Chapter 2

Up in his room, Richard went about readying himself for his trip to town. Wile not an overly dangerous area in general, Marcus and Sarah had built there home well beyond any other homestead or settlement resting high in the foothills of the Dragon's Teeth, the area around them was still quite wild. Richard inspected the edge on the set of dozen throwing knifes that Marcus had made for him for his Naming Day last season. Specifically built for his over sized claw tipped hands, when thrown at full force he could sink two thirds of the well balanced 14 inch folded steel blade deep into the heartwood of the ancient oak he used to practice.

Richard looked down at those hands now taking in the Deep charcoal color of his skin. Although at 15 Richard looked his adopted father in the eyes when standing side by side both of his parents agreed that before he was done growing they would not be surprised if he had not added at least another span to his current height. This though completely boggled his mind as Marcus was singularly the tallest man Richard had ever met.

Blond hair and bulging muscles he came from the Nor'tik isles, one of the more predominant sea fairing nations they came from a chain of islands and wile they traded with almost every coastal nation they were very secretive and did not allow uninvited visitors to there island-nation.

Marcus stood a stark contrast to his loving wife Sarah, Sarah stood at a diminutive 5'2" and wile she was slim and lithe with darkly tanned skin and slight brown hair that when braided as it usually was reached down to her waist, she also was deceptively strong. Sarah's truly most dangerous feature however was her speed and lighting quick reflexes.

Snapping out of his revere Richard quickly sheathed the throwing daggers strategically hidden around his body. Strapping his Dual bladed Battleaxe to his back he tucked both of the Intricately carved throwing axes crossed into his belt at the small of his back. Each handle extending down outside of the base of his thick lizard like tail.

Hustling down the stairs of the cabin Richard cut through the kitchen stopping briefly to kiss Sarah on the top of the head. "You look out for your sister, you hear?" Sarah said as she watched Richard Ghost by. "Will do mom." he replied. Sarah mused that for all his size Richard could move through a room and unless you saw him you would never know he was there.

Outside joined Marcus in helping load there Packhorse with the wears to sell at the caravan. "Richard I want you to pick up a few extra things from town that we need around here. Your mother has made a list" Marcus said. With a grin on his face he handed Richard a decent sized bag of coin and a rolled parchment. Swiftly the two of them loaded and readied the mounts for the trip to town.

Ellie came down shortly dressed as if she was going to war. Longsword on her back, Bow and quiver strapped crosswise in the opposite direction. Long dagger at her hip. Richard knew that like himself she had many daggers secreted about her person. Although hers were meant for hand to hand combat and not throwing as his.

Ellie quickly came up to her father and brother. "So I guessed I missed all the preparations?" she said with a grin peaking at the corner of her lips."Nope you can go ready mothers horse unless you would like to walk?" Richard replied with his own smirk. Wile the family was not poor by anyone's stretch of an imagination when Richard and Ellie would ride to town they would do so on their parents mounts as they did not have their own.

Soon all the preparations where completed and they were ready to leave. "If its too late by the time all of your trading is complete stable the horses and stay the evening at the inn." Marcus told them knowing that he wouldn't see them until the following day. It was a normal thing for them the past year or so. It gave Sarah and himself a evening alone and allowed the kids to have a bit of fun in town. Marcus implicitly trusting his children.

As they mounted Richard gave a shrill whistle and Jinx his pet Garmr came bounding from beneath the porch to follow them. Garmr are a race of quasi magical creatures that normally lived high in the Dragons Teeth. There shoulders usually standing around 4 feet high when on all four legs. They were a slightly more intelligent hound they possessed a small empathic ability able to understand human language if used around them enough. Jinx was slightly larger than the average Garmr.