"Are you alright?" Bonar asked, after pulling his bloodied spear from the dead man. 

"My leg hurts. And they killed my friends" she said, hugging a dead wolf. 

"I'm sorry about that. My name is Boner.. what about you?" he asked

"I.. I am Daphne" she answered. 

"Well, you better take care. There are more of them all around the mountainside" Bonar said

"Can... can I follow you Mr Boner?" she asked

"I will be climbing the highest mountain peak. That is no task for children" he said

"I won't be a bother. I have my own ways!" she said

"Suit yourself. Although I won't intentionally go faster, I won't slow down for you either" he said. 

"Deal" she said holding out her hand. 

"Alright then Daphne. Pleased to have you" Bonar shook her hand. 

Bonar really didn't have to slow down. Within minutes, a mountain goat appeared and she rode it next to him.

It was larger than a normal goat, and standing on 4 legs, it's head was as tall as Bonar, who was tall for a human. 

He had to admit, it was more fun travelling with a companion than being alone.

She told him her life story. 

She had the ability to talk to animals. She was born a tamer.

It was probably an ability she got from her mother.

Her mother was a nymph, kidnapped from the forest as the Duke of Phoenixia dug up her oak tree she was bound to and replanted it in his estate.

The replanting of the oak nearly killed her, but she and the oak survived.

As she was trapped inside his house compound, she became his plaything as the Duke had his way with her. 

He also forced his slaves to have sex with her for his pleasure too. 

He was a powerful and rich man, and owned all kinds of exotic slaves. 

Eventually, the nymph became pregnant, but she died giving birth to Daphne.

So Daphne didn't know who her father was. Her mother had been forced upon by humans and even the two half elves among his slaves. 

As for Daphne, she served as a slave doing manual labor and maid work. 

It was when she started becoming a teenager at age 12 that the Duke laid his hands on her. 

At that moment, she somehow got the duke's loyal hounds to attack him, and she ran away. 

Since then, she's been living in the forest, fleeing the pursuit of the Duke's men. 

And in the forest, she found she could communicate with more than dogs. 

Bonar looked at her. Besides looking scruffy and dirty, she was actually a very beautiful girl. 

The slightly pointed ears suggested that her mother was impregnated by one of the half elves, rather than the humans. 

This was very fortuitous as elves and half elves generally find it hard to breed. 

"What about you Boner? You don't seem to be a pure blooded human too" she asked

Bonar told her about his birth, about the possibility of being half orc and elf. 

He didn't tell her about eating the dragon heart, but instead told her about his mercenary life at Hallmark and about his mission to find a large bird. 

"Oh, you must mean the queen of the mountain. She is up there!" she pointed at another mountain. The top couldn't be seen as the clouds covered it. But if what she says was true, it would make his task so much easier. 

"Are you sure?" he asked excitedly. 

"Yes. The animals told me so" she said with a confident smile. 

"Then... can your goat keep up?" he asked

"Are you kidding, Billy here is an expert climber" she said

Bonar started running, but the goat kept up with him easily, bouncing away as it ran. 

Daphne was saddled firmly on the goat, holding it's fur behind it's neck. 

By the evening, they stopped by a waterfall and stream at the bottom of the mountain.

Bonar set up a fire and Daphne washed her face.

"You can take a bath if you want, I won't look" Bonar said

"Do you want to join me?" she asked

"That.. that's not appropriate. You're a young girl" Bonar answered

"We're just bathing! I bathe with animals all the time" she said as the goat joined her in the stream.

"Uh.. ok then" Bonar said, not wanting to make this more uncomfortable and awkward than it already is.

*Whoosh*

In a flash, Bonar's clothes vanished as it was sucked behind his back.

Daphne was shocked, not only with the stripping feat, but also with the huge log hanging between his legs.

"Holy shit, you are half orc" she said as he approached the water.

"Don't be fearful. I won't uh.. attack you" he said

"Hhmph. I've seen bigger on the duke's horses" she snorted, trying to look uninterested.

"Oh right. I forgot" Bonar said and took out the lightning bear skin from his storage bag.

It had already been dried, but was covered in dry blood.

So he started washing it.

"Is that a... lightning bear?" Daphne asked

"Was it your friend?" Bonar asked back

"No... but it attacked the men chasing after me, allowing me to escape" she answered

"Oh. It attacked me too, but I won and ate it" Bonar replied, walking out naked and laying the skin out to dry

"You don't have to worry offending me. The animals all understand that the strong eats the weak" Daphne said

"Good! I was afraid you would get offended if I eat meat" Bonar said as took out the meats he had saved in his storage bag.

There were meat of the lightning bear, storm wolf, hippogriff, kobold and even giant snake.

"Ok, I think I'm a little offended now" she said seeing the large amount of meat. Her goat looked scared of him.

Then she started laughing as Bonar joined her in laughter.

They had a long and enjoyable dinner, and Bonar let her sleep on the bearskin with the large goat letting her use it as her pillow.

As for Bonar, he stared into the fire all night long, not needing to sleep.