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While we wait for the filly to wake I remember that we needed to clean off the, grime; from the 'town'. So I ask my guardians, "considering me and Alberich need to clean up after that enjoyable encounter. Is there a stream nearby for us to wash this muck off us?" Alberich then recalls running through the town and looks down at his legs then his flank, and shudders over the crud caked onto him. Cheshire responds, "yes a short ways away from here there is one. I suggest cleaning off Alberich first or you will need to wash yourself twice, seeing as you'll have to help him get clean." I nod and we head towards the stream.

The stream was thankfully deep enough to allow the water up to Alberich's knees, after setting my pack on the edge of the water I dig out a bar of soap. While some of the women in the group preferred the perfumed soaps of the old world I use a simple lye soap. It gets me clean and if I need to sneak up on something it doesn't add any extra smells that might tell my target I am approaching.

Alberich looks sheepish, "sorry you have to wash me Gwen. It's not like I have hands to do it myself, when we need something like a bath we generally have to ask someone with hands." I nod my head, "of course you do. I am not complaining about it, sometimes you'll need to be cleaned up and with this kind of muck just swimming isn't good enough. Gods know what was in that mud." Alberich shudders at the thought, as I start wetting his back down. Checking the wounds from the arrows a the same time.

Thirty minutes later we were both clean and back in the clearing waiting on the filly to wake up still. I had bandaged the worst of Alberich's wounds. I try to grasp the mindset of the idiot 'Father' in an attempt at understanding, but I draw a blank. "I don't understand how those people simply let her get tortured, hells I don't get how people get caught up in these cults." Cheshire looks at me, "well I imagine they were afraid to speak out. As people join groups like this in times like these to have some kind of safety even if they do not agree with the principles of the society. These are the weakest willed of human kind, most species have people who fall into such 'traps'. To no fault of their own really, though it does not excuse them from guilt. It would be best if none of them join our group as it may cause issues later." I nod while thinking that over. It might cause problems if someone weak willed enough to be swayed into letting their leader torture someone without at least attempting to say something about it joined us. As what if someone down the line joined the city and created an underground cult that we couldn't pin down. Something we'll have to remember for later.

"Alberich, why was a two year old by herself?" Before he could answer me the filly did, "because. I am on my journeyman trip, I exceeded the teachings my parents could give me so I did as any of my kind would do and left home to learn in the world. Yes I am a tad bit young, but I had to keep learning somehow." The filly slowly stands and shakes herself, then looks at Alberich and makes an equine bow. "Thank you Elder for coming to my rescue, I owe you a debt." She says, and Alberich shakes his head. "First, I am no Elder. I am only a mere century old, and the Hunter is who cut you free. I only delivered justice to the one who wronged you." Alberich stated stamping one of his forelegs.

The filly turns to me then, "sorry Hunter my apologies. I owe you both then, though I do not know how I would repay you as without my horn I am useless as a healer." I tilt my head in thought a moment, "everyone can be of 'use' child. As to your abilities, are healing magics the only magics that unicorns learn?" Alberich gives me a quick questioning look but doesn't ask me the question. The filly responds, "oh no! We learn fighting magic, but unicorns generally only use their healing skills. I can detect illnesses and ailments even without my horn."

Alberich figures out where I am going with my statements then, "well you can practice your fighting magics then and I am sure the Hunter will have other things for you to aid in the city we are going to be founding. What is your name by the way so we can stop calling you child."

The filly's head turned slightly pink as if she got embarrassed for forgetting manners. "Sorry, my name is Cassie. I guess I could work on the fighting magics, I would probably be the only magic unicorn who uses them as it's not common." I smile at Cassie knowing that any upset she may feel for losing her horn will be helped by feeling useful. "Cassie should we attempt to contact your parents so they know what has happened to you?" The filly looks sad and lowers her head and Alberich shuffles his hooves, she speaks quietly. "No, they will declare me dead now that I am hornless." My jaw drops in shock at the idea that parents would do that to their child and look to Alberich who then speaks. "Yeah, this is one of the reasons I do not like the magical unicorns. If one of my kind looses their horn it's no big deal as we are still US, but because they prefer healing to fighting. Any who lose healing powers are considering no longer 'one of them', however." He steps closer to Cassie and lifts her head with his then looks her in the eye. "I claim responsibility for you, until I decide you can defend yourself properly; you will remain with us.You are useful, and you will learn some regular fighting skills to help you. Everyone can benefit from some fighting training." Cassie nods with a sigh, and I add to Alberich's statements. "Also if we get any magic born humans you could help to train them, see you are valuable. Now we probably should return to the 'town', are alright going back there?"

