Repaying kindness

Kristophor glances around as he walked down the path. He held his side feeling the bleeding beginning to leak through the bandages. He sighed and stopped to set up camp. After he started the fire he looked winced and began to treat his back the best he could, it was covered in fresh whip marks. He looked at his legs also which had stab wounds all over them. After treating all the wounds best he could and redressing them he later close to the fire for warmth. He could close his eyes however.. if he did all he could see were the faces of the people he wronged. “How could I be so naive.” he wondered as he turned to lay on his side. He sighed and shut his eyes finally and tried to drift to sleep. As he slipped into a dream, he saw fire burning all around and people screaming. He couldn’t move and it seemed shadows bordered his vision, he watched as the orcs cut the people down, when a person ran to him and Touched him they also died. He watched helplessly as he heard the screams and fires roaring. Kristophor woke up in a cold sweat panting, desperately trying to get air. He frowned and looked at the Brand of an eye on his left forearm. He got up and cleaned up his camp. He walked down the path once more, knowing he had reached the Northern downs. He saw a camp near by and suddenly heard a call out to him. He jumped a bit caught by surprise as a young hobbit woman ran up to him “ya don’t look so good mister! Ya bleedin!” The hobbit quickly grabbed Kris’s arm and pulled on him. Kris was confused, nervous but he allowed himself to be pulled. As he entered the camp he saw the group, a man, a woman, a dwarf and this hobbit woman. The human woman stood up quickly and grabbed what seemed to be a medical kit “let me help you.” The man walked over and helped Kris to sit. Kris nervously looked at everyone beginning to crowd. The woman smiled kindly and began to remove some of Kris’s armour with the mans help. They stepped back however as they finished and saw the wounds. The woman covered her mouth “oh my...” The man looked kris over “lad...you look like you were some wargs play toy.” The dwarf stepped closer, kris reached to cover the branding best he could but the dwarf had already seen it “You poor man... they did that to ya.” Kris frowned “please, I don’t wish to be trouble. I can be on my way.” The woman shook her head “no please let us help you.”. The woman and man began to work and stitch Kris up properly and treat the wounds for infection. Kris finally patched up bowed his head in thanks. The dwarf offered a sleeping mat “you can sleep on this lad.” Kris layed on it and listened to the people speak at the fire “maybe that mauler got a hold of him...” the woman said. The hobbit blinked and tilted her head “‘mauler? Fancy name for orc?” The dwarf shook his head “No lass, the mauler is a man.. masked and hooded with dark garbs, he carries a large sword and was leading orcs into villages, slaughtering everyone and burning them down. Though there hasn’t been anymore reports in a while. The guards at trestlebridge were worried he soon come for town.” The hobbit gasped “how awful!” Kris sighed as he listened, his guilt building. He looked finally tried to fall asleep but the dream came back and he woke up again in a sweat. He didn’t sleep for the Rest of the night. As the others finally awoke they packed kris up and gave him some food “there you go lad.” He hands kris a bag “it’s my old exploring bag! Has a good axe and knife in it already sharp!” Kris smiled a bit and bowed his head “ I don’t know how to repay your kindness master dwarf.” The dwarf smiled back “no need lad, name is Thorbeck Bladebeard. Ever need anything just ask alright!” Kris recognized the name from Bree so long ago. He pulled his mask up and gave one more wave bye to the group as he continued on. He looked at the sky as he walked “I will help as many people as I can.. that is what I’ll do. I will find my redemption that way.” He nodded to himself and pulled his mask up more and continued to walk.