Bree stood uncertainly at the edge of the vine-tangled wood. She was a long way from the farmlands of home, and she'd heard many a tall tale about this region. [i]Exaggerations, surely, [/i]she told herself with wry amusement. But then...most tales did spring from a kernel of truth. Her dilemma was imposing. She'd heard recent rumors that there were townsfolk nearby who might be in need of her...special skills. And yet. She shook her head sadly. Had Master Eliath been with her still, he would  have known just what to do. [i]But he isn't,[/i] she reminded herself scornfully. [i]I was no longer good enough for him.[/i] So what, pray tell, made her think that she should march across the jungle uninvited, rushing to the aid of people she didn't even know, who potentially needed aid. She scuffed the toe of one boot in the dirt, paused, then kicked the ground hard. [i]It's not like I have anything better to do, is it?[/i] she thought, as she squared her slender shoulders and stepped into the green dimness.