Spending weeks traveling with only two other people was interesting. Especially since they weren't his family. Especially since he and Haelith had shared her tent every night for the last three weeks. It was certainly awkward, especially when Barret woke up and left the tent to see Raine was already awake, trying desperately to get a fire going. He was usually the first one up, but he had grown more comfortable around Haelith, and was happy to just be near her. So when he exited her tent to see Raine, it became weird again. "Everything alright?" she asked as he froze like a deer that saw a hunter.

"Uh… yeah. Just… getting up for the day. Didn't know you were already awake."

Raine's eyes went wide, and so did her smile. "You slept with her?"

"We've been sharing a tent. Nothing's happened between us other than that." Barret came over and pulled out a flint and striker. Within seconds, the fire was burning.

"I'm just pulling your leg!" Raine laughed. "Haelith told me a few days ago, so that way I wouldn't be surprised."

Barret smirked, and tossed a few small branches on the fire. He stoked the flames in silence for a few minutes, then pulled out a metal kettle. Filling it with water and ground coffee, he set it down to start boiling. "I've been wondering about your magic. I've never heard of anyone who was able to actually change their forms other than dragons. Is it an illusion, or is it actual shapeshifting?"

"It's actual shapeshifting. I have almost no control over it though. I've tried to change back to human, but I can't seem to get it to work. Being a wolf is nice, and the fur keeps me warm, but I do wish I could change back at will."

"Haelith mentioned that when you first met, you were able to go from human to wolf on command."

"That's been the only time I've been able to shift fully at will. I was able to partially shift to wolf, and was able to undo my partial shift last October, but I haven't been able to since. It's been tough since Rose…" Raine's voice faded, and her face became downcast.

"You're in good company. I know that look: Remembering someone you've lost. I know it far too well. We all do. Everyone loses people. That's life. Sometimes the best people are the ones you wish had stuck around longer."

"She was good. She recognized I had potential. She helped me realize that I needed to grow past what I was, helped me see that this side of me is still me. I just wish I had a chance to talk to her again."

"She sounds like she was a wonderful person. Too bad I never met her."

"She would have liked you. You're weird, and have strange talents."

"Everyone needs a weird friend. And when all your friends are weird, then every day is an adventure." Barret smiled as he pulled a pair of metal cups from his bag. "Coffee's ready. We can have a cup or two, but we shouldn't stay here too long. We're about a half day from Hatchet's Harbor. It's the furthest north city on this side of the continent, and the last place we can get supplies and information."

Raine poured the coffee into the cups he was holding, and reached for her own cup. "I'll pack up my tent while this cools down."

Taking the two cups, Barret returned to the tent, and set one of the cups down. Reaching over, he gently shook Haelith awake. "Rise and shine, good morning."

"Hmm… I smell coffee." she groaned with a smile. Handing her the cup as she sat up, he sipped his own drink. "How long have you been up?"

"Not long. Raine and I were talking about her magic. We also are going to go into town today. Hatchet's Harbor is the last city we can get supplies in, and we're going to need them. I have some coins from Trace, so we should be able to get everything we need."

"Good. I'm going to need some aloe oil. My last vial got broken a few days ago, and I use that stuff all the time."

"Is it rare?"

"Not really, aloe can grow pretty much anywhere you take it, it's a cactus."

"Right. Well, once we finish our coffee, we should get a move on."

…

Resting on the edge of the Great North Bay lay the quiet town of Hatchet's Harbor. Raine actually had read about this place when she was young, and spent the day telling them all about it. It was a lumberjack town originally, but quickly grew to house the furthest north harbor on this side of the continent. The great pine forests of the west and north would be selectively cut down, and the high quality wood would be sent to all corners of the map, as the trees grew strong and hard in the cold weather. Fishermen covered the bay and harbor itself, as it was home to more fish than they could catch, especially during the spring and fall, when the migratory whales passed through. While it was a normally frowned upon profession, whalers provided a much needed service to the town, as a single catch would provide them with oil and food to sustain everyone through the winter. At the very center of town was a single, gargantuan pine tree, with an axe embedded halfway up the trunk. "When they first arrived and started building, that was the first tree they tried to cut, but every axe they took to it broke. Finally, someone was able to sink their axe in the tree, but couldn't do more than that. They left it, because they couldn't get it out, and they named the town 'Hatchet', but eventually renamed it to something more suitable."

