“I think we should keep the things we need easy access to in your bags, Luckarito. I’ve put together a bit of a first aid kit. Maybe we can find some things to add to it if we can make it into the city.” Girl said as she opened the door and gestured for Lucky to step into the Big House in front of her.

“I don’t think Wickett will go into the city. Probably ever.”

Girl made a thoughtful noise in the back of her throat as she jogged up the stairs to her room. “I think we should keep an eye out for other big animals. It might be helpful to have more protection here at the Farm.”

“Mmm. Maybe. Though we need to be a bit cautious about who and what we bring here. We don’t want to cause problems.” Lucky said.

A rucksack, packed full to bursting, was along one wall of the sparsely furnished room. Next to it was a much smaller bag, Girl flopped down onto the floor in that way that only children and puppies can, bonelessly. “This is the first aid kit. It’s got all the essentials and some basic medicines as well.” She gestured Lucky closer and unbuckled the straps keeping one of his bags closed. When she opened it up, Lucky’s nose was assaulted by magic.

**DA-DING!! You have gained +1 Mana Sense!!**

Lucky turned his head and sniffed deeply at the open bag, trying to figure out what the scent meant. It smelled a bit like a dry mud puddle in the middle of the night. Vast, empty, and lonely. He blew a sharp breath out his nose, trying to rid himself of the tingling sensation the smell was giving him. His muzzle crinkled as he drew his lips back and gave another deep sniff.

“Everything okay, Luckadillo?” A frown carved lines into her face.

“I think so?” It was more question than statement and one of Lucky’s brows rose quizzically.

She put the first aid kit in the left saddlebag. “How’s that feel?” She asked as she turned back toward the bulging rucksack.

“Lighter than I thought it’d be. What else can I carry?”

“Flashlight, road flares, multitool, water, the money, and maybe some snacks or something?”

“That sounds like a lot.” Lucky said.

“It’s a lot, but hopefully not too much. If we have to run away from something, I’m going to have to drop the rucksack. I can’t run with it, it’s too heavy. At least this way we’ll have some of the basics even if I have to ditch it.” She returned to Lucky’s side, her hands full. If she had been frowning before, now it could be called a scowl, or some other greater word that Lucky didn’t know.

“What is it?” He asked, trying to follow her gaze. Unfortunately it was impossible to see what was on his own flank.

“It’s gone. The first aid kit. It’s gone.” There was no mistaking the distress in the tone of her voice.

Lucky’s copper brows drew together again and he reached again for the identity of the item Xerinos’ Avatar had given him.

DA-DING!! You have gained +1 Identify!!**

Exquisite Saddlebags of the Void

Made by a master [Leatherworker] these bags have been enchanted in a process no longer known to those on Earth.These bags are connected to a secure pocket of the Void between Realms. Items may be placed into the void where they will be weightless and frozen outside the timeline. Each bag is distinct and connects to a discrete pocket of the Void. To retrieve an item, reach into the bag and focus on the item you wish to retrieve.

Capacity: Left - 1/??, Right - 0/??

This item is soulbound to Lucky Lachlan and may only be claimed by another in the event of his demise.

A gasp escaped Lucky as he read the screen, nosing it so Girl could see what he had learned about the item. Girl gave a low whistle. “That is insanely useful. Deus ex Machina.”

“What?”

“Um, it’s something we talked about at school. I think it’s roman or something. God in the Machine, or something like that. It’s like in a book when the characters get just what they need at just the right moment.” Girl explained.

“So the Avatar giving us these things is maybe just Xerinos interfering?” Lucky’s head tilted to one side as he considered.

She shrugged and put the items in her hand back in the rucksack. “Maybe. Maybe there’s a rule or something about how much they can interfere? We really need to learn more about the Rules. There have to be Rules.”

Girl opened the saddlebag as wide as she could and tried to shove the rucksack in. She gave an eloquent, teenaged roll of her eyes when it didn’t fit. “See what I meant about rules?” She said, exasperated. “Whatever we put in the bags has to be small enough to fit in the opening, but each bag only counts as one item. I wonder if the contents are still there.” A blush stained her cheeks. “I should have tested that before I tried to put the rucksack in.”

She reached into the left pouch and brought out the first aid kit, grinning when she opened it to find all of the contents still in order. “This is going to be so useful!” She said with a grin.

“It means we can bring more supplies with us, right? Like tools and stuff?”

“And a proper tent, a sleeping bag.” She got up and trotted over to her closet, pulling out a couple of smaller school bags. “I’ll repack the rucksack into these bags, then we’ll see what else we can take with us now.”

“Let’s not waste too much time on it, Girl.” Lucky cautioned. “I’ve got a really bad feeling that just keeps looming over me. I’m not sure what it means, but whatever it is, I think we really need to get moving.”

Girl nodded stiffly and started sorting items into the red bag and the black one that she had taken from her closet. “Can you go ask Dad to get you two sleeping bags, the ground pad and the pop up tent? I’ll get this sorted and grab a few more things.”

Lucky left the room at a jog, following Man’s familiar scent with his nose. It took the three of them nearly an hour to repack the rucksack and put the extra items they had gathered up into Lucky’s saddlebags. Everyone met them in the dooryard to see off the group of travellers, even if they didn’t necessarily approve of them leaving. There was no question that the Lost Dogs he had asked to accompany him would come. The question was whether or not Sugar would come. She was sitting with her family and the children were wrapped around her like so many vines.

They made their way to the gate, walking side by side and as they walked the rest of the group joined them. First was Axel, the large brindle mastiff, his heavy muscles rippling under his short multihued fur. Intrepid was next, his gray-on-gray body held in its usual uncertain posture, with his tail tucked between his legs and curled around his left hind thigh. Val, her sharp features and copper and black fur silky and shining in the morning light, was the next to join, trotting up to walk next to Intrepid. Five of them now, walking in a line anchored in the center by Lucky’s large black, white, gray and copper fur.

They were almost to the gate when Sugar stood up and began gently nuzzling and licking the cheeks of the children who clung to her. Lucky could hear a little whine pouring from the golden retriever. Her tail was held low, but it wagged slowly from one side to the other, it was her slicked back ears and rounded shoulders that showed how sad she was to even be contemplating leaving her family. The children clung to her so tightly, their arms tensing every time she tried to turn toward the gate and step away from them. It was Calypso’s approach with a soothing aura of [Calm] that finally allowed Sugar to walk away from her family. Her rich, earthy brown eyes were filled with sadness as she walked hesitantly toward the gate.

As she approached, Lucky could hear her mumbling to herself, barely louder than breathing. “It’s the right thing to do, it’s the right thing to do, it’s the right thing to do…” Over and over, trying to convince herself that she was making the right choice.

When she reached the group, Lucky nudged her gently on the shoulder. “Are you okay? Are you sure?”

Her eyes met Lucky’s and he could clearly read the sadness in them, but her voice was firm when she spoke. “I know that I have a choice in this. You wouldn’t take that from any of us. I also know that you’re right, you need me out there. I’m coming.” There was no question in her voice or the words she spoke, only in her posture.

It was then that Wickett emerged from the barn, his impressive antlers made sure that the crowd in the dooryard gave him plenty of room to strut toward the gate. And there was no mistaking his regal movements for anything other than a strut. Lucky’s gaze swept over the dooryard and all the people and animals he was leaving behind. Even the coyotes had come to see them off. He was tempted, for a moment, to say something. But what words could he say that would make them understand how he felt about leaving? Instead he turned back to the gate and walked through, Girl at his side and the others almost making a V formation with Wickett trailing behind.