Damiana walked as softly as she could around the edges of the lake, moving slowly and humming to herself. She was staring absent-mindedly out across the water, humming to herself.

The air was cold and biting slightly at Damiana's skin, though she didn't seem to notice.

Her bare hooves left light tracks in the lakeshore sand. She was a Sileni, part horse, part human.

She was tall and thin, with long blonde hair tied up in an elegant bun, a thick twisted lock falling in front of her ears, slightly pointed somewhere between a human's and a horses. She had shiny black hooves that she took great pride in. The tip of a thick flowing tail peeked out from under the back of her simple halter-top dress. A thin chord wrapped around her neck many times, simple pretty tattoos on her face and shoulders and back.

Her eyes seemed to shine brightly, like the sun reflecting off of the deepest blue hues of the lake water that rippled in the breeze. They were a light blue filled with intelligence.

She paused momentarily, stepping one shiny hoof into the water, smiling to herself before changing her tune and continuing her walk.

When one relied on nature to survive, they didn't worry much, since nature is forever giving. The lake was home to a large amount of berry bushes and nice green trees, all she needed to live. Well, that and water. But, like the horse part of her, she was perfectly fine with simply drinking from the lake.

The sun dipped a little lower as the day was giving way to the night, sending dancing flickers of lights across the surface of the water, flashing onto her skin and making pictures that only brought out her own beauty while casting an enchanting glow upon her bronze palomino skin.

Once again Damiana stopped, this time taking a deep breath and enjoying the crisp refreshing air of twilight.

Merenwen had been walking about at the edge of the water for hours just enjoying the cool breeze and smell of salt in the air. It was a little chilly but she didn't mind because she could remember times when the heat of the world had completely sapped her energy and she preferred the vastness of the water with its chill to the intense heat any day.

She was an elf, a very small elf whose size sometimes caused people to believe she was younger then her 21 years, but she often enjoyed being so small because it was easy to hide. A bush was always big enough for her to crouch behind and so if she didn't want to be seen it was normally simple for her to hide. This was another thing she loved about the lake, the lush vegetation made it easy for her to hide if she came upon someone.

She was wearing her green bodice, tan chemise, and green breeches so she was further able to hide. Her brilliant blonde hair was tied back with a piece of leather and her golden brown eyes shone with the happiness she was feeling. She had her dagger attached to her side, though she hoped she would have no need to use it, and a pair of comfortable boots on her feet.

As she walked along the beach she spotted a figure in the distance. She wanted a closer look so she moved into the bushes and crept a little closer. When she got close enough to see the figure clearly she realized it was a beautiful female Sileni. She had never met one before and wanted a better view so she again crept through the bushes. As she crept along she was very distracted by looking at the Sileni and this caused her to accidentally step on a twig. The sound from the snapping twig seemed intensely loud to her ears and in her mind there was no way for the Sileni to have missed it. She paused where she was and hoped that if she was found by this Sileni would not hurt her. She knew how to fight but did not want to risk harming this beautiful creature.

Sartana lay sprawled on top of a tree branch hanging over the lake's side, overlooking the picturesque beauty of the wilderness. He stirred a bit, and wrapped his black cloak closer to his body. It was cold out. He sat up against the side of the tree, watching the setting sun's image twist and turn in the lapping water of the lake's edge. He longed to become a ranger once again, to protect the forests that he loved so much and live his life within the peaceful greenery. But there was no time for that now. He was always traveling, hunting the creatures that took from him the two most precious things of his life in one fell swoop. He sighed from under his crimson scarf.

There was more time for his expeditions into nature now, though, ever since he was transported to this plane of existence in a blast of magical energy. He had lost most of his weapons in the blast, and awoken to find himself in an entirely different world than his own. That was many months ago. He had since found himself content living here. There were less things to worry about. And there was always something interesting going on.

Movement caught the corner of his eye, and he glanced down at the water's edge. The sun had just disappeared from over the mountains, and it was getting dark, but he could make out what looked like a horse walking slowly on the beach. But... That's not a horse... He thought to himself, staring at the image. The figure appeared to be half horse, half human, having the upper body of a young blonde woman, and the lower body of an equine. Hmm... What a beautiful creature. A centaur, I think it's called. He thought again, his eyes never leaving her. He had never seen one before, and they were quite the rarity in his home world, reclusive and shy creatures. He wondered if she lived here.

A twig snap caught the demon hunter's attention. He turned his head slowly, to his left. His multicolored eyes were bright in the twilight, and thoughtful, as he watched the newcomer approach from the opposite side of the beach. It was another woman, blonde like the other, but a biped. She was small, and wearing green, fair like the centaur and beautiful. Sartana squinted his dark-rimmed eyes, but couldn't make out the girl's race. He figured her to be human, like himself.

“I didn't realize this was such a popular spot for long walks on the beach.” Sartana whispered to himself from under his scarf that hid his face. He wouldn't disturb the two. The last thing he needed was to trouble others who were only looking for a peaceful walk.

Damiana's ears twitched a little at the sound as it echoed through them. She turned to look over ehind her towards where it came from, her nostrils flaring ever so slightly.

She looked into the forest that surrounded the lake, her blue eyes taking everything in. It took her little time and effort to spot the creature that had made the noise.

She was blonde and a bit petite. At first Damiana believed her to be human, her hoof digging slightly into the dirt. But then she noted that no, this creature was certainly not human. She was far too earthy and seemed more at one with nature than a human usually did. She was elven. Small, but elven.

"Feel free to come out here into the open," Damiana said in her calm soft-spoken manner, "I will not harm thee little elf.

