it.” K’xarr looked at Endra. “Now that we have found another like us, you can give some of the answers to our questions. That’s why I tried to stop you from leaving.”
The woman just looked at the men on the other side of the fire, keeping her thoughts to herself.
Endra felt that perhaps she had misjudged this group of men. They were mercenaries and there were few races of warriors more ruthless than the Torans and Camirans. They didn’t act like their countrymen or she might have already been raped and killed, not necessarily in that order.
The men had shared their food and bound her wound. She held no grudge about the cut. She deserved it after she had tried to kill their leader. She felt lucky she hadn’t lost her head.
There was something about the men that made her feel comfortable, almost drawn to them. Maybe it was the blood?
The mercenaries had to be tolerant they traveled with a Half Elf. Even the hunters of Sorrack shunned those creatures, not that any had ventured into their lands, but their kind was known.
It was said they were evil, though she did not get that kind of feeling from this one. The Half Elf had helped her fight the Hands. What could it hurt to tell them what had happened to her? It was a very personal story, but she hadn’t been able to talk to anyone about what had happened to her in five years.
She had only the children to keep her company, and she had never been able to risk talking with anyone. The danger was too great. She had only told it once and had been imprisoned for it. This wasn’t the ideal audience, but she might never get another chance to tell the tale, and someone in the world should know the truth so they could warn others.
Endra decided she would tell her story and see if they believed her. Few people would and she wouldn’t blame them, it happened to her and she could barely believe it. Besides the one called K’xarr said they would leave if she told them what she knew of the blood. “I will tell you what I know.”
K’xarr looked at the woman. “It’s the right decision, we can both benefit from sharing what we know.”
“Maybe, but my story is nothing like yours.”
Kian put more wood on the fire, shadows danced all around the small patch of woods as she began.
“I don’t think I have any answers for you, but you can judge for yourself.” She got up from where she sat, putting the little girl between the boys. The larger of the two put his arm around the girl, and she leaned against him yawning.
“I can tell you that I was not born with this blood like you two were. I was a normal girl until I was fifteen, that’s when it happened. Let me start from the beginning.” Endra ran her hands through her thick hair. It had been so long since she had spoken with adults.
“In Sorrack we are all hunters like the Toran said. The young must hunt small game on their own until they are asked to join the elders on a true hunt.
“In my fifteenth year my father and uncle had told me it was my time. I was eager to go on my first hunt. In my land it is a very prestigious thing when a young man or woman is first asked to accompany their elders.
“My mother thought I was too young but father told her I was ready and she said no more, though I knew that didn’t mean she would not worry about me. I was her youngest daughter. I gathered my weapons and warm furs and the hunt party left the next morning.
“Three days north of the village we came across the tracks of a mammoth herd. We followed the herd’s trail until my uncle spotted the tracks of a white dragon.”
“I have never seen a dragon.” Kian chimed in.
“Be quiet so you can hear about one then,” snapped K’xarr.
The Half Elf winced. “Sorry.”
“It’s alright, not many have seen a true dragon, they are as rare to find as a … Half Elf.”
Kian’s lips tightened and he nodded to the woman.
“There were only ten of us in our hunting party but my uncle said he could tell by the tracks that the dragon was very young and there were enough of us to kill it. So we left the mammoth trail