"Toby you are a businessman now. You need a cabin that fits that." Cory told him.
"Are you sure Sir?"
"Yes Toby. Kylie and I will show you."
"All right Sir."
Cory and I measured out a cabin ten feet by twenty feet.
"Awe Sir that is too big."
"It is the same size as our quarters in the cave. It is your choice a cabin out here or quarters inside?" Cory asked him.
Toby thought for a moment. "I like being outside Sir. It is too stuffy inside."
"Fair enough so we will make you a cabin to be proud of."
"Yes Sir." He smiled.
We took some large slabs of rock to use as his foundation. We did it at night so the mortals would not see us carrying them. It took us two weeks to build his cabin which included his cooking stove.
Councilman Klaus came out to see Toby's new home. "Toby it is a home fit for a blacksmith."
"That it is Sir. Thank you for all the help."
"It was our pleasure Toby."
"How much do I owe Sir?" Toby asked.
"Cory do you have all the items listed there?" Councilman Klaus asked.
"Yes Sir. Right here." Cory handed him a blank piece of paper.
"Let me see one cooking stove check, one washing tub check, a table and four chairs check, one bed with a feathered mattress check.
Minus skis for all the wagons check,
Minus all the winter horseshoes check,
Minus all doorknobs and hinges check,
That comes up to a grand total of fifty pounds"
"Fifty pounds? For all that?" Toby was amazed.
"Yes Toby all the work you did for us did not go unnoticed. It paid for your cabin and then some."
"Awe shucks Sir. I did those things because I wanted too." Toby said shyly.
"We built your cabin because we wanted to also." Councilman Klaus said.
"Awe thank you all of you."
I noticed the Mullin witches standing off to one side. They did not look happy about all the attention we were giving Toby.
During our evening meal a few days later.
"There are reports that the Mullin witches are whispering in a strange language." Shaun was saying. "It seems they are up to something."
"They did not look happy when we were giving Toby his cabin." I told them.
"I noticed that too." Colleen said.
"Well we have to keep a close eye on them." Shaun said. "And I want one of us around Toby in case they have something against him. Councilman Klaus would be very upset if something were to happen to him."
"He is quite fond of Toby is he not?" Colleen said.
"Yes he is," Cory said, "when he told me about the cabin. He wanted Toby to have everything he deserves."
"He said the same thing to me." I said.
We had just finished our meal when there was a knock at the door. Cory answered it.
"Councilman Klaus," Cory bowed then looked past him, "and the rest of the Councils." The three Councils walked in.
"I hope we are not disturbing you." Councilman Klaus said. We stood up and bowed to them all. "I have heard some disturbing whispers from my fellow Council members." Councilman Klaus told us. "The witches are speaking in a strange language."
"Yes Sir we have heard the same thing." Shaun said.
"Do any of you know what they are saying?" Councilwoman Anna asked.
Everyone shook their heads.
"Shaun do you know where and when they are speaking this ... language?" Councilman Klaus asked.
"Mostly during they meals in Katey's kitchen."
"Good I think I will spend some time with Katey." Councilwoman Anna said. "It is only recently they started speaking in this language."
"Yes Madam. It started around the same time we gave Toby his cabin." Shaun said.
Councilman Klaus growled.
"Sir we will have someone with him at all times." Shaun told him.
"One of your family members?"
"Yes Sir."
He nodded. This pleased him.
Councilwoman Anna helped Katey with the meals and serving in the kitchen. The Councilwoman told Katey to let her know when the Mullins came to eat.
"Councilman Klaus wants me to pay close attention to them." Councilwoman Anna told her.
"All right."
For the next few days when ever the Mullins came in the Councilwoman would help with the serving in the main part of the dining room. She paid close attention to them when they spoke in their strange language.
After two weeks of listening Councilwoman Anna went rushing downstairs to one of the storage rooms I was bringing in the supplies from the trading post.
Katey was right behind her. "Councilwoman Anna please you are moving too fast."
"I am sorry Katey. It just these women have upset me."
"You mean about the experiments on the cave residents." Katey said.
"You understand them?" Councilwoman Anna was amazed.
"Yes. My mother had a friend who was a witch and they spoke in that language all the time."
"Do you know what the language is?"
"No Madam. I do not. She told my mother once it was the language of the craft." Katey told her.
"That is true. Have you heard who they are experimenting on?"
"No they are using different names for people."
"Why?" Councilwoman Anna said frustrated.
"Excuse me Councilwoman." I said. "They are mortal they probably do not remember everyone's name."
"That is right."
"What are the names they are using?" I asked. The both of them thought for a moment. "The Sour One." Councilwoman Anna said.
"The Flirty One and the Handsome One." Katey said.
"They are using traits like the Sour One could be Dennis. The Flirty one could be Philip." They gasped.
"They could be doing something to the werewolves." Councilwoman Anna exclaimed. "Yes but what?"
I had visions of Tatiana feeding the werewolves her stew laced with octopus ink so that they could not transform.
"They might." Councilwoman Anna said. "They are afraid of us."
We nodded.