She caught the slight smell of another, though that other remained hidden. Human for this one, though he smelled slightly of trees. And obviously male. The knowledge that she was no longer alone didn't cause her any harm or generally upset her. But knowing that there was a man out there who was not showing herself made her wary.

As any true creature of the forest, she knew that a human who hid was doing so for a reason. She could only hope that hoping to bag himself some rare game was not that reason.

Instead of working herself up by thinking of the male, she turned her attention back to the female elf, giving a welcoming smile to her and bowing slightly, "Good moor, I am Damiana Tuwa of the Sileni. And who might you be, little elf?"

Merenwen knew that she was caught and her fears were answered when the Sileni called out to her. At least the comments of the Sileni seemed to be friendly.

When the Sileni called her to come out and said, "I will not harm thee little elf," Merenwen slowly came out of her hiding place. She was still unsure of this creature but she decided to give a small amount of trust. She was caught anyways and there was no way that she was going to get away without showing herself.

Her slight fear and embarrassment at being discovered cause her to stay quiet but she did notice that the Sileni seemed to be scenting the air in the direction of the trees. Merenwen knew that her scent would not be that high of the ground so she began to worry that another may be around.

Before she had a chance to look around much she heard the Sileni say, "Good moor, I am Damiana Tuwa of the Sileni. And who might you be, little elf?" Her eyes shot up to Damiana and she said, "I am Merenwen Coamenel. I am sorry for hiding in the bushes like that but I was unsure of how you would respond to having your solitude interrupted and I just wanted to watch you because I have never seen one of your kind before, though I have heard much."

After responding she again looked to the trees trying to find what Damiana had been scenting. She caught sight of a pair of eyes looking down upon them and her hand went to her dagger. These did not seem to be the eyes of a common woodland creature and she could not be sure what this being wanted.

The demon hunter watched as the two talked. He listened, and found out much about them in the short conversation they had. The horse woman was not a centaur; she belonged to a species or group of creatures called 'Sileni'. That, and her name was Damiana Tuwa. He took special note of what the Sileni called the other girl: 'little elf'. He had thought she was a human, not that it really mattered what race she belonged to. The elf's name was Merenwen Coamenel. He nodded offhandedly at this information. Knowledge was advantageous, no matter the situation.

He watched as they talked, and thought he caught hint of the Sileni sniffing the air, turning her head slightly in his direction. Did she notice him? He wasn't sure, as her movements were subtle and she was at least thirty meters from his treetop perch. Then the elf turned to him, locking eyes. He froze, in an attempt to remain hidden, but knew she had already seen him. Her hand was on the dagger at her side, and her eyes had locked with his; he was sure of it. He sighed. “Should I walk away..?” He whispered to himself. He wasn't afraid of them. Not at all. The magic in his hand had told him that they were both good creatures- or at least, not evil. That was good. He had no reason to fight them.

He stirred, leaning forward and slipping deftly off the branch, landing on the ground below in a whisper of cloth. He rose, and took a few steps forward, now close to the two girls. He looked at the elf with his multicolored eyes. She looked quite young. He turned to the Sileni, his face hidden by the dark red scarf over his mouth and chin, and a wide-brimmed hat over his head. “I'm sorry for disturbing you.” He said in a deep voice, addressing both of them. “This is a favorite spot of mine to watch the sunset.” He turned his body towards the water as if to prove this, looking at the final remnants of the sun's color reflecting off of the water's surface.

He turned back to them. Inside his black cloak, at his side, there was a curved black weapon, and knives here and there. He wouldn't be using them, of course, but they were always there, just in case. He looked at the two, and then scratched the back of his head, smiling from behind his scarf. “I'm sorry- where are my manners? I'm Sartana.” He said bowing his head slightly.

Damiana instantly responded to his bow with a graceful bow of her own, the tendrils before her ears hanging from in front of her ears, a simple and beautiful way to keep her hair from covering her face, from hiding her eyes and taking her sight away. She found that hair in her face was one of the most annoying things that could happen to her.

"It is a beautiful spot," she agreed, looking out over the lake water once more, the light flashing from its little ripples, making it all the more lovely as the sun slowly began to disappear from sight, as if being pulled by some force, giving way to the night. The sky was black behind her, speckled with little flickering stars, creating a rather purple hue between the light and the dark.

She turned back to him, "As you have already heard, I am Damiana Tuwa, of the Sileni. I am glad to have met you, Sartana." Her tail flicked a little as she turned her whole body to face him, "You smell...like you are a ranger. Or at least you were one. The earth leaves her smell on those who are for her."

It was similar to the smell of elves, but not as natural. She smiled politely at the two, odd that they had all come here at the same time. "Some twist of fate to bring three to a place rare for one."

Merenwen watched as the being dropped from the trees and realized that it was a human man. He had frightened her and she kept her hand close to her dagger for you never knew what a stranger would do. She didn't know if he was good or evil and so she chose to be cautious. She couldn't be too angry at him for watching them because she had done the same to Damiana but she needed to know that he would not harm her or Damiana.

She stayed quiet while he explained that he had just been watching the sunset and apologized for interrupting them. She had to agree that the sunset was beautiful but was not completely prepared to let her guard down. His eyes drew her in due to their being different colors but she could not tell much about the rest of his face due to his hat and the scarf that covered his mouth.

She caught sight of his weapons as he turned and the fact that he wasn't reaching for them allowed her to calm down a little. He introduced himself as Sartana and gave a slight bow. His actions were helping to call Merenwen and slowly she took her hand away from her dagger.

She listened while Damiana responded to Sartana's comments. After Damiana made a comment about the three of them meeting in this place being a twist of fate Merenwen took the chance to say a little herself.

