then settled down contentedly for a nap. It seemed like everything was figured out, but they got a surprise that night. 

Argos climbed into his bed and laid down, watching the children crawl into their bedroom. But as soon as they had all lain down Aiken felt Argos lay down next to him, taking his usual spot. Aiken got up and led him back to his room, but Argos followed him right back to the main bedroom as soon as Aiken turned his back. Argos had grown quite close to Aiken in the past months, and it seemed he would not tolerate being separated from him. So, it was decided that Aiken would sleep with Argos in his new bedroom. No one minded, since the main bedroom was quite full anyways, and now there was a little more leg room. 

I am so sorry, for some reason I always forget to check here.  It’s going great!  Please keep posting.

That's alright Peregrine:)

Winter came on early, blowing snow through the trees to pile against their shelter, but they were warm and safe inside. The fire cast golden shadows on the walls, and the children sat with their hands warming over the fire, telling stories and talking to pass the time. 

Corliss turned out to be an excellent storyteller, much to everyone’s surprise, and here is one of many stories she told: 

Once upon a time there was a young girl who lived with her aging mother and father in the far corner of the kingdom of Avalon. She was her parents fourth child, but the first three had all been kidnapped at birth buy an evil witch. She had escaped the clutches of the witch only because a kind wizard had been passing through, and had put a spell of protection on her, which would keep her safe no matter what. This infuriated the witch, and she swore that on the day that the sun was darkened, she would come to claim the last child of the poor couple. The witch hated all children, but she hated those four the most, because they were very beautiful and pure of heart. But out of all the children, the most beautiful and pure of them all was the youngest daughter, whose name was Holly. 

For fifteen years the family lived happily with each other, and after such a long time had passed the old couple had started to let down their guard. One day Holly was out in a meadow, gathering flowers, when she saw an old woman coming towards her. Holly did not know of the curse, because her parents did not want her to worry, and being a very good girl, she went to see if she could help the old woman, who was carrying a large burden on her back. 

The old woman thanked her for her kindness and handed her a large sack, asking her to look in it and see if the old woman’s lunch was in there. Holly obediently opened it up and as she was looking in it the old woman threw off her shawl, revealing herself to be the witch! She pushed Holly into the sack and disappeared. 

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To be continued. 

The old woman thanked her for her kindness and handed her a large sack, asking her to look in it and see if the old woman’s lunch was in there. Holly obediently opened it up and as she was looking in it the old woman threw off her shawl, revealing herself to be the witch! She pushed Holly into the sack and disappeared.

When poor Holly woke up she was in a dark room all alone. She looked around her but could see nothing. A door at the far end of the room creaked open, and the witch came in, holding a lantern. She stooped over the girl and grinned, showing her many missing teeth.

“How are you, my dear?” She said with an evil laugh, kicking away a rat which had come to sniff her feet. Holly looked around at the now dimly illuminated room. It was empty except for her, the witch, and three rats. She turned to the witch.

“I am rather scared of the dark, but it’s better now, won’t you please bring me home to my parents?” The witch cackled.

“I will only let you go if you complete three tasks!” She said, pulling a kernel of corn out of her pocket. “Here is the first one: you must take this kernel of corn and turn it into a full cob.” She thrust it into Holly’s hand and hung the lantern up on a peg, then she turned back to Holly, who was looking in confusion at the kernel. “You only have an hour, and if I return to find you have failed, you will stay here forever!” With that she left, slamming the door behind her. 

Holly began to cry, knowing that she could not possibly complete the task at hand, but then she felt a tap on her foot. She looked down to see one of the rats looking up at her.

“Don’t cry,” it said, “I can help you if you agree to help me in return.” Holly stared at the rat wide eyed. 

“Of course, anything in my power I will do.” She said. The rat nodded and scampered away. An hour later it returned with a full corn cob, and just in time too. The witch came storming in, expecting to see nothing but a small kernel. When she saw the corn, she grew angry.

“What! How can this be!” She was dismayed, but she knew that the next task would be completely impossible. She pulled out a small box and placed a stone inside, then locked it. “I will give you an hour to unlock this box and take the stone out, and if I return to find you have failed, you will stay here forever!” With that she left, slamming the door behind her.

Holly tried to unlock the box, but it was in vain, and she could not unlock it. She began to cry and then once again she felt a tap on her foot. She looked down to see another one of the rats looking up at her.

““Don’t cry,” it said, “I can help you if you agree to help me in return.” 

“Of course, anything in my power I will do.” She said. The rat nodded and went to the box. Sticking its claw in it wriggled it around until there was a click and the box flew open. Soon the witch came back, and to her dismay, Holly was sitting there with an open box and a stone in her hand. The witch was furious, but she was sure the girl could not complete the last task.The old woman thanked her for her kindness and handed her a large sack, asking her to look in it and see if the old woman’s lunch was in there. Holly obediently opened it up and as she was looking in it the old woman threw off her shawl, revealing herself to be the witch! She pushed Holly into the sack and disappeared.

When poor Holly woke up she was in a dark room all alone. She looked around her but could see nothing. A door at the far end of the room creaked open, and the witch came in, holding a lantern. She stooped over the girl and grinned, showing her many missing teeth.

“How are you, my dear?” She said with an evil laugh, kicking away a rat which had come to sniff her feet. Holly looked around at the now dimly illuminated room. It was empty except for her, the witch, and three rats. She turned to the witch.