Cassie nods her head again, "the people themselves are harmless. They are also very ill, most have dysentery." I was not surprised, Cassie probably went to the town due to the illness present. Then the people there harmed her, I can hardly wait to get past this group.

We walk back to the town and waited outside the sad gate. Jake walks over to us with Peter trailing behind him and Shadow behind the young man not looking happy. Which with Shadow is never a good thing. Jake reaches us and bows to Cassie, "greetings and I am glad you are better. I am sorry for what these fools did you." Cassie shakes her head, "no need to bow to me. I am still a child you know." Jake straightens up and reaches back to pull Peter forward and barks out. "Tell them, NOW." The unicorns, Cheshire and I turn to look at the young man who was trying to shrink into himself. He speaks in a halting fashion, "Sir. Um. Unicorn, I um. Have those. Numbers. You wanted. The Father, 'purified'". The young man seems to feel recharged after invoking Father Innocent's title. "six gryphons, two rather short people, and some strange horse with wings and the head of a bird."

Alberich takes a step forward trembling again with Cheshire right next to him and I step in front of both of them. Peter had shrunk back when they stepped forward putting his hands up, I grab one of his hands and almost shout at him. "You think that was a good thing? Every one of them was a life that, that fool extinguished. You know the problem the Old World had? Too many people thought they were better than others, that they could and should make the world right in their image. This world belongs to every creature, and to kill something intelligent. Just because it is different, is the actual aberration not the intelligence these species have." I shove his hand back at him and he stumbles into the mud.

I turn to Alberich and Cheshire, "what are the burial rites we need to observe. Provided there are remains?" I look over to Jake and Shadow who nod slowly in unison. Cheshire switches to his eagle's head and lets out a high pitched shriek, and Alberich answers my question. "The dwarves remains need to be left in the woods and Defeck will retrieve them tonight. As for the Gryphons, we bundle their remains up so when we reach their group they can spread them in the ocean. The hippogryph, we will bury. They, they're extremely rare. To find they had killed one.." He trains off and lowers his head as does Cassie.

I turn to Jake, "you heard. Also point out to those townspeople that we want the feathers as well, no trophies left behind. I want the hippogryph buried just inside the woods near where you leave the dwarves' remains. Clearly marked, I am sure the dwarves plan to put up a memorial to the poor being." Jake nods and goes back into the town and Shadow comes forward with something in his hands. Alberich sees it and nudges Cassie, "Gwen please place her horn in your bag. I am sure Gilorndir will appreciate it's usefulness." Cassie nods slowly in agreement, "if that is a healer's name then by all means. Especially if you trust them, it is true unicorn's horn; a magical one. Will cure poison, but making a cup out of it is silly as it's not the right size to. All that is needed is to grind a tiny amount into any liquid to make a cure all for poisons." I take the horn from Shadow and wrap it in a piece of leather and tuck it into my pack.

Peter who while rooted to the spot he has been standing in was shaking in fear, I turn to him and say. "So what have you decided to do with yourself Peter? However I recommend Shadow and Cheshire take you to bathe before you answer me." Peter goes white at the thought of being alone with both Cheshire and Shadow. I reassure him, "they won't harm you. Though if you don't clean thoroughly I am sure Shadow will scrub you down himself." Shadow nods his head and crosses his arms waiting, as Cheshire was still shrieking. Alberich explains, "he is crying for their souls. Normally the whole group will do so when one dies, but as no one is here to do it. Cheshire is going to perform this for them."

Another ten minutes of shrieking, with Peter looking uncomfortable. Cheshire quiets down lowers his head and shakes his whole body. During this shaking his color changes to black and his head shifts back to a cat's head. "Until we return them to the sea I will keep this color." He then turns and leads Peter and Shadow into the woods.

