 
                 --===Net Wolf | Lira's Home | Chapter 4===--
 
+ 
Lira's Home
 
A FAllon's Resurrection Story
 


Chapter 4
 


Lira waited about an hour after Murek left, gathering up her gear and packing
it into a small field bag she'd made herself. She also had several pouches on
her belt for things she might need more rapidly.
 
She stared at her cup, the one that had shown her about magic. It would
probably get broken in her travels, but she couldn't leave it. She rolled it
up in a soft cloth, and packed it in the center of her bag, to protect it as
much as she could.
 
She waited for a long moment, staring down the path and listening. She heard
nothing, which probably meant that the Aspelians either didn't know where she
was, or they simply hadn't gotten their shit together yet. Either way, she
wasn't waiting for them to come looking. Before daylight, she would be at
least two miles from her cave.
 
Lira walked almost perpendicular to the path through the jungle. She stepped
carefully, keeping her eyes open for anything that might be prowling about the
forest. She considered making her way through the trees, but decided against
it; that was a noisier way to travel, even if it was safer. She continued to
step through the brush, Kit at her side. She knew that her life was now being
lived on borrowed time; unless she could clear the area quickly, they were
sure to find her. And even if she did, she knew, they would be keeping their
eyes open for her.
 
*Let's just hope they have more important things to do than to make an
extended search for me.*
 
As the sun began to peek over the horizon to the east, Lira knew she had to
stop. She couldn't travel in this forest by day. Even if she was accidentally
seen, it would spell her doom. She looked around, and found a suitable
prospect. The tree was large and leafy, and the branches seemed springy
enough. Kit, sensing they had reached their sleeping spot for the time being,
wandered off to find herself some dinner. Lira climbed the tree swiftly, until
she was twenty feet off the ground.
 
Living in the forest had taught Lira several things, and one of them was how
to make a temporary hammock out of the springier branches of some of the
Syrmoaran oaks in the region. Quickly, she weaved several close-together
branches, and then tested them very carefully. They were more than sturdy
enough to hold her for her sleep period. She sat down and pulled some food out
of her pouch. She wasn't carrying enough for her whole journey, and she was
careful not to eat too much of it now. After a light meal, she settled down
against her branch-hammock, and looked down.
 
Only the greatest amount of concentration allowed her to see Kit, who was
hiding under a bush eating a mouse. The little animal looked up at Lira, her
eyes and ears alert for danger, or for Lira's needs. Lira smiled at the little
fox, and Kit went back to her dinner. Lira rolled over, and closed her eyes.
She couldn't be easily seen from the ground, even if people were looking for
her determinedly in this one tree. It was nearly impossible that anyone would
see her at a casual glance. She was as safe as she could possibly be, while
still being in this forest.
 
It took only minutes before she was asleep, exhausted from the stress of
rescuing her siblings, and her tryst with Murek.
 



 


It was late afternoon when Lira awoke. She immediately tensed; there were
noises below her. She very carefully rolled over to see men walking through
the forest beneath her. They were not Aspelians, but anyone seeing her now
would be a very *bad* thing. She held her breath until they had fully passed
by, and then she looked for Kit.
 
The little animal was cowering under the same bush it had been lying beneath
when she'd drifted off to sleep. She sighed, and then rolled onto her back.
 
Instantly, she felt a wet spot on her arm. She sat up quickly, and looked
back, to see that she had lain on some berries.
 
*Now where the hell did those come from?*
 
Lira picked up the unsquashed berries and ate them, aware of how hungry she
was. Even in her hunger, her senses were alert. It didn't take long for her to
feel eyes on her back. She whirled around in fright, only to find...
 
"Gishyrna," Lira breathed, relieved to see the raven staring at her from a
distance of about fifteen feet. "So, you brought *me* lunch this time, eh?
Well, thank you, old friend. I appreciate it more than you know." Lira
finished off her meal, and then stared at the raven for a moment. It was odd
that the bird would bring her food; there was no benefit in it for him. Lira
finally shrugged, and deftly made her way out of her hammock and to the
ground. Kit was instantly at her side.
 
"C'mon, Kit, we've got to get out of here. Those guys could be back any
minute, and they don't need to see me."
 
Lira stepped into the forest, keeping away from anything more open than a game
trail. She felt better now, having rested and her body recovering from the
strenuous activities of the night before. Kit slipped ahead of her, moving
silently along some unknown route. Lira wondered how the animal knew where she
was going, but didn't really take any time to consider the matter. She was far
too interested in keeping herself alive, and if Kit could scout out the
terrain first, then that just made her survival all that more assured.
 
