I wasn't too happy with the orignal chapter three, so it is again just redone and updated. Please enjoy and review.

*Edit upon epiphany*

I also realised that I could have just hit replace chapter... LOL.

Kim Possible: Dragonborn: Chapter 3: Riverwood

Kim winced as the bright sun nearly blinded her and cold fresh mountain air filled her lungs. She took several deep breaths savouring the scent of pine and hemlock. They were alive. Against all odds the three of them had made it out of that doomed town.

But her elation was tinged with melancholy. Kim had killed someone in that fortress and what was worse, she had enjoyed it. Even when out and adventuring in Cyrodiil she had never been forced to kill a person. She had been in her share of fights, certainly, and had run into more than a couple of less then savoury characters, but never once had she been forced to kill.

"Ahhh... Breath in that fresh air." Ron grinned, as he took in several great breaths of the cold mid-morning air. "Nothing like almost being killed and or eaten several times in one morning to make you feel alive!"

Kim merely grunted as she pushed past him. The sense of joy and triumph had been diluted by what she had done. By the blood that now stained her hands.

Ron was quick to catch up. "Kim?"

Kim ignored him continuing down the mountain path, determined to put as much distance between her and the ruined town as much as possible. Internally Kim felt herself at war once again, a part of her was celebrating everything; that fact that she was alive, the fact that despite everything that had tried to kill her and Ron, she had fought her way out and Kim had tasted victory over the woman who had ordered her execution.

The fact that this... part of her was growing... terrified her. Kim had always been brave, almost to the point of recklessness. It was something that she had prided herself on, but now, now she felt a cold tendril of fear creeping, worming its way through her mind.

"Kim?" Ron called again, as he caught up to her. His concern for his new found ally falling on deaf ears, as Kim continued to struggle internally with the consequences and the morality of what she had done to survive.

Kim finally stopped as she stared down into the valley. Vast forests of pine and cedar stretched as far as she could see, covering the vast swath of land in a dark rich green, broken only by the cold grey waters of the river that cleaved the valley in half and the grey and white peaks of the mountains, jutting up from the land like the massive teeth of some long dead monster of legend.

Ron stopped just behind her and allowed the heavy silence to build between them, as he shifted from foot to foot uneasily. Rufus who had perched himself on his shoulder, chattered softly into his friend's ear. Wanting to know why the woman, who had recently been laughing and celebrating their escape, had suddenly turned to melancholy and despair.

Ron merely shrugged at his old friend's question. "I don't know little buddy. I don't know."

The two watched their silent companion for a moment, both unsure of what to do and both, despite the fact they had only known the young Imperial woman only for a brief period, had grown somewhat attached to her and were now concerned about her sudden change in demeanour.

"I never had to kill anyone before." Kim finally answered without turning around. Though neither Ron nor Rufus had voiced the question, nor did it seem as though she was talking to anyone in particular, as she still stared off into the sea of green that made up the valley below them.

"I mean, I have traveled all throughout Cyrodiil, through the caves and the ruins of the old Imperial forts. But I have never had to kill... And now... now I've seen men decapitated, burned alive, crushed by falling debris, eaten... and... and I've... I've killed someone."

Kim turned towards him. Her shoulders were slumped; her expression; tired. Exhausted. Her guilt at what she had done to survive was weighing her down. But despite the very fact that what they had done had been necessary for their own survival and Kim was allowing that guilt to overwhelm her.

"I'm sorry Kim." The words sounded hollow even to him. But Ron really didn't know what else to say. He wasn't used to having to comfort someone, there was more or less of an acceptance from where he had come from. You did what you had to do in order for you and your family to survive.

Awkward silence filled the air between them, as the young woman merely nodded, before turning to stare back out at the wilderness.

Ron awkwardly raised a hand as though to rest it on her shoulder, in a gesture of what he hoped was comfort. A feeling of revulsion and loathing shot through him. A feeling that was, with great difficulty, suppressed as he reached out and let his hand come to a gentle rest on the woman's shoulder.