"The beauty of this place draws creatures of all types and though it is not often that they come to this exact point along the lake I hope that this twist of fate will be positive for all of us." She turned to Sartana and said, "Greetings, I am Merenwen of the race of Elf." She found it interesting that he had once been a ranger but wondered what had caused him to be unable to protect the land he claims to love. She chose not to ask this question because she would not want to give too much about herself away and so would not expect him to feel comfortable doing so. Instead she said, "I hope our time here will continue to be peaceful."

Sartana was glad to have been received so well by the two, and pulled his scarf down, figuring it was safe to show his face. His face was tanned and hard, with a sturdy chin and dark rings around his eyes. His mouth was formed into a light smile, and his eyes were bright with thought, and adventure. He wasn't usually like this, so outward and friendly, but staying in such a care-free land had changed him over the last few months. He was always meeting new people, which brought him new adventure.

Damiana spoke soon after the demon hunter, gazing over the lake. "It is a beautiful spot," she agreed with a warm voice. He looked her over. She was wearing a shirt, which he was glad for, and her body was covered in intricate tattoos. He had never seen one of her kind before; it was quite a sight to behold. She turned to him and spoke up, telling him her name, which she figured he had already heard from his resting spot. "You smell...like you are a ranger.”She said, eyeing him curiously. “Or at least you were one. The earth leaves her smell on those who are for her.”

Sartana lifted an eyebrow. I smell like a ranger..? How strange that she can tell merely by my scent, though I'm sure her species is known for their keen sense of smell. He thought, looking at her. “Yes, I was a ranger at one time.” He said, turning back to look at the water. “..But that was a long time ago. I don't have the means to protect the land I love anymore.” He said, turning back to her. “I do still love her, though. Nature.” He said, smiling. This was true; there were few things he liked better than spending time within the confines of a forest, or the vastness of a field of wheat. Nature was something he loved dearly.

"Some twist of fate to bring three to a place rare for one." The Sileni finished. Sartana nodded. Fate had a way of intertwining that paths of her children so that they would meet. He wondered why they had been brought here. The blonde elf spoke up, and Sartana turned to her. "The beauty of this place draws creatures of all types, and though it is not often that they come to this exact point along the lake, I hope that this twist of fate will be positive for all of us." She turned to Sartana and he looked at her with a bright expression, though a curious one, as he hadn't dealt with elves much in his lifetime. "Greetings, I am Merenwen of the race of Elf." The demon hunter nodded. "I hope our time here will continue to be peaceful." She finished.

Sartana folded his arms over his chest, and turned once again to the water's edge. The sun was down now, and it was beginning to get dark. He wondered if he would spend the night here, resting atop the large elk branch he had been laying on moments earlier. Yet, he wanted to spend time with the two interesting people he had just met. He wondered if they would like to go to a tavern, but shrugged the thought off. A sileni surely wouldn't be welcome in one. He turned to them, about to say something, when his stomach growled. He scratched the back of his head, smiling. He wasn't about to ask for food, as much as he wanted to eat.

Looks like I'll be sleeping off my hunger once again... He thought to himself with a sigh. “It's getting dark. It was nice meeting you two, but I need my sleep. Perhaps we'll meet again.” He said tersely, tipping his hat to them, and preparing to leave.

Merenwen heard Sartana's stomach growled and this caused her to realize how hungry she was herself. As she thought about her hunger and how nice it would be to catch a fish and gather some berries she heard him sigh and say, "It's getting dark. It was nice meeting you two, but I need my sleep. Perhaps we'll meet again." The sigh made her wonder if this was really what he wanted to do and the growling of his stomach made her think that it was food, not sleep, that he really wanted. He had seemed nice thus far and she felt bad that he seemed to be hungry and was likely low on food. She thought it was possible that he didn't know how many fish were in the lake so she decided to offer him help.

"Wait," she said. "I can hear your stomach growling and I was thinking about catching a couple fish to eat. There are also plenty of berries along the shore here that we could pick some of. If you want to stick around then maybe the three of us could share a meal. Spending time alone may be nice at times but there are times when being with others can be nice as well. If the two of you would like then I can catch a few extra fish and we could create a small fire to cook them over. While I'm fishing maybe one of you could pick some of the berries. With all the fish in this lake, the berries along the shore, and the tree branches that have fallen, the task should be fairly easy."

She didn't know how they would react but hoped that they would be open to it. Now that she had met them she wanted to get to know them better and was not quite ready to be alone again. Catching the fish may be difficult because she didn't have a fishing pole but she figured she could create a basic spear, using one of the tree branches and her dagger, that would work for the task.

Damiana gave a small smile, just a curve of one side of her full lips as her ears twitched at the rumbling of his stomach. "Have you forgotten how to live off of the land?" she asked, her eyes kind. She nodded to Merenwen when she had spoken of peace, and had listened intently to all words spoken.

But now there was a twinkle in her eye, "The stars are bright and the forest is welcome. I know where there are plentiful bushes of berries, should thee be interested. And I also know of a grand acorn tree that has its bearings larger than the norm." She turned to face the forest, looking into it's depths. "The forest is happy to provide."

Of course, every move Damiana made was full of the grace of her people. She was proud as any Sileni, and they generally lived by the forest. Humans, and even elves and other creatures didn't often bother them.

But it had been a long time since Damiana had been with a herd. And though these two were not Sileni, but she adored the feel of being in a group again. Even though she doubted that these two would wish to stay long, it was nice to have company for the moment.

