in,” gasped Catalyst, as he pointed to the ripples in the water.
“ Maybe we should wait until we get to the next village,” said Natalia, not wanting to go anywhere near the water.
“ Don’t be silly, children,” came a voice from behind them, sending chills up and down their spines.
“ It’s perfectly safe for the two of you. The Elf and Blemmye stopped following you long ago,” continued the voice. Turning around with a look of fear on their faces, Natalia and Catalyst found themselves face to face with a Basajaunak. They hoped he might be from the village they were heading to, so relief set in and wiped away the worry.
“ Ah! Thank God, finally a friendly face,” said Natalia.
“ Well that’s a first – other than from another Basajaunak! Who might you two be?” he asked.
“ I’m Natalia and this is Catalyst, and you, sir? Who are you?” asked Natalia.
“ I’m Domnyar. I live and work in the village just over that hill,” replied Domnyar, pointing over his shoulder.
“ Well come on, let’s get you two down to the river and wash that muck off before you start to stink and end up smelling like that stuff for a week,” continued Domnyar.
“ But that thing in the water,” said Natalia with fear.
“ That thing, as you call it, saved your life twice now by my count,” replied Domnyar.
“ It won’t hurt either of you, but let that Blemmye or Elf get close enough to it and there’s its next meal,” continued Domnyar, ushering them back to the shoreline.
“ That’s a Riverfray, harmless enough to most, but let something that stinks as much as that Blemmye and the Elf and to them it’s like a piece of pie, mmm, good,” replied Domnyar with a squished up face and his tongue sticking out.
“ But I suppose every living thing has to eat something. Now hurry up, children, before you being to smell so awful you smell good,” continued Domnyar, making Natalia and Catalyst smile at his endless babble.
“ What are two little children like yourselves doing out here all alone?” asked Domnyar.
“ We’re looking for Miss Turr. She’s a blacksmith and a Basajaunak and she’s supposed to have come this village for her work and we really need her to tell us who made a key,” replied Natalia so fast that if it had been a competition to see who could babble more and faster, Domyar would have lost.
“ I know Miss Turr, a lovelier creature I’ve never seen…and you missed her by one day,” replied Domnyar with a big smile on his face.
“ Now what’ll we do?” asked Natalia looking at Catalyst.
“ Well since you’re looking for Miss Turr and you’re one day behind her, why not stay at our village for the night? You can go after her in the morning, unless you feel safe out there with that nasty old Elf and his Blemmye running around,” offered Domnyar.
Without so much as a single look at Catalyst, Natalia was only too happy to accept Domnyar’s offer.
CHAPTER THREE
THE DEAD WOOD
Arriving at Domnyar’s village, Catalyst went to seek supplies, having soaked all their food in the water while escaping the Elf and his pet. Natalia went with Domnyar to his hut to make dinner for them all.
“ Tell me, Natalia, I get the feeling there’s more to your being here than just trying to find Miss Turr about a key. What is it? You never know, I may be able to help,” said Domnyar as he began to set the table and make their meal.
They explained about the crystals and how she and Catalyst now believed the portal was opened to start a war with Humanity again. Domnyar just sat listening in disbelief.
“ Well, Natalia, I really hope you two are wrong. I can remember the wars and it was awful – the killings, the hate, the fear – and it was just over things that for the smallest price we would happily have sold to your people,” said Domnyar.
“ Well it’s not just us that think so and so does your King. At least that’s my impression. Now I know more about what’s going on,
“ Maybe we should wait until we get to the next village,” said Natalia, not wanting to go anywhere near the water.
“ Don’t be silly, children,” came a voice from behind them, sending chills up and down their spines.
“ It’s perfectly safe for the two of you. The Elf and Blemmye stopped following you long ago,” continued the voice. Turning around with a look of fear on their faces, Natalia and Catalyst found themselves face to face with a Basajaunak. They hoped he might be from the village they were heading to, so relief set in and wiped away the worry.
“ Ah! Thank God, finally a friendly face,” said Natalia.
“ Well that’s a first – other than from another Basajaunak! Who might you two be?” he asked.
“ I’m Natalia and this is Catalyst, and you, sir? Who are you?” asked Natalia.
“ I’m Domnyar. I live and work in the village just over that hill,” replied Domnyar, pointing over his shoulder.
“ Well come on, let’s get you two down to the river and wash that muck off before you start to stink and end up smelling like that stuff for a week,” continued Domnyar.
“ But that thing in the water,” said Natalia with fear.
“ That thing, as you call it, saved your life twice now by my count,” replied Domnyar.
“ It won’t hurt either of you, but let that Blemmye or Elf get close enough to it and there’s its next meal,” continued Domnyar, ushering them back to the shoreline.
“ That’s a Riverfray, harmless enough to most, but let something that stinks as much as that Blemmye and the Elf and to them it’s like a piece of pie, mmm, good,” replied Domnyar with a squished up face and his tongue sticking out.
“ But I suppose every living thing has to eat something. Now hurry up, children, before you being to smell so awful you smell good,” continued Domnyar, making Natalia and Catalyst smile at his endless babble.
“ What are two little children like yourselves doing out here all alone?” asked Domnyar.
“ We’re looking for Miss Turr. She’s a blacksmith and a Basajaunak and she’s supposed to have come this village for her work and we really need her to tell us who made a key,” replied Natalia so fast that if it had been a competition to see who could babble more and faster, Domyar would have lost.
“ I know Miss Turr, a lovelier creature I’ve never seen…and you missed her by one day,” replied Domnyar with a big smile on his face.
“ Now what’ll we do?” asked Natalia looking at Catalyst.
“ Well since you’re looking for Miss Turr and you’re one day behind her, why not stay at our village for the night? You can go after her in the morning, unless you feel safe out there with that nasty old Elf and his Blemmye running around,” offered Domnyar.
Without so much as a single look at Catalyst, Natalia was only too happy to accept Domnyar’s offer.
CHAPTER THREE
THE DEAD WOOD
Arriving at Domnyar’s village, Catalyst went to seek supplies, having soaked all their food in the water while escaping the Elf and his pet. Natalia went with Domnyar to his hut to make dinner for them all.
“ Tell me, Natalia, I get the feeling there’s more to your being here than just trying to find Miss Turr about a key. What is it? You never know, I may be able to help,” said Domnyar as he began to set the table and make their meal.
They explained about the crystals and how she and Catalyst now believed the portal was opened to start a war with Humanity again. Domnyar just sat listening in disbelief.
“ Well, Natalia, I really hope you two are wrong. I can remember the wars and it was awful – the killings, the hate, the fear – and it was just over things that for the smallest price we would happily have sold to your people,” said Domnyar.
“ Well it’s not just us that think so and so does your King. At least that’s my impression. Now I know more about what’s going on,
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