A roar sounded in the air and Esil could hear huge wings flapping.
"Where is it?" She asked.
"Flying down the valley away from us. It should be gone soon."
"Great." Esil said. "Where too, now?"
"Riverwood. My sister owns the lumber mill there."
"Okay. Where's that?" Esil asked.
"Follow me." Esil heard him stand up from somewhere, and take her arm again. This time he was gentle, and walked slowly down a hill. For the next half hour he was telling her about their surroundings, and warning her about rocks and logs in the road. He stopped walking as several howls were heard.
"Damn, wolves." He said. "Take out your axe. We're going to stand back-to-back."
"Wolves?" Esil asked.
"Yeah, I hate those things." Esil heard growling and smelled the stinking breath of something low to the ground. She swung with her axe and felt it lodge in something's skull. A sharp whimper pierced the air and the axe dislodged from the thing's skull. Another whine was heard and a thump as it hit the ground.
"Come here, I want to show you something." Ralof said, and led her over onto a stone slab. "These are three of the guardian stones. I hear that there are more scattered across Skyrim, but for now, we're here."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Choose one, if you want. There's the thief stone, the mage stone and the warrior stone. They'll protect you as you grow stronger in their skills."
"And why would I be able to use them?" Esil asked.
"Well, I highly doubt that you're going to become a beggar at this point, so you might as well."
"Fine. Which is which?" Esil's hands were led to each stone, and she was told which one was which. "Okay. I'm a mage already, so this might help." Esil said as she pressed her hands into the centre stone, and felt it grow warm as a buzzing was heard.
"Not the one I would pick, but to each his own. Come on, we're almost there." Ralof said, taking her arm once more.
"I'm almost to the point where I'd prostrate myself just to get some sort of sight." Esil said.
"Do you not want me to touch you?" Ralof's grip loosened.
"Does it look like I have a choice? No, you're fine. I'd just like to see where I am. And what I'm attacking." Esil told him. The hand tightened around her wrist once more.
"All right. We're in Riverwood now. We just passed the wall. We're heading over a bridge, don't fall off." Esil heard her feet hitting wooden planks, and the rush of water below her.
"What time of day is it?" She asked.
"Around noon, I think." Ralof told her.
"All right. Thanks." Esil said.
