Should she write down what she’d seen and share it with Meg? Should she burden the one blood prophet who, as the Trailblazer, was trying to help the rest of them stay alive?

“Meg’s Wolf,” Jean whispered. Yes. He was a leader of the Lakeside Courtyard. He’d rescued her because Meg had asked him to help her. Maybe knowing that Lakeside could survive what was coming would help him make the choices that would ensure that the city did survive.

Shaky, Jean got to her feet. She washed and bandaged the cut, then cleaned her razor and ate a small meal. Having properly cared for herself, she sat down and wrote a letter to Simon Wolfgard.

To: Simon Wolfgard and Vladimir Sanguinati

Intuits in the Midwest and Northwest have heard about bison being killed in dozens of places throughout those regions. No reports about the bison killings in the news; however, there were reports of cattle or sheep being killed, and outraged ranchers and residents of the neighboring towns were interviewed. Everyone ignored the simple fact that Wolves, Panthers, and Grizzlies don’t shoot their prey, so the animals weren’t killed by the terra indigene. Maybe a few of you should learn how to use a rifle. Less work catching your dinner and much less chance of being kicked or trampled.

Received a request from Jesse Walker, who runs a general store in Prairie Gold. She says Vlad gave his consent for her and a Shelley Bookman to be included in our e-mails about cassandra sangue. Please confirm.

Received the pictures. Wish I could thank you for them.

—Steve Ferryman

To: Steve Ferryman

Jesse Walker’s request confirmed. We want to further the connections between Lakeside, Great Island, Prairie Gold, and Sweetwater.

You can thank Jackson Wolfgard for the pictures. Since a blood prophet drew them, consider them a warning. However, Simon would like any information your people might have about fortune-telling cards.

—Vlad Sanguinati

To: HFL, Lakeside Chapter

Stage one of the urban cleansing has revealed the problem areas. Proceed with stage two at the designated time.

—NS

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 11

Thaisday, Juin 7

Joe Wolfgard helped Tobias Walker lift the fifth shipping container of bison meat into the dairy farm’s small refrigerated truck, which Tobias had parked outside of Floyd Tanner’s butcher shop. He didn’t understand why the whole Prairie Gold community was proud to have such a truck, but he could appreciate its usefulness in moving food that would spoil during transport in the days when Summer ruled the land.