The stood like that for several minutes. Even though Ron hated every moment of every second that his skin was in contact with someone else's. He kept his hand on her shoulder.

Above them the air suddenly reverberated with a thundering roar. An icy tendril of fear cut through her stupor, as a winged monster blotted out the very sun.

"By the Nine!" Ron gasped, as another roar reverberated throughout the valley.

"Get down!" Kim snapped, as she threw the stunned Nord behind a rotting tree stump, before scrambling to cover herself.

Above them, the great black dragon circled lazily around the burnt husk of the town it had just destroyed, as though it was still looking prey that might have escaped its wrath.

The two of them froze, not even daring to breathe for fear that the creature would spot the even slightest of movement, and drop down on them like some vast bird of prey. Time moved slowly, seconds seemed hours, as the two waited for either the great beast to leave, or for something to give them away.

Finally, as though satisfied that by its destruction or that its task had been complete; the monster banked and flew off towards the mountains, leaving the two huddling figures gasping for breath, as the tension and the fear left them.

"Let's never do that again!" Ron panted heavily as he moved away from the rotting stump, Rufus nodding in agreement, as he scrambled up to Ron's shoulder.

Kim cast a fearful glance up into the sky, giving careful scrutiny to every white wisp of cloud, expecting the black form of the dragon to come bursting through and end the three of them with great blast of fire.

"So... What's the plan Kim?"

Kim spun around. "What?"

Ron shrugged. "I'm not really a take charge kinda of guy... the little details kinda of get lost on me, I'm more big picture. And you got what looks like a good head on your shoulders, so I figured you lead and I'll follow."

She was silent for a moment. Why he was looking to her for direction was a mystery to Kim. She was after all, a stranger in Skyrim. She had no idea of what to do or what to expect. She didn't know what kinds of towns or villages were close by or whether they were friendly or not. She didn't know anything about the sort of creatures that called Skyrim home; the spiders, back in the cave had been a very unpleasant surprise and she didn't want to know if there was something worse than those abominations.

No Kim couldn't. There was no reason for her to lead, and she was better off heading back to the border and going home to Cyrodiil. But then, another voice in the back of her mind spoke up. Kim had made a promise to her father and to her family that she would oversee their holdings in Skyrim, and Kim had never broken a promise before in her life.

Besides, the voice continued, wasn't this the adventure that she had dreamed about? The adventure that she had always wanted? She was free now; she didn't have to worry about her mother or her father and the curfews that they had set for her. She didn't have to worry about conforming to some nobleman's idea of how a woman should act and behave. Nor did she now have to worry if the estate would still be standing after her brothers' newest experiment. Wasn't that what she had always wanted? Wasn't this the freedom that she had always dreamed about?

"Well..." Kim found herself saying. "We need to warn people first. There's a man eating dragon flying around somewhere out there. Where's the closest village?"

Ron nodded, that made sense. "Give me a second."

He moved past Kim and stared off into the distant horizon looking for some marking or point of reference. After a minute or so, he pointed to something off in the distance.

"There." Ron said uncomfortably, pointing at what looked like giant columns of inky black stone, jutting up from a mountain side like broken teeth. They were built in the way that reminded Kim of the skeletal remains of roof on a burned, charred hut.

"What's that?" Kim asked.

"Bleak Falls Burrow." Ron answered with obvious distaste. "I know where we are. Riverwood rest about half a day's journey in the shadow of that... place. Lucky us, I have a con... a friend who lives there. He'll give us a place to stay for the night."

"Alright, then." It sounded like a plan, "let's go."

The three of them moved briskly down the dirt path. They had travelled in relative silence for several minutes, the only sound coming from pebbles and other small debris that crunched beneath their boots, before Kim finally broke it.

"Look Ron, I'm sorry but can you tell me what exactly is going on? I don't mean the dragon, but why were we almost executed? And who is it that the Imperial Legion is fighting up here?"

Her companion glanced over at her. "You really don't know? Word of the civil war up here really hasn't gotten down south?"

