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“Rusty explained about the credit system and that Comet Lake was self-sufficient, but I didn’t realize that meant they’d abolished the tithe system too.”

“There was never anything to abolish,” Roark explained. “It’s never been a practice here. There’s always been a communal system in place at Comet Lake. Everything is for everyone. There is no class, rank, or status here. Our council is entirely election-based, with set term limits. Elections are held every other year, which gives members more than enough time to do a good job or get voted off. If someone is doing a particularly poor job, then they can be challenged for their position and it will be handled in the sanctioned manner.”

“There’s always something you need and always going to be something another wolf needs,” Charlie said. “Trades are the preferred method of exchange whenever possible.”

“So, work it out,” Logan finished for him.

“Exactly.”

“I’m going to enjoy living here,” Logan said. “But how does the whole trade versus credit thing work if you’re employed by the council?”

“Automatic deposit,” Kale explained. “School employees work for the council, anyone in a community service job does, librarians, doctors, hunters, janitors, the cooks in the cafeteria. The pack bankrolls all of it. The community kitchen is run by a volunteer staff. All the ingredients they use are donated. Folks can either dine there, or they deliver meals to those who aren’t able to or don’t wish to come to the kitchen.”

“They’ve got a bunch of volunteers who go out in UTVs and deliver three times a day,” Roark explained. “Any time we’re free, we like to volunteer to run meals and supplies. With the storm coming in, a bunch of wolves took deliveries from the kitchen, butcher, and grocery store to those who couldn’t make it into town. They’ll keep running supplies to those in need until the storm gets here.”

“They’ll help close storm shutters too,” Rusty said. “And carry in wood. Anything folks need, they’ll take care of while they’re out dropping things off to them. Most houses have CB radios, for if we lose cell reception and internet, which out here happens often. We’ll show you where ours is at.”

“I think we’ll hunker down after we take the kids home and plan on a lazy day tomorrow, especially if we get as much snow as Earl Brossard claims we’re going to get,” Rusty said.

“Dare I ask?” Charlie said. “He’s rarely wrong.”

“Foot and a half,” Rusty said. “I doubt anything will be open tomorrow, if it blows in the way he says it will.”

“Octavius canceled school tomorrow and Friday as a precaution,” Kale said. “He didn’t want to risk the very real possibility of not being able to get the word out late tonight or early in the morning.”

“Sounds like a wise superintendent.”

“He is,” Kale said. “He’s worked hard to recruit enough teachers to keep the class sizes down to a dozen or fewer. Most average ten students to a teacher, and we’ve found that they learn at a far more rapid rate when they can have more of their teacher’s attention.”

“So wait, what happens if someone needs cash instead of credits?” Logan asked. “I doubt a walk-in freezer would be cheap.”

“No, they aren’t,” Roark replied. “The council buys the credits, dollar for dollar, and it’s business as usual.”

“I definitely like the way you guys work.”

“Don’t forget, you’re part of us now. And don’t feel like you have to rush to go talk to Brooks or enroll Wren in school. We need time to get used to each other,” Rusty said.

“The school offers half-day sessions as a means of easing new students in,” Kale said. “For situations like yours, where you’re blending families, we highly urge parents to go the half-day route until their kids have adjusted to the changes in both home and school life.”

Logan paused, attention momentarily drawn from the offerings on the table to what Kale explained. “I’ve never heard of a school doing anything like that before.”

“Most of what we do here isn’t common practice in the packs you would have been sent in to investigate,” Roark explained. “Which is likely how they wound up involved in the things they were involved in.”

“I like the idea of easing Wren in and maybe even waiting a week before enrolling them,” Logan said, rubbing the back of his neck. “It will give us a chance to unpack and spend time with our new family without adding new teachers and friends to the mix as well.”

“Very wise choice,” Kale said.

“What ages do you teach?”

“Seven and eight-year-olds.”

“Are you the only teacher, or is there a second class at that age level?”

“Three classes, actually, thirty students total.”

“So, one of you would have Wren?”

“I can ask for them to be put in my classroom so I can keep an eye on them,” Kale said. “It wouldn’t be a problem at all.”