"So you all are just out for the journey, huh?" Menolly's father, Mr. Faston chuckled heartily as he sat down across the kitchen table from Brandon and Ray. The group had taken up Menolly's offer to stay at her house for the night, thereby saving them the cost of the Inn. Lucy and Janet were busy familiarizing themselves with the second floor of the building, the floor that actually served as the house. Brandon and Ray were confronting Menolly's father for information concerning their trip, and Jason and Menolly had left together to find Jason a suitable place to show Menolly his archery skills. Ray nodded his reply to Menolly's father and Brandon leaned forward, making himself comfortable in his chair as he began to question the man sitting in front of him.

"We've heard that there are more trade towns nearby?"

Mr. Faston shook his head. "Ah, there were, but they're gone now."

"Gone?" Ray gave him a curious look. Mr. Faston nodded.

"Yea, plague came by some time ago and wiped those places out," he made a sweep motion across the table, as if to wipe it clean. "Nothing there now, 'cept the empty town, and whatever's left over from tha' disease."

Brandon sighed and sat up again, turning to Ray and giving the dragon an 'oh great, so now what?' look. Ray shrugged back at him and the windian turned once more to Menolly's father.

"So what is the nearest town then?"

Mr. Faston stroked his chin thoughtfully and leaned back in his chair. "Nearest town would be Rasner... that's three to four days away from here for travelers like you."

Ray let out a loud sigh. "Great, so we're going to have to go for almost four days before we reach another town."

Mr. Faston chuckled at the dragon. He leaned forward in his seat, resting his arms on the table. "So could I interest ya'll in buying any supplies you might need?" He flashed a smile at the two across from him and motioned with a nod of his head to the story downstairs.

"So how long have ya been doin' archery?" Menolly had been walking with Jason, showing him around town while looking for a place for him to use his crossbow.

Jason shrugged his shoulders thoughtfully. "I dunno. Since I was around ten or something. One of my friends had an old bow and arrow they never used, so I'd play around with it. Became pretty good at it too. Joined the Archery Club when I got into Windian High and my coach suggested I should try using a crossbow." He chuckled lightly. "Guess he thought I might like something with a little more power to it."

"And?" Menolly glanced up at him curiously.

Jason shrugged, shifting the weight of the weapon on his back into a more comfortable position. "He was right." The windian grinned down at Menolly who let out a laugh. She does have a nice laugh...

"Oh..."

"What?" Jason gazed down at her curiously. Menolly sighed as she looked up at the darkening sky.

"I hadn't even noticed the time! It's getting late."

"So?" Jason shrugged. "It's not that dark out, I can still shoot just fine."

Menolly smiled and shook her head. "I'm sorry but nah, we need to get headin' back home. Shouldn't be outside at night."

"Why not?" Jason raised an eyebrow curiously at her. Menolly let out a light sight and clasped her hands in front of her.

"Daddy doesn't want me outside at night. He says it's not safe." She smiled up at Jason. "I wouldn' want to leave you alone out here anyway, so let's just head back now and get ya'll situated for the night." She linked her arm through Jason's and tugged lightly in the direction of home.

Jason shrugged and let him lead her back to her house. He couldn't help but feel a little disappointed at not being able to use his crossbow. It's not really that dark, he thought. I can still see my hand in front of my face.

"Maybe tomorrow ya can show me." Menolly smiled up at Jason. He felt himself grinning back.

Tomorrow, yea, maybe... wait no, tomorrow we've got to head out again, get back on the road. Think Jason, think. You're out here for a purpose, and that purpose lies farther east, it's not tugging you home by the arm. The thought made his mood sink a bit. Jason was really starting to like having Menolly around.

"Somethin' on your mind?" The windian was caught off guard by the question and glanced down at Menolly who gazed up at him curiously, studying his expression. He shrugged.

"Nah, just thinking about tomorrow... when we have to go."

Menolly's face changed into a pout and she stopped walking, looking up at Jason sadly. "You're leaving so soon?"

Jason sighed. "Yea..."

