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The wind picked up and the cold was unbearable the next day. Aiden decided they would camp early; a blizzard was on its way and it would be best to find some shelter.
Angus rode up beside Aiden and Lucy. "Looks like you got most of your furs traded for."
"Yes, they were glad to get them. I was glad to quit hauling them around these hills."
"We're going to head for the fort now, do you want to go with us?"
"I'll talk it over with Pumpkin and let you know."
"Fair enough." Aiden nodded. "Look, this weather isn't going to get much better for now, we'll camp early so we can make some shelter."
"Good idea." Angus nodded.
Lucy glanced around, "There's a cave not far from here Aiden, it would be warmer for everyone
there."
"Just point the way." He smiled.
The cave wasn't that obvious at first, there was a lot of brush around the entrance as though someone had been there and plugged it up purposely. Aiden and Angus had to clear it away to get inside. But the cave was deep and big and would hold all of them comfortably.
Still almost in the middle of the cave was a definite hole where snow was drifting in from the roof of the cave. Angus saw it and grimaced. "Better find a way to plug that up." He muttered.
"No, wait. We need it. It's there for a purpose Angus. Someone's been here before. Probably Indians. It was made a purpose for the smoke from the fire to escape. We'll reinforce it a little and build a track so air can get to the fire. We'll have to close the entrance off once we get everything inside."
"Dang, I missed that completely." Angus shook his head. "You're right, and it probably was Indians, they know how to survive."
"Yes, they do."
Angus looked perplexed then it dawned on him, "How did you get so smart, boy?"
"I lived with a fur trapper for years. He taught me a lot about how to survive, almost anywhere. We'll build the fire a little more toward the entrance but close enough that it will pull the smoke out. We might need to find a long branch or something to unplug when it stops up."
"Good idea, I'll scout around outside and see what I can find."
Aiden nodded, "Good."
Aiden tended the horses, Angus brought wood for the fire and Pumpkin and Lucy brought the supplies they would need to prepare another meal. They brought everyone's blankets and packs off the horses. Angus found a thin branch that was long, and he told Aiden he'd carve it down so they could poke the hole every now and then. He also brought rocks in to put around the fire.
"Save those rocks what you don't use, we'll need it for the little tunnel I'm gonna build."
"Tunnel huh?" Angus scratched his chin, trying to figure it all out. "I ain't never done this, but then I ain't never camped in a cave for long either."
"We could be here for days." Aiden told him. "And if we prepare for it, it will suit us fine."
"It's already snowing," Angus informed them as he went inside to see if the girls got everything they would need.
"We'll have to bring the horses inside too. They'll freeze out there."
"Good thinkin'. This here is one big cave."
"It sure is. How did you know about it, Lucy?" Aiden asked.
"Our hunters have used it many times."
Aiden looked about and found a piece of scrap metal lying on top of the barrel that someone had used as a water barrel. He started digging a long tunneling hole from the place Angus placed the rocks for the fire and under it to the entrance of the cave. Someone almost stepped on it and he shouted. "Watch out, don't get on the tunnel."
"What are you doing?" Frank wanted to know.
