Chapter 6: Reunion (Part 3)

Imala swept the dust off the porch, as the aroma of soup floated about. The sun was beginning to set on the horizon, dying the sky a pinkish red hue. The climate had also become slightly chillier, with no sun to warm the sunny yellow sands.

After the pair picked her up from the riverbank, they had taken her back to their farm. It wasn't much, just a sturdy, but old shack near the edge of a slightly rotted wooden fence, enclosing the wide area of land claimed by crops and livestock.

The brothers had left her to rest, but she didn't want to. Imala was a guest after all. She didn't plan on staying for long and the best she could do was help them out somehow.

"I just want to thank you guys for saving me once again," she had said. "Is there anything I can do to repay you?"

"No, you don't have to do any favors for us, Imala," Mordecai assured.

"I don't plan on staying for long, though." She stood up, walked over to a broom and told hold of it. "I don't want to be a burden on you both."

"You're just going to stay here until you find your sisters, right?" Mordecai asked, as he poured water into a cauldron hanging over the fireplace.

"Yes, but it's the least I can do." Imala began to sweep the floor.

"We just rescued from the desert, and you're not even tired?" Menard asked, preparing a chopping board, a knife and some vegetables.

"Let her help, Menard," Mordecai said, lighting a fire to boil the water. "If she wants to help, we'll let her help."

"Alright, then." Menard resumed chopping the vegetables.

Now, a few minutes after that conversation, Imala, having sucessed in ridding the porch and the inside of the house of any dust and dirt, reentered.

"Is the soup ready?" Imala asked.

"Yup." Menard was scooping soup into clay bowls with a wooden ladder, while Mordecai set the utensils in place.

"I must say," Mordecai commented impressively. "You are quite the skilled cleaner, Imala."

"Ah, thanks." Imala blushed, feeling her heart flutter at the motion of her handsome savior comment on her skill.

Menard lifted his head suddenly. "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Imala asked, confused.

"Oh! It must be Gran'pa! He's come home just in time, too!" Mordecai passed through the front door, anticipating the arrival any moment soon.

Imala and Menard followed behind, coming out after him.

Imala squinted her eyes. "Hey, hold on...Is that...Avaron?"

"Who's Avaron?" Mordecai asked. He looked closer. "Oh, wait. That's not Gran'pa."

"She's one of my sisters!" Imala cried out. "How did she get onto a horse, of all things?"

"That's one of Gran'pa's horses!" Menard said. 

"She's coming closer!"

The horse ran at lightspeed towards the house, but did not make it all the way. It skidded to a stop halfway and threw Avaron off it's back.

"Get down!" Imala shouted, quickly ducking.

Avaron was launched through the air, straight into the house, and landed with a big splash into the boiling hot cauldron.

"Avaron!" Imala quickly got to her feet and ran towards the cauldron, pulling out her sister.

"Are you okay?" Imala asked her worriedly.

"My goodness, she'll ruin the dinner!" an elderly man said as he ran into the room.

"Imala! Help me!!" Avaron cried fearfully, pointing towards the old man. "That crazy old man is trying to kill me!!"

 Imala plucked the chopped vegetable bits off of her wet, dazed and scared sister. "Did you do something to make him try to kill you?" 

"No," Avaron huffed begrudgingly, an obvious lie.

"Gran'pa Ken!" Mordecai and Meard welcomed the old man excitedly.

"How are you?"

"You came home just in time!"

"We even made you your favorite: Son-of-a-gun stew!"

"I'm happy to see you too, boys." Gran'pa Ken gave both brothers pats on their heads. "I've had to pursue quite the rude little pest today." He turned his eyes to the Moon sisters, looking at them before adding, "And she seems to have a friend."

 "Not a friend. She's my sister," Imala corrected.

Gran'pa Ken smiled. "You have much better manners than your sister, young lady." He turned to face his grandsons. "Did you find this other lady yourselves, boys?"

"Yeah." Menard passed clay bowls out to everyone. "But we'll tell you about over dinner."

Gran'pa Ken nodded in agreement, taking his seat at the dinner table.

Imala and Avaron stood up, taking seats as well.