After leaving Pierre, Manana's sprits felt raised by his wise words and the reading session that followed.

girls around Manana’s age, would be now preparing for a marriage as they neared their fourteenth birthday. Manana was an exception in all ways. Bright and Cheerful, beautiful, intelligent, and like her mother gifted in healing, although her true potential had yet to manifest itself fully. Because of her gifts, she would not be pressurised into an early marriage like most of the girls her age. 

  Manana had not thought about it, but if she so chose, she could have her choice between the young men. Secretly, most of the youths had hopes that they would be the one who she would fall in love with, but despite the efforts made to impress her, she could only see the boys around her, as nothing more than friends.

  As a future healer, her place in the social structure of the clan was assured. Even if as she grew and chose to remain barren, the clan would except this. Unlike other girls, marriage for Manana would be her choice. Her special gifts would give her a far greater degree of freedom than normally experienced by females within the Gypsy community.

  It pleased her parents and the Elders to see her use her freedom so constructively. Her efforts in reading, her constant search for knowledge to increase her medical skills. They also noted the compassion she had shown when practising her healing arts on animals and clan members with minor ailments.

  Running up the steps of her caravan, she called to her mother, who was busy crushing Basil leaves in lavender to make a oil for keeping insects away from the food stocks. Drifting over, she picked up and looked at a few of the plants and herbs that were scattered over her mothers Work-top. Most she recognised immediately. There was Bay leaves, used for flavouring in food, from which the oil could also be used to relieve aching limbs after a hard days graft. Dandelion for help with digestion, Hyssop, that wonderful herb that relieved racking coughs and catarrh problems.

  Manana went through the herbs one by one recalling the healing properties associated with each item. When she was sure, she recognised every plant laid out, she turned her attention to her mother.

'Is there anything I can do to help' she inquired.

'Not really' replied her mother hesitantly, 'we have everything we need' she continued. 'But if you want to, you can go down to the Silbido pass, I hear one of the girls thought she might have seen some Catmint there'

  Pausing for thought, she then continued. 'I doubt it at this time of year, but you never know and it will come in useful if we have to sedate someone.

  'O.K' cried Manana, and ran up to kiss her mother. A quick peck on the cheek, an even quicker 'bye” and Manana was out the wagon and away.

  Her mother smiled as Manana ran out the wagon, she knew there was very little chance of her finding any Catmint, but it would give the child a chance to explore a little. And who knows thought her mother, maybe she’ll come back with something useful.

  As Manana made her way through the camp, she spotted Jose talking among some youths. He was a lad at least a year younger than her, but who tried to act like a big brother. He had broken his arm climbing a few weeks earlier and Manana had reset it for him.

 'How the arm' she called out to him.

  Jose grinned. Like most of the youths he was madly in love with Manana, and was lapping up the attention she was giving him.

'It’s fine' he replied. 'It’s getting better everyday'

'Well let me look at it then, demanded Manana.

  Jose didn’t need a second invitation. Using his good arm, he lifted the injured member which was securely bound in a splint up to Manana for inspection.

Removing carefully the bandages and splint, she gently ran her hands over the bone. When she got to the break, she began to probe with her fingers applying pressure gradually. Jose let out an involuntary yelp and was immediately ashamed to have shown pain in front her.

Manana understood Jose’s embarrassment. 'That’s all right” she told him, I’ve seen bigger and stronger men than you cry out in pain'

  Jose blushed. 'I think it’ll be mended in about a week' she informed him. 'But I think we should leave the splint on for at least another two weeks' Then just as carefully as she had removed his dressing, she reapplied it.

  Jose smiled, he knew why Manana was giving him an extra week with the splint. Normally, he would be expected to start his normal work, immediately the splint was removed. This was her way of giving him an extra weeks rest, and he was grateful for it.

  When Manana had finished binding his splint back, she stayed around and listened to everyday camp gossip. Growing tired of this, she bade her farewells and walked away. Jose watched her go, wondering why he had not asked her where she was going, and more importantly, if he could have come with her. It’s always like this with her, he thought. You want to tell her and ask her so much, but every time she speaks, you can only stay still and listen. Everything you had in your mind, and what you wanted to say just disappears. With a shrug of resignation, Jose turned away and went to join his friends.

  Following the path that led away from the camp towards the Silbido pass, Manana made her away along an old goat trail. As she walked, her eyes took in all the details of the surrounding countryside. Around her were scattered Juniper bush, whose wood when used to smoke food, added a rich flavour to the meal. Witch-hazel whose shavings made good bed stuffing. Wild Gorse and Asple oak were also dotted along and either side of the path. Occasionally, Manana passed ponds that had formed in small dips in the valley floor. Around these pools an abundance selection of bird-life had formed. Many of these birds were only local to this region a few months a year, having migrated from the cold north to spend the winter in the milder southern climes.

  Other wildlife was now becoming harder to find. The wild boar and bear had been hunted into extinction many years ago. Occasionally, it was reported that nomadic wolf packs sometimes came into the valley. But these sighting were getting rare, and Manana was sure that soon there would be no more.

  Suddenly, Manana’s thoughts were interrupted by a quick movement on her right. Coming to a halt, Manana stood still, her eyes and years focusing towards a clump of bushes thirty metres away. She watched and waited. Soon her patience was rewarded by a sighting of a cleverly concealed fox looking directly at her. Manana remained perfectly still her breathing quiet and slowly regulated.

When the fox was convinced that the human was not presenting an imminent danger, he turned his gaze from Manana and back to where it had been originally focused.

  Without moving any part of her body, Manana let her eyes follow the direction in which the fox was now so fascinated. At first, Manana was unable to notice anything unusual, but as her eyes began to discriminate between different shapes and forms, she noticed the source of the fox’s attention.

  About another fifty metres from where the fox was concealed, two young rabbits were innocently nibbling away at some grass. Her first instinct was to make a sudden movement and give the rabbits some warning. But she suppressed this desire quickly. She may feel sorry for which ever rabbit the fox was intending to hunt, but it was part of the natural cycle of hunter and hunted, and these animals must play out their own dramas.