Zafron pushed open the front door, his body heavy with exhaustion. The new scent of their lodge which was becoming familiar washed over him. Before he could take another step, a movement caught his eye.
Mara rushed towards him from the kitchen, her face beaming with excitement. She threw her arms around him in a warm embrace, hanging off his neck with all thirty of her teeth in smiles. "Welcome back!" she exclaimed. "How was your day? Any luck?"
Before Zafron could formulate a response, footsteps echoed from upstairs. Matilda herself appeared, drawn by the commotion. She came down the stairs, her eyes lit up at the sight of Zafron, and she also quickly joined the embrace.
