”“I haven’t seen the ranch in over a year,” I said. What started out as a holiday flight had been extended. I’d called the office and simply...said that I was taking time off as personal time to tend to family matters. It was common knowledge that my father was ill. I had a competent bank manager and as president could take some time away. It would give me a chance to see if he was ready to take over the operation.We’d hopped a couple hundred miles a day, making it as far north as Mackinac. On his big chair with his legs up on the stool, he sat snoozing with the remote in his hand. Realizing that he wasn't watching her or requiring anything, she could continue on.She smiled broadly as she slipped away towards the bedroom. Excitement overwhelmed her as she pushed the door open slightly and scanned the room. This was her first visit here but she desperately found herself hoping it wouldn't be the last.She approached the unmade bed, and her hand reached down to touch the sheets,. He scowled angrily in response to my statement, and then he chose to ignore me.“You old man are not the leader of the Horse People, if this is your desire,” Laktar spat across the hearth, pointing a finger at Gogra, “and neither are these other two women if they are willing to accept this insult to our people. I, Laktar, am the new chief and I will fight any man who says otherwise.”“You will, will you?” I asked the young hothead. “Well I doubt that. Gogra was the rightful heir of Mondo, who. I wonder how long would it be before I stopped embarrassing myself in front of her.She replied, a hint of a smile still present on her face, “I like spending time here, David, among familiars. A feeling I think you will appreciate, now that you have one of your own.”Unsurprisingly, I found myself agreeing with her. I was vaguely aware of the presence of a second core at all times within myself. Even in the short time we had been bonded together, my familiar had helped me in more ways than one..