Coop and the Elderbough Trackers

He always liked running wild. Now, he runs with wolves.
Cole Pfeiffer-Cooper, who prefers to be called Coop, became part of a pack way before the world found out about the Amaranthine. He was eight when his family took in Daroo-fen Clearsong, so by the time the Emergence was breaking news, he’d already learned plenty of wolf knots, hunting signs, and other kinds of non-verbal communication. That’s why it was pretty lucky that Coop was the one to find a group of wounded trackers fleeing from a werewolf hunt. Cozy Fantasy. Slice-of-Life. Family. Pack.

Author’s Note: This story actually begins the same summer that Lord Mettlebright’s Man began, in 1 N.S., about 16 months after the Emergence. If you haven’t already read Dragged through Hedgerows (Songs of the Amaranthine, #3), I recommend meeting the Cooper family at the beginning of their adventure, when Charles (Coop’s dad) became friends with Drew Hunter, a.k.a. Daroo-fen Clearsong.

Claimer: I do hereby claim all rights and responsibility for the characters in a certain boy’s adventures because the Amaranthine Saga & Songs are mine. Please continue to indulge the lot of us, especially the one who lives on End Street.

1
Summer Crop

Coop turned onto End Street and hauled manfully at the handle of their old red wagon, which creaked ominously. Maybe it was time for some maintenance. Dad always said taking care of stuff was part of having it.

Of course, forty pounds of carrots might’ve been the real problem. Or Rose, who sat cross-legged atop red mesh bags, face tipped toward the sun. She must’ve taken Daroo’s words during breakfast to heart when he complimented her fresh crop of summer freckles.

Him and Dad and Daroo—they’d do anything for Rose.

But their six-year-old princess was good at getting even.

Posted: June 6, 2023
Prompt: “red wagon,” suggested by twiddle
Words: 100

Summary: Cole Pfeiffer-Cooper, who prefers to be called Coop, became part of a pack way before the world found out about the Amaranthine. An Amaranthine Saga & Songs serial. Cozy Fantasy. Slice-of-Life. Family. Pack. Begins here. You can suggest a prompt here. To scroll through archived chapters, use the Coop & the Elderbough Trackers tag.

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