As night fell, Lira reached a large clearing. She shied from it, as the fire
in the middle was bright and glowing. Only slowly did she edge nearer, but
came no closer than twenty yards from the tree line. She knew that the
reflections off the trees would obscure her if she moved slowly, and she
needed to know who was out here.
 
*Aspelians. After me? Probably, unless there's been some kind of other raid or
attack that I don't know about. Shit, this is all paranoid. They could be just
camping, for all I fucking know! This is why I didn't want any part of their
rebellion!*
 
Lira sat for a long time, watching the pattern of the movement of the guards.
She noted how nonchalant they were, how unconcerned with whether or not she
was out here. *A little closer, and I could kill them all before they even
knew I was here. But that would bring their wrath down on me even worse. I
don't need that kind of crap.*
 
Lira turned and silently moved in a wide circle around the clearing, to
continue her travels. The Aspelian guards, sent to hunt her, never knew she
had been within their grasp, and had slipped away like a shadow in the sun.
 


-----
 


A few hours before dawn, Lira stopped. She was standing on a small hill,
looking out over grasslands. Her forest ended here; beyond was territory she
was completely unfamiliar with. She knew one thing, and one thing only; there
was no way in hell she was traveling out there in the daylight.
 
Thinking carefully, Lira realized that traveling in a straight line might not
be the best course of action.
 
*Pick somewhere hard to get to. Give them time to get bored, think I'm dead,
or just find someone else to pick on. Where can I go?*
 
Lira turned to her left. At the edge of her sight, beyond the forest, was the
Syrvaso mountain range. Mount Malour stood high above her. *Yes. They won't go
in there. Too much climbing for those fuckers. Besides, I've heard they don't
like having to deal with the serapi cats. It's a good place, but I'll need to
gather food on the way. There's nothing in there to eat, I'm sure.*
 
Lira turned and moved back into the forest about five hundred yards, and then
began to make her way toward the mountains. She stopped twice to hunt for
food, but was only successful on her second try. *I hate hunting*.
 
As the sun broke over the trees and embraced Mount Malour, Lira reached the
northern edge of the forest. Before her lay the foothills of the Syrvasos. *Up
we go.*
 
"C'mon, Kit. And watch yourself."
 
Kit whined, but followed along. Lira slowed down considerably; this was rough
terrain, and she was about as adept at handling it as Kit was, which was not
very. By the time she felt she had better stop for a rest, she'd done no more
than put one set of hills between themselves and the forest.
 
*It will have to do. I'm going to have to move in daylight, now, though. I've
got to get away from there.*
 
Lira lay down, and Kit immediately came over to her. Kit laid her head on
Lira's thigh, and closed her eyes. Her ears, however, remained perked upright.
Lira closed her eyes, and was soon asleep, as well.
 



 


Lira was sitting up and her hand was on her sword before her eyes even opened.
She felt Kit lying deathly still next to her, but shivering ever so slightly.
Her eyes opened slowly; she was accustomed to waking up in a dark cave, not in
the middle of a bright and barren landscape.
 
Before her eyes adjusted, Lira heard a low grumbling sound off to her right.
She knew what that had to be. She'd met up with a serapi cat only once, and
had felt fortunate it had been on the other side of a twenty-foot-wide ravine.
Now, she knew it was not.
 
Lira swiveled her body smoothly, dislodging Kit, who nevertheless managed to
slip behind Lira for protection. Lira stared at the large cat, its fur a
mottled dark-and-light-brown mix. Its underbelly was purest white, and its
eyes blazed green. The animal was panting in the heat of the day, and it was
emitting the low, grumbling noise as a scare tactic. It was trying to frighten
her into inaction, to make her easier to kill.
 
"It ain't gonna work, old man," she told the cat. She knew it was male both
because it was too large to be a female, and because she could actually see
its privates hanging down. "I'm not being some goddamned mating gift for
anyone." She knew the serapi cats would bring fresh kills to their partners
during courtship.
 
The cat didn't pay much attention to her words. It circled, moving in closer.
Lira drew her sword, readying it for use. She didn't want to kill the animal,
but it didn't look like she was going to get much say in the matter if she
wanted to see the next sunset. The cat found a good spot, and suddenly, it
lunged.
 
