One of the mules sauntered over to see if I had a treat. I stroked his velvety nose. “What do you think? Should I just hop on your back and find out if I’m ready to ride again?” He puffed into my hair and wandered away.

I continued to my cabin. The dogs were calmly lying on the small porch. When she spotted the bone I held out, Holly leaped up, grabbed it, and trotted to a nearby tree.

Maverick simply stared at me.

“Come on, big guy. You deserve this treat.” I held out the bone. “You saved me from certain death, or at least a nasty mauling.”

The Anatolian was unmoved by my words.

I placed the bone on the porch, then moved to the other side and sat in a willow armchair.

Maverick, gaze never leaving me, stood and retrieved the bone. I stayed seated. He lay down and began gnawing on it.

“You know, Maverick, everyone is betrayed at least once in a lifetime. Everyone has wounds and scars. Maybe if I knew where yours came from, you’d learn to trust me even a tiny bit.” I took the three pebbles from my pockets, rolled them around in my fingers, then put them back. “I don’t know why Shadow Woman would leave the two of you to starve. I’m trying to find out more. Maybe once I know your background better, I can find a way to reach you.”

Maverick continued to chew on his bone.

I still had the brochures Roy gave me. I opened the one on team building.

Corporate Team Building

Whether you want to bring together new employees or reenergize the creative working spirit in long-time staff, we are poised to customize the perfect program for you. Our exercises are designed to challenge and sharpen your skills, refine objectives, and develop reliance and trust.

Consider our wilderness scavenger hunt, where participants are placed in a remote location with only a few tools and must live off the land while recovering specific items.

Our most popular challenge, and most useful in today’s difficult environment, is active-shooter and workplace-violence response . . .

I stepped inside and dropped most of the brochures on the counter. I placed the one on team building in my notebook. The insurance carrier had dropped their coverage on team building. How big a hit did Roy’s pocketbook take for that? I’d need to talk to him.

The creaking and rattling of a wagon accompanied by the clop, clop, clop of a horse announced the arrival of the supplies. Liam drove Sam’s wagon around to the side of the lodge, then began unloading it into the kitchen. Perfectly timed delivery for Liam to stay for lunch.