Kim shook her head, "It's been several months since I left home, and although there were rumours, I really didn't pay much attention to them."

"Well, there are several reasons I guess, and all of them revolve around the Empire signing the White-Gold Concordat which ended the Great War. I'm not an expert but if I had to choose the number one reason; it would be the banning of the worship of Mighty Talos."

Kim sighed. It would have to be as stupid as that. Talos or Tiber Septim, as he was called in Cyrodiil, was once considered the Ninth Divine, the gods of the world, of all of Tamriel. But the Thalmor had, after the Great War, demanded that the Empire cease their worship of the First Emperor.

Many of the Imperial citizens now realised that worshiping Tiber Septim was a mistake that elevating him to the status of a god, was a disservice, if not borderline heretical. Simply because it took away from the man's accomplishments, and weakened the memory of him.

Obviously, the Nords had yet to realise this.

"Ron, you do realise that Tiber Septim is not a god."

Ron looked back at her. "Be careful who you say that to Kim. There are many Nords who would take your head for that. They are resentful that the Empire just signed away our Gods and Mighty Talos to the elves."

Kim was taken back, and looked at him in surprise. She had no idea that the Nords took their worship of Talos so seriously.

Ron caught her look, and explained. "Before he became Tiber Septim, Talos was a Nord. He was our greatest of heroes, and a Dragonborn to boot. It was He who drove out the Nords ancient Elven enemies, and conquered all of Tamriel and for that he was raised to Godhood. Each house, every family had a shrine to Talos, and so when the Empire signed him away, many Nords felt betrayed. Particularly the Stormcloaks under Ulfric, who are trying desperately to now drive the Empire and the Thalmor out of Skyrim, and restore Talos to his rightful place in the Divines."

Kim couldn't help herself. "So who do you support?"

Ron laughed. "Getting involved in Nordic politics requires both a great deal of intelligence, and willingness to lose one's head. I have neither so I'm staying out of it, and getting the hell out of Skyrim when I get a chance."

"Then why are you following me? Shouldn't you be heading to the border?"

Ron was silent for a moment; he really didn't know why he was following her. If it had been anyone else, he would have thanked them, shaken their hands and left on his own separate merry way, maybe after robbing them, depending on whether he liked them or not.

But this woman was different. There was something about her, that was... well he didn't know what really. But he would at least make sure that she got to where ever it was that she was going. Ron did owe her that at least.

"Well you did save my life in the cave back there." Ron answered after a moment, "and I still owe you for your horse, so I'll see you to where ever it is that you're going, before I leave you. It's the least I can do."

Kim smiled. "Thank you, Ronman."

The two chattered as the walked, trying to learn what they could of their other traveling companion. It was during these talks that Kim learned that her new friend had an amazing talent; he could talk for hours on end and yet say very little at all.

Every time she tried to ask Ron a question about him, or his past, Ron would skilfully deflect the question, often by telling a story about him and some nonsensical situation that he had found himself in, and had only just gotten out of it through sheer dumb luck. Or it would be a story about him and Rufus and some nonsensical situation that the two had manged to get themselves into, and only through the rat's unbelievable cunning or intelligence, and Ron's incredible dumb luck that the two were able to escape from said nonsensical situation.

In fact she found herself more often then not, talking more about her own past, and her own family, then of his. Ron it seemed was determined to remain a mystery.

She did find out a few things though; he had several fears that most people would think ridiculous in the extreme. He had, for an example; a crippling fear of normal sized insects, but strangely enough, he could handle the dog sized and larger Frostbite spiders with little problem. He also had a fear of mud crabs, a result of a bad fishing trip that he and a brother of his had taken and strangest of all; particularly because she had been talking about the time her brothers' alchemical experiment that had encased both theirs and her own room in a foot of ice, Ron had freely admitted a particular loathing of meat cakes. Which Kim had been led to believe were actually considered a Nordic delicacy.

Kim thought this last admission strange, even for her new found friend who was revelling himself to be, quite frankly, weird. Not once in her story had she mentioned food, cake, or even meat, but meat cakes had come up none the less.

