As she walked, Loren stepped on a dried branch. Her boot crunched it hard enough to cause the branch to snap loudly, causing Kae to look back in alarm. The huntress had every sense on alert, as she would in her home forest, watching out for ambushes and predators to the best of her abilities. She looked and caught Loren’s eye.
There was admiration there, shining in the princess’s eyes. She was smiling, contended, till Kae turned around and Loren hastily looked away. The huntress saw Loren’s skin turning red with a blush and looked away as well, back to the path where she could stare ahead, mind racing at what she saw.
Her hand squeezed Loren’s tighter, and they walked on in silence.
The border town was some distance away from the forest, at the foot of the mountain and resting in its shadow. Small, squat buildings made of brick and mortar stood fairly close together, and the path leading from the forest widened out and ran through the middle of the town. Multicolored tents made of furs and tanned hides dotted the clear space around the town itself. Gershwin pointed to them, explaining those were nomad tents. Some were visiting the border town.
They were halfway to the town when Kaiten stopped. As he did, the others followed and looked back. Gershwin had not stepped past the shadows of the forest.
“Sir? Is something wrong? Are you alright?” Loren asked, concerned. She went back to him, unconsciously taking off some furs as she did. It was warmer out of the forest.
The old man shook his head. “I am quite well, little dragon. However, this is where I will have to leave you. I cannot leave the north, it is much too warm for me. My health may suffer and my magic will not agree with me.”
Loren frowned, but nodded. “I understand. Sir, thank you so much for your help in the north. Without you, we would have all died. Is there any way I can repay your kindness?”
“Repay?” Gershwin laughed. He waved it off, and patted Loren heavily on the shoulder. “No need, little dragon. Just heed my words, and take care of your friends. Be careful, as where you go will not be as kind to you as I was.” He smiled and was about to turn away, when he caught sight of a nomad tent decorated with an irregular pattern of brightly colored hides. His expression turned so sour suddenly that Loren looked where he was staring.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Nothing good, little dragon.” He pointed at the tent. As he did, a snow leopard Beastman, hunched with age and with thinning fur, pushed open the flap of the tent and emerged. “Keep away from that one. He is….” He trailed off, shaking his head. “Just stay away. That Beastman is more trouble than he is worth. Now go, and find yourselves something hot!”
The old man laughed again and turned back to the forest. The gloom of the path quickly enveloped him, and soon Gershwin was gone.
“Kaiten, do you know that Beastman?” Loren asked as soon as Gershwin was out of sight.
The prince shook his head. “I don’t know many Beastmen on this side of the mountains. Most stay around Rhodia and Aldoran where they know our kind is accepted. Sometimes as far south as the port town along Green Reach, or along Markin’s Pass.”
“Well, he looks adapted to the snow.” Kae chimed in. “Maybe he grew up here.”
Cassendir muttered, having been quiet most of the way. “You’re going to talk to him, aren’t you?” he asked dryly.
“Yes, of course.” Loren replied with a sly smile.
“Do you have to go now? Why can’t we find an inn, or—“ Cassendir cut himself off with an exasperated sigh. “No, it’s fine. Just walk off without listening. That’s fine too, princess. It’s not like I’m still freezing to death or anything.”
Kaiten chuckled. He put his arm around the scholar and led him at a much slower pace, following Loren who had bounded off right after the Beastman Gershwin told her not to approach. “It’s a bit warmer past the forest at least, Kespian. Let’s find somewhere that sells hot soup in the town and make Loren pay for it!”
Loren was out of earshot. She followed the snow leopard Beastman, weaving around and in between nomad tents. She hastily apologized as she bumped into a mother and her child, almost tripped over Beastman children that only came up to her knees, and nearly stumbled into a campfire. She apologized profusely, and lost the snow leopard in the crowd.
“Princess, maybe we should just head to the town. Call it a day.” Kae offered, taking Loren’s arm and moving her away from the nomad’s prying eyes. The northern nomads were a mix of humans and Beastmen, clad in heavily padded jackets and trousers with mismatching furs, just like their tents. They were friendly enough, but began to watch the bumbling stranger with growing suspicion. Kae waved at them, mentioning they had just come from the path and were disoriented, and pulled Kae out of the nomad encampment. “Come on. Whatever it is, it can wait till tomorrow. Okay?”
The princess sighed. Kae was right, and she was getting ahead of herself. Loren nodded. “Tomorrow then. There was something off about that Beastman; the way he carried himself was strange and he seemed to be hiding something.”
Kae stared at Loren for a second, then broke into a
