[color=blue]“Please, come on in,”[/color] Letha said with a smile, turning for the house.

Allison wasn't hesitant … but she [i]did[/i] hesitate; she didn't know this young woman, and there was something so mysterious about her.  She appeared young, barely more than a girl, yet Letha carried herself with the poise of a confident older woman who knew the world well.

As they headed up the path, Allison caught movement to each side; unusual Canines appeared from various locations and joined them as they walked forward.  Initially, Allison went on guard, even reaching for her bow, though, she never removed it from its resting place over her quiver.  But it became obvious that the Canines were domesticated and friendly to Letha.  Allison hoped they would be friendly to her and, -- soon enough -- realized they would be.

The house had appeared ancient and dilapidated from afar, and up close it only proved itself to be even more so.  It was so odd to Allison that a structure of such enormous size would be in such disrepair: it was far bigger than even the Elven Queen's castle in Fantaja, as [i]bigger[/i] wasn't always seen as [i]better[/i] in the Elven culture, nor was bigger seen as a sign of power or importance; yet at the same time, the Queen's castle was always immaculate in appearance, gleaming and without a speck of dust because of its dozens of dedicated workers, inside and outside.

That was what was missing from Letha's home, obviously: help.  As they entered the back of the house, Allison kept on guard for dangers, most particularly others who might cause her harm or distress.  It wasn't as if she actually [i]expected[/i] to be assailed; no, Allison was just the cautious type, and -- of course -- she been being chased for days by a woman bent on turning her into a pillar of eternal ice.

But … there was no one else in the massive home.  [i]No[/i] one; not a servant or family member or neighbor or … well, [i]no[/i] one.

She studied Letha for a moment as they young woman directed her to a doorway, thinking [i]How can you be safe here all alone, little girl?[/i]  Then, Allison's mind moved to the more important question, [i]How can you be happy all alone here.[/i]  The Elven people were a very social people.  With the exception of when she was hunting or adventuring -- as she had when she used a Portal to access the Human World and set in motion this latest mayhem -- Allison was never alone for long.  

Her village had a population of almost 200 men, women, and children, and yet they all lived together in fewer than 12 houses.  Allison shared her home with her parents and some of her parents' siblings and most of the children of these 8 adults, as well as with another 6 people not of her bloodline who -- for a variety of reasons -- had found themselves alone and needed the comfort of their Elven Kind.  Allison shared her bed, too, of course; since the time she ceases sleeping between the warm bodies of her mother and father, the River Elf had shared her massive straw and fur covered bed with a variety of female relatives and friends.  It was just the way it was; it was their Culture, which made Allison a bit uncomfortable with the emptiness of Letha's home.

[color=blue]“You can follow Midas into the other room,"[/color] Letha told the Elf, [color=blue]"and warm up by the fireplace if you want. I’ll make us something to eat.”[/color]

Allison looked to the dog that led the way as if understanding her hostess's invitation.  [i]Had he?[/i]  Had he sensed what Letha was offering?  Or had he actually understood the words.  In Fantaja, the Canines kept by the Elves [i]literally[/i] understood the words of their Masters, but that wasn't because they had the needed intelligence to do so; it was a result of Magic casted upon them, to make them a better servant.  Back home, the average dog was just that, an average dog.  

[i]But what about Midas,[/i] Allison wondered.  She had the ability to detect the presence of Magic in both living and non-living things.  And yet, Allison detected nothing in the beast leading her into a large room.  In fact, Allison suddenly realized, she detected no Magic at all here … [i]None whatsoever![/i]  But … was that because there [i]was[/i] none?  Or -- as during her visit to the Human World -- was something blocking her ability to detect the Magic of others.

That, of course, was the reason Allison had very nearly been killed in that other Dimension; Allison had noticed immediately her inability to detect magic when she attempted to locate the Portal to return to Fantaja and couldn't.  It was the reason she'd been unable to follow Kyla's demands to get out of the Magic Killer's worlds.  Allison hadn't been looking for a fight; she hadn't been intentionally defying Kyla.  She simply hadn't been able to depart that world in a timely manner … and for it, Allison had been chased into this world that -- like the Human World -- was so different from her own.

Allison had been studying every aspect of the enormous room when her hostess returned and said to the dogs, [color=blue]“Come and get it.”[/color]  She watched with curiosity at the young woman set down bowls of food for the Beasts.  She asked with a sincere tone of surprise, "You [i]feed[/i] your Canines?"

Yet another difference between the worlds: in Fantaja, the Canines -- even the Magical ones -- hunted their own food, most often Ryshmere, a smallish creature that were considered a Pest because they liked to build their tunnel homes in the ground beneath Elvish homes, thereby making them unstable and sometimes even leading them to collapse.  

Sometimes Allison felt sympathy for the Ryshmere; they were semi-intelligent, with a rudimentary language and the ability to use tools and even make tiny spear-like pikes for protecting themselves against other ground dwelling, non-intelligent animals that would either displace them in their tunnels or even eat them.  Allison had seen such a relation as the Elves-Ryshmere during her visits to the Human World, where Humans hunted or otherwise caused the death of other semi-intelligent creatures of their dimension.  

Such behavior seemed to find a place in all cultures, it seemed. 

"You called your home something," Allison said as she watched Letha care for the beasts who excitedly headed for the food-filled bowls.  "I … I may have heard that name before … I am uncertain.  Stories from the Ancients … my ancestors."

Allison very nearly launched into an explanation of from where her People had come but didn't; she still did not know this woman or this place enough to give out that kind of history.  And, honestly, Allison didn't know all of the history herself anyway.  Perhaps Letha would tell her more about her own world first...?