Another thing that Kim was finding strange was that he never offered any tales from before he turned sixteen summers. The tales that he offered were relatively recent with the earliest happening a scant four or five years ago. Nor did Ron offer any stories about his mother or father, if he included any family members it was always a brother or a sister, of which he seemed to have a number of, and when she would ask about them, she would find her question avoid like a plague, or deflected with another story.

"So who is this friend of yours that we are seeing?" Kim asked as Ron finished a tale about how he and three of his siblings, thanks to an incident involving the steward's daughter, a skeever (which apparently was an animal not unlike the giant rats back in Cyrodiil), a hat, and a copious amount of mead; had escaped from the city of Solitude with the Innkeeper, a tailor, three ship captains, and what had to have been, by Ron's own estimation, half of Solitude's guards, as well as a cohort of legionaries after them.

Ron grinned, his face splitting into a boyish smile that seemed to come so easily to his face. "His name's Felix. I've helped him out a couple of times; you know with...ah... deliveries... payments... that sort of thing."

Kim frowned. "You mean illegal sort of things."

"No... No... Nononononononono...well...yes..." Ron stammered, as he desperately tried to placate her. "Well, you see he's a trader, and he is also one of the reasons why the mill does so well because he has contacts with lumber buyers in several holds and Riverwood's mill is able to sell cheaper... usually because I deliver the bribes to the Jarl's officals for him, so that Riverwood can skirt the taxes and other fees that would be levelled against their shipments; you know so nothing that actually hurts anybody."

"Hmm. And what about the other mills? Aren't they hurt by your 'deals'?"

Ron snorted. "Not with the war going on. Both the Imperials and the Stormcloaks are buying up so much lumber, that mills can practically name their prices, all I do is just ensure that Riverwood gets its own fair share of the cut."

"Indeed." Was all that Kim had said.

After an hour or so of walking, Kim decided it was time, to stop for a rest. The afternoon was becoming quite hot, especially with the woollen, quilted tunic that she was wearing and the leather and chain cuirass that went over top. They made their way to a small bubbling stream, and Kim collapsed against a willow that over looked it.

Now that the danger had passed, the toll of the day was starting to wear on her. Although she prided herself on her endurance and stamina, but it had been severely draining as only just this morning she had been forced to run for her life, had been nearly killed several dozens times in under a hour or so and had now been marching through Skyrim's untamed wilderness.

As Ron wander off, to forage for some food, Kim dunked her head into the creek, and splashed the back of her neck with the ice cold, but immensely refreshing water. Wishing that she had a canteen, she settled for merely drinking her fill, before collapsing against the willow's trunk.

Ron returned not long after, without having much luck. Finding only with Rufus' help, a couple of semi-ripe apples, and a few berries. But Kim was too exhausted and too hungry to really care or complain.

"We should reach Riverwood by sundown, if we keep this pace up." Ron said as he bit into his apple, pulling a face at the taste of the sour, semi-ripe fruit before throwing it away.

"And then what?" Kim asked, "Where will you go?"

"I'm not going to leave you after Riverwood." Ron answered quickly, "I'll see you to wherever it is that you're going. I give you my word."

Kim nodded. "Okay, I'm heading to Rockwallow mine, in the ...Halmarch? My family recently bought the deed to the mine, and I'm being sent to oversee its operation."

"It's Hjaalmarch." Ron corrected, "I don't know where the mine is, but I can take you to Morthal the capital of the Hjaalmarch. You'll be able to find someone to guide you from there."

Kim smiled. "Thank you Ron, but I think we are getting a little to far ahead of ourselves. We should concentrate on getting to Riverwood first."

Rufus nodded, and chirped in agreement, as he stuffed the remaining berries into his overly large mouth.

With that, the three companions got underway once again. The path that they followed now, had gradually widened and began to show signs of being well traveled. As the sun moved over them and down into her final resting place, the tolls and the trials of the day, were also being finally being put to rest as well. Ron had even begun whistling a cheerful tune, as he guided them towards their destination.

