Chapter 15: Searing Meat

Mildid got up from her big chair, and waddled over to one of her work tables. A long rectangular cast iron bowl with clawed feet rested on the edge of the table.

She grabbed it by a curved handle that extended over the top to either side of the bowl, and set it on the ground by the fire.

She removed a thick grate set neatly on top of the bowl. Then, taking a small shovel she kept by the fire, she plunged it into the coals and lifted out a shovel full of the burning embers.

She carefully dumped the coals into the cast iron bowl, and set the shovel aside. She set the grate back on top of the bowl again, and then lifted the whole thing by the handle back up onto the table.

Detrick watched as she waddled behind the table and pulled out three leaf wrapped packages. Unraveling the leaves, she revealed three perfectly cut venison steaks.