Part II
Far From Home But Almost Home

    Tears streaming unheeded down her face she rode on through the night. 
Outcast and alone once again she gave the horse it's head not caring which
direction they took.  She was too tired and too lonely to care. The memory
of killing the man back at the tavern and breaking her vow lay suppressed
deep in the recesses of her mind. Now, she could only think of getting
away.  Away from people who hated and distrusted her just because of her
dark hair and different ways. 

    Morning found her dozing astride her horse.  The exhausted animal had
paused to drink beside a crystal blue mountain lake, rousing Ani with it's
change of position. 

  "W-hat?"

<snipped from Alton's post>

> ...Cynthia scored blow after blow.  My'kel's arms ached and he had a
> laceration on his temple.  He knew she was forcing him toward the edge
> of the ledge.  Maybe if he turned and ran away from her he could circle
> around to Voger, he thought. of the ledge.  Maybe if he turned and ran 
> away from her he could circle around to Voger, he thought.
>
> My'kel began to turn when Cynthia hit him again.  He lost his ballance
> and stumbled forward.  He fell hard to the ground and rolled forward,
> and over the edge.  He screamed the entire way down.
>
> Cynthia turned and sprinted past to shocked dragons toward a cave at the
> base of the mountain.

<end snippage>

   Overhead the cries of water birds heralded the morning and she squinted
against the rays of the rising sun.  Her dog lay on his belly in the wet
sand gratefully lapping water along side the horse.  Exhausted and
thirsty, Ani slid to the ground.  She shared the hard won food with her
dog, while studying her surroundings.

   She was in a deep valley and to her right the sun rose over the high
mountains, to her left lay the Nomadlands. She gave the last of her bread
to the dog and washed her face and hands in the lake.  She was thinking
about stripping down for a swim when she heard the sounds of fighting high
above her.  Her dog growled low in his throat.  Even the horse tossed his
head and stamped his hoofs with anxiety. 

  Ani shaded her eyes against the rising sun but couldn't see anyone. 
Until she heard the man's scream and she ran toward the sound.  Stumbling
over the rocks to the base of a cliff she watched him take one bone
breaking bounce off a ledge and finally land just few yards away from
where she stood. 

   Her dog ran barking toward the injured man with Ani right behind him. 
When she knelt next to him and noticed he was still alive Ani whistled for
her horse.  When he arrived she retrieved her medicine bag and set out her
herbs and tinctures.  She had no idea where this man came from or who he
was but she would help him if she could.  It was her way. 

Respectfully Submitted by
Ani dain Hehran bahtna Qedharon - Nomad
Holly Huckeba 
**************************************

And so, here I am and here is Ani!  I hope you enjoy reading my introductory 
posts.