Menolly made no response. She just started walking home again, her arm no longer intertwined with Jason's. The windian watched her for a moment before he went to catch up.

"Menolly?"

"It's nothing." She didn't turn to him as she replied, she just kept walking. "I was just hoping you could stay longer, that's all."

Jason sighed and shrugged his shoulders helplessly. "I dunno, it's not really my say in the matter. My group is leaving tomorrow and-"

"You could stay!" Menolly whisked around to face Jason. The windian had to stop himself before he ran into her, startled by her sudden halt. What caught him even more by surprise, however, was what she said.

"What?"

"You could stay! Stay with us! With me!" She stared up at Jason with pleading eyes. "You don't want to go off with them again, I know you don't."

"What...?" Jason just stared down at her in shock. "Why would you think that?" What is with this girl?

"I just know." She sighed loudly and turned away from Jason. "You'd rather stay here, I know you would..."

"Well... I guess I would..." Jason rubbed the back of his neck. "But-"

"Then why don't you?" Menolly's voice was quiet as she stood with her back to Jason. The windian stared at her for a moment longer.

"I... I don't know..." Not like I really wouldn't mind staying... They really don't need me with them, do they? Jason sighed. "I couldn't stay here though... I'd have to at least head back to Windia..." But why to Windia? What's back there for me anyway? Jason shook his head. What is with you, Burnhart? Girl's making you think crazy things, just get a grip on yourself.

Menolly had turned back around and was watching him. Jason glanced down at her and sighed once more.

"I can't stay. I have to go with them." I don't know why, but I'm going to. Jason watched as disappointment came over Menolly's face once more. She nodded and sighed quietly.

"I see. Well come on, we need to get inside..."

Janet was pacing about the guestroom as Lucy made herself comfortable in one of the beds the room held.

"It sure is nice to lay on a comfy bed instead of the rocky ground." Lucy yawned and rested her head against a nice, puffy pillow. Janet took a seat on the bed across the room from Lucy.

"I'll say. My back is killing me from how I've been sleeping." Janet sighed as she rubbed her back.

"Think the boys have a room this nice?" Lucy was looking around at the various paintings that decorated the room. Most of them were pictures of the town, painted vividly and from creative angles that made them fun to look at. Lucy was staring at one that hung on the wall near the foot of her bed. It was a painting done of the Merry Traveler Tavern before it had been fully built. Little figures stood all over the wooden building, some had tools in their hands and were hard at work, others were carrying wood or just surveying. Janet shrugged.

"I don't care about how nice this place looks, all I want is to get some sleep." With a yawn and a sigh Janet stretched out onto her bed.

"Knock knock!" The two girls looked up as the door to their room cracked open and Menolly's smiling face peeked in. "I hate ta bother ya'll but I'd just like to let ya'll know that breakfast will be ready tomorrow at your leisure. Hope ya'll sleep well, and we'll see ya off tomorrow." Her head disappeared and the door closed, leaving the two girls alone again.

"I don't know about you," Janet yawned and laid her head back down, "but I'll be sleeping like a log tonight."

Lucy nodded in agreement and rested her head on her pillow once more, closing her eyes. It wasn't long before she drifted off to sleep.

Brandon, Jason and Ray shared a guestroom together located just next to the girls. Jason had settled down onto one of the beds, and Ray and Brandon were still brooding over travel plans when the door cracked open and Menolly's face peeked in.

"Hi," she smiled, her eyes glanced from Ray, to Brandon, and then finally resting to where Jason was stretched out. "Sorry to bother ya'll, I'm just lettin' ya know that breakfast'll be ready for ya'll tomorrow when you feel ready to come down and get it. Hope ya'll sleep well," she smiled, "oh, and lock yer door before you go to bed." She made a little motion to the bolt that was placed near the top of the door. With another quick smile she disappeared from the room, the door closing behind her.

"Lock the door?" Ray glanced curiously over at Brandon. "Why?"

Brandon shrugged. "I don't know, but may as well." The windian headed over to the door and slid the bolt shut, shrugging. "Better safe then sorry I guess."

