That had been easy. At Old Town she had few friends, and even those were not close. Everything connected with Old Town had become unpleasant, if not downright dangerous. It had been a relief to escape it, along with the dangers and the unpleasant memories. There was no sadness. Her only real, emotional tie with her youth had been her old mentor, and many winters had passed since the old conjure woman had crossed over. She had left her home, her skills, and even her name to the younger woman, and it had been hard. But by the time Snakewater left Old Town, there were none of those memories left. The unpleasant ones had come crowding in. Even her home, once a place of refuge, had become a threat. It had become a dangerous place, and it was good to be gone from there. What a contrast now. She had been here only a season, but she had friends here. There had been no one in her life, since the death of Snakewater the elder, to whom she had been close. Now she realized with some surprise how difficult it would be to leave Kills Many and his family.
