Chapter 2

"Oh," I say, gaining clarity of the situation. I am sure I would have blushed if I was still able.

"The outfit," I give one of those high pitched shrieks of hysteria. "I was called from my bed by an emergency," I say by way of an explanation.

I have lived among aliens, what did I care about the human clothing taboo, but something about being stared at by these three men human men, suddenly had me wishing I had stopped a moment to put something else on.

"Never mind that," I wave away their interest with exasperated hiss of my breath. I don't have to think about how I had gotten here.

"Will you pick up that chunk of meat you have behind you and get out of here," I try a different tack. "I really think the hounds will come back when they are no longer frightened, and that deer must smell pretty good to them."

It works because the Giant turns and swings the deer carcass over his shoulder.

He grunts at his two friends. "She's right. Let's move."

As the men shift to move away I call after them "Ah, friends, One quick question before you head out."

I know it's stupid to ask, but I really have no clue."Where am I?"

The three of them stop and exchange glances. The Giant shrugs, not an easy thing to do with 70 pounds of venison hanging off your shoulders.

"You'd better come with us," he says to me in a surprisingly soft voice. "We'll take you some place safe."

I choke back a laugh. I really don't need protection, but hey, they are the first people I have met and it seems the universe wants me here.

"You invite me along?" I ask in a formal tone. "Then I accept," and give them a graceful bow of my head and shoulder to acknowledge the invitation.

I follow the men through the woods. Watching the three of them closely. They make no move toward me, other than to look over their shoulders' every now and then, but proceed like comrades who have worked together often.

Again I am struck at how strange it is to be back home; on Earth, but I am not really sure when it is.

Maybe looking over the other two hunters will give me some insights. One of the companions is a tall lanky man with long blond hair that is tied back with a leather thong. He is wearing what I can only think of as an outfit of buckskin, tanned hides sown together. Soft and durable.

The other man is shorter than his two friends, his slightly dark skin naming him as having some Native American blood. He is dressed more like the giant, old canvas for trousers and a simple vest.

I take stock of the weapons they are carrying, all primitive knives and pistols, no energy weapons of any kind. I feel over dressed with Purathne Sword on my side.

The odd thing about all of them is their weapon choices. None of them is uniform. One has big knives and bow and arrows, the blond has what looks like pearl handled pistols strapped to his hips, and his dusky friend has an honest to goodness throwing ax.

Maybe I am a little under dressed for this crowd, I think to myself. All I have is She Who Sleeps to power my sword. She is dormant so as not to cut off any of my body parts unintentionally.

I stifle a curse, after the fifth time I step on a twig and stub my foot. I realize I am not paying enough attention to my surroundings and too much on the men in front of me. These men walk fast, but quietly, they know the land and have shoes on.

I forgot to put shoes on, what with all the excitement and running around I was doing. Now I am stuck in a woods. I concentrate for a moment, breathing in the life around me, until I have enough to toughen my soles.