-1Kara had been lightly sleeping when the first cries of 'fire' had permeated her dreams. At first, she thought it must be a hoax. To have a fire in the black quarter of the city would be suicide. Everything was built in wood and thatch, and a single fire could kill thousands of inhabitants. Needless to say, she got up in a hurry.

"Ress? Len?" she called out to the proprietors of the inn, her friends. No one responded, so she assumed they must have gotten out. Just then, the thatch that covered the roof caught on fire. Smoke immediately filled her tiny room. She could hear calls outside the wall, but before she could respond the supporting beam fell over her body.

"HELP!" Kara called, but no one answered. She thought fast. Either die here and have the egg be useless for everyone, or call out with her magic and give herself another chance to steal the egg. Sure, it would be harder, but she relished the challenge. With a few muttered words in the ancient language, Kara sent up a beacon that practically screamed 'I'm here' to any nearby magic users. Even the hedgwitches of the Quarter would be able to find her.

"Kara!" called a familiar voice.

"Murtagh," called Kara between coughs, "I'm here." Quickly a whole was made in the thatch. Kara frowned. How had he got up there? But her doubts were quickly erased by the sight of her childhood friend.

"Give me the egg!"

"The egg?" Kara had completely forgotten about the egg. It was currently residing in a special pocket of her pants, safe and sound.

"Save the egg!" The frown returned. Why was he so desperate? And how had he gotten to the roof, she was on the top floor of a three story building.

"Help me, Murtagh," said Kara, reaching with her hand. She was sure he was close enough to grasp it, but he seemed intent on getting the egg. Until he saw her hand.

"You touched it?" he said in wonder.

"HELP ME!" but he would not grab her hand, and Kara slowly slid away. Under the beam and into the heart of the fire.

Kara ran through the wreckage that had been the hall of one of her favorite inns. She needed a way out, and she needed it now. Oh well, she though. Drastic times called for drastic measures. Upon reaching the place the stairs once inhabited, Kara jumped through the gaping whole.

The common room was in ruins, but Kara knew where she was going. Pulling aside the smoking remains of a table, Kara felt along the floor until she found a hidden crack. Pulling up her trapdoor, Kara was suddenly glad she always made sure that her places had more than one exit.

Exiting the tunnel harder than expected. It came up in the middle of the stable, and Kara was sure some harebrained hostler had put dead weight on the trapdoor just for her benefit. Eventually, she scurried out of the tunnel and to Grivdlyn's stall. She quickly saddled her and led her out of the stable.

All the solders were currently concentrated on the burning inn, including one dragon, complete with armed rider. Kara snorted in disgust. She would never have believed that her childhood friend would turn traitor just for power. "Don't dwell on the past," she reprimanded herself, sharply. Now all she had to do was make it out of the city.

With daybreak came traffic, and Kara quickly hitched her horse on the back of a wagon and drew in with a family of refugees leaving the city. Once out of sight of the wall, she paid them their due and struck out due South. The Varden would want to hear of this news. She had also heard rumors that Nasuada had her own rider. If this were true, than she might be able to get him to help her with the baby dragon that was now peeping out of her pants.