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The next morning I could hear Alberich and Tammy arguing, with Harriet adding to both sides of the argument. "She's a child you horn headed moron she shouldn't be asked to do something that could make her uncomfortable." {Well, Tammy is trying.} I think to myself as I get up and head out of the tent to see Cassie near the tent watching her new "parents" arguing over her with Harriet standing to the side. While I didn't see the twins I didn't see Shadow either, Father Peter was standing near the wall where the men were left overnight. As they were not currently there and no one was frantically searching I guess Jake took them into the town to await my arrival. The rest of our group's tents were spread out behind my tent showing that I was deferred to as more important. I mentally shake my head at that.

Before Alberich could respond Harriet spoke up, "yes dear. However Alberich says that according to their society she is an adult mentally. So in making some choices for herself should be allowed so how about we ask her what she thinks?" I smile at Harriet's calm tones and demeanor, and see Tammy look over and look shocked to see me awake. "Sorry Hunter for waking you, but his hornyness says Cassie needs to attend the trial. I think it's a bad idea to have her face the people who hurt her." I cross my arms and lean against one of the thin stone tent poles. "Well, why don't we ask her like Harriet suggests. While she might not be able to fully protect herself at her age, she is learned enough to be away from home so she has to know if it is good or bad."

Cassie nods her head vigorously in agreement and Tammy lets out a big sigh and turns to the young unicorn. "Alright youngling, what do you think should happen?"

Cassie looks to me in gratitude and then turns to the group and responds, "while these people for me right now are a little scary. I need to be of help to bring those who need to be brought to justice. This is something I can do, Alberich's people cannot do truth telling only magical unicorns can. I will not be harmed by this Tammy, but I can do some good here." Tammy sighs again and nods her head, "alright; but." Tammy turns to face Alberich with fire in her eyes and Father Peter cowers again, "if that youngling gets hurt. I will skin you alive." Alberich chuckles and lays his head on Tammy's shoulder, I was certain he was speaking to her privately. However he didn't share was saying to her, she pats him on the nose and then turns to the rest of the camp.

"I guess I had better go check on Calliope, and make sure that she's been eating right while I have been gone. While she is carrying your grandchild you are a bit busy with those twins, I am kind of glad Shadow elected to take them out for a climbing lesson." Well that explains that, considering Shadow can practically climb up smooth glass he would be an excellent teacher in how to climb. As well as what to do if you fall.

Cassie perks her head up, "Calliope? That is someone I have not met yet is she special?" Tammy huffs, "only in as much as she carries Harriet's grandchild. The girl was trying to take over the group by bedding Jake, and then trying to harm Gwen." Cassie stomps a hoof, "why that's ridiculous! Hunters are protectors, and need to be protected due to that." Cassie very carefully danced around the Hunter's weakness, not as good as most; but it was a decent attempt. None of the humans know of it, which is probably a good thing.

Alberich looks to me, "once you have broken your fast we will head into the town. Yes, Jake did take the men in there. They will be tied to stakes for the proceedings, some of our guards are guarding them. They won't be harmed if they haven't caused any." I nod my head and he continues, "where is that feather duster I sent him to get you some food before you woke up." Harriet looks sheepish, "he might be a bit. We made bread this morning and he loves fresh bread, I'll bring her a plate. Start on into town, I'm sure you can stomach a meal in there now." Harriet runs off and Alberich lowers his head a moment trying to not laugh, "so the proud cat gets done in by pastry. That is funny."

I walk up to Alberich's side and pat his shoulder, "well; you know what to do now if he gets too annoying." Alberich nickers in amusement then tosses his head in Father Peter's direction, "come along. If any of them are to die today they may wish death rites from you, and stop COWERING. If you are going to lead people you need to act like you are not afraid of everything." Peter looks at me and I nod my head, then I start walking back to the gate between the two unicorn's. Which I had not intended, however I know the concern is that someone were to harm me. While I may not be able to act they both certainly can.