Sartana stopped at the elf's call, telling him to wait. He turned to her. She explained that she had heard the demon hunter's stomach growl, and that she would like to catch some fish and make a meal here that they could all enjoy. She said there were berries on the shore. The demon hunter nodded. He had noticed them as he walked through the forest, and had even eaten a few, but was not about to make a meal of them. Some roasted fish sounded excellent, though, and Sartana smiled. "Yes, I would like that." He said, loving the idea of sharing a meal with such beautiful woman, and on such a pretty night. Not to mention he was starving.

The Sileni piped in, staring off into the distance of the forest, saying that there were indeed many fruit-giving bushes in the area, and that there was a particularly large tree that produced large, edible acorns. She also asked, "Have you forgotten how to live off of the land?" The demon hunter looked at her for a moment. He hadn't forgotten, per se, but he did feel wrong taking the lives of animals as meat, as he once did when he was still a ranger. That, and he no longer carried a bow. "Not forgotten, just... I don't have the means to do so anymore." He said, looking at her, almost sad. "But perhaps one day I'll regain them, in which case I'll certainly treat you two to a meal." He said, his face now warm.

He turned his back to them, his cape flaring in the warm breeze that slid off the lake. "I'll start a fire. We can sit here, on the beach." he said, moving his foot in the grainy yellow sand below.

Merenwen nodded and moved off to find a branch that she could make a spear out of. The spear would not be good for much but it would be useful in catching a few fish. She found a likely branch that was about 3 inches in diameter and 3 feet long. Many smaller branches were coming off of the branch but she believed she could remedy that without too much problem.

After finding the branch she pulled out her dagger and sat down near to the water's edge. She began by using the dagger to cut off all of the extra branches that extended out from the main branch. Next, she moved to one end of the branch and began using the dagger to make a point. She had to shave off a decent amount of the branch at a gradual angle and brought the end to a sharp point. This being done she placed her dagger on the ground and took her boots off so that they wouldn't get wet when she entered the water.

As she was doing this she was thinking about how nice it was to be able to spend some time in the presence of others. She was glad that they had agreed with her idea and smiled at the fact that she hadn't noticed the acorn trees herself. She was thinking that it just showed how beautiful the place was in its own right for her not to have noticed something that she would have at any other time.

When she was done taking her boots off she decided that she would also leave her pack on the beach because there was no reason to risk getting it wet. This being down she slowly entered the water, being quiet so as not to scare the fish away. It would take her a little time to catch the fish with this rudimentary spear, but she was not worried. She had done this before and a little time was not likely to hurt any of them.

The demon hunter stepped off the beach, his soft leather boots touching the grass. His strides were long and fluid, moving easily through the underbrush, as his arms reached out and picked up dead pieces of wood, and his mind worked endlessly, thinking of whatever had struck him as interesting at the moment. It is strange that I would meet these two in this forest, at my new favorite spot. It's much like the meetings with strangers that occurred unexpectedly at my spot in Eia. He thought to himself with a sigh, thinking back on his time spent in that land. What fun I had.

He finished collecting wood, now carrying an armload, and walked back to the beach. There he dug a shallow pit in the sand, sticking a few pieces of wood inside with some birch bark. He rubbed two sticks together furiously. I really need to buy some flint and steel... He thought to himself, shaking his head at the effort required to make a fire with out. Soon smoke trailed from the hot spot where the wood rubbed together, and a moment later the wood caught on fire. He knelt and fanned it gently, until a strong flame was going. He threw a few more pieces on, and stood up. Now all they needed was some food.

Sartana turned his head to the water, watching the blonde elf wade silently through it with a hand-made spear, ready to catch some fish. He smirked. Elves... Such fair folk. Ah, but I should be helping her, instead of standing here idly. He slipped out of his boots and placed his cape next to the fire, on top of them, making his way into the water slowly to the left of the elf. His left hand was left low in front of him, with a strange gadget strapped to the bottom of it. The contraption was his trigger-action dagger, the perfect fish-catcher- if you were fast enough.

“This land is beautiful.” He whispered to her, stalking closer to what he thought looked like a fish. “Have you lived here your whole life?” he asked Merenwen, eyes focused on the fish in front of him.

Merenwen watched the fish as they swam about and waited for them to get more comfortable with her being in the water. After a short time the fish began to swim closer to her as she had not yet threatened them. She stood still for a few minutes more allowing the fish to become completely comfortable being near her and watched the paths that the fish tended to swim. When she felt she had a good read on one of the fish she took her spear and thrust it into the water. This sudden action scared the fish away but she had managed to catch the one she had aimed for. She then stood completely still again and waited for the fish to return. She knew it would take longer this time because she had frightened them but in time they would return.

She had managed to catch one fish with her spear when she heard someone coming up beside her. She glanced up and saw that Sartana was not in the water and seemed prepared to help her. She didn't mind having help, though she was used to taking care of herself and figured she could manage well enough. She glanced up at the beach to see that he had built the fire already and realized that she must be taking longer then she realized, maybe she did need a little help. Someday she would get herself a new fishing pole and then this task would be much easier but for now she made due with what she had.

She heard Sartana whisper to her "This land is beautiful." and she smiled because she had always thought so. He then asked her, "Have you lived here your whole life?"

She continued to smile and said, "The beauty of this land is something I will always cherish. I have lived in this realm my whole life, though I have traveled a lot through the land. This is one of the spots that I remember from my childhood and one that I will always return to when I need to find peace. I love to travel and am an adventurer myself, but this place holds a special spot in my heart and I will never forget it." All of this was said in a whisper as she waited for the fish to return and now she could see that the fish were getting closer again. It would not be long before they were swimming around her legs again.