So it came as a complete surprise, when a giant black shadow attacked him, tossing him to the ground and into the bushes that grew along side the dirt road, before leaping after him. Kim barely had time to react, when another large and powerful shape smashed into her knocking her to the dusty ground. Kim rolled to her feet, and faced her attacker. A wolf.

It did not bother wait for her to draw her weapon, mouth a gape, fangs dripping with slobber, it launched itself at her again. Its mouth snapped closed on empty air where her leg had been just a second before, only to catch a boot to the face for its effort, forcing it back with a yelp of pain.

With space between them, Kim quickly drew her blade and took a guard, waiting for the beast to attack her again. The wolf circled her, glaring at her with wicked yellow eyes, looking for an opening. Or so she thought. When out of the corner of her eye, Kim caught a glimpse of another black shape throwing itself at her. Kim reacted quickly and leapt to the side allowing the massive black shape to miss her completely.

The second wolf landed, and quickly turned to face her, circling her along with its pack mate, looking for an opening. Not wanting to give it a chance, Kim darted forward, with a quick thrust. The wolf darted back, but was not quick enough and the blade caught it in the shoulder, cutting into its flesh. Yelping in pain both wolves backed away cautiously, one limping rather heavily, but they did not run.

Bushes to her left parted, and she reacted, almost slicing deep into Ron's thigh, as he leapt through them.

"Whoa! Whoa! I'm on your side! I'm on your side!" Ron screamed, as the tip of Kim's sword passed dangerously close to cutting into Ron's thigh.

"Well how in Oblivion was I supposed to know that!" Kim snapped, as Ron rushed to her left side, black knife drawn, protecting her from a flanking attack.

Despite the numbers now being even, and one of their own now injured, the two wolves, did not stop circling. The growling and barking became even more frequent and more intimidating. Finally the injured one leapt forward, both Kim and Ron reacted, rushing forward to meet the attack.

But it was a feint, as they concentrated on the injured one, the other wolf charged. Unaware of the danger Ron reacted to slowly, and the wolf caught him in the arm, biting deep. Ron screamed in pain as the wolf brought him down, its teeth digging and shredding the flesh and tearing into the meat of Ron's arm.

Kim turned as her companion went down, only to have the injured one, emboldened by its pack mate's success resume its attack. Launching itself at her, Kim had no choice but to protect herself and hope that Ron could survive for a few seconds until she could help him.

Kim aimed a kick, at the wolf's injured side forcing it to break off its attack. As it dodged the kick, Kim threw herself forward swinging her sword. This time the blow struck true, and cut deep into body, cutting into the flesh, and exposing the red ruin of muscle. The wolf collapsed, whimpering pitifully, as Kim quickly stabbed downwards into its head, mercifully ending the beast's pain.

She turned back to help Ron, but found him pushing the corpse of the second wolf off of him, before wiping the dust, drool, and fur from his body.

"Ron!" Kim cried, as she rushed forward pulling up her armour, and tearing a sizeable length of cloth from her tunic. Quickly, and despite his protests and violent flinching, she wiped away the massive amount of blood that stained his arm searching for what had be gapping and ragged wounds.

She found nothing.

Ron's arm should have been a mess of ragged flesh and torn muscle. Should have been.

But it was perfectly fine.

"H-how..." Kim stammered, as she stared at him.

"Lucky." Was all that Ron said as he pushed past her, sheathing his blade.

Still stunned Kim was about to call him back and force him to explain, when the bushes parted again, and the black shape of a wolf, with a pink blob clutching both of its ears, jumped in front of her.

The wolf whimpered as Rufus let go of its ears, and jumped in front of it. Cracking his knuckles and glaring menacingly at the wolf. Rufus took a half step towards it bearing his overlarge teeth in wicked hungry smile. The wolf yelped, turned tail and bolted, trying to get as far away from the small pink daemon as it could.

Rufus flexed his forearms triumphantly, before scampering up Kim's stunned form. Chattering excitedly the rat pointed towards Ron, who was now a good deal ahead of her. Shaking her head, and waking herself up from her stunned disbelieve, Kim hurried after her partner, determined to finally get some answers.