As we approach the gate I do notice that the townspeople had finished placing scrap wood over the main road, as well as spread straw over the mud to help bind it together better. The smell was greatly reduced, and I notice something. All of the 'shanty' houses had something akin to gutters previously, but now there are barrels at the bottom of each to collect water. {Yes, one of the guard we brought yesterday had been into something called homesteading in the old world. They strongly recommend the people do this for at least bathing water.} I stifle a chuckle, as to me the idea wasn't all that novel; yet the people here had to be told to do it.

Peter looks around in astonishment, "so much change in just one night. How did your people accomplish this Hunter Gwen?" I stop and turn to the priest and think a moment to try to find words that won't make him appear foolish. "I think the question you should be asking is why your villagers hadn't thought of it to begin with Father Peter. Placing a barrel under the downspout isn't that much of an intuitive leap. It's just about thinking of the best way to make sure you have extra water, even if it isn't drinkable. It is still useful either for bathing or watering home gardens, which this town could use as well." Peter nods his head lowering it a moment then speaking again. "I guess people here didn't think it would be of any help. I know that when the world changed I never gave any thought as to where my food water and clothing would come from as all I have ever needed to do was shop for it. Most of the people here come from local cities when they fell to the dragon's, from my understanding they were probably some of the last remaining active cities. Though their populations were relatively small, I guess they just missed the notice of the Dragons at first. Seeing as how the government's there knew how to best keep supplies portioned out none of these people ever had a want until they came here." I nod my head as Peter realizes the hopelessness these people are actually in.

The sad thing about the old world was that it had taught too many people to rely on what someone else could do for them. Also that they didn't need to be responsible for obtaining the things needed for survival. So now we have one whole town filled with people who have no idea how to care for their own needs without someone explicitly telling them how too. They would not be a welcome addition to my city, as they could not as yet pull their own weight. They also might not survive their first winter, and seeing as how this is Canada all be it Southern Canada. There are things they have to have to survive the cold that will be coming their way. I hope something could help them to learn the right way, however as they currently are; they may not survive the New world.

We approach the center of the town and notice that Jake had a dais constructed for us to stand on with steps that could accommodate a unicorn's body. Also there was an extra person staked out in front of the group and she was gagged. I turn to Peter before we come out from the side of the buildings ringing the center of town.

Peter sighs at seeing the female on the stake, "that was Father Innocent's first acolyte. It surprises me not that she is there, however I doubt you will convict her of anything. She never did anything herself." I turn back to the circus in front of me and head toward it.

As I walk past the female that was staked she stared at me as if to burn through my body with her glare, and I step onto the dais; with my entourage. I step into the center and look out to the people who did gather, from appearances most of the townsfolk are hiding inside their homes afraid. {Maybe we can change that, Cassie can you hear me?} The young unicorn looks startled for a moment then responds. {I am going to ask you to do something semi unethical to assuage the fear of the people here. I need to know which of the men did the least harm. Don't tell me what they did, just tell me which one it is. You are just the truth finder, I have to be judge and jury.} Cassie takes a moment and indicated a man in a set of home made leather clothing, I get an idea as to what his 'crime' was and I address Jake.

I point at the man in the leather clothes, "Jake please untie that man and bring him forward please. We will begin with his crimes." Jake nods slowly as I imagine he guessed I would start on one end and finish at the other. He unties the man in question who upon being untied falls to the ground crying. {Oh yes, this does have potential.} I notice a woman in the crowd with a couple of children also breaking down and crying. Jake wrestles the man onto his feet and drags him forward and up the dais to a few feet from me. Then lets the man fall back down still crying. I give Alberich a pointed look and walk over to the man and touch his back. "Pull yourself together you are frightening your children," I whisper to him. He stops crying and looks at me as if his world had ended right then, "I won't harm your family if that is what you are thinking. Any crime you committed is on you not them." I step back as I give him a moment to gather himself.

