and down the short flights of stairs, barrelling impolitely through the activities of their parents and continuing on before there was time for them to be scolded. Elders sat quietly on the outsides of groups, their faces full of wrinkled wisdom, their hair grey and wispy with the weathering of time, their mouths missing the occasional tooth.

The main thoroughfare ran directly ahead, sloping upwards away from the entrance, and for the most part the way was clear of activity. The party proceeded up this road without pause, and as Nathaniel absorbed the scene around him his legs trudged on mindlessly. Villagers all around, noticing new arrivals to the town, looked up curiously. Their eyes flitted amongst the returning warriors, then on to Annyka, and then on to Nathaniel. There they froze. Other heads turned to see what...

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