Chapter 114: Cottage

As August and the pups continued walking through the woods, they began to hear the sound of running water.

"There's a creek near here?" she asked, wondering if it was the same creek that she had crossed when she followed the crow.

"Yep! We're almost there!" Alexander called from ahead, and the girls around August began jumping giddily with excitement.

After one more small hill, August paused in awe. Just ahead was the creek, and two beautiful stone bridges crossed it to the ruins of a little cottage covered in ivy. Each bridge crossed at opposing sides of the cottage and appeared to lead directly into it—one to the front door and the other to the rear, though the rear entry was obstructed by the forest's overgrowth.

Like the bridges, the cottage was also made largely of stone, as much of its exterior appeared unaffected by the fire. It still stood, though what little August could see under the ivy that crawled uninhibited up its side looked blackened. The arched front door had clearly been made of wood, as there was little left of it but a large gaping hole to the darkness of its interior.

It was still charming after all that had happened. August could imagine how happy of a place this had been. Graeme and Greta would have loved this home of Sylvia's in their childhood, she had no trouble imagining it.

Rising above the entryway was a pointed dark red roof that the ivy hadn't quite overcome yet, and below it was a small wooden door to the attic with a circular window. The fire must not have burned long enough to reach it. It was sweet—it beckoned to be explored by little ones with big imaginations.

"Okay," August exhaled and looked at the pups around her. "Now it's time to spread out and look for the materials you will need for your sketches. Then we can decide on a good placement for each of them before getting started."

As the pups dispersed, August looked again at the bridge that lay in front of her and the darkness of the cottage that beckoned. She wanted to explore it, but she wasn't sure she should.

"Ours is easy. We just need small sticks to make the figures. You guys have seen The Blair Witch Project right? Like that," she heard Isaac's voice nearby.

August walked to the small group of boys that consisted of Isaac, Bear, and Sage. They were all sitting on the ground around the sketchbook. Sage and Bear were looking at Isaac with wary eyes, but they didn't protest to Isaac's plan. He had a considerable amount of aggressive energy, and they seemed to be submitted to it.

"Isaac? Did everyone give their input on this design?" August asked as she gestured toward the boy's sketch.

"Well Sage doesn't talk," Isaac replied.

"People talk in more than one way. You just need to know how to listen," August said gently. "You know, I don't think this idea is really appropriate for the location. We don't want people in the pack to be afraid."

"Why not?" Isaac asked with a scrunched face.

"Well," August started and tilted her head in thought, "it's hard to move forward with persistent fear. Rather than looking at what happened here with fear, don't you think it would be better if we try to help people heal? Maybe even give them hope for a better future?"

"With sticks?" he asked, as if it was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard.

"They're not just sticks after you create something with them. That's what art is about. It becomes something else—it takes on a deeper meaning. And you decide what that meaning is," she answered. "Now why don't we come up with another design that everyone agrees on. What kinds of things could you make that would make people smile or give them comfort?"

The boys looked at each other. After a few moments, Sage scooted the sketchbook around until it was facing him, and he drew a star made with five sticks that were tied together. It was a simple design just like the creepy figures Isaac had come up with, but it conveyed something much different.

"Oooh nice. I like it," August smiled.

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"Why is that so much better than what I came up with?" Isaac crossed his arms.

"It's not that it's better, Isaac. It just gives a much different meaning. What do you think of when you see a star like this?" August asked. Isaac shrugged.

"I think of the sky and the universe," Bear said.

August nodded her head. "Definitely. What else?"

"Wishing?" Bear added.

"Wishing on a star, sure," August replied. "And wishing gives us hope. I think of how we are all made of stardust," a little glint flashed in her golden eyes as she said this. "Every single one of us. And that is pretty magical, don't you think?"

Sage and Bear nodded while Isaac kept his arms crossed tightly against his chest.

"I think of your eyes," Sage said in a small voice, and everyone turned to him, surprised. Even Isaac's eyes widened. "Luna's eyes."

The little comment from Sage was so sweet and unexpected, August wanted to hug him, but she felt her cheeks go warm instead. "Oh, yes," she giggled. "My eyes."

Once she realized all three boys' eyes were on her again, she stood to leave them to talk it over. "If you have all decided that's what you would like to do, the next step is to find sticks that will work for it. The stars can be different sizes, but in order for one star to work, the five sticks that make it will need to be about the same length. Okay?" They all nodded before she walked away to find the next group.

The girls—Clementine, Alice, and Plum—had decided to do a large sun that stretched between two trunks and was made with sticks and large pieces of bark for the sun rays. "Weren't you originally thinking of a spider web?" August asked.

"Yes, but we changed it to a sun. It's happier," Clementine explained.

"Lovely. I see you have started to gather the materials for it. Great! Let me know when you need the cord to tie everything together," August smiled.

Alexander, Fern, and Sawyer decided to create a large portal, but they were having trouble with where to place it.

"Wow, this is going to be a big project for you three," August said.

"Is that bad?" Alexander asked.

"No, not at all. What do you think about making the portal so that you have to walk through it to get to the bridge?" August asked.

"Yeah," the three agreed excitedly.

"Okay, I think the best thing to do will be do get some of the materials. Once you have enough to get started, then you can begin creating the first part of the spiral."

"Thanks, Miss August," Alexander said happily before the three darted off into the woods to look.

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