{The children started tugging on their mother when you did that}, I nod my head slightly to let Alberich know I heard his statement. The man stands and steels himself, and I nod at him. "Please tell me your name and if you had a job within this so called town." I could spy the female acolyte struggle on the stake and I nod at the guard next to her who slaps her hard. The man sees this and gulps then responds to my question. "My, my name is Harry Ma'am. I, I was a hunter of food Ma'am. I, I, I." He stutters a few moments a few tears escaping his eyes and he looks to Cassie, "I'm so sorry what they did to you! I didn't know you were a child, I have children." Harry turns to look at me and drops to his knees, "I found all the victims of that evil priest. It is my fault they were killed." The woman in the crowd shrieks and passes out and I see Harriet, who had been approaching with food for me drop the food and rush to the woman. Harriet looks up at me and nods, {just passed out then.}

I turn to Cassie, "he is telling the truth in as much as he does truly believe he is at total fault." Cassie announces and I get her clue and I ask Harry a question. "Did you want to capture all those creatures? Did 'Father Innocent' have something he was holding over you?" Harry looks at me understanding, "Ma'am I am a hunter I track, trap, and kill game for food and leather. So I am responsible for this, yes the priest had my family hostage. I could have refused his demands however, if I had known the unicorn had been a child;" he rambles off again crying again.

I tilt my head at Cassie, then behind my back wave at Harriet who gets the hint and with the help of Jake brings Harry's family onto the dais. Harry goes absolutely still, his wife still passed out from fear. I squat down and wave the children over to me. "Hey, want to pet a real life unicorn?" Cheshire decides then to show up and catches on quickly, "or the very friendly kitty? I don't bite people I like." He ruffles his wings playfully and the children rush over to pile onto him, {you owe me}. I chuckle as the children squeal happily, and I turn back to Harry seeing his face loose their worry a moment watching his children play with a winged cat.

I walk up to Harry and clap him on the shoulder, "Harry." I project my voice so the clustered people can hear and notice a few shadows moving in the close windows. "The only 'crime' you have committed is to be loyal to your family, I didn't see you in the group we captured last night, so I am guessing your guilt made you turn yourself in?" He nods his head, I pat him on his back and Cassie steps forward and touches his face with her nose. "I forgive you Harry the hunter, you meant no ill will. You were used," she then steps over to his wife who was still out like a light and nudges her awake. The woman freezes from shock and starts crying again, I step away from Harry and speak to the crowd again. Which is now starting to grow, "Harry. You are probably the best person in this town right now, and while you meant no harm directly your actions did cause harm. Your sentence is," I see Harry rush to his wife to hold her. "Your sentence is to take care of this town and be it's headman, your wife will make sure the women stay in line as well. This is your sentence, your loyalty cause people to be harmed. So prevent others from being harmed."

Harry and is wife look pole axed, I see two guards look at me pointedly and nod to the town. "Also The two guards on the end have decided to remain here and be the head of your town guard only answerable to you." The two indicated guards come forward, still on the ground to address Harry. The male speaks first, a middle aged man of mixed decent. "My name is Terrance, I feel I need to remain here and give a hand to these poor folks. I'm not all that bad at swinging an ax either, so I can teach a few of the lads here how to become decent wood cutters. We'll need that wood before winter sets in," Terrance walks back over to where he was standing then and watches the crowd once again. The second a young female from the breeder camp, "I am Lina. I can keep the more rowdy women under control and any man thinking they can control me will learn why I prefer a knife as a weapon. I also know a fair bit about fishing as I spent my childhood fishing with my family. When the Hunter leaves I will travel to the Gryphon home to let them know I will be bringing people over to fish from time to time." She then steps back and resumes her position watching the crowd.

Harry stands slowly still shocked his wife standing as well, just noticing the children playing with the Cheshire and relief comes over her face. "I um, Hunter. I don't know what to say." Harry stammers out, and I smile. "Nothing to say you'll have a great deal of work a head of you to save this town before winter hits. If you want to avoid losing people this winter I suggest you get them to work as soon as we are done here. However I am hoping it won't take all day." Harry steps off the dais with his wife the children reluctantly leaving Cheshire behind and he proceeds to switch to his eagle head and proceeded to straighten his flight feathers.

I look over the group left to judge, and decide to leave the female for last hoping I can be more charitable then. Most of the remaining men were involved in the direct deaths of the intelligent creatures, and were administered their death sentences. Seeing as how none of them had families within the town their bodies were put into a pit and burned like they had done to the other creatures. Two were found guilty of torture, and I sentenced them to a public whipping to be carried out after the proceedings finish. Then we come to the female acolyte, who was still trying to glare at me with her hands tied behind her and her mouth gagged.

