Hunting kept her out of the house so even trips like this when she came back after several days with an empty belly and just a single pelt to sell were successes. She washed the most obvious of the grime off her face and hands before entering the village proper. There was no use for coin in the forest, and as the plan was always to use what she brought back she fully intended to sell the pelt before finding something to eat. That was immediately dashed by the scent of fresh bread coming from one of the market stalls.
Elisheva peeked down a couple dingy streets, finding neither sign nor trace of the gamblers that usually gathered. No hope of winning a few games to pay for it. She could try to sneak in and out before Father caught wind she was back but that would take too long, and considering what had happened the last time...
She greeted the craftsman with a saccharine smile and a chipper hello. There were others she could take the pelt to, the market ran on a barter system half the time and she could just as easily have traded the pelt for food outright, but the craftsman was kind to her and taught her some of his trade in exchange for the fruits of her hunts. When he did pay her outright it was at a fair price. Usually.
āWhaddāya mean itās only worth two!?ā
āThatās what itās worth,ā he gave a small grunt with his shrug.Ā āItās small as is, anā with the season pickinā up itās time tā look for people sellinā large game.ā
āOi.ā Elisheva leaned over the wooden counter that separated them.Ā āThis isnāt some way to scam a poor, defenseless kid?ā
āYā havenāt been either of those for two years.ā
Elisheva lost their staring contest. Picking her trophy off the counter, she turned from the stall.