Sartana stalked closer to Merenwen and stopped, watching as she struck at a group of fish in the water with her spear. The fish fled straight towards the demon hunter, whose hand was already in the water, waiting for them. As soon as one came close, he clicked his wrist, and a foot long knife launched from the bottom of his wrist, impaling the fish. He lifted his hand from the water, the fish stuck on the end of his blade. Not quite as efficient as a fishing pole, but certainly more entertaining to use. He thought to himself with a smirk. The elf smiled, answering his question.

"The beauty of this land is something I will always cherish. I have lived in this realm my whole life, though I have traveled a lot through the land. This is one of the spots that I remember from my childhood. and one that I will always return to when I need to find peace. I love to travel and am an adventurer myself, but this place holds a special spot in my heart and I will never forget it." He nodded at her response. He had figured that she lived here her entire life. Elves rarely seemed to leave their homes in the forest, though she said that she was an adventurer by trade, too, which meant she must travel more than others of her kin. And yes... This area certainly is beautiful. He thought to himself, smiling in the twilight.

Sartana turned from her, scanning the water's depths. “I come from another world altogether.” He whispered, serious. “This land is very serene, though. I've enjoyed my stay here immensely.” He said, staring into the water. The demon hunter wasn't lying. He had been sent here in a blast of magical energy. His home was in an entirely different plane than this one, across the universe. He wondered if he would ever get home, but shrugged off the thoughts. There was no sense worrying about it now.

The fish had gathered back around Merenwen's feet and she made an attempt to capture another. This time she missed but as the fish swam away some of them went in Sartana's direction and she watched as he used a quick release knife to spear one of the fish. She wasn't sure how many fish they should catch and was pretty sure that Damiana would not eat the fish. She was not likely to eat even a whole fish on her own, as very little of her diet was made up of meat, but she had no idea how much Sartana could eat.

When he told her that he had come from another world altogether she felt bad for him and was finally able to understand why he was no longer able to protect the land he loves. While she could tell that he was not lying when he spoke of enjoying his stay here, she could tell that he missed his home a great deal.

In response to his statements, Merenwen said, "I understand now why you can no longer protect the land you love. If I were to end up in another world I know that I would never be able to love it as much as I love it here." After saying this she decided to find out if there was a purpose to their continued time in the water, and she also wanted to lighten the mood, so she said, "I doubt that Damiana will be joining us in the fish. From what I know of her kind they do not eat meat so it is likely she will eat only the berries and acorns. I am not likely to eat more then half of a fish and with our current catch that leaves one and a half for you. If you want we can catch another and if there is extra you can keep it until you reach one of the cities, or we could return to shore." She hoped this hadn't sounded rude but wasn't sure how to ask such a question. She blushed a little and looked down at the water when this thought passed through her mind.

"I understand now why you can no longer protect the land you love. If I were to end up in another world I know that I would never be able to love it as much as I love it here." Merenwen answered in regards to the demon hunter's comment. He sighed at what she said. It was true, he could no longer protect his friends, nor the forest he loved so much. And that saddened his heart. The people he held dear in his world could be suffering at this very moment, and there was nothing that he could do about it. Well, there was something. Sartana looked at the dead fish on his knife thoughtfully. I just need to keep searching for natural portals... The chances are unlikely that one from this world would lead directly back to mine, but if I enter one, go to another world, and find a plane-cartographer, maybe I can find my way home..? He thought to himself, hopeful. The chances were that he would never make it home, but he kept this fact hidden from himself. He had to stay hopeful.

The elf piped up again, explaining that she thought they had enough fish for them, and that they should probably go back now. He watched her blush. She obviously wanted to go back, but couldn't think of a more polite way of expressing her feelings. Sartana didn't mind, even if he could eat a few dozen of the small fish. He was hungry, and when he got like that, he would go to the tavern and order an incredibly large amount of food. People would gawk and ask him what he was going to do with all that food. He would eye them for a moment, tilt his head, and respond, “Well, I was thinking of eating it.”

He didn't mind that this was all they had, though. He would have a large breakfast tomorrow. And besides, the elf and Sileni were being kind allowing him to eat with them. There was no reason to be rude. “What we have is fine. Let's go back.” He said, wading back to the beach. The water had been cold, and he sat next to the large fire, now burning well, and dried off his legs. He stuck a sharpened piece of wood through the fish, and hung this over the fire, spinning it slowly in his hands. He looked up at the elf, and smiled. “So what exactly is a young, pretty elf doing out here alone, anyways?” He asked, looking into her eyes. “Shouldn't you be with someone special on such a beautiful night?” He asked, his voice warm and curious, even in its deepness. He wasn't coming on to her with his comment. Indeed, he had no real interest in that sort of thing anymore, not since he lost his family. The demon hunter was just curious, and it was a logical question.

Merenwen felt bad for having asked the question and wished she had just allowed him to say when he thought they had enough fish. When she looked back at him she saw how he'd eyed the fish, as if it wasn't enough for a mere snack. Being as small as she was, Merenwen had never eaten a lot and most of what she ate wasn't meat. When he said, "What we have is fine. Let's go back," she was almost sure that he was only saying this to be kind to her.

She followed him back to shore because she knew that contradicting his own word on his hunger would be rude, but all the while she felt bad that he would not have as much as he wanted to eat. She had some elven bread in her pack that she would bring out to be had with the meal and although she now felt that his hunger would still be there she felt it was all that she could do.

