108 CVIII. Shelter

"It's a very advanced healing technique. This kind of needle is used to..."

"You're a genius, brother! An injection!" said Dag, hugging Karl.

Meanwhile, Reidar looked at them with a puzzled air.

"A... what?! I mean, we could transfer that weird blood into your body, so it can increase its concentration... you with me?" asked Karl.

"Yes, that's what "injection" means. We're going to pick up the magenta blood and put it in my veins, using that thin hollow tube" Dag continued, enthusiastically.

"A moment, sorry if I intrude! I don't understand anything about this stuff, but… don't you think it's wrong to transfer the blood of a raptor into a human body?" said Reidar, dampening the enthusiasm of Dag, who looked at Karl, looking for answers.

"Mmmh... let's do this: for now we only collect the blood of the falcon before it dries completely. We'll decide next what to do" said Karl, who approached the bird.

"Perhaps you're right, Reidar. But I think we can give it a try, with a very small amount. Karl, is there anything you can do to make my blood compatible with that of the falcon?" asked Dag.

"Yes maybe there is one. But I need to study that blood. I'm sure Egill's almanac will help me. When we camp for the night, I'll do that" said Karl, who with a small sharp knife opened the hawk's chest in two, pouring its magenta blood into two of his glass ampoules, which filled up completely.

Then he raised one of them to the sun, which was still high in the sky, trying to look better at that strange liquid.

He said nothing.

"Now think about healing the wound on your face, Karl. As soon as you're done, we're going back on our way. The road to the FossilWood Forest is still very long" Dag said, looking at the small cut on his friend's cheek.

After a few minutes, Karl finished medicating the wound, using herbs in the box and collected other wild herbs, walking near the water source.

"Captain, the horses have rested. We are ready to go" Reidar confirmed.

"Let's go, then" Dag said.

They all mounted on horseback and began riding again along the slope of that mountain, lower than Mount Torden and with less dense vegetation.

"Look, you can see the forest from up here!" said Reidar, who was slightly higher than the other two, who reached him.

Looking north, on the horizon, an endless expanse of gray trees stretched for many kilometers. It was a very gloomy landscape: above the forest of fossil trees, even the weather looked different. Large dark clouds were firm and promised nothing good.

"Let's move on. We're going to camp before it gets dark, but we have to get to the mountain after this one. Keep your eyes peeled" said Dag, who kept looking at those menacing clouds.

On the mountain, however, the situation continued to be all too quiet.

The Sun was about to set.

"Captain, I think those clouds are about to move in our direction. It's going to rain soon" Reidar said, looking up at the sky.

"You're right, we need shelter for the night" Dag said.

After continuing to ride for several miles, they began to smell rain in the air.

"Dag! I see something over there, among the trees!" said Karl, pointing his finger in that direction.

"It looks like a farm" Reidar said.

"Let's try to get closer, but be careful" Dag confirmed.

The three adventurers approached a small thatched-roofed house, which stood between two tall beech trees.

White smoke came out of the fireplace and near the house, there was a small enclosure with two pigs and chickens, pecking on the ground in search of food.

"It looks like there's someone inside. We can ask for some hospitality" continued Dag, who surpassed the other two and rode toward the farm entrance.

From a window, he could see a dim light coming from within.

Dag got off the horse, holding him by the bridle and knocked at the door.

Only he, concentrating, could hear voices coming from the other side: "Who will it ever be? Did you hide it well?"

It was a female voice.

Karl and Reidar also stopped near Dag after getting off their horses, waiting.

Dag knocked again and just then, a man opened the door.

He was an old man, with a gray beard and a bandage on one eye.

"What do you want?!" the old man asked in a menacing tone.

"Excuse me, sir. We are three adventurers, we come from the Temple Of Orn and we are headed to the Kvete region. When we realized it was going to rain, we saw your farm. Would you be kind enough to allow us to spend the night here? Tomorrow morning at dawn we will get out of your hair" Dag said, trying to be as kind as possible.

"Adventurers? Who tells me you're not murderers?" replied the man, who did not trust him.

Dag showed the Clan symbol on his leather jacket: "This is the symbol of the Clan. Trust me... we can pay you 1 silver coin".

As soon as the man heard those words, he completely opened the door.

"Help these young warriors fix their things and put more wood in the fireplace. I will tie their horses in the fence" he said, addressing someone inside the farm.

"Alright, dear" said the same female voice Dag had heard just before.

"Can we really stay here? Thank you!" replied Karl, enthusiastic about the news.

Reidar said nothing, continuing to look at the old man suspiciously and studying every detail of the farm.

After entering, Dag and his companions were greeted by an elderly woman, probably the old man's wife.

"Sorry about my husband's manners, but we're not used to having guests" she said, in a kind voice.

"Approach the fireplace and warm up your tired bones. I'm going to make a soup" she continued.