While they are absent Coal comes trotting down the road with our large tent turned into a travois with Tammy on his back. When the war horse stops in front of Alberich Tammy swings a leg over and slides off. "Sorry Gwen at some point he marched over to me and made a ruckus until I followed him to your tent. Where in he kept pawing the ground near it, we figured out he wanted the tent and after talking a bit we figured out that we could turn it into a travois. Probably was meant to be done if necessary, and he also walked over to the food area and did the same so we added food to it. And then after we hooked it all up to him he stood in front of me and wouldn't move till I got on his back." She stops and notices the Grey colored unicorn next to Alberich. Then she looks furious, "what happened to her?"

She doesn't wait for an answer and walks over to Cassie and hugs her, "you poor thing who did this to you I'll rip them limb from limb." Alberich chuckles, "too late. I stabbed him through the heart and Cheshire shredded his body." Tammy turns to Alberich, "good; who ever it was. Was a monster and deserved death."

I walk over and clap Tammy on the shoulder, "it's not the only one he harmed. There were other's though she was the only unicorn. Her name is Cassie by the way and she is a two year old child." Tammy's head whips around and looks over Cassie, "where. Are. Your. Parents? If you are the only unicorn harmed here, why. Are you. Here. Without. PARENTS?" You could tell how furious Tammy was by her halting words. This woman protected those who couldn't protect themselves, so to hear a child was harmed was something she would hate.

Cassie hangs her head and Alberich answers, "Tammy please. I had Coal retrieve you because the youngling needs support. Why she was alone is that, in the magical society once the parents have taught all they can the young one goes on a journey to learn more for an arbitrary amount of time. We haven't contacted her family, because; well. They won't accept her as a unicorn without a horn."

"WHAT? Are you kidding me, you had better be kidding me." She looks furiously at Alberich and puts a protective arm around Cassie's neck, "I am afraid not Tammy. Though my kind will accept her, some old warrior's have either half a horn or no horn at all from fighting they underwent. It is not shameful to my kind." Tammy nods and hugs Cassie, "it's alright sweety. Momma Tammy will watch over you."

I chuckle, "so Cassie. Now you have a new dad and a new mom, not sure which one will be more protective." Cassie looks up surprised and eyes Tammy, "do you mean it?" Tammy pats her on the shoulder, "of course I do. So what if you are larger than me, anyone tries to mess with you I'll take them down." Alberich nudges Tammy, "hey get in line. I promised that first." I chuckle as Cassie looks amazed, "but I heard humans only cared about humans." Tammy stops mid argument with Alberich and turns toward Cassie, "that might have been true. Once, but times are different now. It doesn't matter to me what you look like, you are still a person. Maybe if people had learned that years ago Gwen wouldn't have been necessary to take down those Great dragons. Maybe we could have banded together and figured it out ourselves, if we don't change our viewpoint. We'll just keep repeating the same mistakes." Tammy looks at Alberich, "OK; DAD. I kill them and you stomp them into powder how about that?" He nickers and nods his head in agreement, "that can work for me unless the being is to big for you to handle." Tammy nods in agreement and then turns to me. "We'd better get that tent of yours off Coal so he can head back to camp." So we both walk over and take the tent off the horse and start putting it together as Coal heads back to the camp.

While we set it up Shadow and Peter return with Cheshire, and the men help finish setting up the tent. Peter is surprised by how it looks, and Shadow gives Tammy a sideways look. "Hey Shadow your horse was ordered by Alberich to fetch me and the tent so don't give me that look." Shadow nods his head and goes about setting up the sleeping bags. I turn to Peter, "Tammy this is Peter one of the acolytes of the 'priest' who did that to Cassie." I step in front of Tammy who had taken a threatening step toward the young man who cowers, again.

I touch Tammy's arm which was reaching for a knife, "at ease. He wasn't a perpetrator, but he does need to tell me what he is planning on doing with himself now." Tammy steps back and goes to help Shadow as Alberich nudges Cassie into the tent and instructs her to lay down. Peter shifts his weight back and forth a bit as if trying to word something accurately. "I um, would like to go with you." Then he cowers as if I was going to strike him, I look down at the cowering man. "What do you have to offer my future city Peter?" I sit on the ground in front of him to not appear threatening.

Upon seeing me sitting he sits down as well, "well. I do know the bible from front to back so I can be a priest to your people and try to give back to those Father Innocent wanted to harm." I tilt my head thinking before I answer him. "Alright, as I did plan on permitting religions to set up places of worship that will work. However, know that I said religions; as in more than one. I am making a place where all can be welcome, there fore as long as it causes no harm any religion will be permitted to be practiced within the walls of my city." I wave my right hand at the wall we were near, "religions like your 'father' had will not be tolerated."