Sartana placed the fish he had caught over the fire and Merenwen laid the second fish nearby, ready to be cooked when the first was done. Looking at the fish he caught she realized that her first catch was larger and she knew that half of the smaller fish would be enough for her. As she watched him as he turned the fish she again thought about how nice it was to have others to share some of her time with. As she thought this she heard him ask, "So what exactly is a young, pretty elf doing out here alone, anyways?" His comment made her blush for she didn't normally think about herself in terms of whether she was pretty or not but rather in her ability to survive. Before she had answered he asked, "Shouldn't you be with someone special on such a beautiful night?"

This comment brought a slight chuckle from her lips. She answered, "I have spent much of my life either in training or on an adventure to see the world. This has kept me busy and single throughout much of my life. I came here to relax before beginning my next adventure and when I head out it is likely that many of the people I meet will be people I have never met before. Maybe one day I'll meet someone who will go on my travels with me and maybe we will fall in love but for now I am a single elf looking to see all of my world."

Knowing that he was from another world Merenwen was unsure if she should ask the question that came to her mind but her need to know everything led her to ask it anyways. She asked, "What of you? You must have chosen this spot for a reason. Is there a woman somewhere that you wish were here by your side?" She didn't mind if there was because chances were that after tonight they would not meet again. If they did meet again it was likely to be for only a short time. She hoped that her question would not hurt him to answer but it was too late to draw it back now.

Sartana's fish was just about done now, crispy and steaming in the cold air. He placed it on a flat rock beside the fire, and put down his roasting stick, listening to Merenwen's answer. "I have spent much of my life either in training or on an adventure to see the world. This has kept me busy and single throughout much of my life. I came here to relax before beginning my next adventure and when I head out it is likely that many of the people I meet will be people I have never met before. Maybe one day I'll meet someone who will go on my travels with me and maybe we will fall in love but for now I am a single elf looking to see all of my world." The demon hunter nodded at her logic. It wasn't wise to get attached to someone at such a young age, especially when there was so much of the world that one still wanted to see.

The elf's next question through Sartana's mind off balance. "What of you? You must have chosen this spot for a reason. Is there a woman somewhere that you wish were here by your side?" He looked down at the fire after she asked her question. He was silent for what seemed like an eternity, and then spoke up slowly, and quietly. “Yes, I do.” He said distantly. “I fear it's impossible for her to be at my side, though.” He said, turning his head towards the lake and sky. “I lost my family a good ten years ago.” He said with an emotionless voice. It had been the most devastating event in Sartana's life. Just when he thought he had it all, the perfect wife and a beautiful child, it was all taken away from him in one fell swoop. And he could do nothing about it. Nothing at all.

He sighed, and looked up at Merenwen with a smile. “But I'll see them again one day, when I leave this world and enter the after life. They're waiting for me, you know. I just hope they don't mind my wanting to live a little longer before seeing them again.” He said, staring off into the sky again, his mind distant.

When Sartana had taken his fish off the fire Merenwen took the stock she had used in fishing and moved the fish to the middle. She placed it across the fire as he had done with his and allowed it to cook. She sat and listened to him as he told her that there was a woman he would love to have by his side. Then he said, "I fear it's impossible for her to be at my side, though." When he said this she thought it was because they were back in the other realm but what she heard next made her heart ache. He said, "I lost my family a good ten years ago."

Merenwen knew that he had not been in this realm for ten years and realized that something horrible must have happened. Then he continued to speak, saying, "But I'll see them again one day, when I leave this world and enter the after life. They're waiting for me, you know. I just hope they don't mind my wanting to live a little longer before seeing them again." She noticed he was staring off into the sky and thought that he must be thinking of seeing them again in the afterlife. She was sad to have caused him to think of them again and wished she had kept her mouth shut.

She looked at him and said, "I'm sure they don't mind that you have not given up the will to live. They are probably watching you even now and hoping that you live your life to the fullest. It is likely that they miss you but they are not likely to be angry at you because you have continued living." She really believed this, if she had someone she loved and she were to die first she would be angry if they committed suicide in order to be back with her. She would want them to live their life out and know that she would wait until the end of time.

His mind was indeed distant, and he stared into the darkness of the forest, the faces of his beloved wife and daughter smiling back at him. He watched them with a stoic expression, unblinking. He was past tears and fond memories, and they did little for him now. He did enjoy seeing their faces again, though, and sighed as he picked up his cooked fish, and began to nibble it. Merenwen's reply was heartfelt, and he could tell she was trying to cheer him up with it. He smirked through bites of crispy fish. She was right. They wouldn't be mad if he lived life to the fullest, perhaps even found another love, to keep him company in his old age. He looked up at the sky. I would much rather be alone, though. He thought to himself, content with the life he lived now, as dangerous as it was. That was partly the reason why he would refrain from falling in love again. If one loves another so much, why trouble them with fighting and moving, and one's own problems? He thought, staring into Merenwen's eyes. She was still young. He hoped that she would find the rest of her long life more peacefully than the demonhunter's.

He smiled, put down his fish, and stuck a gloved hand into the folds of his shirt. He produced a small folded piece of paper. It was worn at the edges, and faded. The demonhunter opened it delicately, stared at it for a moment, and then very carefully handed it to the elf, from over the fire. It was a picture of two girls standing next to each other. One was tall and blonde, with bright blue eyes that seemed to glimmer in the color picture, while the other girl was very small, and looked to be just a toddler, with blonde hair and green eyes. There was a vast field of wheat stretching behind them. The demonhunter watched for Merenwen's expression for a moment, and then looked into the fire.