"So Jake care to tell me why this woman has the pleasure of being gagged? Even though I can probably guess." Jake shoves the young woman who stumbles to the ground and struggles to get up, "well. For starters we found her hiding out in the 'chapel' inside one of the walls. Apparently the good Father thought a hidey hole was important in case something went south here. When we found her she started spouting garbage about how we were going to hell for helping the evil abominations escape. Then when we marched her out here she started berating the townspeople causing a good many to flee to their homes."

I nod my head, having figured that this probably was the case before he told me it, I squat down and help her stand carefully. Then I turn her to look me in the eyes with her still glaring at me and I ask. "If I remove your gag do you promise to keep your mouth shut unless questioned?" The woman looks furious and starts shrieking into the gag, I nod to Jake who slaps her making her stop. "Be lucky I didn't have him use his fist on you, seeing as how you refuse to be civil. I guess I shall have to appoint Peter to defend your actions, and in as such I am guessing you two do not get along. I doubt he will know your true intents for doing what you have done, now I also plan to ask all the villagers to tell me what you have done." I point at Cassie, "and with her I shall know when it is true or false as magical unicorns can see truth and falsehood. So would you like to reconsider?"

The woman looks furious at the idea of Peter defending her so she calms down and nods her head with the anger still in her eyes. I nod to Jake who unties her gag, "try anything and I won't hesitate to knife you in the back girl." The woman stands calmly though I spot a wince at Jake's words. I cross my arms, "so tell us acolyte what have you done to the intelligent creatures that were present in this town?"

The woman stands taller and says, "I have done nothing to those aberrations." I look at Cassie, "she is telling the truth Hunter. However, she also believes what was done to them was right." Alberich snorts in anger, I walk over and pat his nose; "at ease friend." I look at the woman, "so; you think you are going to get off scot free do you?" The woman adjusts her pose to make it appear that she has grown taller, "based on your own 'laws' Hunter you can't do anything to me." I smile wickedly at her and the crowd who started objecting when she spoke went deathly silent. "Do you really think there is nothing I can do? Wrong, intent also has a sentence. As from appearances Cassie is shaken by your mind, so that tells me your intent is not good. Now while you haven't harmed anyone, as yet. I do have a fitting judgment, whether Harry enforces it after is up to him. Know if I ever see you enter my city I will find something that I can use to punish you." I look to Harry and to the gathered people as I inform everyone of this woman's sentence. "You are banished, you will be provided with a pack and a week's rations. The pack is standard to anyone in my group, it will have a couple tarps a sleeping bag and a fire stater. Do not return here."

I then turn around and she starts shrieking again, I hear Jake slap her again and tie another gag onto her. I address the crowd, "people. I hope this town that is set on a main road to the land bridge can learn from this experience. Humans are not the only intelligent species on this planet anymore, you need to think of all life being sacred. Does that mean you cannot eat meat? No, it means that you respect those who have the ability to think like you. Not everyone will think like you but any intelligent species has the ability to think as you do. Eventually once my city has grown enough I plan on sending out trading groups, if you cannot work with other species they will never stop here. Also, you must improve your homes. Do not expect you will live as you did in the old world, however you shouldn't live in a shanty town. Have a town you can be proud of and those traders will stop and trade with you."

I glance at Harriet and wave my hand in her direction, "in a short time this woman will give every woman here a selection of garden seeds for this area and instructions on how to care for the plants. Consider it an expensive gift, because it is. This could very well enable you to survive this winter, don't squander your time. You have the control over whether you live or die this winter, me and my group will be leaving at dawn we still have two day's travel to the gryphons and the land bridge." I turn and walk off the dais and head back to our camp in search of a meal that I still hadn't gotten.

I could hear the public whippings taking place and shake my head at the foolishness of those who prey upon those who don't know any better. I spend the rest of the day with my own people prepping to leave on the morrow including setting up one of the small wagons with the gryphon remains in it. I had already spied the small statue placed on the grave of the hippogryph, as well as the marker to represent the dwarves who died. Based on the fact the dwarves had arraigned it so the villagers could plant flowers around the statue and marker I have a feeling if they do straighten out they will get traders from the dwarves as well down the line.