Aura by M.A. Abraham

else from them, something that would cost them nothing.  Advise, directions, company, a place to sleep, and often just a little knowledge and understanding.  She soon discovered that she was being guarded, and she was never in danger as most others who travelled were.  She never got to see who her guardians were, but she knew they were there.  She could feel them all about her.

Towards fall she decided to quit traveling, and returned to her cave, for despite being amongst people, the loneliness that had driven her from her abode in the first place had lingered.  She knew that she would soon have to return, so she would have time to get ready for the approaching winter season.  For Aura it was a matter of survival.  She either saw to her own chances of preparing for the season, or she would either starve or freeze to death.

This time she found preparing for the winter season easier.  She was more experienced, and knew what was involved.  She had also brought some things with her that she knew would make her life better, if not easier.  She had brought along some spices, and even more important, salt.

It was late fall before Aura looked beyond the preparation of her living quarters.  She would section off a part of the cave to work as a cold area.  She was sure the temperatures were low enough that she could make it work.  That meant that it was time for her to go hunting for meat.  Winter was long and supplies were low.  They would desperately need fresh meat.  She whistled for Wolf and they started off, with her carrying a bow in her hand, and a quiver of arrows slung from her shoulder.  A knife, given to her by a blacksmith with whom she had treated for burns, hung from her hip, and her step was quick and eager.

By late in the afternoon she took stock of her catch and gave a self-satisfied smile.  The hunt had gone well.  She had brought down two birds, and Wolf had caught three rabbits.  He was in the process of running down a fourth when Aura heard the crashing of horses as they sped through the nearby forest.  She gave Wolf a soft whistle, just as he caught his quarry, and he rejoined her looking very pleased with himself as the rabbit drooped from his jaws.

They were going to need some place to hide from whomever was coming in their direction.  She was still too uncertain of the world around her and one of the first lessons she had learned from the people was that those who were wealthy enough to afford horses were often dangerous.   She was not going to take chances when she was alone and vulnerable.  Her first thought was to climb a tree.  It was an evasive tactic that she found worked more often than not.  The chances of anyone even noticing her, up in the highest branches, was remote, unless they were looking for something, they would not even bother to look up.  She shimmied up the tree, and had no sooner settled in her perch, when three men entered a nearby clearing.  Their horses had been unmanned and moved about restlessly, puffing great clouds of steam from their nostrils as they tried to avoid the swinging swords that whistled through the air and sang as they clashed against one another.

"Damn," Aura thought to herself, unimpressed by the show below her.  They could have taken their skirmish somewhere else or at least have waited another half an hour for her to be gone.  But, as they had not, she climbed down a bit, so she would be able to see the battle better.  She had never seen a real sword fight before, nor were these men interested in her, so she felt safe, as long as she remained unseen.

There were four men in all, one who fell quickly, pierced by a clean thrust through the heart.  This left three, two against one, and having known the feeling of being the odd one out all of her life, Aura decided to side with the underdog.  She noted, with satisfaction, that he was holding his own quite well, until another mounted man, entered the arena, the lone warrior