Enim was walking away from Manaam's mansion, disappearing slowly into the broad, tree-lined avenue.

Manaam watched from his window, his brow furrowed, his arms crossed over his chest. He hated this. Although he wanted it. He could not let go. But he could not stand it either. Listening to Enim was simply painful. And made Manaam feel old and jaded, hopeless, like some weathered, bitter cynic.

What on earth had possessed Enim to ask him that question? How to report to Varoonya in a way that will make everything right?

'I don't know,' Manaam thought. 'I'm sure I don't know. And I don't even believe.'

* * *

There was another door leading out into the Snuggery courtyard, directly opposite. The two old folks who lived there had gradually grown to be elders for the Snuggery, much to everyone's delight. Now the two of them were seated in the back of the kids' pedalcart, content like a couple looking forward to a pleasant outing to the countryside. Which it was, in a way. At their age, the two of them could no longer walk the distance to the meadows. So this was their chance. And a much-needed contribution to the Snuggery, whose somewhat monotonous lunch had been enriched by herbs and salads ever since the elders had offered to teach them plant lore.

Little Quena wanted to sit in the elder's lap today, so Lhut climbed into the cartwheel alone.

"Everyone ready?" Cahuan called as she picked up the handles in Lhut's back.

Lasa and Lunin began to push the elders' cart with fervent twin energy, even though no one had yet taken up position at the steering wheel in front. One last girl limped out into the courtyard, trying to put on her second shoe while walking.

So, yes, everyone ready. In their usual sort of way.

*

All the children had roamed out over the hillside, gathering herbs or trying to do a perfect roll down the slope. Only the two twelve-year-olds, Pulan and Som, stayed with the adults to listen to Enim.

"I wanted to do anyway, for the pouch collection. Thank you I now know it is more than that. Much more. All of this," Enim made a sweeping gesture toward the valley of Shebbetin. "Make it right. We must bring Transition here! Like in all Yurvania. We will tell county. And they will come and do what they do everywhere else."

Enim was very sure of the principle. The specifics, however, still escaped him. Who, exactly, were they going to tell? The Council, the bureaus in Varoonya? And how?

Enim raised his hands apologetically. "I have not done this ever," he admitted.

Neither had Kaya, Lhut, or Cahuan. They had a lot of experience, setting up the healing bag, confronting Naydeer, getting the miners organized. Starting and running the Snuggery. And, of course, working shifts in the mine, managing the days with the children, starting a business with a warmlings oven, getting legs to heal.

They have had their hands full, and they had achieved a great deal. But none of it had anything to do with the Council bureaus in Varoonya, or the administration of the county.

Enim had asked Manaam, but come back so confused and disheartened that he preferred to push the whole conversation out of his mind. If he could not get practical advice, he at least needed to hold on to his spirits. Which he felt more strongly than ever in the company of these courageous, beautiful people.

He smiled at Lhut and leaned into Cahuan's shimmering green hand on his shoulder. Kaya's eyes sparkled as she looked at Enim expectantly.

"So?"

"So I write report, tell them," Enim said heartily. "It cannot be too very hard. The county is for everyone. We just do it."

*

At least Manaam had given Enim a list of all the bureaus in Varoonya, which was incredibly helpful. Enim could not have listed them all from the top of his head, and certainly not with their full correct names. Those kept changing from time to time as well, it seemed. There were over a dozen.

Enim's brow furrowed. He was trying to guess the exact competencies of each bureau from the title.

'Bureau for Common Good.' That one was certainly relevant. Although learning pavilions came under 'Cultivation,' Enim knew that much. And the mines would probably go with 'Guilds,' even though they were perhaps not a guild, strictly speaking. But they were a workplace, and there were traptions in them, so that made them similar enough to the trabarns in Varoonya which, Enim was pretty sure, did fall under 'Guilds.'

Anyway.

He was just going to guess the main focus of each bureau and mention all other concerns of Shebbetin very briefly. So they would still know. And if Enim got the addressee wrong, surely the people in a bureau could tell who was in fact responsible and would pass the letter on.

The main message was always the same, anyway: There were thousands of people in Shebbetin and no county presence. Could the county please come in and set up all the services they usually run. Urgently, because there was great need and suffering, and things must be put right directly.

Thank you very much.

* * *