Peter bows his head and responds, "I understand I shall attempt to be as open as possible." I nod to him, "also. I expect as you will at least at the start be a member of the city council will be required to learn how to protect yourself. I am sure Alberich will be happy to help you learn to not cower every time you see an angry unicorn." Alberich's voice floats out of the tent, "no. Alberich will teach the boy to run away from the angry unicorn and how to think while running." Peter flinches when he hears that. I stand and hold out my hand to help Peter stand, "Father Peter. I welcome you." He grasps my hand and stands brushing off his pants, obviously from Shadow. "Thank you Hunter Gwen, I shall do my best to serve the people no matter what guise they appear in."

Jake clears his throat behind Peter who jumps from surprise. Alberich semi mocks our new priest, "we need to work on that too." Peter face turns red and he slowly walks inside and I could hear him talking softly with those inside. Jake walks up to me with about half of the group we brought with, "the others are finishing up gathering the remains. I am going to take this group back and in the morning start bringing everyone forward. That should be plenty of time for these people to come up with a way to make a clean pathway to the far gate." I nod my head and he takes the group and heads into the forest, I walk over to the entrance of the town to watch what was going on inside.

As I watch Cheshire lands next to me with a cookie in his mouth, he starts moaning over it. "This is the best thing I have ever smelled! I must thank Harriet later." He swallows the cookie and then looks at me seriously. "It bothers me there was a hippogryph here, as Alberich said they are extremely rare. They are an intelligent species, they communicate only mind to mind; as the Gods did not gift them with speech. To lose one is a terrible thing, I can only hope it was unmated as they mate for life and will suicide if their mate dies. While I mourn my cousins, they breed rather fast so it isn't a great loss." I nod my head as I watch the townspeople scrambling about trying to place anything over the main portion of the road through town. A few people rushing around with the remainder of my fighters.

Over the next hour my fighters start bringing out the remains, the dwarves' remains first. They really were just remains, all there was left was bones. As one of my fighters stopped to show me what was in the leather bundles they carried. Peter joined me about that time, "I am sorry Hunter Gwen. The Father ordered all of the bodies burned 'after' what he did to them. All you will find is bones, and some feathers from the gryphons and the hippogryph." I nod my head staying silent as the line of people passing me with remains continue.

My fighters rounded up a few burly looking men with shovels to bury the hippogryph, I eyed them a bit. {Gwen, besides being able to spot illness Cassie can tell when someone is not telling the truth}. I pick my head up a bit at that, {bring her out here please I have a job for her right now}. I walk over to where the people were digging the grave, who were also watching around them out of the corner of their eyes. Once I get to where they were Alberich as well as Cassie and Shadow join me, "Alright gentlemen. I have some questions for each of you, and just know that if you lie you will be dead. That child that your 'Father' mutilated, is a lie detector." the men all stop digging and my fighters spread out at that. I turn to the closest, "were you a member of the 'Father's' guards?" The man gulps and nods his head slowly, "good. Did you participate in any of this slaughter?" The man gulps again and nods slower, "good; did the rest of them?" I wave my hand to the remaining diggers, the man nods his head again as one of them tries to hit him in the back of the head with the shovel.

Before he can Shadow drives a dagger into the man's back right through the spine and into the heart. I look at the rest of the men, "anyone else want to object?" They all shake their heads, "good. When you are finished digging this hole set the shovels over there." I point at a tree near Shadow, "then line up and in the morning you will be tried for your crimes." The men quickly get back to digging the hole and I turn to Cassie. "Tomorrow we will need to question each of these men in front of the assembled townspeople. Any sentence will be immediate, I will only kill in the case of murder and severe torture. If all they did was a single whipping I will have the same administered to them." Cassie nods her head and Alberich leads her back to the tent, the men moving much faster upon hearing what was said.

With the threat of death hanging over them the men dig the grave swiftly and I carefully placed the bones of the hippogryph inside it with the feathers that Cheshire said belonged to it. I had the five men shackled and tied to the wall near my tent as if they tried to get away they would be heard and they would be killed on the spot. I also informed them of this fact. I then wearily found my sleeping bag forgetting to eat and fell asleep.