It was fully dark by the time I climbed the steep hill that I was certain had been the one Valki had pointed out to me. I could see stony protrusions jutting through the grass around me, other family barrows built into the hill itself. I didn"t know if there were any sort of hierarchy of families I was strolling through, unaware. But there was only one that stood alone, like a beehive built of stone atop the hill. All the others were out of sight, overgrown by the spring grasses.
Even this one didn"t look like it saw many visitors. I had to push the dried remains of last year"s grass out of the doorway before I could get inside.
I was instantly grateful I had put my flashlight in my art bag after giving up my hunt for the older ancestral fire. I found it by touch, then shined it around t
