Elder Raven and his son both laughed. “A good question,” said his son, looking to his father. “Are you going to answer it?”

“I think that I shall,” Elder Raven said, his eyes bright with amusement. “Several. More than a family, less than a full clan. And before you ask further, I will tell you that we have little village of houses that are much like this one; we helped your Great-Grandfather to build his home, and when we saw how your Great-Grandfather built this stove—” he used the English word, so presumably there was no easy equivalent in Cherokee “—we liked it so much we all copied it.”

“The Little People are a great help to us,” said his son. “They remained here when our people were Removed, so there are several clans of them here that help our small village. They confuse the trails, and make sure that no one sees our village or comes close to it. Unfortunately they were not inclined to do the same for your Auntie’s father, so we had to take other measures when the Yankee and Rebel soldiers came.”

She felt her eyes widen. “Little People! I’ve seen one of them three times!” she exclaimed, and looked to her aunt, who nodded in confirmation.

“It means they favor you and they recognize you as a medicine woman, like your aunt,” Old Raven told her. “But you must not tell anyone else but another medicine person about them, or it will be a great misfortune to you.”

“It would be a misfortune enough just having other people thinking I am crazy,” she pointed out. “Which they likely would, if I began talking about Little People.” She paused, and added, “Can I visit you some day?”

“One day,” Old Raven agreed. “When you know your own way about the woods, and your aunt does not have to bring you.”

“And when we’re not busy, which won’t likely be until winter,” Jinny pointed out.

“True, and you and I both must be back to our work,” Old Raven laughed.

“Thank you for the mushrooms,” Jinny said. “As ever, it is good to see your faces.”

“It is good,” both Ravens agreed in chorus, and then left as silently as they had arrived.

As soon as they were gone, Anna turned to her aunt, who held up her hand. “Thet there was fust-rate Cherokee, so seems thet the Elemental critters larned it to y’all jest right,” she said. “And afore y’all go arstin’ me more ’bout Raven an’ his people, y’all need t’ find thet out fer yoreself. It ain’t my place t’tell y’all.”

“I weren’t a-gonna,” Anna objected. “I was a-gonna arst y’all what we’re a-doin’ with them thar mushrooms. Is they good in potions?”

Her aunt sighed with great satisfaction, and picked up the basket. “A-course y’all ain’t niver et mushrooms,” she said, as if reminding herself. “We’re a-gonna et ’em. They’s mighty good eatin’. An’ they don’t last, lessen y’all dry ’em, an’ even then, it’s chancy whuther or not they’ll keep. We’ll hev ’em fer supper.” Then she blinked, and added, “But don’t go pickin’ mushrooms and eatin’ ’em on your own. Some of ’em is pizenous, an’ some’ll jest make y’all sick. Wait till me or th’ Ravens c’n show y’all the difference atween ’em.”