Tynan took the bottle, surprised. But before he could thank her, she had ridden back to Arum. He looked ahead, frowning in confusion. He sighed then. "My life was so much easier back at the camp," he said softly.

"Boring though." Adam grinned and kissed his guardian on the cheek then settled into Tynan's arms again. "I'm very proud of you."

Tynan grunted, at a loss for what to say. "Does it show?" he asked, opening the ointment as he juggled reins, bottle and boy.

"Looks like a whole hand around your neck." Adam replied sleepily.

Tynan sighed again, wiping the ointment on his neck.

===

They rode on their journey for a week, passing farmsteads and tiny villages where the inhabitants stared at them with mixed fear and hatred. They did not stop to chat, but rode on. "Is it just me or are people just really friendly?" Arum asked sourly as they rode past another farmstead.

"They're country bumpkins," Tynan said dismissively. "All strangers are enemies to a bumpkin."

"Didn't you live in a mining camp? Don't that make you a bumpkin too?"

"What ever gave you that idea?" Tynan replied distractedly. He suddenly looked up, his teeth pulled back in a snarl. The arrow whistled as it streaked through the air. Feather's horse reared with a terrified neigh, kicking the air with it's front legs as she held on, crying out in surprise. The arrow barely missed her. "Run!!" Tynan commanded.

The horses as if loosed from a dam burst into an instant run as arrows rained from the tall corn fields on the side of the road. Feather was hissing violently, swearing under her breath as she held Adam who clutched at her. "What was that?!" she demanded as they galloped on, startled and angry.

"I don't know." Tynan replied, slowing the horses. He looked back thoughtfully. The first arrow had been loosed at Feather, that only said one thing. "It's time for you to put your hood on again, Feather. Something tells me the war the Eris started has reached this far north."