It was well known that the terrible storms and calm weather that came and went so quickly in the Swamp were the results of Lorraine’s temper flares. A meeting was called to order as soon as Minnow and Fern returned to the village with the forecast to discuss what would be done. It was obvious to many of the cousins and aunts and siblings in the family that this was the goddess’s way of telling the swapies that she didn’t want the other ker in the Swamp. She wanted the strangers, the infidels, the worshippers of other deities out of her sanctified ground. Arguments for this side abounded, citing the food shortages and the mess and the injuries that many of Minnow’s cousins and nieces and nephews had sustained at the hands of the refugees.

“They started this war, why should then run to us to hide from it. Let them live with the consequences of their actions!” Ibis shouted, earning applause. Minnow, once again seated by Fern slid her hand into the older girl’s in solidarity. Although Fern had been against the migration into the land, throwing them out would be devastating now. The older ker squeezed Minnow’s hand gratefully, and no one in the room noticed the moment between the sisters. They were too busy arguing among themselves. However, it won out that throwing them out, leaving them in the swamp during the typhoon was madness and heartless. It meant certain death to all of the refugees, and begrudgingly, the opposition settled down.

In the hour before the storm broke, while the winds were picking up, more hammocks were hung in every building in the community. The tents that many of the refugees had brought with them would not hold up in the storm, but could be taken apart and used as floor beds (something few swampies ever used) for those uncomfortable with the swaying of the hammocks. To the surprise of the naysayers of the family, many of those who were camping out in the community actually put their backs into the tasks of storm proofing the buildings and reinforcing the stilts in the shallower water. The rope bridges were left to fend for themselves in the wind as they caused little resistance and so suffered little damage.

As quickly as they could, what food had been caught for the day was cooked, and what remained of the smoked and cured fish and meat was pulled from storage to be used as they waited out the weather. It was remarkable how quickly everyone had come together, although Minnow suspected it had something to do with the volume level of the meeting. Limpkin had told her that most of the village could hear the arguments, so she figured that the tempers had dropped in response to the threat of being made to fend for themselves waiting out the storm and the war.

Before the last of the fish could be charred to perfection, the gales and drizzles caused the flames to sputter and dwindle. The last remnants of the cooking fire died when the skies opened. A few were caught in the rain, racing for cover, but most of the villagers and visitors were warm and dry and huddled inside the many cabins and huts. Everyone made sure the youngest tads were with their parents, although it mattered very little to either the swampies or the Desert ker. Others had been shuffled around and would be living in whatever building had been the closed with room. For the first time in her life, Minnow had been relegated to a floor bed, and as her furs were at home while she was stuck in her second cousin’s house, though it was now a dormitory, she’d also have to sleep in her less-comfortable nets.

The aja had been allowed into the same buildings as their bonded ker, which made the living spaces even more cramped, but it was far better than being outside as the thunder crashed and lightning flashed and the wind whistled through the cattails and weeds and reeds of the Swamp. This was a normal occurrence to the swamp tads, who went about their business as though this was nothing, many refugee children were frightened into silence. The remaining kids were just as frightened, but chose to vocalize that fear in the forms of screaming and crying and throwing tantrums at every noise that came from beyond the walls of the cottage. Parents attempted to soothe their children, who were well aware that the adults were just as frightened of the storm. The Swamp, which had been the butt of their jokes for so long, had shielded them from the brunt of nature’s anger, and now they knew it.

“Reed,” Minnow whispered while nudging her older cousin. Reed was currently the strongest man in the community who was a part of the family, and was recently returned from his trials in the Glade to determine whether he would be fit to pass on his legacy, but as all ker do, had returned home while the decision was made. He was intimidatingly build and had a hard face, but was as good with children as the greatest mother. “Why don’t you show them to make masks?” she suggested, and pointed to a pile of bark that had been collected in a rush in case of emergency.

He nodded and gathered the children around him and the pile and, using his knife, coated in Rock forged metals, showed the children how to cut out holes for their eyes and create a design for themselves. In an instant, the fear of the children turned to curiosity and interest, and Minnow shifted to find some Kraken to pass around to the adults.

Kraken, an alcoholic drink made of fermented cranberries and other fruit, was a common drink in the Swamp but rarely traded to the other kingdoms. As such, it seemed many had never tried the drink and, while suspicious of the taste, were weary from the hard labor and ready for anything to dull the frayed nerves that the sudden climate change had caused. She poured cups for every adult and many of the tads in the room, leaving it up to the parents of the refugee children whether they could have the drink as well or not. Controlled, Minnow made sure there was no inebriation as she and most of the other swampies were too exhausted to break up a booze-fueled fight, and thankfully, the Kraken eased everyone to an easy sleep and drowned out the racket outside. So passed the first night of the storm.