Jason remained quiet. His mind was still stuck on what Menolly had said to him earlier. She wanted me to stay, he thought, and I almost said yes... Jason rolled over onto his side, his back to the two others in the room as he stared at the wall in front of him. Come on, Burnhart, this isn't like you. But there's just something about her... Jason closed his eyes and waited to drift to sleep, thoughts of Menolly floating through his head as he did.

Janet's eyes snapped open as she lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling. With a light moan she sat up, stretching a little and looking around the dark room. What time is it?

It was still dark out, and Janet could see some of the stars shining as she glanced out the window on the wall between her bed and Lucy's. The moon was blocked out by clouds, but it still left a dim glow over the outside the window. Janet stood up out of bed and stepped over to the sill. What woke me up?

Hoof beats.

Janet could hear them as she stared out the window to the town that spread out in front of her. From the second story room, she had a pretty good view of the town. Most of the buildings where only one story, so it was easy for her to stare out over the tops of houses and look down into the streets. She listened as the sound of hoof beats in the distance slowly grew louder.

That's strange... wasn't Lucy talking about hearing hoof beats last night? She squinted and leaned forward, doing her best to see the dark streets below her. It was no use, however. The slight glow of the moon was not enough to help her make out the details of the town, and she let out a quiet sigh.

The hoof beats grew louder. From the sound of it Janet guessed that the animals were just outside the town. She craned her neck to gaze over at the town's entrance in hopes of spotting the horses, but the shadows of the night continued to block her vision.

Doesn't matter much now, they've stopped. The sound had made it up to just inside the entrance of the city and had stopped. Probably just a messenger anyway. The windian let her eyes drift back over the town, leaning onto the windowsill as she did. I can't believe I'm out here, she thought to herself with a sigh. Out in the middle of nowhere, in some town I've never heard of... Her gaze wandered over the buildings below her. Farther off in the distance of the village she could just make out the outline of the Merry Traveler Tavern, the glow of the clouded moonlight seemed to trace the form of the building.

Well that's strange, Janet thought as she squinted into the dark. Something seems different about it now... She couldn't really put her finger on it, but something about the form of the building just didn't look right. She stood up, rubbed her eyes, and looked again.

Must be a trick of the light or something, Janet shrugged her shoulders lightly at the thought. Now some of the other buildings are starting to look like that too.

As she gazed out across the houses of the town once more, she couldn't help but feel that something was different about them. Something about the way they stood, or how they looked, or maybe how the moonlight struck them. She wasn't sure what it was, but something just didn't seem quite right. A movement in the streets caught her attention and her eyes flicked down, scanning for what she had thought she had seen. Squinting and straining to look out into the darkness, Janet could just barely make out the outline of a few figures that seemed to be shuffling along in the streets.

"Well that's strange," the windian raised her eyebrow in wonder. "Why would anyone be out at this time of night?"

Her thoughts were interrupted by another sound, one of quiet scratching that came from somewhere behind her. With a start, Janet spun around and faced the door. "Who's there?" Her voice seemed to echo in the still air of the dark room. Moving quietly, she stepped slowly up to the door and waited. "Is anyone out there? Jason... if that's you then this isn't funny..."

No response. The windian stared down at the doorknob as she listened. Maybe I was just imagining it. She reached out to take a hold of the doorknob. Wouldn't hurt to check though.

Something made her stop. She wasn't sure what, but something in the back of her mind warned her against it. Curiously, Janet pulled her hand away from the doorknob and stepped back, taking a good look at the door. It was then that she noticed the bolt near the top of it. Without much thought, she reached up and closed it, locking the door securely before she turned and started back for her bed.

"What was that about?" Lucy yawned and stretched, awakened by the noise of Janet shuffling back to her bed. The windian shrugged.

"It was nothing, just thought I heard something. Probably Jason being an idiot again." She rolled her eyes and slipped back into bed with a sigh. As she drifted off into sleep, the quiet sound of hoof beats fading away in the distance echoed lightly through her ears.