Chapter 1 -- Deliberations ; Part four

After a week on the road, the two men crossed into the province of Kenrath. Dath led Kedemar south into a thick forest. Along the way, it began to rain. Though the rain wasn't heavy, their hair and clothing soon became soaked. Before long, a small cabin came into sight. The rain-blurred figure of a petite woman was in the yard, chopping wood. As the men drew close, she left her work and strode toward them. "Dath!" She called grumpily, sounding young. "In the rain? Seriously? Could you not have waited?" Dath favored her with a fond smile as she neared them. "I didn't know it was going to rain, Natalya. Thank you for meeting me anyway." Natalya sighed. "'Tis not your fault, Dath. Truth, you could not have known. Still, it's bad luck." Kedemar turned to Dath. "Dath! Really? Her?" Dath fixed him with a hard look. "She's the best tracker and hunter in the land." He said. "Do not judge her on her words. She has born pain you know nothing about. She'll be joining us in our hunt."