“My wife, Maria, and daughter, Claire. Beautiful, aren't they?” He asked, sounding somewhat proud, but sad at the same time. He was smiling, and still staring into the fire, shaking his head. Claire was only four when... He stopped smiling, and looked up at her. “This is why I hunt demons.” He said grimly, a dark expression on his face. “

The second fish was done cooking and Merenwen pulled it off of the fire. She laid it to the side so that it could cool a little and looked back to Sartana. He was looking off into the forest and she knew that he must be thinking about his family. This made her think about her family. Her father hadn't been overly happy about the fact that she had chosen to go out on adventures but he loved her and would be there when she was ready to go home. She didn't know what it was like to lose the ones you love but she knew that if she lost her parents it would shatter her.

She saw him pull something out from a fold in his shirt and knew that it must be something very important to him. When he passed it across to her she was careful not to drop it and when it was fully in her hand she looked down at it. She could see a beautiful woman with what looked to be her daughter. It hurt her to think that the people in this picture were likely his family and that they were dead. They were too young to die and the child looked so innocent that she couldn't see how anyone or anything would want to take that pure life. She knew that many of these emotions were showing across her face but she couldn't help how much she hated the death of an innocent. The women also looked like someone who would never hurt another and there was never a reason for hurting such people.

She heard Sartana speaking and listened as he told her that the two were his wife and daughter. He then said, "Beautiful, aren't they?" She had to smile a little. They were beautiful. Before she had responded he said, "This is why I hunt demons." She looked back up to him and could see the strong emotion on his face.

She decided to speak and said, "They are beautiful. From what you have said I take it a demon killed them and if I come across a demon at some point and believe that I can manage to defeat it I will do so for them. There are many evils in this world and many of them could destroy me without a thought but at least I have some experience with such things. It is never right when an innocent is killed and anyone who is willing to participate in such activity deserves death."

He watched the wispy flames of the campfire as she spoke. "They are beautiful. From what you have said I take it a demon killed them and if I come across a demon at some point and believe that I can manage to defeat it I will do so for them. There are many evils in this world and many of them could destroy me without a thought but at least I have some experience with such things. It is never right when an innocent is killed and anyone who is willing to participate in such activity deserves death." He sighed. A demon killed them? Yes, that’s all. He thought to himself, staring into the blaze. Never have four words held such weight on me, and changed the course of my life. If only… He clenched his fist. If I hadn’t been so naïve… If only I could go back as I am now. I could have saved them. He removed the hat from his head, and placed it next to him, on the sand.

“Thank you, Merenwen. And yes, to take an innocent life willingly, and for no reason other than for one’s own sick pleasures…” he shook his head. “Such a heinous crime can be paid for only with the killer’s death.” He said grimly, not looking at her. “I do appreciate your willingness to take up my cause, and fight any evil demon you encounter, though. It means a lot to me.” He said, finishing his fish.

“But there’s little use talking of such troublesome things any longer. All it does is remind me of what I’ve lost.” He said, looking up at her with a faint smile. He wondered what else he could say, but nothing came to mind. His thoughts were blank as he enjoyed the serenity of the atmosphere.

Merenwen gave a small smile, talking about such things was difficult, even if those lost were not your own loved ones and she had to agree that such conversation would do very little good for either of them. She looked off over the lake and up into the skies. The sun had fully set and the stars were twinkling like little lanterns put in the sky to light a wanderer's way. A crescent moon hung high above their heads and she wondered what it would be like to go to the moon. She knew that she could go there if she wanted but there was a part of her that was scared to go.

As she thought about this she heard the hooting of an owl in the trees above her head and glanced up to catch a sight of the creature. She could barely see it high above their heads as the branches blocked her view but its being there settled her because it reminded her that nature would always be there. It was beginning to get a little chilly but she felt at peace in this spot and didn't want to leave.

She had eaten about half of the fish she had caught and did not feel the need to eat the rest. She was likely to pick some berries from the bushes later but for now her hunger was sated. She glanced back at Sartana to see that he also seemed enraptured with the beauty that surrounded them. She wasn't sure if she wanted to break this silence that felt almost like an honoring of nature but decided that she would do so. There were many ways to honor nature and a lot of time to do so but she didn't know how much time she would have to enjoy having someone to talk to.

She spoke quietly, so as not to disturb the peacefulness of the environment, saying, "It is a beautiful night, one made for happiness and peace." She wondered if he was still hungry so she said, "If you are still hungry you can have the rest of my fish, it is more then I am of a mind to eat." With this said she smiled and looked off at the water. In it she could see the skies reflected in a luminescent and captivating way.

With a flick of his wrist, Sartana tossed the bony remains of his fish into the fire. It had been surprisingly good, and when the elf offered the rest of her fish to him, he gladly accepted, stretching his long, clothed arm across the fire and taking it. “Thank you, I'll eat it all right.” he said gratefully. This fish was finished a moment later, and he tossed it into the fire. He added another log from the stack at his right, resting in the sand, and watched as the molten wood sent sparks and a wispy trail of smoke spiraling towards the sky overhead. It was getting colder out, but in front of the fire, it was certainly warm enough.

The demonhunter shifted in his spot on the warm sand, laying on his side with his head propped up by his hand on the side of his face. He was more comfortable lounging. He had placed his black cape over the sand earlier to keep himself comfortable, and now stared into the fire, thinking. It's amazing how trusting people seem to be in this land. Is there that much peace, that they need not place suspicions on strangers that would normally receive them? There is a war on the moon, or so I am told. Has it effected these people at all? He thought. There was a war going on in his home world, but it was hardly like the one here. It effected everyone. It had changed the world into a war-torn wasteland inhabited by demonic monstrosities. People were forced to take shelter in decrepit, crumbling cities enclosed by great walls. Sartana shook the pictures from his head. They were too much.

