Chapter XIV, Reading 1

Flindra's days with the Rangers turned into weeks and then months.  She had developed an easy rapport with the men during her first few days with them.  Her quiet confidence and unusual abilities had quickly won her the respect and friendship of her comrades.  Her skills made their tasks easier and safer to accomplish and thus made their lives better.  It was relatively easy to be accepted by a group when one added something to the collected talents of the whole.

She was content with the situation for she truly felt that she was making a worthy contribution to the cause of Prince Storos.  She was fulfilling her destiny and this added meaning to her life.  She had taken another step on the journey to the final confrontation with the Nameless Ones.  She was content to allow the Spirit to control her actions.

The discipline and regimentation of a soldier's life agreed with her as well.  Her duties kept her busy so she never had the time to feel overwhelmed by her destiny or to be touched by the sorrow in her life.  The friendship she had been granted by her comrades helped to fill the aching void in her heart.  They could never replace her family, but they kept her from missing them too much.

At night, in the privacy of her tent, she routinely contacted her mother and Leudh as well as Kewero.  They worried about her, certainly, but they also were pleased that she had found a situation where she could begin her destiny.  Leudh was a source of information she frequently called upon when her own skills of woodcraft seemed lacking.  More than anything, he just bolstered her confidence in her own knowledge.  She knew what she needed to perform her duties she just had to believe in herself.

Once her skills were fully appreciated by the Rangers and the beginning of friendships had started, the men began to ask questions of her, hungry to learn the wisdom of the forest.  They were in a perfect situation to learn and to use this wealth of knowledge to successfully carry out their orders.  They began to apply their newfound wisdom and their success was greatly enhanced.

During the next few months, the success of Kalmyk's troop of Rangers caught the attention of the High Command.  They needed to rely on skilled and competent commanders so he and his troop were given increasingly important and critical assignments.  Flindra was a part of his success but she never tried to steal the credit from her officers and comrades.  She was a silent member of the team and needed no praise to continue with her job.