The weather had abruptly turned cold and bitter. The rain ended and the freezing began, but at least those who had warm clothes were able to venture outside again. Seth spent many of his days hunting, sometimes alone, sometimes with Amy, and sometimes with a group from the camp. As a group, they were rarely successful, the hunters made too much noise and scared away the potential game. But on his own, or with Amy, he brought in a steady supply of fresh meat, several large bucks, turkeys, some late-flying geese, and even one huge, fat bear that had yet to retreat into his winter den. Half of every large kill was set aside to smoke and dry, and the other half was served with the food, providing much-needed fat and protein to the people's rations.
Laura had reluctantly approved Amy’s pl