Something hit him, and he looked up at Merenwen, and the picture that she still held of his wife and daughter. He stared at it longingly. “Could I.. Have my picture back?” He asked, trying not to sound rude. “I've found that not keeping it in this fold of cloth,” he patted a spot next to his heart, “Makes me feel as if I'm missing a part of myself. It's a terrible feeling.” He asked, sitting up and extending his arm over the fire to retrieve the photo. It meant so much to him. It was a tangible memory of those two, and the only thing he had left to remember them by.

Merenwen moved a little closer to the fire and felt warmer within seconds. She watched as the smoke rolled up from the flames and drifted lazily into the night sky. When Sartana asked her for the picture back she felt embarrassed at not having passed it back before. She didn't mean to keep it from him as she had known from the beginning that it was important to him but she had become lost in her thoughts and forgotten to pass it back.

She shifted slightly and passed the picture to him saying, "I'm sorry I didn't give it back before, I had meant to but then my mind began to drift and I'm afraid that thought fell behind many others." When she saw that the picture was safely in his had she rolled onto her back and looked back up into the beautiful night sky. She could remember doing this with her mother when she was a child and could hear her mother telling her what many of the stars symbolized. Those nights were ones that she would always cherish.

Thoughts of her mother brought a small lullaby to her mind and she began to hum it lightly. It was a piece that flowed delicately and left a feeling of joy in her heart. She could not remember the last time she had heard it but even so she knew the melody by heart. She couldn't remember all of the words so she chose not to attempt singing it but she did remember that it spoke of the stars, the land, and a peaceful time of long ago. She wished that she lived in such a time and often wondered if she would somehow be drug into the war that was brewing on the moon. This thought was one of the main reasons she stayed firmly rooted to the ground and feared the trip to the moon. She decided not to think of that now and only think of all the happy times she had in her life.

Sartana returned the photo to the fold in his shirt, and smirked, accepting her apology. “It's no problem, really.” he said, looking up at the sky. He noticed that Merenwen was humming to herself while immersing herself in the beautiful atmosphere of the area. He cracked his neck and looked up at the sky. It was pretty, but he really wanted to learn more about the elf.

Still looking at the sky, he spoke. “I've found that the best way to find out more about a person is to exchange stories with them.” he said, not looking at her. “That, and I've always liked hearing about other people's adventures.” He said, turning to her and smirking. “If you don't mind, I'll start.”

He laid back on his cape, staring up at the sky, resting his head on his hands crossed behind his head. “I've yet to tell anyone about where I come from, and the dire situation it's in.” he started, sounding somewhat calm, though the subject was a difficult one. “Tarsonis, my home world, was peaceful up until a little over ten years ago. Humankind was doing well, much like here, and we reveled at the new material we had discovered deep in the core of Tarsonis. It was called 'obsidian'. The metal was near impenetrable, and terribly heavy, but with it we began to build ships and things that could withstand immense damage. Walking machines that shot magic through their sides, and arrows through holes in their sides. Great machines that we used to kill each other.” he shook his head grimly. “Peace broke to war, and the three continents turned on each other. I'll make this quick, because I hate to dwell on my world's past, but soon after our countries were weakened, the demons appeared out of portals in the ground that formed around the dark purple obsidian rocks that we unearthed. Apparently, the demons used their magic to teleport to worlds with the rock present. It contained magical properties that allowed for such transportation. They were just waiting for us to unearth them.” He shook his head, and sat up, looking at her.

“A grim story, but that's part of mine. I can tell you more later, if you'd like, but I'd really like to hear more about you, or where you come from.” he said, hinting.

Merenwen had become lost in her memories when she was pulled back to reality by the sound of Sartana's voice. She was happy that she would get to learn more about him and didn't mind telling him about herself in return. She thought it was likely that his life had been much more interesting then her own and so sat and listened with rapt attention.

As she listened to him talking about his world she hoped that things would never get that bad on Arda. There was a war that was likely to grow fiercer but she hoped it wouldn't overrun their world as the one in his world did. She didn't worry much about demons coming through portals as they already had demons but she didn't want more to come.

When he stopped and said he would like to hear more about her life she wished he had told her more but decided that she would give him a little before asking him to do so. She began by saying, "I would like to hear more but first I will tell you a little about by background. I grew up in Yomenïampa and spent a lot of time exploring the forest around the city. My whole life was in that forest until I turned 18. My father taught me how to fight both in hand to hand combat and with swords. He also taught me how to use a bow and arrows. He felt it would be best for me to be prepared if the city was ever attacked. Our archers could protect us against almost anyone but there was always a chance that a large group would come in and we would all need to be able to fight. He didn't want to be involved with the war that takes place on the moon but knew that it could come down on us someday. My mother was also worried about the war so she taught me some spells. I don't remember them all at this time but they come back to me when I need them. She also spent time telling me about the stars."

She paused, thinking back her childhood, then continued, "I was content to live there until I turned 17 and spoke with one of the men who had been sent out as an envoy in relation to the war. He was a friend of my parents and like an uncle to me. He told me about the amazing sights he had seen and the information made me want to see the land outside my forest home. I decided to wait until I was 18 to leave but for that whole year I was distracted with my plans to see the world. When I turned 18 I told my parents what I wanted to do. They were not happy and told me that I shouldn't go but I was too set on my plans. They were upset at my decision but allowed me to go saying that they hoped I would not be gone too long. I set out and have not returned yet as I still have more that I want to do."

She gave a little smile at her memories and said, "I'll probably go home to visit some time soon but even then I will leave again. The land has much to offer and needs people willing to protect it." She sat for a moment before saying, "I am willing to tell you more about myself if you would like but I would also be very interested in hearing more about you."