Lira was ready, and she hurled herself out of the way. She planted her hand on
a big rock, and flipped herself back upright, landing on her feet. When she
looked around, Kit was nowhere to be seen. However, the cat was still glaring
at her, with no blood on its teeth, so she knew that Kit had managed to hide
somewhere.
 
*Wish I could.*
 
The cat growled, a long, loud sound that made her bones rattle. She tensed,
ready for its next move. She knew she had to get this over with quickly; the
cat was more agile than she was, even with her magic. She had to out-think it.
 
The serapi cat gave her no time to out-think it, as it leapt for her throat.
She was paralyzed for a fraction of a second, and only her instincts as a
fighter saved her. At the last possible instant, she swiveled her body to the
side, her sword coming up as she did so. The blade connected with the cat's
neck. Blood spurted as the cat landed, collapsing onto its side.
 
Lira twisted as the cat fell, and caught her foot on a rock. She tripped and
fell, landing hard. She tried to stand, but her ankle screamed in agony.
Looking up, she saw the cat trying to rise.
 
*Oh, fuck, I'm dead.* She sighed heavily when the cat, weak from the loss of
blood, collapsed back onto the ground. A final grumble left its throat, and
its eyes closed for the last time.
 
"Kit, where are you?" Lira called out pleadingly. The animal was instantly by
her side. So quickly, as a matter of fact, that Lira had no idea where she had
come from. Lira picked up the fox and cuddled her against her chest. The
animal fidgeted for a second, but quieted as Lira began to stroke her fur.
 
"I have a bit of a problem, Kit. I can't stand up. I sure as hell can't walk
out of here, now." She looked over at the cat. "Well, at least we'll have
something to eat while I heal. I guess here is the best place for us to hide,
since I can't go anywhere else at the moment. Shit."
 
Lira inched her way over to the cat, finally lopping off its head to make
absolutely certain the thing would not bite her while she skinned it. Then she
set about the task of taking the pelt off the enormous animal.
 
*Shit.*
 
**


 


It was three days before Lira felt she could walk easily on her ankle. She
hobbled around carefully on the mountain. The day before, she'd seen Aspelians
walking through the forest below her. She'd kept to the shadows, and kept rock
behind her so she wouldn't be silhouetted against the sky, but she still
shivered looking at them.
 
*If they know I'm here, I'm dead. I can't run from them until this leg heals.*
 
Luckily, now she felt she could move, carefully and somewhat slowly, through
the Syrvaso mountains. She would keep to the valleys and ravines; these routes
were not hard for her to travel, as small as she was, but the Aspelians with
their gear would have a horrible time. Also, she couldn't be seen from any
distance; they'd have to be looking along the ravine, or right down on her.
 
Carrying the remnants of the serapi cat wasn't a fun task. She couldn't save
much of the meat, but she'd saved the head and the skin. She would keep the
underbelly; the white fur appealed to her. The mottled upper fur, however, she
would sell to get food and supplies when she got somewhere that she could
trade. The fur weighed a ton, and she knew it would slow her down. She hoped
that a trading village wasn't too far off.
 



 


It took an entire day of travel to move through the Syrvaso mountains. Lira
looked down to see trees. She realized she was looking at the Sable Forest.
Not a true forest, the Sable Forest was the remnant of an old royal orchard. A
strange fruit had been conjured up by one of the mages a long time ago, and it
had been named, naturally enough, for the king. It was called Riga Fruit, and
this orchard was the only place it was ever grown. Riga Fruit was an acquired
taste, however, and when the king died, and his son, who *hated* Riga Fruit,
came to power, the orchard fell into disuse.
 
This did not stop the Riga Fruit Trees from flourishing, however. The Sable
Forest had doubled in size in the two hundred years since King Riga had died.
It was still far too small for her to live in, however. She kept moving,
picking a few Riga Fruits to eat, and to feed Kit, who found that she did not
like Riga Fruit any more than the king's son had. She didn't mind the mice of
the Sable Forest, though.
 
Slowly, the pair worked their way through the forest, until they were once
again confronted with the grasslands. Now, however, there really was no way
for her to go. She either crossed the grasslands, or she turned back. Her keen
eyes caught sight of a village on the far side of the grasslands, near the
Border Forest. On the other side of *that* forest was no-man's land. Syrmoar
ended at the river that ran on the other side of the forest, and she would not
willingly cross that boundary. She was Syrmoaran by birth, and by allegiance,
though they had never once fought with their neighbors. All of the borders
between kingdoms were natural boundaries.
 
