"I know what [i]she[/i] told us." Lorag replied. "She thought the clan should be run differently, had all kinds of ideas on how to make us more prepared. But, for reasons she never said, she was apparently too cowardly to challenge Jerrick the right way. Then she bought in to the opportunity that snake of a lizard offered her. Whole reason I ended up siring you was just because she wanted a, what's it called...alibi. She was with me when Jerrick died, but the Champion figured out it was poison, so that meant nothing. She figured Harriet out eventually, and after she was caught, your mother challenged the Champion to a duel. Had that lizard toss her this ring that made her immune to magic, but even with that, the Champion didn't have much trouble with her. We made her help track down the lizard after he ran, but she ended up runnin' too after we had to fight off an attack."

The pair soon made it to the main road, then started off down the mountain towards the city. It was not a long walk at all to reach the walls. "So that's the story [i]we[/i] saw. The version she gave you any different?"

[hr]

Kaleeth was quiet, and still visibly anxious. She did not seem as bad off as she had been for most of the week, but she clearly still had a lot on her mind. For one, her village was finally in view. Herself, Janius, and Julan were all standing far from its edge, just close enough that they could make out the forms of compacted mud huts through the trees. Kaleeth had stopped, and did not seem like she was eager to keep leading them forward. "Okay...so we're finally here. My home. My...first home."

Julan looked to be at least partially confused, at least for the fact that they had been stopped for a minute or so no. "Should we, um get closer? Is there someone we're supposed to talk to first?"

"The hunters have already seen us, I'm sure. They'll come out to meet us. I just..." Kaleeth began, looking slightly more anxious and avoiding eye contact with Janius. "It's not too late for us to leave, still."