Ember hoisted the backpack over her shoulder again as they walked. The clouds had covered the sun, so everything along the roads appeared grey and sorrowful. She glanced again over at her still smoking friend, deep sadness in her heart. What if she was... dead? Ember vowed she could never forgive herself if her friend had died. 

She would  be blamed anyway, people would start talking. Perhaps she would be exiled or thrown into jail for the murder of Mayabelle Honeycomb. Tieflings and demons were always closely associated, both originally came from infernal regions, the deepest depths of the hot deepest core of the earth. 

Today, no chatter or music filled the air, no happy laughing was to be heard, no breaks for meals would be taken. Nothing happy could come of this day. 

As Ember's thoughts floated through her head, the rain began to pour down on them. Ember hated the rain, preferring the heat rather than the chilly rain. She shook the water off her horns and pulled her black robes closer around her. 

Glancing over, she saw the raindrops bouncing off Mayabell's skin, each drop hissing on her burning skin. Idril was carefully trying to cover her with her dress, but couldn't cover her whole body. 

Ember took her cloak off, rung it out and covered the gnome with it. Idril looked up, surprised. 

"What's a little rain?" Ember said, plowing stubbornly ahead. 

In a few hours. the rain was still coming down, but they thought they should try to find somewhere to stay. After 30 minutes of searching, Ember spotted a cottage, made of woven straw and pieces of bark, round windows seeming to glow. Ember decided, even if the glow was that of a ghost or creature she could handle it just to get her friends to safety. 

She strode up to the door, banging somewhat harshly. To her surprise, it opened to reveal a strange looking old woman, wearing a jade green knitted shawl and a large bronze amulet. In her silver bun there was stuck a short crooked wand with amethyst on the end. Her dress was a dark but slightly faded blue. Her light grey eyes sparkled up at Ember. 

"What can I assist you with, young travelers?" she asked brightly.

Ember stepped aside to reveal Idril, rain streaming down her face and the bundled up gnome in her arms. The old woman gasped and quickly ushered them inside.