[Memory of Trees]

It was all over before long. The wolves were driven off, and the sounds of the "battle" grew quieter and changed to the happy noise of reuninted families. May kneeling at Adelard's side when she heard a familiar voice call out, "May! Henry!"

"Daddy!" she cried, jumping to her feet. Harold Chubb clasped his two children in a warm embrace. May put her arms around him and buried her face in his chest, breathing in her father's warm, earthy smell. "Oh, Daddy," she whispered, and suddenly all the braveness went out of May. She began to tremble, and she felt weak and frightened.

Grandpa Fordo stood to one side, and began to scold both children half-heartedly. “Don’t you two ever go wandering off like that in the forest again," he said, shaking a knobby finger at them. "I was so worried what was going to happen. That was the most foolish thing you two bubble brains have ever done. What are you trying to do, make your old Grandpa sick? I’m so mad that I … I…” Then Grandpa took a step back and shook his head, a look of relief clearly settling over his face. “Well, the important thing is that you’re safe. Thank goodness nothing happened.”

"Oh, Grandpa," May said, laughing through her tears. She pulled away from her father and planted a kiss on the old man's cheek. "I don't think there's any chance of this happening again." Her grandpa looked both surprised and pleased.

It was now her father's turn to lecture. “Be more careful next time,” Harold warned, “You two must learn to be more responsible. When I heard those creatures howling I thought that you were wolf dinner for sure." Then his expression softened. "Speaking of dinner, I bet you two are hungry. In my rush to save you, I neglected to bring any food, but your mom and I will get you something to eat.” He took her hand and started to go back, but May stopped him.

"Wait, Daddy," she said suddenly, halting. "I forgot about Adelard!" Her father looked puzzled, and May hurried to explain. Pulling her father over to where the Proudfoot boy lay, she said,"Something has to be done about him. I think he's hurt pretty bad, Daddy. Are his parents here?"

Harod said he didn't think so, but assured his daughter that someone would see that he got back to the camp safely. Reluctantly, May left with her father. Something was bothering her. Adelard never would have come into the forest if it weren't for her and Henry, and he had been rather brave fighting the wolf. And there was something else, too. Adelard's parents hadn't come looking for him, which meant one of two things: one, that his parents had never realized he was gone, or two, that they didn't care enough to come looking for him. Maybe there's more to Adelard Proudfoot than meets the eye, she realized.