“I am rather scared of the dark, but it’s better now, won’t you please bring me home to my parents?” The witch cackled.

“I will only let you go if you complete three tasks!” She said, pulling a kernel of corn out of her pocket. “Here is the first one: you must take this kernel of corn and turn it into a full cob.” She thrust it into Holly’s hand and hung the lantern up on a peg, then she turned back to Holly, who was looking in confusion at the kernel. “You only have an hour, and if I return to find you have failed, you will stay here forever!” With that she left, slamming the door behind her. 

Holly began to cry, knowing that she could not possibly complete the task at hand, but then she felt a tap on her foot. She looked down to see one of the rats looking up at her.

“Don’t cry,” it said, “I can help you if you agree to help me in return.” Holly stared at the rat wide eyed. 

“Of course, anything in my power I will do.” She said. The rat nodded and scampered away. An hour later it returned with a full corn cob, and just in time too. The witch came storming in, expecting to see nothing but a small kernel. When she saw the corn, she grew angry.

“What! How can this be!” She was dismayed, but she knew that the next task would be completely impossible. She pulled out a small box and placed a stone inside, then locked it. “I will give you an hour to unlock this box and take the stone out, and if I return to find you have failed, you will stay here forever!” With that she left, slamming the door behind her.

Holly tried to unlock the box, but it was in vain, and she could not unlock it. She began to cry and then once again she felt a tap on her foot. She looked down to see another one of the rats looking up at her.

““Don’t cry,” it said, “I can help you if you agree to help me in return.” 

“Of course, anything in my power I will do.” She said. The rat nodded and went to the box. Sticking its claw in it wriggled it around until there was a click and the box flew open. Soon the witch came back, and to her dismay, Holly was sitting there with an open box and a stone in her hand. The witch was furious, but she was sure the girl could not complete the last task.

“The last thing you must do is fit this piece of thread through this needle.” She handed a very thin piece of thread and a tiny needle to Holly. “I will give you an hour to thread the needle, and if I return to find you have failed, you will stay here forever!” With that she left, slamming the door behind her. 

Holly tried her hardest to get the thread through the eye of the needle, but her hands shook, and she was unable to thread it. She began to cry and when again she felt a tap on her foot. She looked down to see the last rat looking up at her. 

“Don’t cry,” it said, “I can help you if you agree to help me in return.” 

“Of course, anything in my power I will do.” She said. The rat nodded and took the thread, carefully putting it through the needle. 

“Now keep your word, and help us in return, put us in your pockets and take us with you when you are freed.” It said. Holly scooped the rats into her pockets and waited for the witch to return. When the witch came back she saw Holly holding the threaded needle. The witch stormed and raged, but she had to keep her promise. She grabbed a sack and told Holly to climb into it. Holly did as she said and then the witch tied it shut. 

The next thing Holly new she was back in the field she had been picking flowers in. No time seemed to have passed, and the sun was just beginning to regain its brightness. She heard someone calling her name and turned to see her parents rushing towards her. But as they drew near, their happy expressions turned to confusion, for, standing next to Holly, were three men, dressed in gray clothes. Holly looked at them in surprise.

“Who are you?” She asked. One of them stepped forward, with tears in his eyes.

“We are your brothers, the witch kidnapped us at birth, and turned us into rats, but you have broken the spell, and we are free.” When Holly’s mother and father heard this, they wept tears of joy and embraced their sons.

So they all lived happily ever after, in their little house in the far corner of the kingdom of Avalon.“Who are you?” She asked. One of them stepped forward, with tears in his eyes.

“We are your brothers, the witch kidnapped us at birth, and turned us into rats, but you have broken the spell, and we are free.” When Holly’s mother and father heard this, they wept tears of joy and embraced their sons.

So they all lived happily ever after, in their little house in the far corner of the kingdom of Avalon.

The winter dragged on, mostly uneventful, until finally spring came, with its fresh air and new life. Everything was growing, and fawns could be seen drinking at the river with their mothers. They were all quite happy to get out, and the first day that the sun was truly shining they decided to all go for a walk.

“Now I know what a bear must feel like when it’s done hibernating.” Aiken remarked, stretching his arms and legs.

“Except that bears get to sleep the whole time, I had to listen to your constant chatter.” Maida said, punching him lightly in the arm. Clay groaned.

“Don’t remind me, I’m just happy to finally get out.” He headed into the woods, the others following him like a string of ducklings following their mother. As they walked they grouped together, Clay in front with Corliss, Julia with Alder, and Maida and Aiken bringing up the rear. Clay was talking to Corliss about the forest around them, pointing out the different kinds of trees and flowers, as they talked they held hands, swinging their arms back and forth, and walking slowly. Julia and Alder were fast overtaking them, both being quick walkers, they didn’t talk at all, but were content to watch the birds fly overhead, and listen to their chirping. Maida and Aiken were banished to the back because they talked and laughed so loudly they would scare the animals away, and when they were quiet it was only because they were scheming up some new prank.

It was a beautiful day, the sun was streaming through the trees and squirrels were chattering all around them, racing each other and wrestling on the ground. They paused by the river and dangled their feet in the crisp, cool water. Aiken and Maida were a little way off in the trees, and Julia, feeling suspicious, called them over. 

“Hey, you should come over here, the water is really nice.” They both jumped a little and then came over, trying to act innocent.