Petra’s crew had been doubled almost with the inclusion of the Teamsters from Fort Stevens who were made up of older people than her own and even herself and one of them the worst choice of all
Charles Weston (32) who was riding as the Ramrod of his group and trained in the same class as she had been and briefly a fling when she was 17 and he was 26; she had always been attracted to those older than herself.
She heard that he’d moved on to Fort Stevens to pack and found himself a woman there and got married even had a kid or two. She felt a bit worried he might still hold some anger that she’d broken it off because he’d been at tht baby making age and she had barely even been but Charlie was actually cordial and didn’t even flinch when she declared her orders to take command of the pack train came from the council. She did smooth things a bit by asking he continue his responsibility to the folks from Fort Stevens and consider himself in command of that portion of the train.
His people were as she had first noted older and several of them she couldn’t recall coming from the Nova equestrian school so not officially Teamsters but if Charlie brung them they had to know their stuff. They did make her happy when they followed her orders to see to their pack and hooves without complaint though a couple gave her a look as if they knew about her and their Boss.
But before she could get annoyed Ursula wiggled to descend so she and the cub climbed down and she laughed before saying.
Well now everyone who knows me and those that don’t I am Amelia Wintergarden and do I have some lovely news for everyone who just did all that hard work to get the hell out of here but judging the angle of the sun we’d move maybe 10-12 miles before we’d have to pull those packs down for the night and that isn’t a decent distance to make a day ride there and back and we are by description a long range transport unit and therefore shall consider our departure delayed. she says with a firm voice knowing that the newcomers needed to sense her control and oddly the little Bear watched her intently rather than shy away from her volume.
I want those packs down in good order, animals watered and set to graze; those hobbles better be fixed or you’ll know it. And just when you thought the day was over I want a proper Fire made and whoever is the best cooks to set on the feed and fetch whatever you have to smoke and we have us a get to know tonight.
I’ll see if Summer will entertain us, sure she’s a screw loose but none better at singing.
By tomorrow I expect all this frivolity to be done out and the train up at split of sun she says setting her expectation of when she’ll be ready to head at about 45 minutes after sunrise when half was still below the horizon.
Then finished she walked down to the falls and was happy to see she was Ursula’s focus as the baby followed her almost as if she were following her mom.