The next morning, Wolfe was up before dawn, as were all the farmers, though it was clear that many of them were still somewhere between drunk and hung over.
The huge communal pot had been completely cleared of stew last night and was now making oatmeal for breakfast. Those who had something to offer as a breakfast product were piling it on a table near the pot, so Wolfe added some dried fruits from his pack and took a seat around the fire to catch the morning gossip.
Most of it was about the predicted prices for various crops, which was actually useful to Wolfe, as it told him what was in short supply and what would be best to bring down from the Frozen Wastes to trade with the locals and build goodwill.
They had a good year for the essentials, despite the conflict. They had bumper crops of oats and potatoes, and the gardens had done very well, other than a few spots where the armies had trampled everything.
