Over the next few days, Sorrel, Coran, Thorn and Murtagh lived in the old abandoned steel factory. Sorrel's wounds healed quickly; unfortunately, Murtagh's did not.

One day, as Coran was taking some extra meat (raw) to Thorn, he looked up and growled.

What is it, Thorn? Coran asked.

Hatchling, Thorn said worriedly, curling his tail around Coran protectively. She drew her unusual black sword in her right hand, and in her left she summoned a ball of orange and yellow fire. It swirled around her fingertips angrily.

Coran jumped over Thorn's tail and stared into his large auburn eyes. What is it? she asked.

Urgals. Thorn said. And not from a friendly tribe.

Coran started toward the two boys. Murtagh, hearing Thorn, was already wide-eyed and alert. Sorrel, however, didn't seem to understand. He stood and looked otward the horizon.

"Those aren't Urgals." He said. "There's nothing there."

Coran snapped her fingers. "That's it! It's a mirage!"

Murtagh struggled to get up and yelped in pain, and Coran helped him stand, shakily.

Murtagh started to mount Thorn when an arrow, shot by a Low Branding archer, whizzed past his head. "It was a trick!" He screamed to Coran.

"I know!" she screamed back.

Instead of running to Thorn, however, she put her sword up, and slid her hand up the blade, as Sorrel, Thorn and Murtagh watched with horror. However, it didn't cut her. Instead, as her hand left the blade, it was instead a black bow. She did the same to her sheath, and it transformed into a quiver with thirteen arrows in it. She walked slowly to Thorn, shooting as she went. She hopped on his foot, and they soared off into the sky.

A few miles from the ambush, Thorn put them down, panting. Murtagh rested his head against Thorn's neck, too exhausted and in pain to do anything. Sorrel, however, jumped down from Thorn with Coran. Though he tried to look brave, coran knew he was in pain and could see him shivering in fear.

"S-s-so will t-they f-find us?" Sorrel asked, his teeth chattering.

Coran looked around. "They shouldn't come this far. They're from Low Branding, so they shouldn't come past the border.

Sorrel hugged himself, trying to stop the tremors (and desperately wishing it was Coran) racing through his body. "What b-border is that?" he asked.

Coran looked at him strangely, and even Murtagh lifted his head to stare at Sorrel.

"Duh!" Coran said finally. "This is the Alagasian boundary line."

"Yeah." Murtagh agreed, putting his head down again. "We're-right between-the Beor Mountains and-Du Weldenvarden."

Coran looked at Murtagh, concerned. Are you okay? she asked him in her mind.

Murtagh hesitated, and then answered out loud. "I didn't sleep last night." He shivered. "Nightmares."

Coran helped him off of Thorn, and supported him until they got to a shaded tree. Coran leaned up against a tree, and Murtagh dozed on her lap. Sorrel went to find food.

Coran shook her head, looking at her two allies. What are we doing back in Alagasia? She wondered. What are we going to do?