The Gypsies and the Other Realm- Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Mystical Dog

When Valentino and his passengers reached camp, they were astonished to see there were skunks everywhere. The whole camp was saturated with the little black and white critters, hunting for food. The skunk scent permeated the air with their nauseating scent. Then suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, a larger-than-life colorful mystical dog appeared growling and barking and all the skunks scurried back into the woods.

The camp was somewhat disheveled by the ordeal, but most of the food had been put away, so the skunks had not found much to feast on. The men and women covered their faces with their handkerchiefs, scarves and shawls to eliminate some of the lingering smell, then a big whirlwind of night air rushed through the camp taking away most of the smell.

The men looking a little confused and dismayed, cautiously climbed down off the wagon and scrambled to get a campfire started at once to keep anymore wild creatures at bay.

Rudolpho and Robin were yelling excitedly cats, cats, ewww. and pinching their little noses and then yelled big dog woof...woof...growl. The adults laughed at their interpretation of what had just happened. None of them were too sure of what they had just witnessed themselves. The women went into their caravans and lit scented incense before starting to prepare a meal.

The other tribesman and their families were just arriving back at camp from Sheffield Market, and Blossom greeted them with an incense stick and told them about the skunk party in camp. She advised they might want to light the incense stick and check the tents, benders, vardos and caravans, as well as their food supplies.

Viktoria, Maerie, Rosalie and Lilith put together a quick meal of smoked turkey, fresh fruit, raw vegetables with dressing, bread and cheese, Oberon appeared with clay jugs of goat's milk. and Valentino brought hot coffee and hot water for tea and Bavaro appeared with a large, warmed pot of leftover venison stew. Everyone enjoyed the meal, and it was decided that someone should stay at camp each day to keep the campfire burning to ward off wild creatures, the woods were full of squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons and such.

After eating they all pitched in together to clean up. The men hauling water in from the pasture stream. After they had put the children to bed, they convened around the big campfire to visit with the other tribesmen and discuss market sales.

Everyone seemed happy about the days proceeds and looked forward to tomorrow. They also discussed the how to’s and wherefores of the up-and-coming weddings for Raj and Violet and Stefan and Mariska.

Meanwhile back at the market Stefan, Mariska, Raj, Violet, Badger and Livia shopped at the vendor stalls, ate individual grilled skewers of lamb meat, mushrooms, tomatoes, and onion dipped in a savory sauce and drank a cocktail of fresh squeezed juices offered in a tin cup. Violet spent part of her allowance on trinkets, beads, fabric and threads, as she was apprenticing with her mother as a seamstress. Livia spent part of her allowance on exotic imported scents and supplies for perfumes, soaps, candles and incense, Mariska bought some new types of herbs, tea, scented dried flowers and leaves. She also bought Robin and Rudolpho wood carved horses, Valentino a bone carved knife and Viktoria a small comb designed like a butterfly to put in her hair

The boys were very generous with their hard-earned money they paid for all the food and desserts, pastries with whipped cheese and fruit on top. Each of the boys bought a gift for their girlfriend, Mariska received a colorful skirt made from scarves she had admired on the belly dancers from Stefano, Violet received a purple cape with embroidered flowers to bring out the violet in her eyes, and Livia received a beautiful charm bracelet with miniature magical creatures molted in gold attached Each girl also received a bouquet of wildflowers. They returned to the fortune telling tent and brought a skewer of meat and vegetables, a turkey leg. A large clay jar full of juice cocktail and a pastry. They had also bought a smoked sausage, cheese and bread for a snack later that night. Victor was pleased with the boy's generosity.

Stefan, Raj and Badger left to get their ponies from the corrals, while the girls packed their satchels for the ride back to camp and Victor ate some and then went outside to walk around and stretch his legs. He engaged in a game of shells nearby with a crowd of some young gypsy men watching him guess which shell the pebble was under as the gypsy proprietor of the game shuffled the shells around the table for each bet. Victor did quite well at the shell game.

A pretty gypsy belly dancer had been watching him and followed him back to his sister-in-laws tent. The boys were there with their ponies and loaded the girls onto the ponies with their satchels full of their treasures, to ride back to camp. No one really noticed the pretty gypsy belly dancer walking around on the street outside.

The group waved goodbye to Victor and set about on their way to camp. The weather was turning to a brisk cold outside and the girls snuggled up close against the boys on the back of the ponies holding tight to their satchels.

A band of thieving bandits, presumably gypsies, had been seen around Sheffield the past few nights, they were holding up tribes and stealing their valuables. At night they were also breaking into vendor tents and stalls at the market. The soldiers had relayed the news to the boys to pass on to Valentino, when they went to collect their ponies from the corrals. So, they were making haste with the girls on the way to camp and the cold wind from the air slapped their faces like ice..

After the girls had settled in with their families, the boys passed on the news to Valentino about the bandits. One of the tribesmen and his oldest son offered to take watch for the night and another during the day tomorrow.

Selena and Jupiter made an appearance in the caravan to Mariska and Livia and told them about the camp skunk invasion and that the larger-than-life dog that mysteriously appeared was Jupiter he had shapeshifted and chased the skunks away. Mariska and Livia laughed at the plight of the poor little critters being chased into the woods and then shared their adventures at market with Selena, before putting food and water in the fairy hut for the pair and snuggling up into their own bedrolls and drifted into a night of uninterrupted dreams.