From alt.pub.dragons-inn Thu Apr 13 07:27:35 1995
Xref: netcom.com alt.pub.dragons-inn:8311
Path: netcom.com!ix.netcom.com!howland.reston.ans.net!swrinde!gatech!news-feed-1.peachnet.edu!darwin.sura.net!martha.utk.edu!utkvx.utk.edu!kallen
From: kallen@utkvx.utk.edu (King of Ytterbia)
Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
Subject: An offer, a stranger
Date: 13 Apr 1995 09:33 EST
Organization: University of Tennessee
Lines: 31
Distribution: world
Message-ID: <13APR199509334142@utkvx.utk.edu>
NNTP-Posting-Host: utkvx2.utk.edu
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    

Hull peered into the darkened forest.  He couldn't see a thing, and he thought
his horse might be purposely trying to shake him off on a low-hanging branch. 
His meal had been too cold, and his drink too hot, and now Marissa was sulking. 
This was definately a bad day.  He paused at a creek a moment to let his horse
drink, peering around to get his directions.
"Well?"  Marissa's stern voice came from below.
"Well what?"
"Aren't you going to offer me a drink?"
"I thought you weren't talking to me."
Marissa snorted.  "Well, I am now."
"Fine.  Do you want a drink?"
"I don't want one now.  I had to ask to be offered one.  It doesn't mean
anything now."  She fell silent again.
Hull opened his mouth to say something, then heard a moaning.  "Marissa, do 
you hear that?"
"So you want my opinion now?  You didn't want it earlier.  Earlier I was just
annoying you.  But now, now you come crawling to me with questions."
Hull swung down from the horse, then moved out into the darkness.
"Hull?"  Marissa's voice was nervous.  "Hull, where are you going?  Come back
here!  Don't leave me!"
"Shhh!  Don't be such a baby.  You'll be okay; Taerin will protect you."
Hull moved closer to the moaning.  
"Oh please, somebody help me.  Please!"
It was more like a pleading, really.  Hull frowned.  It was bad enough taking
care of Marissa; now he might have to take care of a bawling baby as well.  He
squared his shoulders and unsheathed his sword, just in case.  
He spotted the man crumpled on the ground.  His foot was caught under a root,
his ankle badly twisted.  He was frantically trying either to free his foot or
dig a hole to crawl in; it was hard to tell.  Hull sheathed his sword and
leaned on a tree near the man, who was still unaware of his presence.
"Need some help?"