The giant hole was giving off its own small breeze. Loran wondered what was below that might be doing it. She was contemplating a running river or other such natural creation. That would explain why any sort of living thing might choose this particular spot as a good place to live.
Looking at the ground around her and plotting her way into the hole without just jumping in she carefully selected stones and ground that looked the most solid. One foot found solid ground, then another, and soon she was halfway down into the hole.
"Are you mentally deficient?" Screamed a small voice from up in the trees.
Loran blew a kiss up at the tree. Normally she kept her decorum even when she wasn't wearing the armor. However, Cai-Pel was a life long friend and they enjoyed tormenting each other. "I can't help it old age has made you scared of every little hole or shadow."
"Die how you want then. I won't even tell you what's in that hole." Cai-Pel snorted and leaned against a tree.
The cave opened up into a flat landing just below the opening. She could feel the breeze and the smell changed. The air now smelled of wood and moisture. The funk of rotten vegetation was lurking at the entrance and something else. It almost smelled of copper, but not like blood, like molten hot copper.
"Hey, you up there. You going to come down finally and join me?" She shouted at the trees.
A branch fell out of the tree. The bark had been cleared and the word "no" carved on the edge. Loran laughed and looked up. "Thanks for the stick!"
She began closing her eyes. She had better eyesight than most people due to her heritage, but she still needed to let them adjust. She closed her eyes and walked into the opening.
When she opened them just a few seconds later she saw a world of roots and branches. Mushrooms hung from the wood and water seemed to be seeping from the roof in some unnatural way.
She poked one and it just wiggled. They didn't emit spores, they didn't appear to be sentient. She swore this was farming. It was an absolutely bizarre way to farm, but it was deliberate. She did not doubt that.
She walked farther in and the floor suddenly went from the soft feel of rotten debris to hard rock. She was able to pick out some completely out of place furniture. A bed made of huge branches sat in one corner. A table and chair sat in another corner. Stacks of books, candles, and jars of food were on shelves or stacked in corners. Besides the obvious craftsmanship of the furniture, it looked like the perfect hermit home.
She walked to the table and noted the papers strewn about the desk. They were written accounts of notes in the council. Her eyes lit up. This was either someone well informed or a spy. She had hit the jackpot. This kind of find had to be reported back to the superiors. Anyone in the woods out here had to be up to no good.
She grabbed the first sheet she could and turned to head back the way she came. For the first time, she noticed the very large, very imposing door that had been to her back this whole time. It was hiding behind an outcropping of rock and tucked just out of view.
She walked towards it and heard the soft sounds of feet on the mossy soil. She could hear whispering and talking. There was more than just one of them. She had put her knives away when she got into the room but she quickly pulled one back out again.
As she got within a foot of she reached out to remove the large brass lock and head inside. Suddenly she felt a hand on her face and she was lifted off her feet.
Faster than she could react she was dragged by the head out of the cave and back to the outside. Her face was completely covered but she could smell wood and dirt. She felt the callouses and hard-worked hand against her face. She could breathe but she didn't bother screaming. Anyone with the power to pick her whole body up and carry her wasn't the least bit concerned about her screaming. Her best option was to wait for him to stop and attack by surprise.
She felt her body being dragged up the slope and very quickly being taken into the forests. Whoever was taking her felt the need to get away quickly.
"Don't scream, we don't want to attract their attention. You must be a damned idiot to climb into that thing. I hate to break the peace but I had to get you out of there. Scream and I will throw you back into that hole when the owner gets here. Got it?" The voice was gruff and gravely.
She tried to nod but couldn't. She squeaked out a "Yes" as best she could before she felt herself put down on her feet.
The hand moved from around her head. When she got her first look the hand belonged to a huge body. This man was of the Badger clan. They were secretive, and hated confrontation but were amazing fighters. Some of them were stronger than even the most feared minotaurs. This man had scars across his face. He had far more animal features than human. His face was very much badger still, indicating that his family had not interbred at any time in the past.
His black and white fur had scars of battles all across it. He wore leather pants and a shirt. A bag hung across his back. The bag was almost as big as Loran. He obviously was used to working out in the forest for long periods of time.
"I imagine you have no idea who I am or why I am here. What is your name?" She said with all the authority her knight training could muster.
