The Encounter:
Adriana did her best to keep the fire small. Even though she traveled well off the typical east-west road, she wanted to keep from drawing unwanted attention to her meager camp.
Fear was not a word she would use to describe her feelings. She didn’t want to die. More than for others, the concept of death held significant meaning. Fear along with most emotions meant little to her, though she always tried to understand it in others.
As a small precaution, she took the healer’s small crossbow out, c****d and loaded it. “I doubt it will be very effective, maybe scare a wild animal off or something.” She would talk to herself during times of stress, and when alone, it felt like she spoke to her mother. There were quiet times when she heard her mother talking back.
Off the beat
