You have been alive for eight years and lived in your village all of those years. You are standing by the shore and are looking at a sight you have not seen before.
---A type of boat shaped like a long serpent with its head sticking out of the water is slowly coming towards you. Many men are rowing the boat as the sail is lowered. They see you and talk harshly in a strange tongue. A man stands up and climbs out into the sea. From what you sense he looks as if he means you no harm.
---The stranger reaches you as the boat turns and sails away. He takes your hand and shakes it vigorously. His smile reassures you and when he beckons you to go towards your village you decide to take him.
---As you walk, he points out plants and names them in his strange tongue. Some of his words you can repeat back to him, but some are too difficult to say. You say the names in your tongue and he has a go at copying you. You laugh together at your attempts.
---You soon reach the village, but your folk react with suspicion towards the stranger…

Weeks pass, and the stranger is fitting in well with village life. He has been given a job helping the bread maker as he seems to be familiar with baking. His name has been so difficult for village folk to say, the village Chief came to you and asked if you would give the man a name. You call the stranger Ailis and he smiles and nods in agreement.

You have learnt quite a bit from Ailis over the weeks and have found out that his people live on cold, barren rocks by the sea most of the year. They migrate to grasslands inland in the summer months and that is the time Ailis likes best. He is knowledgeable in all things that grow and over the years has learnt what is safe to eat and what things can be improved by cooking.

It is morning and your Mother gently shakes you awake. Your Father stands in the doorway, looking concerned.

---'Bret, it’s Ailis, he’s not well,' she says.

---'Uh, where is he?' you ask.

---'Father took him to Healer.'

---'I must go at once,' you say.

---'Take some food, Father will go with you.'

---You and Father go to Healer’s hut and gently push the leather covering aside. Inside Healer is cooking up some special leaves over his fire. Ailis is lying on a bed of clean straw. He is moaning and holding his stomach.

---'How is he, Healer?' Father asks.

---'He’s taken some of the stewed medicine. It should start to work soon. He must have misidentified one of our native plants. It’s easily done.'

---You go over to Ailis and he stirs opening his eyes.

---'Bret, I must warn you, my people will be coming to your lands soon. They are not as kind as me. They sent me to befriend your people and to learn about your strengths and weaknesses. They intend to take your lands from you.'

---Father hears this and grabs you by the arm. 'What have you brought upon us?'

---You try to convince him that Ailis is a good man, but he tells you that if Ailis lives he will be imprisoned in the stone hut.