The mid morning sun beat down down upon her shoulders as Fox quietly rode to the edge of the gathered crowd. Since the fall the weather had become less than idyllic with bitterly cold nights and sweltering dry hot days, nothing ever in between. This of course had a ongoing effect on the landscape with the towns crops withering off before harvest and others never reaching seedlings. Livestock also suffered along with the native herd animals, lack of fodder meant many starved or became so weak they became prey to the more vicious beasts that roamed the unforgiving lands. 
  Small beads of sweat gathered around her brow of her brimmed hat as she lifted her reins signalling her horse to a halt before sliding off and tying him loosely to the tie post. At least half the town had turned up to hear the Baron preach, his deep voice carried over the murmuring crowd and soothing her anxiety slowly brewing in her gut. The Baron was preaching what she had already known for such a long time. Fox untied her saddle bag and slipped over her shoulder, she wanted to trade the goods she took from the souls last night before meeting with the Baron.

 Fox scanned over faces searching for those familiar as she edged closer to the Barons voice, each set of eyes she glanced into promptly avoided her as she walked, it was like she carried a disease or sickness that no fool wanted to catch. Judge was obviously hard at work again from the body hanging from the gallows. For most of the time she avoided him, not out of hatred or disdain but merely there had been no need for her to associate with him. Of course they had crossed paths  on the rare occasion but keeping each other at arms length and never revealing more than needed. 

 A screeching caw pulled her attention to the sky, a lone crow circled effortlessly above. Softly she kept making her way through the crowd squinting into the sun as she watched the black bird remembering long ago when Grandmother whipped one of her older brothers for throwing stones at the crows, her stern words reminding him [i]'that crow is a powerful ancestor, his song a message you would be wise to listen'. [/i] Fox sighed, it had been long time long since she had any contact with her tribe. Would they ever allow her back? Had enough time passed? 

  Fox weaved her way towards to run down timber porch of the 'The Fowl Dog' one of the towns more low-end establishments renowned for buying and selling all sorts of unsavoury goods. Attention fixated on the gliding crow Fox came to an abrupt halt when she failed to step out of the way bumping into the arm of a much taller and older man whose eyes were unusually blue and his duster coat looking like it had seen better days.