There were more people up here than had left town with Cooper. Easily a dozen or so. Peter didn’t know where they’d come from, but the girl from the town hall was sitting on a log with the boy and talking to a woman who hadn’t been at the meeting earlier. There was a man too, sat across the way with Tokala. And perched with his back to Peter, the silhouette of his Stetson bold against the light of the fire, was Cooper. Becky was at his side, busy talking to someone next to her. Peter couldn’t make out a face, but every now and then she’d touch Cooper’s shoulder or knee as if the conversation she was having with the other person constantly referred back to him. A joke. A memory. New friendships shared. She took a swig from a bottle she was holding and tried to pass it to her neighbour, but they dropped it. Becky apologised, as if the fault had been her own, and rushed in to pick it up before the remaining liquid bled out, offering the rest to Cooper. Becky continued her conversation with the man so Cooper removed his Stetson and jacket, setting the latter across the snow for a blanket, and sat back against the log, legs splayed out, watching.

A few moments passed while he raked both hands through his golden hair to ease out a stretch. He was relaxed, happy even, gazing into the fire with the hubbub of chatter going on all around him, but without having to be the centre of any one person’s attention. And yet, he was at the centre of it all. Every now and then, the girl looked away from the woman she was chatting to, to check in with him. Cooper nodded as if giving his approval somehow and she returned to her conversation. The boy did the same. Throughout all this, Cooper maintained a constant connection with Tokala, whose dark gaze held his from across the other side of the campfire. They were apart but together at all times. Peter’s throat became tight and sore. Cooper was more than a friend to these people. He was their leader, present but removed, quietly taking in a world of his own making.

The woman the girl from the town hall had been talking to suddenly stood up and walked off. For some reason this seemed to worry the girl. She started to scratch at her collarbone like she might have said something to offend the woman and looked through the flames to Cooper for support. But he wasn’t troubled. He calmly shook his head to reassure her, and let the woman leave the clearing. She was coming this way.