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“What are ye daeing?” Moira asked with curiosity. Isobel rose from her crouching position and returned to the middle of the path.

“I’m feeding the forest. Grizel says it’s important tae remind the forest spirits that we are still here tae take care of them. Whether animals or spirits take the offering, it is still gaeing tae the forest. It’s important tae nae forget the agreement we made.”

“What agreement is that?”

“Grizel told me a story that a long time ago, when men first came tae this land, they made an agreement with the forest that they would share their resources. But over time, men got greedy and forgot. This led tae the spirits being angry, and it’s up tae us tae repair the broken bonds. But most people dinnae believe in the spirits anyway. Sae every time I come through these woods, I leave a small offering in the hope that the spirits will see that nae everyone haes forgotten them.”

“Niall did sae ye liked the stories about spirits.”

“They’re nae just stories,” Isobel said, her eyes flashing with wild passion. “I hae seen the spirits myself.”

“Ye hae?”

“Oh, aye! Well, ‘seen’ is perhaps a strong word. But I hae felt them. Grizel took me deep intae the woods one day. We waited all day, and then I felt them around me. Oh Moira, it was magical—” She cut off her sentence and looked at Moira warily. “Most people dinnae believe me when I tell them. They think I’m a fool, just like Grizel.”

“I dinnae think ye are a fool at all,” Moira reassured her. “How can any of us know what really lives and breathes in this land? It would be arrogant tae think otherwise.”

Isobel smiled widely, and any fear that lingered instantly vanished. “I’m glad ye think sae! I was sae hoping ye would be open-minded. Whenever I tell anyone about the spirits, they look at me as though I am a fool. Especially the men. They all try tae woo me because they think I’m pretty, but none of them agree with me, and I’m nae gaeing tae choose anyone who is like my da.” There was a spiteful tone to her words. Moira was curious to hear more.

“Are ye nae sad that he haes gone?”

“It was his time tae leave,” Isobel said darkly. “I know it is nae right for me tae speak ill of him, but he was a cruel man. He haed no room in his heart for anything other than land and greed. Niall learned tae many lessons from him in that respect,” she said, almost without thinking.

Moira was troubled by this.

“What dae ye mean?”

Isobel seemed to realize she had said something she shouldn’t have and shrugged. “I just mean that Niall never haes much time other than thinking about the future of the clan. He heard the same stories as I did, and yet they never took hold of him as they did with me.

Niall always worshiped Da and followed him in everything, and when we all found out about Roderick…well…I was surprised that Niall had the willpower tae say goodbye tae Da, and tae recognize that he had done wrong. I was really proud of him in that moment. Dinnae misunderstand me: Niall is nae like Da in that respect. It’s just that I wish he could remember what the stories were like and all that Grizel did for us.”

“She means a lot tae ye,” Moira said.

Isobel nodded. She looked up at a chirping bird and waved. “Aye, that she did. In some ways, she was more of a parent tae me than my own. I remember Mam a wee bit, but over time that haes faded.

And Da…well…he never haed much time for me. I was never gaeing tae be a warrior, sae what use was I? All he told me was that one day I would get married. Until then, I didn’t matter at all, but Grizel was there tae teach me and make sure that I didnae feel alone. I owe her a lot, and I just wish other people could see that. People dinnae take the time tae understand her.

They think she’s crazy, but she isnae. She just has a different way of looking at things. She is older than anyone else in the clan, and the things she’s seen and heard…ye wouldnae believe all the stories she haes in her head.”

“I wilnae ignore her,” Moira said. This meant a lot to Isobel, who smiled widely and nodded in thanks.

They continued walking towards the shore. Isobel took moments to spread offerings around the woodlands, and Moira wondered if any spirits were watching.

“What about yer other brother? What about Jamie?” Moira asked after some time. The woods were thinning and over the horizon, she could see the shimmering sea.

Isobel scowled. “He’s even worse than Niall. He thinks that Da can dae no wrong. He was angry when Da left, and didn’t understand. I think part of him blames Niall for it. All he’s ever wanted tae dae is fight.

He’s built himself up intae this great, strong warrior, but what use is that when there is nae a war? I worry for him sometimes. There’s sae much more tae life that he has blinded himself tae, and I know he’s never gaeing tae change, no matter how much I try.”

They walked to the small town that was settled near the shore. The sea breeze made the air cooler than it otherwise would have been, and Moira was glad she had brought a shawl with her. She wrapped it tightly around her and let Isobel take the lead.

Fishing boats bobbed on the water, and in the distance, the ocean stretched out forever. It led to a land that Moira would never know.

As Isobel went about her business she had a strange look on her face, as though something was wrong. When Moira inquired about this, Isobel frowned slightly and then shrugged it off.

“It’s naething bad. It’s just that this town is cleaner than it haes been in years. Usually, it smells of fish and there’s moss and vines growing all over the buildings, and ye hae tae watch where ye step. But now…it just isnae the same.”

It was a small mystery, but not one that deserved any of their time. Isobel picked up the fabric she needed. They stopped off at an inn to get some food and refreshment before they headed back to the woodland.