The sound of the horses hooves echoed in her pounding head.  Kendra, Dirk
and Kaylan had been riding for almost ten hours now.  They had left the
tavern at first light and had only stopped a few times to rest the weary
horses.

"Dirk...Kaylan...can we please stop?"  She moaned in agony.  Kendar was not
used to all this riding.  Her thigh muscles were aching and she just new
she was blistering. "Please?"  She begged again.  Kaylan pulled back the
reigns of his horse and fell back next to Kendra.

"Kendra, we really should keep going if we are going to get to Cleft by
tomorrow evening.  I know you are tired but we'll stop in a few more hours.
We'll make camp...eat something and get some rest."  Kaylan reassured.
"Now chin up, dear Kendra...and keep riding!"  He whistled at his horse and
galloped on ahead of her.

'What was I thinking...I could be home in my nice soft bed right now.  I
must be nuts to be out here.'  Kendra thought and dug her heels into her
steed as she tried to keep pace with Dirk and Kaylan.

****

The sun was setting and Kendra was near the edge of dispare when Kaylan and
Dirk finally decided to stop and make camp.  Kendra's legs ached so badly
she could bearly dismount the horse.  She managed to tie it near the other
horses where it drank eagerly.

'At least I'm not the only that's one tired!"  She laughed to herself
seeing the horse relish the cool water.

She kneeled before the stream and rinsed her face.  It was burning.  She
had been out in the sun all day long and her pale, creamy skin was paying
for it now.  The cool water felt so good on her sunburned skin and she
could think of nothing more pleasant than to jump into the stream and
bathe.  But she had no energy left.  She filled her water bottle and drank
from it until her thirst was quenched, then refilled it and sealed it
tightly.  She dragged herself over to where Dirk was starting a fire.

Kendra lazily placed her few belongings in a pile a few feet away from it,
outting the water bottle back in her bag.  She winced in pain as she bent
to sit on the ground her muscles still spasming from the tough journey.
She rested her head on the small pile of things and closed her eyes.

"Kendra...Kendra..." Dirk called to her.  "Aren't you going to eat
something my dear?"

"Hmmm?"  She mumbled her eyes still closed.

"Eat?  Aren't you going to eat something?" Dirk asked munching on something
he had pulled from his saddle bag.

"No...not hungry...just going to sleep now."  She replied half-heartedly.

"Kendra?"

"Oh, leave the child be, Dirk...she's exhausted."  Kaylan said protectively
swallowing some fresh water.  He watched as Dirk grabbed a blanket and
covered the sleeping Kendra.

******


Submitted by,
Margherita Petti
<phanta13@capital.net>
Kendra & Skie

NRPG:  Kendra will be arriving at Cleft tomorrow.  If anyone wants to meet
her that would be great.



******************************************************************************


"Do you think you can upset the order of the universe and not pay the price?"

                                            - Gump, Legend