"Let's take my boat instead of Kirk's, if you don't mind? My dock is closer to the new islands, plus this way we won't have to try to arrange pickup times with him." Colette said as she tied her hiking boots.

"Sure. I grabbed boxed lunches on the way over, too. And I found this in one of my boxes from my boat-I thought it might be useful." He held up a picnic pack, an insulated backpack with a beverage cooler for a bottle of wine or juice.

"Oh, perfect!" she exclaimed. "I wish I knew what these islands are like," she added as she stood up. "It's so hot, but I don't know if it's safe to wear shorts. I don't want to end up with my legs all scratched up from climbing through sticker bushes."

Will nodded. "Yes, long pants are better protection. But we can go for a nice, cool swim after we get back, if you like."

"Almost certainly," she laughed as she grabbed two full water bottles from the fridge. They headed over to the dock on the east side of her island, where she kept a small rowboat. It was weathered and a little worse for wear, but still seaworthy.

Will reached for the oars, but Colette stopped him. "I'm used to rowing," she assured him. "Besides, I enjoy it. If I get too tired, though, you can take over," she added with a grin.

They went first to the new island in the northeast of the archipelago, just a short distance from the little island where the lighthouse once stood. There was a large stretch of sandy beach leading up to a meadow surrounded by natural walls of rock, a little like a partial crater. A good deal of debris, mostly storm-tossed tree limbs, littered the beach and even up onto the grassy meadow beyond.

As Colette rowed up to the island, they spotted several animals out in the field, most of them on alert, watching their approach. When they stepped out of the rowboat, however, and pulled the boat up onto the beach, the animals scattered and fled toward the rocks.

"I wonder where all these animals came from? I saw a couple of monkeys, and I could have sworn I saw a badger!"

"Yes, and several kinds of birds, too," Will added, looking thoughtfully toward the rocks. "Perhaps they take refuge in some of those holes within the rocks?"

"Could be. I don't recall anyone mentioning the animals, though, so either they hid, or they arrived after Gannon built this little dock. I think I see a little pool of water over there. I wonder if it's fresh water?"

Although the meadow had appeared level from the shore, there was a small, deep, bowl-shaped depression just east of the center. Within that depression was a small pool of water-not exactly clear, but not too murky, either-they could see the rocky bottom of the basin, at least. Will scooped up some of the water and sniffed it. "Doesn't smell brackish. The animals need some source of water to survive, and I'm guessing this is it. Perhaps it formed from rainfall in the wake of that storm."

Colette looked around as he stood and brushed his damp fingers against the leg of his faded jeans. "Let's see if we can find where they're hiding." She grabbed his hand and they started toward the nearest edge of the rocky wall.

From a distance, the rocks had seemed solid and sheer, but as they drew nearer, they were able to discern crevices, cracks, ledges, and other features. Moving as quietly as she could, Colette crept up to a low, wide hole near the ground. Peering in, she stifled an exclamation and drew back. Will looked at her uncertainly, and she again took his hand and led him a little distance away.

"I saw a family of badgers!" she whispered excitedly. "A mother and some very, very tiny babies. Probably newborns. I'm guessing these rocks are just full of little holes and caves like that, and that the animals live in them or maybe just hide in them when they feel threatened."

She sat down on the ground then, and gestured for Will to sit beside her. "Hold as still as you can, and don't look directly at them or in the direction of the rocks. Watch from the corner of your eyes."

He nodded, and they waited in silence while seconds became minutes, which seemed to stretch into hours as the sun slowly climbed higher in the sky. After what felt like forever to Will, he caught a movement in his peripheral vision.

Without turning his head, he strained to peer at the source of the motion. A moment later, a small brown monkey peeked out from behind a taller clump of grass, eyeing them curiously. Cautiously, it slunk along the ground toward them, stopping close by and looking them over, sniffing the air.

Moving with painstaking patience, Colette slowly reached into her satchel and brought out a banana. Slowly, slowly, she leaned forward and set it on the ground between her and the small creature, as far as she could reach. Then she scooted slowly back, still not looking the animal in the eyes.

It looked torn-wary, perhaps even fearful, yet also very hungry. Before long, hunger won out, and it crept forward, snatched up the fruit, and scampered a short distance away. Holding the banana in one foot, it peeled back the skin and plucked the starchy fruit out. It gobbled it up quickly, cramming it into its mouth as fast as it could chew. When it was done, it looked hopefully at them, opening it mouth wide and screeching a chattering cry that drew more of its kind out of hiding, followed by other small animals. Soon they were surrounded by a knot of small, curious, and hungry wild animals and birds. Colette emptied her satchel of snacks-an orange, a packet of dried figs, a handful of carrot sticks, and some granola. She sectioned the orange and scattered everything on the ground, backing away as she did so to give the animals some space as they dove in hungrily.

"Not a very large selection, after all," she commented to Will as they stood back watching. "But nevertheless, surprising. I'll have to talk to Taro-maybe he'll have an idea how they arrived here."

