“You hunt the hunters?” Lydia repeated and felt rather dimwitted to do so. “Yes, this is what I am called to do also. My methods were more from a distance with spells and potions to protect the innocents but I think that balance is beginning to swiftly fall in favor of the nobles.<br/>There are fewer of us who have any effectiveness at all. You are right to take the fight to them. As long as my Grandmother was alive, then I had a hope of making a small difference, but now. ..” she spread her hand toward the backlight waterfall. “ The  whole world is on fire.”<br/><br/>Lydia stroked the tail and sighed in contentment to his response of relaxation. She was thoughtful and the two were like old companions seated before a roaring fireplace in peaceful meditation.<br/><br/>“Yes, I will help you kill them.” She answered. “My spells will make you stronger than you have ever been. I will lend you  my powers which are many and my hand which is mortal. What do I have left in  this world but my calling to restore life to all who come to me for help?”<br/><br/>Lydia lay her head back against the rough, wet stones of the cave, her black hair curling around her face. She was tired but exhilarated at the same time. She smiled a mischievous smile and said,<br/><br/>“Of course it isn’t necessary to say this, but I will. I am a witch, born a witch, not one by practice but one by blood. My life is not my own and I’m good with that. I also know, from what the cottage revealed about you that you are no ordinary man. Yes, you are a creature of myth, but there is more to you than meets the human eye.”<br/><br/>She closed her blue eyes and grew very still as she allowed those words to sink in.<br/><br/>“So Shenyo, I will follow where you lead me and will offer my strengths to you.”<br/><br/>Lydia put out her hand to shake on it and asked as she did.<br/><br/>“Is my word enough, or do you require  a blood oath or something more from me to seal our contract?”<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>