"Ron wait!" Kim yelled as she caught up with him. "How in the Gods' names were you able to do that? Are you a mage, or..."

Ron laughed. "No, I have no talent for magics. No its actually this."

Ron pulled the black, curved knife from it sheath and held it up to the light of the fading sun, as though admiring its edge.

"The knife?" Kim asked

"The knife." Ron nodded, "the blade is enchanted. It steals the life energy of whatever it cuts, and uses that to heal the wounds of the one whose holding it."

Kim shuddered. The knife that had so disquieted her before, now just seemed abhorrent. "Where did you get something like that?"

Ron stared at it for a few more seconds, before twirling expertly around his hand and then slipping it back into its sheath on his thigh.

"Family heirloom." His tone made it quite clear that was as far as he was willing to discuss the subject with her.

Although intrigued and mystified, Kim decided that she would let the matter drop. It was obvious that her companion had many secrets, and she was just going to have to trust him and give him time. She was sure that eventually he would open up to her, if just given time and space.

The three of them entered Riverwood just as the sun was setting. The small village consisted of well made, dark timber huts, which rested against the banks of a fast flowing, crystal clear river which provided power for the lumber mill.

There was a large inn, a blacksmiths shope, and according to Ron, a general goods store. And of course the mill, but other than that there was not much here. Not even a wall, or a tower protected the village from attack. They were vulnerable, even more so then Helgen.

As the three made their way down the road, Kim could help but marvel at how close this village resembled those that she had left behind in Cyrodiil.

I guess some things are universal. Kim thought, as Ron lead her towards a rather large, two story hut that sat just beside the inn. A village is village no matter where in the world.

A tall Nord sat on the stairs leading to the store, whittling on piece of wood with rather large knife. As they approached, the man looked up with a bright smile that reached up into his blue green eyes. But that smile vanished when the man caught sight of Ron.

Ron did not seem to notice, or if he did, he didn't seem to care and instead marched up to the bottom of the stairs, his arms spread open for a hug.

"Felix Renton!" Ron laughed, as the man struggled to get up, clasping a cane in his left hand as limped down the stairs to meet his friend. "I haven't seen you in ages! How have you been?"

Ron, unfortunately, never saw the right hook, until it crashed against the side of his jaw, sending him tumbling into the dirt for the second time that day.

"Ron!" Kim yelled as she dropped down to help him up, only to have him, as usual to pull away. She had forgotten about his hatred of being touched.

"What in Talos' name are you doing here?" The man growled as Ron slowly picked himself up from the floor.

"What is it with people punching me today?" Ron asked no one in particular, as he brushed the off the dust that now coated his armour. "Renton! What was that for?"

The man glared at him. "Have you lost what little sense remained in that head of yours? You know exactly why. They're watching me, you know."

Ron nodded. "I know, I know, we'll talk... but not here." He titled his head towards Kim, "Just know that I have a really, really good reason for it."

Felix glanced at Kim, as though just noticing her. For her part Kim allowed her hand to rest on the hilt of her sword. In a not so subtle threat.

He looked her up and down twice as he leaned heavily on his cane. "And now you're bringing Stormcloaks to my home as well as your sorry ass! Are you trying to get me hung and quartered?"

Felix looked her over again. "Wait, you are no Stormcloak. You're an Imperial. What are you doing in that armour?"

Kim sighed. "Its a long story."

Ron nodded in agreement. "It is. Please Felix. You know I would not have come here if I wasn't desperate. Please we need a place to stay for one night, and then will be gone."

Felix glared at the two humans and one rat, as he scratched at the light brown stubble on his chin. "Alright... One night, but I want an explanation."

With that, Felix hobbled up the stairs and pushed into his shop. "Monique!" He cried as he entered his home. "Put some extra meat on the table we have visitors!"

Kim and Ron followed after him, letting the tension of the day run off of them like water of a dog's back.

They were safe.

But for how long?