*The Border Forest is twice as large as the Navanar Forest. I could easily
make a home there, and the Aspelians would have a devil of a time trying to
find me. There are probably many caves... I could even pick out two or three,
so that I would have places to run to if they came looking. There's at least
one village close by... the forest is big enough, there are probably several
small villages on the edge of it. This is as good as it is going to get.*
 
Lira sighed, having decided what she was going to do. Still, there was no way
she was crossing that gulf of land in daylight. She moved back into the
forest, and found another Syrmoaran oak. Twenty minutes later, with Kit hiding
under a bush, Lira was asleep.
 



 


Lira waited until after midnight, according to the moons. She knew if she
waited for the darkest part of the night, she could move quickly, and not be
seen. Her best chance was to cross the open space as fast as possible, to
limit her exposure.
 
Having spent the last hour trying to loosen up her body, since she was stiff
from both her injury and having slept in a tree, she stared out across the
expanse. A short spell of sight allowed her to see things almost as well as
Kit. Looking down at the little fox, she smiled.
 
"Ready?"
 
The animal looked up at her and whined quietly. Lira chanted another spell,
and began to run. She ran as fast as she thought Kit could keep up with; this
pace would take them over a half-hour to cover the distance. She moved like a
wraith in the night, and she thought with a smile, if anyone saw her, she
might just start a legend of a ghost out on the grasslands. She made no noise,
and her feet barely touched the ground as she traveled over the flat, but
rock-strewn land. Her magic kept her feet from landing on the rocks; it was a
tiring spell, but less tiring than running normally would have been.
 
Forty minutes later, the two travelers stopped running, and inched into the
trees of the Border Forest. Lira felt very nervous; this wasn't *her* forest,
and it would take her time to learn the comings and goings of the animals
within. Kit, too, was skittish, keeping close to Lira's leg.
 
"Come on, Little One. We've got to find a home in here somewhere." She hoped
that daylight would give her a better idea of where to look. For now, she
walked along the path she'd found, hoping she didn't run into anyone. Sunrise
was still a long way off, and she would be deep into the forest before it
arrived.
 


-----
 


Sunrise found Lira looking out over the Salamar River. The nation of Salamar,
on the other side of the river, was a lush forest of its own. She would not
cross, though there were places where it was narrow enough to do so. Syrmoar
was her home, and she would not leave willingly.
 
Turning back to the forest, she found a pair of apples lying in the middle of
the path. She looked around, and did not see any apple trees. Sitting high on
a branch, however, sat a black bird, staring at her...
 
"Gishyrna?" Lira asked. *Did he follow me all the way from Navanar?*
 
The bird cocked its head, almost in understanding. It spread its wings, and
she now knew that it was *not* her friend from the Navanar Forest. This bird
had a gray streak on the underside of its wing. The bird stretched wide,
hopped off the branch, and flapped into the forest. Lira bent down to pick up
the snack provided by the bird, and she munched on it. Kit was sitting near
the river still, watching the fish.
 
As Lira looked up, she noticed that the bird had flown down one of many paths,
and stopped, about fifty yards in. It was sitting on a branch, staring at her,
as if it was waiting.
 
Lira didn't understand the animal's behavior. *Am I supposed to follow it? For
a couple of apples? What, is this forest enchanted somehow, so that the
animals lay traps for people? Lira, that's silly. That's something Danee would
think up!*
 
Resolutely, Lira walked down the path toward the bird. Kit, sensing her
comrade's movement, was soon at Lira's feet. When they'd reached the bird's
position, it hopped off the branch it was on, and again flew down the path. It
went about a hundred yards this time, and then stopped to wait for them. It
did not grow impatient, though it took Lira far longer to walk the distances
it flew. It took them almost an hour to get where the raven was leading them.
 
In front of them was a large opening. It was a cave, set into a large
mountain. The approach had been a bit difficult, but Lira thought that was
probably a good thing. She would not have trouble with it for long, and Kit
was easily able to scramble through the brush to get to the cave opening.
Looking deep into the cave, Lira could not tell its depth. She couldn't go in
there without light, of which she had none. She looked around, hoping to find
the right kind of wood, but she could not kindle by hand what she found around
her.
 
Sighing, Lira picked the most promising-looking specimen, and walked into the
cave a ways. Kit wisely remained at the entrance. Lira set the branch down,
and then stepped back from it. She closed her eyes and chanted the fire spell.
The last time she had tried this, she'd needed a new outfit. She hoped that
would not be the case this time. After a few moments, she let her hands lift,
pointing outward toward the branch. In a second, she heard crackling.
 
