Marcie started down at the body of the dead Daygon.

In the several weeks since he had fallen, the small creatures had laid their eggs and maggot and beetles of all kinds crawled over and through his blotchy and discoloured flesh.

She barely recognised him as the Daygon who had escorted Dafne to and from the Daygon's home in The Juggernaut. Thinking this she realised that she had not asked Dafne how they got through Cathels wall. As all she had heard about it was that it divided the land from coast to coast and ensured the Daygon did not get through. She made a note to ask Dafne or the Daygon how.

She turned her attention back to the body.

She stayed well enough back so the smell and the flies did not cause her to expel what remained of her lunch. For the second time. Dara stayed close to her side, scenting the air with a small curl to his lips that spoke of the body's unpleasantness.

Marcie marked the spot where he lay with a cross shape on the nearest tree with her knife and retraced her steps, marking the trees as she went, Dara trotting dutifully alongside. She was unsure as to the death writes of the Daygon and so left them to enact their rituals when they could be trusted to leave quietly.

She and Dafne had spoken and both believed that it would be unlikely for them to keep from attacking the outsiders and vice versa. And they believed that it would be hard to ask them all to remain inside until the traders came and left again, hopefully with the outsiders, so they had both been trying to conceive of a place to keep them separate and out of the prying eyes of the villagers. So far they'd had no luck.

Marcie thought of her home. But it was too far away from the village and Dafne wanted to remain close enough to keep an eye on them and it was too far for her to go if something were to happen, "Not that it would" Dafne had snapped, "But I would nay be as good as ah am if I wont a little paranoid every now an then".

Marcie had secretly been relieved, having become used to living almost entirely on her own, she did not look forward to sharing her home with anyone.

She wandered back to Dafne's house at a slow jog, watching the uneven ground. Dara bounded easily alongside, leaping off trees and opening his wings just a little to catch the air and cause him to glide over the worst of the tangled forest floor. She never would have found the body of the Daygon if he had not led her there, his memory for places was impeccable. If he had been there once he could easily make his way back there in a heartbeat, she relished his ability to do so, thinking of all the ways it would aid her hunting expeditions.

Dara said goodbye to her near the forests edge, stretching his neck to rub her chin with his nose then leaping back into the forests cover.

Marcie let herself into Dafne's home and checked on Sebastian. He lay curled on his side and Aldren and Jin stood tense over him, from their faces she could tell something had happened.

"Whats wrong?" she asked, Sebastian was breathing alright and he looked stronger than he had in a long time and yet he was curled in on himself and trembling slightly.

"He woke up like this" Jin explained, "He wont talk to us..." he trailed off.

Marcie stayed for a few moments but Sebastian refused to speak and stayed curled up and shaking. So she went to speak to the Daygon, passing Dafne coming up the basement steps, she did not see Marcie and so, for a moment, Marcie saw how tired Dafne was, the dark circles, the sagging cheeks, skin even paler than usual.

When she became aware of Marcies presence her face hardened over, the lines smoothing out and the vacant look in her eye vanishing. She nodded at her and Marcie continued on to Dafne's bedroom where the Daygon were staying, wondering if they were using her room, where must she be sleeping? If at all.

The prince Duruin, was sitting on the floor cross legged. He was bare chested, the scars the wolves had given him rising and falling as he breathed deeply and calmly, fists clenching and unclenching upon his knees.

Marcie allowed herself a moment to appreciate the movement of muscles that spoke of hard training before addressing Svetatessa who watched her prince in his meditation.

"I have found the body of your companion in the forest" she said, Svetatessa looked at her immediately, and Kesuvanna stirred at his post by the door.

"Where?" Svetatessa asked,

"I have marked the way through the forest. I did not know if you wished to-"

"-He is buried where he dies, as is our way" Kusuvanna interrupted,

"I...see" Marcie said, surprised, it seemed odd, what did they do if someone died in their home?

After a lengthy pause she said "I can show you the way if you wish?"

Svetatessa smiled one of her rare and terrifying smiles, not unlike a hungry lion appraising its next meal,

"Thank you" she said, "When do you propose we go?"

"Soon, I have to run some errands first" such as finding a place to hide the one responsible for your princes near death she added silently.

She nodded and left, the prince showed no sign of having even registered her presence.

"We need to move you"

Aldren looked up from watching Sebastian painstakingly slowly eat a small amount of broth from a small metal spoon.

"Why?" he asked

Marcie paced into the room looking distracted,

"Its too much for Dafne to have you here and keep it from the villagers, they might require her services and discover you" she said,

"You are keeping it from your people? Why?" Jin asked, his tone barely disguising suspicion,

Marcie waved the question away, "They would take your being attacked by wolves as a sign that you should not be here. They would most likely cast you into the forest, and we know that you will most likely die in there this time. No, we need to move you somewhere that wont arouse any suspicion" she set about pacing the length of the room.

After a few moments of near silence where the only sound was Sebastian slurping his broth and Marcie's boots scuffing the stone floor, Aldren said, "What about your home? It is plenty isolated from the village"

Marcie shook her head, "No, it is too far for Dafne to get too if need be" she continued pacing.

"The forest?" Jin suggested,

Marcie stopped pacing, stared at the wall for moment then shook her head and carried on pacing,

"Even if you could find a cave or make a den, it is no place for someone to recover from such grievous wounds"

"They are hardly grievous, look they've already healed right up" Jin said, pointing to Sebastian's scarred torso. Marcie gave him a look then stared at the floor, deep in thought.

