Introductions by Firelight

Van smiled, a young and rakish grin. “I am Vanderstool Al’havin, my lady.” He said in a manner that was what a commoner might thing was noble and formal. “And welcome to my… um, our camp.” He looked back and motioned to the others “That is Capt’in Kline, Herod, Laffy, and Frogmore.” Each of the men nodded when introduced. Van was young, she suspected late teens, his ruddy red hair was pulled back in a braid but it had worked loose and so stray strands flitted about his face.

“Back off Van, and fix her some food.” Kline said, his voice was gruff, but Van laughed and stood up, tossing the bottle in the air and catching it. “Forgive him, we do not often get many fine women sharing a camp with us. Let alone women who fight like you.” Kline said and looked at the others who nodded in agreement. “As for what happened.” He nodded to the row of head on the other side of the road. “You raced in on that beast of yours and helped even some odds. We all owe you a debt.”

Lafford, or Laffy, reached to his side and took out a coin purse and tossed it to her, inside was silver and gold. “Your cut.” Laffy said as if it was quite evident. “You fight, you get a share.” Laffy was older, nearly ten years on Kline who was about the oldest of the younger crew.

Van came back with a plate and some of the roasted meat carved off, with some soft flat bread and sliced pickled vegetables. “We do not usually have meat on the trail, so enjoy.” He said and went back to his own plate, seeming to enjoy the food himself. “Remember that time Capt’in when we were stuck in that winter camp and we started boiling leather to see if you could eat it.”

“You chipped a tooth trying.” Frogmore said in a voice that was sure his namesake, seep and almost unearthly. The man was off in the darkness keeping watch, she could only make out his form, and that was the armor he wore. Van just laughed at the comment.

Laffy picked up his bread, the meat and veggies folded in it. “You should eat up. A good night sleep may help your mind sort itself out.”

Kline had been watching her, studying her, measuring her. “You must be from around here?” He said and Laffy looked at him with a look that said he was going too far. “I mean, for you to just happen on us. You ever have these men give you trouble.”

“Let it go Kline.” Lafford said. “So they had some coin, it does not mean anything.”

Kline shook his head. “Just does not feel right. So many, and they all had a bit of coin, every one of them.” Kline stood, and his full size was seen, he stood and looked around as if he could look and see the answer to his questions.

Lafford spoke bitingly at Kline. “Sit, there is nothing we can do about it now, everything is safe, and we did not lose a man. The shipment will be in town in the morning, we are just a day late, they will understand, the buyers know that transit can be precarious.”

Sitting he looked at Kalena again and sighed. “Sorry, you know us, what is your name? Do you want help getting home in the morning?” He asked her. “As for how you got here, like I said, you came barreling into a fight we had with some bandits, killed the head man too.”

“Before you got sucker punched.” Van added and received a sour look from all of them.

“Yes, you were hit from behind. We are sorry for that, we were unable to cover you.” Kline added and looked at Van. “Out over watch was busy looking someplace else.” He turned back to Kalena. “Your skills are impressive, never seen anyone fight like that before. Where did you learn it?”