Unstable Alliances [Johnny, Christian, Caeline, Callan]

Johnny fed Hera the last chunk of gingerbread he'd filched from one of the saddlebags before Christian snagged it, then left her to graze with Pan and Nebula. Christian and Caeline were already eating by the time he flopped down on the blanket and began rummaging around in the bags. He came out with a couple pieces of cold chicken, a banana, a little plastic tub of apple-walnut salad, a piece of garlic bread and a bottle of grape juice. "This is great," he said with a happy sigh, spreading his food out on a linen napkin. "Perfect weather, great spot, horses!" He opened his bottle and then added, as though as an afterthought, ( ''Oh, and good company. That too.'' )