The next few hours were filled with more meaningless talk. Bram told stories from his home, the same he used to tell to Caoimhe. Maria was delighted, asking for more and more stories, until Bijou felt the need to apologize for her.

"She can be excitable," he said.

Bram laughed, now letting Theodore and Benoit swing and hang off him as he used to do the trees back home.

"It's no trouble," Bram said. "I thought I might have forgotten these old stories. It's nice to know I haven't."

Bijou looked at him through his eyelashes and smiled. "Thank you, Bram," he said.

"Mr. Bram," Maria said in her small voice. "Tell us another story about a witch!"

"Ah, but what would a little thing like you know about witches, love?" a voice familiar to Bram said from around the next bend in the road.

Bijou slowed and adjusted his grip on Maria. Bram paused too, however his reaction was laced with more confusion than fear.

"Kat," he called. "Is that you?"

"Over here," the same voice called.

Bram tightened his grip on the boys and marched around the bend in the road, only to come face to face with a shop sign. On it was carved a bundle of herbs and a smoking little pot. Beyond the sign a woman with red hair and in plain dress was sweeping the front path leading up to a shop. She was big, certainly an alpha. Her clothes were plain trousers —only alpha women, particularly of the lower class, wore men's clothes like that— and a tucked in shirt with suspenders and a cap. Her red hair was done in a braid over her shoulder. She smiled when she saw Bram.

"Hello, brother!" she said.

"Kat!" Bram said. "How?" He sounded bewildered, but he put down the boys and marched up for a hug.

Kat hugged him fiercely when he approached, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "We tend to be where we're needed. We started walking yesterday."

"And this?" Bram waved his hand at the building.

Kat smiled. "I don't ask questions," she said simply. "Who are they, though? She didn't mention anyone else."

Bram turned. Bijou had let Maria down and was standing with all of his children a few feet behind him. Smiling, Bram waved them the last few feet and then put his arm around Bijou. "This is Bijou and his children. I'm helping them out and we need a favor from you."

"Anything for family," Kat shrugged with a smile. "I'm Kat," she said, extending a hand.

"Bijou Moreau," Bijou said, taking the offered hand. "You must be Bram's little sister."

Both Kat and Bram chuckled lightly.

"You've got it wrong," Kat said, not unkindly. "His older sister is Willow, and she's resting up inside the shop. I'm Kat, her wife."

A flicker of recognition went through Bijou's eyes and he smiled a little wider. "My mistake, Mrs. Kat," he said. "I can't wait to meet your wife."

"Just Kat is fine. We Murphy's care little for titles, don’t we, Bram?"

"Not much," Bram said.