Opening her eyes, Lira saw that the branch was fully engulfed in flame. She
had been hoping to use it as a torch, but could not, now. She went back
outside, and grabbed a similar branch. She took it to the flaming branch, and
lit one end. Now she would be able to see where she was going.
 


-----
 


An hour later, Lira was standing at one of three other entrances to this
network of caves. She couldn't believe her luck; this was an extensive
underground network of tunnels.
 
*Luck my ass, Lira. The raven led you right to it.* Just then, Lira saw the
same bird, sitting in a tree watching her.
 
"So, Ashriana," Lira said. The name meant, literally "streak of gray". "How do
I thank you for finding me this wonderful home? Do you know my old friend
Gishyrna? Did he ask you to look after me? Or is this some strange
coincidence?"
 
Lira stopped to consider. Just then, Kit came up beside her, and dropped a
rabbit at her feet. It was the largest thing Kit had ever caught, and she
looked very tired.
 
"Kit! By Shavin, you shouldn't be hunting rabbits!"
 
Kit just whimpered at her, tuckered. She lay down on the spot. Lira reached
down and picked up the worn-out animal, who let out a short sigh as Lira
scratched her between the ears. It suddenly hit Lira.
 
"You were bringing *me* food, weren't you? You couldn't possibly eat all
that... But you knew I hadn't had time to prepare any traps, and that our food
is running low... so you caught lunch... Sweet Kit... Good girl." Lira stroked
the fox, who was by now completely asleep, not even its ears perked. The
raven, Lira saw, was still watching them.
 
"I think I'll make my main entrance here," she said to no one in particular.
She could see a nest nearby, and felt that it was probably Ashriana's. She set
Kit down on a softer piece of ground, where there was some grass growing, and
then she moved out of the cave to find material to make a fire.
 



 


Lira was striding confidently along the forest path. She'd made this trip
several times in the last two days, learning her new territory. She'd found
one darvor dog, a large, wolf-like animal, but a loner, that she needed to
avoid. The animal had shown no interest in chasing her, but it had clearly
staked its territory. She would not challenge it; there was plenty for both of
them.
 
Right now she was heading out of the forest. She needed to get supplies. With
her, she was carrying several rabbit pelts, the remainder of the serapi cat
pelt, and the serapi cat head, something that was useful in a number of ways
to the right craftsmen.
 
Kit was at her side, as always. Even as they left the forest and stepped out
onto the grasslands, Kit didn't even hesitate, though this was not her
preferred territory. She stayed a little closer to Lira as they reached the
outskirts of the village. She walked down the main street, looking to find a
furrier. The man's shop was spotted halfway through the small town, and she
turned in.
 
"Kit, you stay out here."
 
The small animal dropped down, almost exactly where it had been, but out of
the way of foot traffic. She stepped into the shop, looking around. Most of
what she saw were the pelts of smaller animals, but she hoped he was capable
of dealing with the larger animal she was carrying.
 
"Yes, can I help you?" the furrier asked. His apprentice was leering at Lira.
She ignored him, and paid attention to the furrier.
 
"I have goods to trade, and I need a set of winter coverings made."
 
"Very well," the man said, surprised at the young lady's businesslike tone,
but happy to have any business. "What do you have for me?"
 
Lira opened the sack she was carrying, and pulled out the Serapi Cat head. She
thumped it down unceremoniously on the counter. The apprentice, who had come
over to stare at Lira, jumped back in shock. "Criminy!"
 
"Settle, Kelmer!" The man had been startled as well; the head was huge. Still,
there was little usable fur on it.
 
"I can't do much with this..." he said.
 
"But you know the people in town who can," Lira said.
 
The man nodded wisely, "Yes."
 
"I will give you seventy percent of the price of that head, if you will make
my winter coverings. I also have some of the pelt of the beast left." Lira
pulled out the mottled fur pelt of the animal. She had used over half of it to
make her bed with. The white underbelly, she had saved for her winter
coverings.
 
The furrier felt the fur. It was in good condition, despite having been
manhandled for a long distance. Lira had tanned the hide while she had been
healing in the mountains, so that it would be worth something when she got to
this point.
 
"And you wish me to wake winter clothing from this?" the man asked.
 
"No," Lira said, shaking her head. She pulled out the underbelly fur. "Out of
this."
 