"I don't give the heat from two rats fucking who you are everywhere else. In that hole and this forest, you are an idiot who nearly caused war and invasion. My name is Ostrand Bertrize. And you can kindly get the hell out of this forest before you do any more damage." His big hand pointed in the general direction of the capital. He gave her a second to start walking before sighing.
"Why don't you wood walk or whatever your people call it back to your precious capital and never come back." His hand flicked that direction giving her the indication it was time to leave. His patience was wearing thin.
Loran looked up at the face and wanted to punch it. The badger people were some of the fiercest warriors. No one really knew how long they lived in the wild because they rarely died of old age. To see this man you would assume he had been alive a very long time. She tried to justify his stellar lack of manners to his social isolation.
"Sorry lady, you can stare into my eyes all you want but I'm just not into Fay women. So you can leave or I will throw you out of my woods. Pick..." Ostrand was rubbing his temples with his fingers.
Loran put her hands on her hips and refused to back down. Stubbornness in a woman can be a blessing and a curse. Normally it makes them tenacious and successful. Sometimes it gets them hauled by their head out of a hole in the ground. As much as Loran wanted to fight with the man, she knew he had really meant for the best for the forest and her with it.
She looked around and gave out a slightly defeated sigh, "How about I just promise to leave this part of the forest then? I have some people I am looking for."
The badger kneeled down and looked at her. "Who on earth could you be looking for out here. This is the most desolate part of nowhere."
"I'm sure that's why you love it." She said with a smirk.
"Damn right that's why I love it. And you are ruining my solitude." He snarled just a bit and leaned up against a tree. "So you see there is no one but me and the person who lives in that hole around here sane enough to chose here. So whoever you are looking for ain't here."
Her hand went into a pocket in the front of her doublet. She felt the copper disk and pulled it out in front of her. "You are absolutely sure no one else lives here?"
"Are you deaf? Yes, god you'd think with those ears you could hear a flea fart. I... am... the... only... one... here..." He now remembered why he left for this part of the woods. Badgers are notoriously grumpy on a good day.
"Trade me then. Can you hold this disk for a second? It just confirms if you are or are not the person I'm looking for. Then I will leave, forest scouts honor." She said giving her most sincere smile.
Ostrand looked at her and sighed before putting his hand out. The emotions on his face always seemed unhappy but they seemed less unhappy now. "Fine, do it and leave."
Loran nodded and dropped the coin in his outstretched hand. This was easier than she expected. The coin vibrated and made a noise like chopping wood before falling back in his palm. The badger brought his head down to his hand before looking at the small woman. She was smugly grinning from ear to ear.
"See that Cai-Pel? I didn't even need your stupid games!" She was screaming up at the trees.
She's lost her mind, Ostrand wondered what kind of nutbar had wandered this far into the woods. She was going to need to be carried to make sure she didn't wander her way back. He was about to throw the coin into the woods when it disappeared with a quick motion. Loran was tucking it back into her shirt before he knew what had happened.
"Now hold on, give that back you sheisty little forest vermin." He said with a snarl. Before he could do anything a small spirit dropped from the trees between them. Ostrand had been a woodsman long enough to know the faces of the spirits. This wasn't a face he knew but he recognized its power. The fact that the forest hid it where even his highly acute senses couldn't detect it told him all he needed to know.
Cai-Pel walked over to Loran before patting her on the hip, "It makes an old man proud to see the youngster learning to do things on their own."
"Yeah, Yeah, it was a lucky guess." She smiled at Cai-Pel. She was ignoring the large badger now and this made him even madder.
He had respect for the spirit, they kept the forest safe. If this woman was associated with one, not only was she annoying but a problem. "Forest spirit, you are always welcome but who is this woman?"
Cai-Pel turned and looked up, "Oh she is a long-time friend of mine. We are on a search for certain people. You were one of them apparently. Thank you for cooperating. Do you have any questions?" It was the same tone of voice a teacher had with a student who just asked the same question twice.
Ostrand just stared at the spirit before remembering his manners, "Uh, No, I guess. Can I do anything for you? Offer you something to drink?" His attempts at hospitality were clumsy.
Cai-Pel clapped his hands. "Oh, a drink sounds lovely! The trees here trust you so I will too. Please lead the way."