"Think we're just gonna have to stay here, its not like we made many friends out of your folk" Aldren said after a moments hesitation.

In truth he was reluctant to leave this place of healing, and quite content to stay and marvel at this incredible feat of architecture that the witch lived in. How on earth had she dug into the sheer rock like this? And without much of the equipment that the building society boasted in Thoughts Burrow.

Marcie stopped pacing abruptly then her eyes cleared and she smiled a relieved smile,

"I know, you could stay at Breen's house" she said, with the air of one who had been struck with a brilliant idea.

Sebastian made a choking noise and began hacking up his broth. Jin said "Whos Breen?"

"Good idea girly" The witch said, appearing through the door to her private rooms without a sound, causing Jin to jump then fix her with an irritated look, Aldren managed to hide his own surprise, but just barely.

"Set away from the other homes, can get to it by usin the forest paths, Justyna can be around if she needs ta be, even got her own herb garden, its perfect." the Witch said thoughtfully,

Marcie looked pleased, "We can move when it be dark, Sebastian, can you walk or do you think we need to make up a litter?" she asked,

Sebastian looked a little paler than he had done, after a moments hesitation he mumbled something about being well enough to walk.

The Witch clapped her hands together, "Wonderful, ill get yer some supplies an such" and she swept off, Marcie following closely behind, making sure the door was closed securely behind her.

Aldren eyed the locked door then exchanged looks with Jin.

"They sure want us out of here all of a sudden" Jin said then shrugged, "Would be nice to get out of here though, I feel like that witch hasn't taken her eyes off us since we got here"

"Yes, I noticed it too" Aldren said

"Even when shes not in the room" Jin mumbled, casting a cautious glance around the space.

Marcie and Dafne rushed gathering the supplies and formulated a plan.

Marcie was to take the three the long way through the forest, skirting the edge of the village until they came to Breen's house. Meanwhile Dafne would go the short route straight through the village, it was not unusual for her too be seen in Justyna's presence as she had taught The Birth Mother all she knew, one reason she was confident in her abilities to take care of Sebastian.

She would inform Breen and his wife about the guests they were about to receive. Marcie suddenly questioned whether they would be too happy to welcome three outsiders into their home but Dafne brushed away her concern, "Justyna will do what I bloody well tell er" she said, "An Breen might see the benefit o havin is latest conquest under the same roof, yer hear what im sayin?" Marcie, her cheeks red with embarrassment, muttered her assent. Wondering how Dafne seemed to always know everything that happened in the village.

Come dark they were all ready to go, Dafne desperate to be rid of her unwelcome guests. She put away all the evidence of Sebastian's stay, tidying up the treatment room and moving the cot into the middle of the room once more. Then Marcie, carrying a large pack of herbs and bandages led Aldren and Jin, who supported Sebastian between them, into the night.

Dafne locked the door, set the defences and watched Marcie lead the three men into the cover of the trees. She sensed Dara circling over head, no doubt keeping an eye out for meandering villagers, she sent a spike of her essence up to him and felt him recognise her.

Marcie traipsed slowly through the trees, her legs itched to move faster but Sebastian was still weak and he took slow measured steps even supported at each elbow by his master and his friend.

She could still see people moving around the village, closing up shops, penning animals and scavenging for their children who hid from bed time. As they continued on their slow and steady way the people dwindled as they returned to their homes and to their beds until the candle lights in the windows began to disappear slowly and the forest grew darker and darker. Marcie had too warn the others about tree roots, low hanging branches and slippery patches of moss as she was the only one able to see anything.

They travelled in silence except for the occasional curse or grunt of pain until Jin panted "They should call you Marcie Eagle Eyed , I canny see a thing in this"

"Eagles probably see less than you at night, it is why they do not hunt in the dark" Marcie informed him,

"Marcie Owl eyed then" he said,

"Dafne told me that owls hunt by sound" she said, smiling to herself,

"An how the bloody hell she know that then?" he said, grunting as he levered Sebastian over a root he had found,

"Dafne knows everything dont she" Marcie told him,

"Fine then, Marcie sees in the dark, Marcie mighty in the night" he laughed, "You mighty in the night Marcie?" she turned to glare at him and saw him nudge Aldren with a wink only she could see. She clenched her jaw as she realised that her fumbling with Alden had not gone unnoticed.

"Marcie No ones bride is what everyone calls me, or just Marcie, Jin" she said to him,

"Yeah, an none of those names suit you at all. So I will endeavour to change them. Your people change names all the time correct? So If you were to be married what would you be called eh? Would they call you Mighty Hunter Marcie or would they name you after your husbands occupation ?" he surmised,

Marcie thought about this, "Probably Marcie Seamstress" she said after a time,

"Yeah but you are more of a hunter than you are a seamstress" he declared, "So its Mighty Hunter Marcie or maybe Marcie hunts alone or Marcie scared of no one or, oh I know, Marcie rescuer of strangers" he sounded pleased,

"Oh? I thought you had forgotten" she said over her shoulder

"We could never forget my lady" Aldren said, sounding strained,

"Yeah we owe you all, Basti twice over" Jin said,

"Oh yes, I still need to think of a way you can re pay me you dept" she said smugly.

There passed a moment of quiet, then Jin said nervously, "We eagerly await the day you find out then"

Sebastian snorted but then let out a small gasp of effort and carried on focusing on walking.

They walked some more until Jin snapped his fingers, "I've got it, Marcie Deer slayer, its perfect!"

"Jin"

"Yes?"

"Be quiet"