He placed his head in his hands and sat down on the broken well.He remained steadfast in his refusal to cry, raising his head with a ferocious expression on his young face.He got up, removed his gloves from his tunic, and looked around.He saw a few things that he could use, though the village had very little left.He went around, grabbed things he thought would be useful, and stacked them in front of the dining hall.He took a sack from the wall and the thin blanket from his pallet before entering the hut he had been using.He proceeded to the items pile after putting the blanket in the sack.

It included the metal plate, a knife from his father, stones from his brother's slingshot, a flint stone, a cloak from one skeleton and sandals from another.Except for the sandals, which he wore on his feet, the rest of this stuff went into the sack.He knew he had a long way to walk and didn't want to go barefoot, but they were too big.About a third of the way to its zenith, the morning sun caught his eye.He was aware that Torkeln was located in that direction, but he had no idea how far it was.He was aware that he was unable to remain in his village.He was determined to travel to the city regardless of whether he was Anmah. He needed to be with other people.

He touched the leather thong that was around his neck just as he was about to take the first steps that would take him away from everything he had ever known.The token belonging to his family was a sparkling silver model of an eagle about to catch its prey and was attached to the thong.Since George was the oldest son, he was expected to wear it, but now that he was the last living member of his family, the boy was entitled to wear it.He had carefully draped the token over his head and laid it on his stomach before burying his brother.The thong had only been attached to George's chest, despite the fact that the boy was much smaller than his brother.He had knotted the thong after removing it once more.It had settled on his breastbone the second time he put it on.Before replacing the token, he took it out of his tunic and kissed it once.He picked up the bag, took a deep breath, and slowly circled around, looking over his house one last time.

He mumbled, "Goodbye, Mama," and despite his best efforts to conceal them, tears welled up in the corners of his eyes.Say goodbye to George, Baba, Emili, Pala, and Jane.I swear I will make you all proud.He then left Desa and headed for the rising sun, squared his short shoulders.

Tired, Shane Johnson was.He washed his dark hair by running his hand through it, disheveling it, and then smoothing it back to neatness without thinking about it.He had to resist swearing because his brown eyes were tired.He had been away from home for nearly eight moons, and he was on the fourth day of his journey north from his company. He was deeply missing his family.At his home in the forest south of Torkeln, his parents Miva and Analy, his wife Millere, and he clicked his tongue at his horse to make him move a little faster.Despite the fact that Gorshan was as worn out as his master, he followed the order and increased his speed from a walk to a trot.Even at that faster pace, Shane was still at least three hours away from home. He moaned.However, with a few bouts at a full gallop, he might complete the course in half that time.

“Boy, come on, I want to get home, and I know you do as well.When we get there, just think about the warm stable and the oats and mash you can have.

The horse snorted once as he encircled Gorshan's flank with his thighs and began to gallop.He was urged on by Shane, who leaned over his neck.Before Shane reined him in and brought him back to a trot, they made it about a league.

"Rest, boy, and we'll do it all over again later."After returning to the saddle, Shane adjusted the blade on his hip.The sword his father wore.As one part of his mind wandered toward his home and the welcome he would receive when he arrived, he softly said, "Almost there."But there was another part of his mind that was very aware of what was going on around him, and it was that part that saw the small figure on the side of the road sixty paces ahead of him, right on the edge of the trees that lined the road.

As he walked Gorshan, he said, "Whoa."He reached the boy quickly, and he would have gasped had it not been for his training.A filthy, ragged blanket that reached the ground covered the child.The hands holding the blanket tightly around himself were also filthy and covered in dirt, as was his face.He had long, matted hair.Through the blanket's holes, Shane could see the stick-thin legs that ended in filthy, bare feet.He couldn't make out any fingers, but they looked like skin stretched over bone with no flesh between them.Until violet eyes that shone in the dim light pointed at him, he had no idea how this boy was still breathing.He knew then, but he didn't show it because he was still shocked.With his booted feet thudding slowly on the road's packed dirt, he slid smoothly to the ground and held out a hand when the boy took a step backward with his overly large eyes on Shane's sword.

