The slave market slowly grew brighter as the sun rose. The short man rubbed his cheek. His jaw was still sore from where the woman had hit him earlier. â<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#8080ff">You should know that the reason you were in Vaskaan doesnât matter. The terms of the treaty say that no Vaskaan citizen is allowed in Etana, and you people arenât allowed in Vaskaan neither. If you wanted to have a friendly chat you should have met whoever you was coming to see out here in Ferazi.</span>â He stuffed the paper into one of his many belt pouches and turned to look at her. â<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#8080ff">And weâll get a fine enough price for you so long as you behave yourself.</span>â The taller man poked her with the butt of the spear. â<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#0080ff">Yeah, so you behave yourself girl, else youâll regret it.</span>â<br/><br/>-------------------<br/><br/>The hunter had seen Nymphs before from a distance, and knew what it was watching him. Occasionally, plants around him would shift as he stalked the forest floor. The young man had a good sense of direction though and knew how to get home. Wise people seldom travelled off the roads that cut through The Great Green. Hunters and Slavers had to possess a keen sense of their surroundings at all times in order not to become so turned around by the Nymphsâ tricks that they became lost forever.<br/><br/>He noticed the small creature moving up the tree.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#00bf00"><i>Canât be a Dryad; it would have disappeared by now</i>.</span>He approached the tree slowly and raised his bow. â<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#00bf00">I see you up there! Come down, and donât even think about trying any tricks. Iâm a good enough shot to protect myself from things much larger than you.</span>" He was lying. In truth, he couldnât see anything clearly among the giant twisting branches, but he hoped whatever it was in the tree couldnât tell that.