"Yes, I'd certainly be interested to find out," Will agreed. "Come on, let's get back to the boat. We'd better get going if we're to have time to explore the other island, too. And this time, you'll not talk me out of taking my turn at the oars. I need the exercise more than you do," he laughed as they hurried back to their boat.

"How did you know that would work?" he asked as he took up the oars. "Sitting still and not looking at the animals, that is. I mean, I can understand why we shouldn't move suddenly around them, but why couldn't we look at them?"

"If you stare, you're acting like a predator. That scares them, naturally enough," she replied, leaning over to dip her fingers into the clear water as Will started to row. "Years ago, I dated the owner of a few eco-lodges offering photo safaris and such. He was an avid wildlife photographer. He took me on a few trips while we were together, and he gave me some tips on how to take better pictures of wild animals."

Will looked at her in surprise, but she was gazing down into the water, a dreamy smile on her lips as she watched the fish rising to nibble curiously at the tips of her fingers. He smiled and thought to himself that his questions could wait.

Their destination was an island north of Meadow Island. To avoid rocks, sand bars, and other obstacles between some of the islands, they rowed counter-clockwise around the wild animal's island to the north side, then west and around this last island to the dock at the western end of the wide, sandy beach. Colette remarked as they approached the island that it was one of the biggest beaches in the archipelago-maybe even bigger than the extensive beach on Sprout Island.

They clambered out of the boat, this time bringing their picnic lunch, as the sun was high overhead and they were getting hungry. To their surprise, though, they found they weren't alone-someone had constructed a crude thatched hut on the far side of the island, half-hidden by rocks and young trees. They looked at each other uncertainly, then Will strode ahead, shrugging the backpack onto his shoulders.

"Halloooo!" he shouted as he stepped onto the beach, cupping his hands around his mouth. Colette then spied a wide, flat coracle made of slender branches and animal hides dragged up just past the tide line. She pointed it out to Will, and they hiked along the beach toward it. Unlike the previous island, the beach here was clear of debris. Not a single twig or scrap of seaweed littered the sand. Only a few shells broke the monotony of the glittering whiteness.

As they examined the saucer-shaped boat, they heard a rustling sound from the direction of the hut. Turning, they saw a man dressed in nothing but a tattered animal skin fastened about his waist, pointing a long, crude spear at them as he called out in some language unfamiliar to either of them.

Pushing Colette behind him, Will held his hands up and started to back slowly away. But peering around him, Colette noticed the gauntness of the stranger, and without hesitation dove into the backpack.

"What are you doing?" Will hissed, not taking his eyes from the young man, who continued to follow them, menacing them with his spear whenever they slowed.

"Look at him, Will-he's starving! I'm going to give him some of our food. He needs it, and it won't kill us to miss a meal. We can make it up at dinner."

"I don't think that's a very good idea," Will began, but Colette stepped out from behind him, startling the young man, who dropped into a crouch and brandished his spear while berating her angrily.

Ignoring his admonitions and his spear, she stepped forward, pulling half of a large, meaty sandwich out of the cardboard box and holding it out to him. He stared at it fixedly, his spear slipping from his fingers as he cautiously crept forward and snatched it from her hands, cramming it into his mouth as fast as he could chew and swallow.

When he was done, he began to gesticulate and chatter urgently at her, so she reached into the box again, pulling out first the other half of the sandwich, then a banana and some grapes. He wolfed the rest of the sandwich, then ate the banana just as quickly. When those were gone, he looked at the grapes as he turned the small bunch over in his hands, puzzled. She reached forward, pulled one off the stem, and popped it into his mouth just as he opened it to scold her. His eyes opening wide with surprise, he chewed and swallowed, then greedily devoured the rest of the bunch.

By the time he had finished the grapes, a second, older man had appeared, crouching down suspiciously a safe distance away as he shouted to the first.

Colette looked over at Will and nodded, and he pulled the pack off and pulled out the second boxed lunch, passing it over to her. The younger man turned and gestured eagerly for the other to come nearer, and after much coaxing, he finally did so. This time, Colette just opened up the box and passed it to the older man, and he investigated the contents with some skepticism. The first man gestured, miming eating to him as he continued to coax him, and finally he took a hesitant bite. His face transfigured at the taste of the food, and soon he was chowing down as ravenously as his companion had.

When they had finished every bit of food, they both exclaimed in their native tongue, but Colette just shook her head. After a moment, she pointed to herself, saying "Colette," then pointed to Will and spoke his name. She repeated the gestures and words a few more times, then waited for their response.

The men put their heads close together, speaking rapidly together, then the older one stepped forward, thrusting his bare chest out importantly as he thumped it and proclaimed "Wada!" Then he turned and pointed to the younger man and exclaimed "Shea!"

Although clearly grateful for the meal, the two men remained suspicious, watching Will and Colette as if uncertain what their intentions were. So they gave up their plan to explore the island, and returning to their boat, they rowed back to the dock at the ranch. Will began to tire halfway home, so Colette nudged him over and took over one oar, and together they rowed the rest of the way to home.