Tobias eyed the cattle that had been loaded into the two stock cars. “Pardon me for saying, but your cattle look a bit young and underweight to be sent to market.”

The Stewart smiled. “Shows you’ve got a good eye, and you’d be right if they were going to market. But I wanted to reduce my stock, and there were two settlements east of here that were looking to buy some cattle to start their own herds. From what they said, they already have a small herd of dairy cows—enough animals to provide their communities with milk and such—and would like to be able to eat something besides elk when roads and weather make it impossible to drive to a bigger town for supplies.”

“Don’t humans like eating elk?” Joe asked.

“Sure. One of the freezers at my ranch is filled with elk meat every hunting season, but it’s a delicacy for most folks, same as milk and cheese might be for you.”

Joe, Jackson, Tobias, and the Stewart moved out of the way as the men on horseback herded the bison into the empty livestock car.

“If you don’t mind me saying, those bison look a little young if you’re sending them to market,” the Stewart said.

“They aren’t food yet,” Joe replied. “They’re going east to a city on the shores of Lake Etu. Sending smaller bison was sensible.” Besides, Simon wanted everyone in the Lakeside Courtyard to have time to get used to bison living there before they were old enough to breed.

“I’ll help Nyx and Tolya load the box going to Lakeside,” Jackson said. Then he added, <See you on the platform before I go?>

<Yes.> Joe looked at Tobias. “Give him a hand?”

“Sure.”

That left him alone with the Stewart Dixon. “Thank you for your help.”

“Happy to lend a hand.”

“You aren’t connected to the Prairie Gold settlement.”

The Stewart shook his head. “My ranch is several hours north of here, but Bennett is the closest rail line, as well as the largest town when we need supplies or want a night out. It’s a day’s drive in any direction to find another town with a music hall and a movie theater. A different group of terra indigene watch over the land north of Bennett. At least, I’m assuming it’s a different group, because I haven’t seen you around before.”

“It’s a different group,” Joe agreed. Had the Wolves north of the hills felt the presence of the Elders?