Tansy returned home just before noon, carrying a bulky bundle wrapped carefully in broad forest leaves. She entered through the back door to avoid unnecessary attention, her boots leaving faint dust marks across the worn wooden floor.
Rose was the first to notice.
"Fish?" her little sister asked immediately, eyes wide with hope.
Tansy grinned and set the bundle on the table. "Yeah. One for each of us."
She unwrapped the leaves with a touch of theatrical flair, revealing four large river fish, their scales still glistening faintly.
Rose gasped. Even one fish would have been enough to feed the family for the day.
From the stove corner, their mother turned, wiping her hands on her apron. The exhaustion in her eyes softened at the sight.
"We'll cook one today," she said after a moment of calculation. "Ask your father to sell two. Keep one salted."
Tansy nodded. That was the sensible choice.
Before she could respond, Rose rushed forward with something clutched in her hands.
