It was stormy and a mixed family of hellkin and haruk'ai were stuck, the wheel of their carriage in the mud. Two kids run out to drag them to the large farmhouse, leading the family's horses to the barn, so they can find rest and shelter. The two kids, still preteens, were trying to care for the farm and what's left of its animals by themselves, their own families, sadly, gone. -- BKF
Unwelcome People are, generally speaking, always prepared to run. It's why most of them are traveling folk. Carrying their homes, and everything dear in a wagon, cart, or together in a caravan.
In those situations, family is more than the people who made them. Family is found in gutters, rescued from the woods, picked up along the way. And sometimes, parents are people who fall in love in spite of the world around them. Such was the patchwork family of a Hellkin, a Harukh, and two foundlings they almost tripped over while hunting or foraging.
The two little Halfbreds had yet to learn that family happened by other means. That was a talk for another day, because their traveling home had thrown a wheel in the pouring rain. A wheel that had smashed into splinters a hundred and twenty yards further down the muddy road.
Khuvak left her boots in the back with the children and hopped off to lift the axle while Kindred held the reins. "Unscheduled stop, lovelies," she raised the fallen corner. "Home needs fixing up."
Kindred clicked their tongue and cooed, "Walk up, Bramble." They steered the horse towards a little farm. "Faelyn, you'll have to beg hospitality."
"Again?" whined their little Half-Elf. "Why can't Vikarn do it?"
"Because of the four of us, my lovey, you are the most likely to be Welcome Folk. And we need-- Uh oh."
Khuvak looked out towards the farm, where two small shapes were running, one with a lantern. The other was waving their arms in the air.
Two Humans. Neither one a day over thirteen. They weren't angry. They were... warning.
"Stop! Stop! Not there!"
Kindred pulled Bramble to a halt. "We mean no harm, we just need somewhere stable to fix up a wheel. Then we'll be on our way."
"No," said the young girl with the lantern. "You were about to steer right into the blackberry pit. Back up and we'll lead you to safer ground."
The boy, possibly seven, asked, "Do you know how to fix a pump? Our well's winch is stiff."
The bargain didn't need to be struck. It was just... decided. The trailer parked and propped, Bramble safe in the stables with the other farm beasts, their existing family met more family.
Two Humans who had been scraping along since a plague of Adventurers washed through the area and scoured it clean of responsible adults. One way or another. Jennis and Bror Fallowfield had hidden when the trouble happened, and emerged to witness the world they knew utterly destroyed.
"I'm so glad there's other people," said Bror, cuddling with the Half-Bugbear, Vikarn. "I thought we'd be alone forever."
Jennis whispered, "We're not ready for winter. Not like Mama used to be ready. I'm scared to tell Bror."
"We have ways and ways," soothed Kindred. "We'll help you and be your family if you wish it."
The Humans cheered so loud that they frightened Vikarn, who was barely three. "We have a Mama and Papa again! Yaaaay!"
"Mama and Rennie," corrected Khuvak and Kindred together.
Khuvak explained further. "I'm Mama Khuvak. Kindred is Rennie."
Kindred was already elbows-deep into fixing the pump. They had pulled apart the machinery and had their arm into the pipe. "We've got a lot of knowledge on how things can go wrong. And what to do when that happens." A grunt, and they pulled out a fat salamander that had been blocking the flow. "You belong in a pond, my plump friend."
Vikarn, noticing a new thing, toddled over. "Wannit!"
"No, this is neither nutritious nor delicious, lovey. Mama will get a fresh dinner going, soon."
Better days were just beginning, at least for this family.
[Photo by Paul Arky on Unsplash]
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