"Ah, yes, everyone will hear of our new town: Hatchet!" Barret laughed. "It's near Tree and House!"

Raine laughed with him. "That's why they changed it. A lot of people come up here to purchase wood practically year round. Even when the bay ices over, people pull sleds across it. It's got decent trade in and out, so we should be able to find everything we need there, but I doubt we will find everything we hope to."

The town was mostly humans, but there were a significant number of Keidrans as well, mostly foxes, but there were also a few wolves and leopards. Haelith and Raine didn't have cloaks like Barret did, so they didn't even bother trying to cover up, smiling and nodding at everyone they came across. This earned them a few strange looks, but shockingly, no one really cared. The wooden walls that surrounded the town were made of tree trunks that were partially buried in the ground, simple, yet effective at keeping out the elements. Inside, houses of stone lined the dirt roads, and torches burned brightly at regular intervals, even during the day, providing heat for the whole town. Slowly, the smell of fish grew stronger, and the busy midday trade was in full swing. People talked and shouted to various ships docked in the harbor, and merchants hawked their wares. Meandering through town, they stopped at several merchant stalls and picked up the essentials: a pair of shuttered lanterns, some candles, vials of burning oil, some hard tack, dried fruits and nuts, salted pork, and a few other small things. Haelith managed to find someone selling herbs and salves, refilling her emptied supply.

Barret left the two girls for a bit as they wandered, and he went to a nearby building that looked to be a tavern. He knew enough to know that if there was somewhere to get information, it was there. Inside, it was well lit, and had harpoons, nets, shark jaws, axes, and other old pieces of equipment decorating the walls. Walking over to the bar, Barret sat down, and waited. "Well, not every day I see one of you folks 'round here." the barkeep said, holding a pipe in one hand, and reaching for a glass with the other. "What can I getcha?"

"No drinks, I'm actually just here to ask a few questions."

"Looking for more folks like yourself?"

"Yeah. I'm not the first?"

"And you won't be the last. I see a new Ishtaer every few months, comes looking for more. There's a tribe that wanders way north of the forest, beyond the north side of the bay. Shouldn't take more than a few days, if they're in the area."

"And if they're not?"

"Oh, good luck finding 'em. They usually come through here when they're in the area, and it's good enough for business. They bring all sorts of stuff from the far north, rare and exotic hides no one else dares try to get, sometimes they scavenge shipwrecks and find silver and gold, and other times, they just come with whatever they managed to catch that day. Come to think of it, I haven't seen them since last summer, so I have no idea where they are. Could be on the other side of the continent at this point, but who knows."

Barret frowned. He hadn't even considered that he might have to go to the other side of the continent, or even worse, not even find them at all. "You have no idea when they'll be back?"

"Sorry. They come and go as they please, never stay in town for more than a week. But I'll tell you what I tell every one of you folks: No shame in turning around. If you come back, I'll make sure you get a nice warm cup of cider."

"Thanks. If we come back this way, I'll take you up on that." Barret pulled out a few silver, and left it on the counter, before leaving. Haelith and Raine were waiting for him, watching some of the fishermen unload their nets.

"What's the verdict?"

"Not great. There is a tribe of Ishtaer, but they might be on the other side of the continent by now. I would be willing to go, but I'm leaving that choice up to you."

Raine and Haelith were quiet for several minutes. "If you go," Haelith said slowly, "I'll go with you. You lead, I'll be there."

"I agree. But I don't want to go across the continent. We should look, but not for too long. If we don't see them after a few more weeks, we should turn around. I hate to say this, but I really miss everyone else."

"If that's what you both want, then we will go." Barret said, and the three walked out of the city, ready to face the Northern Wastes.