Keldrid dismounted and walked his steed to a tree nearby and tethered it.  In the firelight Lourense could see that it was a magnificent creature and a breed unlike any he had seen before.  The beast stood over 8’ tall and was extremely muscular, it’s coat had a beautiful luster which appeared to be the color of the dark forest at night, primarily black with hints of dark green and brown.  Instead of hooves, this creature had three toed feet with foot long talons resembling that of a dragon’s. The most striking feature of the horse, if it could be called that, was its head.  The shape was that of a typical warhorse but that is where the similarities ended.  On top of it’s head was a bony crest which started just above the eyes and disappeared into the thick flowing mane half way down its neck.  The eyes were an opalescent green that glowed slightly and there was a long beard, which trailed down from its lower jaw.  These anomalies culminated in a deadly set of upper and lower fangs and razor sharp teeth. 

Upon satisfying his fascination with the beast, Lourense turned his attention toward Keldrid.  Keldrid was everything one would expect from a warrior and more.  He was over six feet tall, well built and muscular.  The dark tanned complexion and sharp facial features agreed with his claim to be from Terestrahm, a warm tropical province that is heavily wooded and bordered on three sides by ocean.   Thick black hair cascaded over his shoulders and he had some of it tied back at the top around a bone of some kind.  Keldrid unpacked his gear and weapon, walked over and sat down opposite Lourense.  It was at this time that Lourense noticed his eyes, deep, penetrating, and opalescent green like his steed.  He decided that it was unwise to pursue any questions that he had about the similarities, at this time. 

There was an uncomfortable silence for a time as Keldrid unpacked his night roll and laid out his weapon beside him.  Keldrid was not unaware of this and when he was just about settled in he asked, “do you have any food?”  Lourense did not have much and thought about whether he should reserve it for himself.  Then he thought about what his parents would do and reached into his bag and pulled out all he had.  “I have some dried chaffa, a little bread and some garak cheese, you are welcome to join me.”  “I thank you for your hospitality; however, I asked since it looks like you have not eaten in days.  You may reserve what you have and join me if you wish.  I have fresh meat, some good wine, wild nuts and berries.”  Lourense, still wary of the stranger, was going to politely decline but found himself unable to do so as he watched Keldrid unpack the food and remove the preservation spell.  With that small gesture it became apparent that his guest was a bit more than just a passing warrior since it takes years to learn the discipline required to cast even the simplest of spells.  He was very hungry and the thought of a fresh roasted meal was just too much.  “Thanks, I could do with something other than dried chaffa and stale bread.” 

Lourense stoked the fire while Keldrid prepared the meat.     To observe Keldrid preparing the meal was to witness an expert in action.  The way he held the knife and the precise calculated movements told Lourense that he had done this before and was very good at it.  For Lourense, it was not too much of a leap to imagine this man performing his expertise on something other than wild game and domestic animals.  This thought gave him the chills and he chose not to pursue it any further lest he spoil his appetite. For lack of anything better to say Lourense asked, “You are good at that, where did you learn?” He felt rather stupid since many in his village were skilled in dressing an animal; however, there was something subtly different about the way Keldrid did it. Without breaking stride, Keldrid reminisced, “My father taught me many, many years ago when we would hunt together.  He showed me which cuts of meat were the best and how to dress the animals to make the most of the differences.  You see this cut, it is what is called primo, it is the most tender and flavorful, best used seared over an open flame. That is what we are going to have this evening.  The other two types are marinade and stew.  The marinade must be packed in seasoning and tenderizers for 2 days to make it soft enough to eat while the stew requires long slow cooking in water and wine to bring out its flavor.” Lourense said, “I have never heard of these tenderizers that you speak of and we never cooked our meat in such an elaborate manner.”  Keldrid replied, “Tenderizers are particular spices, such as salt, which make raw meat tender when immersed in them.  It is true that many people do not know of these techniques or have the money for exotic spices.  My father learned them during his travels to the lands across the sea.  I find the difference in taste well worth the extra effort.  Being the traveler that I am, a good meal is one of the few comforts that I afford myself”

Lourense felt a wave of depression wash over himself when Keldrid spoke of his father.  It has been 3 days since the massacre and the reality of it was beginning to sink in.  Keldrid noticed the change in expression on the boy’s face and used the opportunity to learn of the boy’s fate and steer the conversation away from questions about his background.  “I could not help but notice your expression when I spoke of my father, your melancholy is strong.  May I ask what happened?”  Lourense was taken back by his perception and question.  He thought he was hiding it well and had no time to think about how to proceed.  Surely they are still looking for him, were it not for the secret cave he would have been dead by now.  While Keldrid does not look like the others, he could be a hired tracker or assassin; it was best that he lie about his circumstances. After that quick deliberation, Lourense responded, “You are very perceptive, I thought that I hid my grief well.  My father died recently, he was very ill for a long time and the healers could do no more for him.”  Keldrid interjected, “Have you no mother to take care of or siblings?”  Lourense did not like where this conversation was going and in deciding to end it replied, “My mother died a long time ago and I was their only child.   It is time for me to move on.”  In an attempt to change the subject, Lourense asked what spices Keldrid intended to use on the meat.  Keldrid was perceptive enough to know that the boy had reasons why he did not wish to talk about his background and honored it by allowing the conversation to change subjects.  “Most of the time I prefer a variety of stronger spices like peppers and chi but since you will be joining me I will season lightly.”  They conversed lightly throughout the evening and eventually settled in for the night.

It was only Lourense’s fourth night on his own and he was not taking to it very well.  Tonight was even more unsettling since he was not sure whether he could trust Keldrid or not.   Lourense lay awake for quite some time feigning sleep and listening for signs that his new companion was finally asleep.  He never realized that there were so many sounds in the forest that simply could not be identified.  The various scuttling, shooshing, thumping, ticking, crunching, buzzing, chirping, flapping and growling sounds seemed to blend together into an unusual song that when focused upon, grew in intensity until it became almost deafening.  Or so it seemed, until a different sound broke his trance. 

Lourense looked over to where Keldrid was and found him gesturing and murmuring.  It appeared that this was some form of prayer until he felt a tingling wave of energy pass through him and everything around them went silent.  Panic struck, Keldrid was casting a spell and Lourense was the target!  His worse fears were realized so with all his energy, he bolted up and drew his blade.  Keldrid looked at him with surprise but made no move to draw his weapon.  “Relax Lourense, we are safe.  What startled you?”  Lourense was puzzled because he was able to hear Keldrid, his movements, and the steady breathing of the steed but not the sounds of the forest.  “You cast a spell upon me!  What are your intentions?”  “What makes you think that I have cast a spell, let alone directed at you?”  Your ritual woke me and I felt a wave of energy right before the forest went silent” Keldrid looked surprised but spoke quickly to assure the boy, “Indeed, you are correct in that I was casting a spell; however, it was not directed at you.  Kriszgarn warned me that there was a predator in the area and I was casting a spell of protection.” “Who is Kriszgarn?” “Kriszgarn is my steed, we can converse through thought.”