The large muscular minotaur scratched his jaw with his thick fingers. "Hrmm. It seems likely that the Kobogons stripped this village bare, and considering that this village is closest to the city there is a high chance that they have done the same to villages further away. These monsters are not stupid, they will have tried to extend the amount of time before they truly call the wrath of the city down on their heads. Killing an entire village like this, and not just a few missing persons as happens with any monster problem, will no doubt cause Lady Alexandria to personally come and glass this entire region flat with dragon fire. There won't be anything left."
Fey blinked. "If these monsters are smart, won't they know that is coming?"
"Yes. That is precisely the problem, if there are any survivors at all they are going to be killed and eaten by the Kobogons before they leave and they will no doubt soon be leaving. Doing this to a village won't escape notice for long."
"Fuck." said Ellaria. "Okay, it's simple then. We go in and we find where these awful creatures are hiding, we slaughter them all, and then we save the survivors."
"These things are taking out entire villages captain, that wasn't even considered a possibility. I think we might be a little over our heads here. Wouldn't it be better to wait for backup, no point us getting caught and killed too no?" said Baerinda.
Fey turned and stared daggers at the minotaur. "If you're not going to help me save the villagers then you can damn well get off my back. I'm going to help them no matter what any of you decide."
Baerinda quailed under the centaur's gaze, "N-no I didn't-"
"It's fine Baerinda," said Braddox, "The cautious move is to retreat but if we were being cautious we wouldn't have taken this job in the first place. This doesn't change anything, the Kobogons are simply more aggressive than first thought, not more powerful."
Fey trotted around another building, a grimace on her face as yet more signs of violence littered the streets, an overturned cart scattering apples, a basket trodden into the mud, a discarded sword, and as always, the ever present bloodstains.
"But how are we to find them?" she murmured.
"Oh that's easy, we have a tracker in our band!" said Astrid behind her.
"You do?"
"Yup! it's the one who thought Baerinda was a blanket last night."
"What are you blathering about Astrid?" said one of the black furred male minotaurs coming up behind them. He wore green-dyed leathers and over his shoulder was slung a heavy yew bow that looked as though it had an impressive draw weight, all of this together suggested he had something like a Scout Class.
"You can find the villagers?" asked Fey.
He squinted at the centaur, his gaze passing over the three female minotaurs squeezed onto her back, barely fitting. He paused as he noted a number of slim rivulets of wet that had rolled down the sides of the centaur's barrel each coming from the rears of the girls. He blinked, his brow furrowing.
"What-"
"The villagers Raeger? Can you find the villagers?" Chloe was waving a hand in front of his face and he blinked for a second before refocusing on priorities.
"Er, yes, I believe so. They may have taken to the air but I suspect with this many villagers taken that they will have simply walked and will be nearby, the amount of effort needed to move them by flight over a long distance is not worth it, at least I would assume."
"That's great!!" said Fey, her voice rising in hopeful excitement. "Quickly, you must take us to them! You must!"
Raeger rubbed at an ornate gold ring on one of his horns in thought, then his tracker's instinct taking over his eyes darted from blood stains to footprint, analysing. Then he began to walk.
The others followed in his steps and he quickly led them to the back of the village where they found a second door, this one in much worse a state having been ripped off its hinges. They emerged back out of the village and found themselves stepping through the forest once more, this time off the main road. Raeger darted around them to confirm they were on the right trail, pausing by the occasional spot of blood, or broken twig.
Half an hour later they arrived at their destination, the entrance to a cave. Ellaria had to command Fey to stand back as she was on the verge of rushing straight in.
"Take it slow. If we can see them before they see us then we will have every advantage."
"What?" said Flora
"It's because of me," said Baerinda. She flicked her fingers and a flock of green snails with moth wings burst from the undergrowth and whizzed around the bands' heads. "I can hide our presence with illusions that fool the eyes, make us invisible."