He said softly, "It is okay, boy."I won't harm you.

He had met a number of Anmah, but never one so young, and he considered one of them to be a friend in Torkeln.Shane wondered where the boy had come from; he couldn't have been more than six or seven.He knelt down in the sand with his hands on his thighs and did so slowly.

"Who are you by name?"

Shane could see the boy's fingers convulsing around the edges of the blanket while his eyes remained fixed on the sword and he said nothing.

"Boy, can you talk?"

The boy continued to silence.Shane saw intelligence and a fierce determination hidden behind the fear as he looked into the eyes that had identified this boy as Anmah. He had the appearance of being mute or naive.Those gazes that remained fixed on his sword.

The boy took another step backward as Shane slowly stood.

Shane calmly moved his hands toward his sword belt and unbuckled it, saying, "Do not be afraid."He reached behind him and hung the belt from his saddle's pommel without looking at the boy.He then went back to kneeling in front of the child.

“Better?”

The boy gave him a small nod as this time the eyes turned to him.Shane laughed.

“Good.Will you now reveal your name to me?”

The boy looked at him with his head cocked.

Shane Johnson is my name.About eight leagues north of here is where I live.Where do you reside?”

The boy remained silent as he raised one bony arm from beneath the blanket and pointed behind him toward the west's mountains.Shane kept his surprise at bay once more.Between Torkeln and the mountains, he was aware that only trees and wild animals existed.The boy then released the blanket and briefly made a point with his hands before grabbing the filthy cloth once more.

"The mountain range?Are you from the mountains?Shane couldn't fathom how that could be.He didn't know anyone who lived in the Parbatas.

The youngster grinned and shook his head.He made a downward arc with one hand.

"Over the peaks?The opposing side?

A small nod remains.

"Where are you from, Kedara Plains?"

Standing still and observing Shane, the boy placed his arm back underneath the blanket.After that, he went around the man and got close to Gorshan.Standing at the horse's front leg, he tentatively patted the animal's forearm with a skeletal hand.He gave Shane a questioning look back at him.

At first, Shane was unsure of what the boy was asking, but after the boy patted the horse once more and gave him the same look of questioning, he realized he was asking what the horse was.

He spoke slowly, his mind racing, "He is a horse."What had this kid been doing when he didn't know what a horse was?Gorshan is his name.

Before turning and heading away from Torkeln, the boy gave a nod and rubbed his hand up and down the horse's leg.

“Wait!”After him, Shane took a significant step forward and put his hand on the boy's shoulder.When the boy turned around and hissed and snarled, he pulled it back.He had a wild look about him, and his violet eyes shone brightly.

Shane put his hands up and backed away.He apologized calmly, "I did not intend to frighten you."I just wanted to know where you were going and whether I could be of any assistance.

The boy felt a little more at ease as the Anmah eyes dipped.When the boy started drawing in the dust and dropped to the ground, Shane knit his brow.He sat down next to him and looked at the picture.It was crude, but it clearly showed a lot of people and big buildings.

“Torkeln?Is that your destination?

The boy gave him a look and nodded.

"Then you're going in the wrong direction."Over his shoulder, he made a direction-indicating gesture.That's how Torkeln is."

He sat heavily in the dirt and had slumped shoulders.

Shane stated, "Hey, it will be all right."I myself am moving in that direction.Do you want to go with me?You can join me on the ride and avoid walking.

Shane grinned as the boy looked skeptically at him and Gorshan.

We can both ride on him, yes.Horses are useful for that, among other things.

Shane joined the boy as he slowly stood and squared his shoulders.

In order to put you in the saddle, I will need to pick you up.Is everything okay?”

After a brief pause in his breathing, the boy nodded.Shane turned him around to face Gorshan and gently placed his hands on his shoulders.After that, he lowered his hands to the boy's waist and lifted him effortlessly into the saddle, clearly spotting the ribs and hip bones through the blanket.It was impossible for the boy to weigh more than twenty pounds.He swung up behind the boy and put his foot in the stirrup.He felt the boy stiffen as he removed his sword belt from the pommel.