The cacophony coming from the streets was drilling itself into her skull.  The heat in the leather working shop where she worked plus the noise had given her a major headache.  [i]I better stop for a while and cool down before I make this last delivery.  I don't think I can handle going all the way to the crossroad with this headache.  I might lose control of my powers and something happen that I regret.  It is hard enough keeping control on a good day.  Why did Axiter have to get sick an leave me all alone when I have all this work that needs done by week's end?  He better truly be sick too.  If I pass by hi place and find the bastard goofing off that will be the end of his apprenticeship with me.  I am getting too old for this shit.[/i]

Smiling  at her last thought, Mel wiped the sweat off her brow and tied the last package off.  She went over to the water trough nearby and took a dipper out and poured it over her head.  She felt sweaty and disgusting and wished she had time to cleanse herself properly before she left but this would have to do for now.  Gathering the packages for delivery, she went out the door of the tannery and walked over to where the small horse and cart she had borrowed was hitched.  She smiled at several people a she loaded her goods and tied them down.  Once things were secure she decided that a few more minutes would not hurt and walked down the street to the inn to grab a drink before setting out.

It had been several years now since she had come to this village.  It was made up of all the races and types of folk that had been either shunned and expelled from their society or had lost everything in the war and had nowhere else to go.  She tried not to dwell too heavily on those times before she had gotten here and had lived with her elven mother.  Knowing that her mother would rather throw her out than be acknowledged by the elven council for bearing a half breed was a bitter reality.  No one here knew that she was a half breed except for the couple that had taken her in all those years ago and they had died in the last battle that had happened in the valley two days hence a few years ago.  She was grateful that they had shown her as much love and affection as thy had, but wished they could have helped her with her shifter abilities.  Even the few other shifters in this village were not of the same sort as her and could only give her basic instruction.  While this had helped somewhat with control, she still was not able to do the things she knew she was capable of if she had been properly trained.

Pushing open the inn door, she walked over to the bar and ordered an ale.  As she sipped it slowly, she looked around the room.  It seemed like there were more and more strangers coming here these days.  One face however, made her blindingly mad.  She tossed the rest of her ale back and slammed the mug on the bar before walking over to where Axiter sat with a few of his buddies.  When he saw her he turned pale and looked away.  "You know what this means?  You can collect what is owed you when I return."  Without another word she turned on her heel and left.  She glanced at the sky and saw that the day was more than half over and picked up her pace.  She unhitched the horse and cart and took her seat.  Setting out now would get her to the crossroad sometime in the late evening and she would have to stay the night but it could not be helped.  She snapped the reins and headed East out of town.