A young man who appeared to be in his late teens stood atop one of the watchtowers and watched the group approaching the settlement. Erend focused his enhanced vision on him and immediately noticed the signs of hardship written across the young man's appearance.
His clothes were worn and patched in several places, while his thin frame suggested that food was not exactly abundant in this place.
He still looked young enough to be considered a teenager, but the harshness of Valthoria had clearly forced him to grow up faster than he should have.
"Who did you bring with you?" the young man called from the watchtower, his voice carrying a clear note of concern.
"I found them on the way," Norma replied. "They seem to be from another settlement and got lost in the wilderness, so I brought them here." She then raised her voice. "Open the damn gate! Do you have any idea what we just went through? We barely escaped a Ratclaw! These people saved my life, so stop the bullshit and open it!"