"How did you kill a serapi cat?" Kelmer finally had to ask.
 
"It wouldn't leave me alone."
 
The furrier stared at her intently. "The worth of this pelt alone is more than
enough to cover the cost of fashioning coverings for you, since you are
providing the material. The head is hardly necessary as payment."
 
"I may need more coverings from you in the future. Perhaps you could establish
a line of credit for me?"
 
"I can do that, yes. You live here in Handoon?"
 
"I live in the forest."
 
Both of them turned to face her at that. "You... but you are only a child."
 
"Are there still children in Syrmoar?" Lira asked cynically. "I thought the
Aspelians had killed them all... one way or another."
 
The man looked at her in complete understanding. "I will require..."
 
At this point, there was a sharp yelp heard outside. Lira turned, recognizing
Kit's voice. She didn't hesitate, but drew a blade and ran outside.
 
Two men were chasing Kit around, tormenting her. One had a stick, and was
poking her with it. The other tried to grab her tail.
 
A feral yell left Lira's throat. The entire street turned as she screamed and
charged. She leapt through the air, her body already spinning. The man with
the stick felt a foot connect solidly with his jaw, though he could barely see
the blur that Lira had become. His head snapped over, and he twisted off his
feet, spinning twice before hitting the ground. Lira landed softly, and her
knife was aiming for the remaining man's throat.
 
"Let's see how you like being hunted!" she screamed. The man broke to run, but
Lira was far faster than he had ever been. She charged and leapt again. She
didn't use her knife, but instead, planted her foot squarely in the middle of
his back and pushed off. She did a backflip as he went flying face-first into
the dirt. She landed upright, her knife still at the ready. The man struggled
to his feet, obviously dizzy from the attack. Lira saw blood drip from his
split lip.
 
"What goes on here!" a man shouted. He looked at Lira and drew his sword.
 
"Put that damn thing away!" another man yelled. The man with the sword
hesitated, but didn't drop the blade. The older man, who looked more to be a
leader, walked over, his hands staying in the open.
 
Lira didn't move, but she felt Kit trembling at her feet suddenly. The poor
animal had been run ragged. Lira bent down and picked Kit up, hugging her to
her breast. The man, watching Lira's actions without comment, asked, quietly,
"The animal belongs to you?"
 
"The animal belongs to the forest. She happens to enjoy my company."
 
The man nodded in understanding. "What is your name?"
 
"I'm Lira."
 
"I apologize for my sons' behavior. They are hyper, waiting to join the
rebellion, and they sometimes do foolish things."
 
"If they threaten Kit again, they will do no more foolish things. *Ever*."
Lira spat.
 
The man nodded. "You are new to Handoon?"
 
"I do not live here. I live in the Border Forest." There was a stir among them.
 
"You made it past the darvor dog?" the man asked incredulously.
 
"He and I came to an understanding," Lira said, confused. The animal had not
challenged her unduly...
 
"That beast has killed twenty good men!" a woman screamed. Lira raised her
eyebrows. It hadn't seemed that vicious. She'd heard that darvor dogs could be
nasty, but it hadn't seemed troublesome to her...
 
"I would recommend, then, that you don't send anyone into that part of the
forest again."
 
"The animal... protects the forest for you?"
 
"The animal protects the forest for itself. You are trespassing on its
territory. I did not do so, and so it did not bother me."
 
"I see. Why have you come to Handoon?"
 
"I came into the village to trade, not to cause trouble. I am a recent
arrival, and I need supplies."
 
"She brought this with her," the furrier said. Another murmur ran through the
group as he held up the Serapi Cat head.
 
"Lira of the Border Forest... I apologize for not welcoming you first. You
will have the supplies you need. Is there anything else that you need from us?"
 
"No. I only desire to trade, and to be left alone. I do not claim the forest,
and if you do not bother me, I will not bother you. I have staked out only a
small part of the forest that I consider mine."
 
"Very well. We will respect your wishes. I apologize, again, for the animal."
 
"If you treat the animals of the forest with disrespect, don't be surprised
when they return the favor. Maybe the darvor dog is just angry," Lira said,
turning back to the furrier. "I know it will require time to sell that. May I
borrow against my credit account to purchase what I need elsewhere?"
 
"Simply tell them to charge it to me. I will take care of it," the furrier
said, nodding. Lira finally put away her knife, and then held Kit more tightly
against herself. The group opened a path as she walked away, down toward the
general store.
 
*Damned rebels.*
 



 

 




