THE NEXT MORNING,  FAINA WAS TIGHTENING HER SHEATH TO HER HIP WHEN GERALT APPROACHED HER,

"Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked, standing above her.

The white haired woman glanced up at him before reaching for her pack, "Why wouldn't I?"

"This isn't a basilisk or vampires, Faina. This is a dragon." The Witcher told her,

She stood tall and narrowed her eyes, "I can handle myself against a dragon. Besides, you're letting Jaskier come along yet you're not giving him this lecture."

"Because I know Jaskier will run from harm's way. You will run towards it." Geralt defended,

Faina reached for his hand, "I can handle this, Geralt. Just... trust me."

He let out a small sigh before nodding. Faina gave him a small smile before spotting a head of dark hair behind him, "What is she doing here?" Faina growled,

Yards away was Yennefer, the damn mage they had to deal with a few weeks ago. Faina's hand moved to the hilt of her sword but, Geralt grabbed her arm, "If you would've refrained yourself from storming off last night, you would've known that the mage has partnered with a knight to slay the dragon."

Faina glared at the mage, who followed the knight around. Why couldn't she learn the first time? Never mess with a dragon.

Borch and his protectors walked up to the duo, the two women bowing at Faina. She raised an eyebrow, glancing over at Geralt before turning to Borch,

"Good morning, Witcher, Faina. Are you prepared?"  Borch asked,

"Are you?" Faina replied,

He gave her a small smile, "We'll see. Come."

Geralt got Jaskier's attention and they three of them followed after Borch and his guardians, "Your man might've mentioned that the road was too narrow for horses in his initial sales pitch." Jaskier commented, 

"Welcome to the world, Jaskier." Geralt responded,

"Damn it to Korath!" A dwarf exclaimed,

"What's got your goat?" Jaskier asked, pausing to question that dwarf's outburst.

"Someone's stolen my pack." The dwarf turned to spit at the group of men behind them, "Probably those fuckin' Reavers!"

Faina quickly moved away from the group of men. She stayed up all night, unable to sleep knowing that the group who's ancestors killed her family centuries ago were so close to her.

"Aye, well... three days' journey and only one route to the top. Leaves plenty of time to piss in his gruel!" The dwarf laughed,

Geralt stopped, waiting for Faina to catch up with him as the dwarf walked past them and turned  towards the Witcher, "Name's Yarpen Zigrin."

The Witcher shook his hand, "Geralt of Rivia."

Jaskier stepped forward, "And my name's Julian Alfred Pankratz-"

"Aye." The dwarf shook him off, "I know." His eyes went over to Faina, "Mind if I have a round with the whore?"

Faina unsheathed her daggers, "Excuse me?"

He smirked at her, "I may be little, but my dick isn't."

Jaskier held her back as Geralt put the tip of his sword at the dwarf's neck, "Look at her again, and it will be the last thing you see."

The dwarf shrugged, "Can't blame me. Just wanted one more round in the sack before it's too late." He chuckled before walking off,

"What does he mean?" Jaskier asked, letting go of Faina,

"He means we won't make it out alive." Geralt stated, 

"Wait, what? No one mentioned anything about impending death!" Jaskier exclaimed,

Faina turned around, trying to hide her smile. She was going through her pack when a pair of boots stopped before her, "Hello, little sun." Yennefer smirked at the woman,

"Oh, please, spare me." Faina rolled her eyes, glancing back at Geralt and Borch.

"Someone's unhappy. Problem's with the Witcher? Or perhaps you came on this quest for a different reason."

"My reasoning is none of your business, Mage." Faina growled,

"Be careful, little sun. They might find out your secret."

Faina stepped up to the mage, "Is that a threat? Because trust me, give me a reason to fight you, and I will gladly accept and rip you to pieces." She spat at Yennefer before she began to walk away, "If the dragon doesn't kill everyone, I certainly will." 

She stepped away from the group, walking over to a cliff that overlooked the valley they were to travel across.

"Not a fan of mages?" Borch asked as he stepped out from a tree,

"Only the ones that try to kill me." She responded, keeping her hand around the handle of her dagger as he approached,

He hummed, "Of course. A traveler such as yourself is bound to gain some enemies." He stared at her, "Where are you from, angel?"

"Nowhere... everywhere." She answered, "I'm not from one place."

"What about where you grew up?" Borch questioned, "Where your people are from?"

"It doesn't matter where they're from. They were slaughtered when I was a child." Faina narrowed her eyes at him,

"And you've been alone ever since?"

"What's with all the questions?" She turned towards him, "Most clients don't care to learn about me or the Witcher. They just want the job done."

"Yes, but... I've never seen a girl that looks quite like you." He smiled, 

"Because there is no one like me." Faina responded, narrowing her eyes at him, flames filling her purple eyes, "You're up to something. You don't want treasure, you want something else. And I'm going to find out what that is."

With one last look, she headed back towards where she came from.  She needed to find the dragon and protect her before anyone could get to her.

And she'd die protecting her.

Maybe she'd get a chance to kill the Mage while she's at it.