A party formed

"Well...look who's awake."

Lycosia grunted and sat up. "How long?"

"How long were you asleep? A few days. That scorpion bite really hurt you."

Lycosia reached up and touched her shoulder. It didn't hurt.

"Here..drink this.."

Lycosia took the carved cup that was handed to her and looked at the man across from her.

"I..don't understand.."

"You're thirsty aren't you? I was told you would be."

Lycosia stared into the cup without drinking it though her mouth was dry as a bone.

"Who are you? What is this? ...the stalker! Who healed me?"

The broad shouldered man leaned forward to rescue the cup before Lycosia dumped it out. He grasped her other hand as well.

"I promise, if you drink it, I will answer your questions. If I wanted to kill you, I would have let the scorpion do it."

Lycosia gave in and drank it. The man sat back.

"My name is Cormac. I was watching you kill those giant scorpions. Nice shooting."

She ignored the compliment and the introduction, "Where did the stalker go?"

Cormac motioned with his broad square jaw to a tree where the stalker lay hung over a branch like a toy. His eyes glittered like black diamonds as he kept his gaze on the stranger.

"He wasn't very happy with me."

"I'll bet. I'm surprised he didn't try to take a mouthful out of you."

"I was wearing armor."

Lycosia couldn't help it, she laughed.

"You are a funny sort Cormac. Where are you headed?"

"Anywhere those monsters are. I was asked by the Prince to find and kill any I saw. How about you?"

"The same. I need experience."

"You'll get plenty of it out here. Past the Fort, high up in the hills I hear there are creatures created from ice. They walk around, attacking the humans in the area. Amylon would be well rid of them."

"So who healed me? You?"

"Kind of." Cormac pulled out a stone and tossed it to her. "It's a summoning stone."

"You summoned a healing spirit..."

Cormac nodded. Lycosia smiled and stretched, feeling energy return to her through the stone. She handed the stone back then got up and with a few movements wrapped up the blankets she had been laying on. Cormac looked surprised.

"What are you doing?"

She slapped Cormac on the shoulder.

"Come on then! Lets go kill some ice demons! You do want to go don't you?"

Her laughter led the way down the road as Cormac scrambled back into his armor and stamped out the smoldering remains of the fire and dumped water on it. His freshly sharpened axe winked brightly in the sunshine and he smiled to himself.

"Wait! I don't even know your name!" he called after her. In response he saw the stalker jump off the branch and bump him purposefully in the back. When he didn't move forward fast enough, the stalker pushed him forward. He heard Lycosia whistle lightly somewhere up ahead and hurried along. Apparently he'd joined a party.