Category: Writers Block
The settlers arrived at Lyla's cave to find his cousin lying alone his blue/grey eyes swept over the cave floor they missed nothing. Carlan knelt down beside Pharlain to help him up, "the fever is passing but the weakness in my muscles may last for weeks" Carlan was agitated and alert to every sound a faint scraping as of something large dragging over rock, disturbed him "where's the devil have you seen her hmm you must have there are signs of her everywhere..and those ravens" he grabbed the big man's shirt and pulled him up "I asked you where is.." "let go! and use your... light, am I hurt, or marked,....hmm I don't remember seeing her" Pharlain leaned against his cousin who called over two of the biggest men to help "take care of him" the strangers were familiar with Sarlen fever and feared it "your cousin has the contagion we shouldn't even be this close" Carlan brushed them aside and braced himself "slowly now we have a sled outside, 5 will take you back, then we will set out at 1st light" Pharlain didn't answer he doubted the stranger's strength for the fight and hoped they would return empty handed
2 of the settlers came to assist Carlan in the compacted, icy, snow,their makeshift crampons were better suited to the conditions they carried Pharlain to the sled, keeping their fears private, but he saw the strain in the older man's eyes "is the fever..in the valley" he shivered and dreaded the pain "it is 3 are ill, including my brother, and we have to leave on Carlan's orders to kill a dragon!" they set Pharlain down on the sled and covered him with blankets and skins "thank you... listen..I will...try...but if he must hunt,.. let it be something we can eat"
Altar laughed quietly and winked at Pharlain "hmm it's a dream my friend so indulge yourself" he lay back cursing his misfortune {when the village needs a strong leader the fever will keep me apart} 3 strong men Pharlain recognised joined the 2, waiting to leave, as they were only lightly armed they held out a hand to greet their neighbour, but he couldn't respond physical impairment was seen as a burden no one could afford to become ill "are you... not... pleased to...see me" Pharlain's skin was deathly pale, his bright green eyes were bloodshot and sweat sparkled in the glow of a nearby torch "of course we thought you had been eaten" he stared ahead at a shooting star and reminded the young man of why Lyla hadn't fed from him "dragons never feast on an sick human or animal..." A settler well read in the habits of dragons said with a cold edge to his voice "it extinguishes their fire"