Washup City

"Whomever I may have been to you in the past, George, I am Lady Angela now." Truly her robe of blue and white did bestow upon George a sense of her new rank, one of both power and privilege. Marylou noted that Lady Angela's robe was actually a men's bathrobe, but conceded that Lady Angela did have a royal air about her.
"My Lady," he said, bowing deeply on one knee, hat in hand. Lady Angela breathed a sigh of relief and looked to each of her guests in turn, taking in Sally under the bushes. She turned and spoke to Ungah in an unfamiliar language. He in turn approached Sally slowly and began communicating with her through a series of grunts and hand gestures.
"Ungah says this dog is but a few hours from giving birth. Praise be to the mammal lords." Everyone looked to Sally with excitement, and Medicine Dan clapped his hands and did a little jig.
"My companions and I bring barley nougats and pressed mulberry wine in greeting. Let us sit around the fire and partake, and you will tell me who you are, and what you are doing here in Washup." The others obliged happily and all snacked merrily and told of their exhilarating exodus from the Port of Pouteau. Lady Angela took keen interest in the story, having heard of the famed poetry reading at Leroy's. It was legend. Lady Angela had the advantage of being both from the past and the future. She knew exactly who these people were, and knew better than they what their mission in Washup would be. She knew of Marylou's father, indeed, she kept him safely in her own compound, at the center of Washup City.
The Fur People sat with the humans and watched quietly. They were keen observers of character. They noticed how Herald and Alberto stared at them with reverence, curiosity, and friendliness. Medicine Dan however, would not look directly at the Fur People. He busied himself rubbing tobacco on his gums, and drinking heavily from the mulberry wine jugs. This was not his first encounter with the Fur People, and he did not seem to trust them. Marylou and George only had eyes for Lady Angela. Her every gesture engrossed them. She spoke softly and made meaningful eye contact with her startlingly blue eyes.
It was decided that Bashwalup! would stay with Medicine Dan, Herald, and Alberto in order to care for Sally. She was in no condition to go anywhere. Bashwalup! could instruct the men on finding edible roots, the location of the best berry patches, and how to construct a grass hut. They would be fine on this tiny island for the time being, allowing Sally and her soon-to-be born pups a leisurely and safe place to nest. Alberto and Herald immediately began learning Bashwalup!'s language.
"Gargoo means water!" shouted Herald at Medicine Dan, who grunted and turned back to stroking Sally's belly. He didn't want to go anywhere in this new world. All that mattered to him was Sally and the pups.
Lady Angela, Ungah!, George Conley, and Marylou bid farewell to the others and started off through the trees. On the far side of the island they came upon Lady Angela's boat, a golden canoe of sorts, which Ungah! skillfully maneuvered through the waterways, wending their way closer to Washup City.