Once I had returned to the cave I stepped in to hear the low sleeping growls of the bear. I didn't want to scare it into running away, I wanted to follow it. So I stepped back out and waited in the nearest tree facing the cave. The sun began to fade behind the horizon, and I began to wonder if the bear would wake at all. Low and behold just as night fell the bear came to the mouth of the cave and peeked out, checking each direction. I didn't know what to think about it at first. I had never knew bears to be so timid. Afterwards the beast walked out and stood on its hind legs. "How suspicious.", I thought, but then the bears form began to change. The bear became smaller and smaller, thinner and thinner. It's grey fur transformed into grayish colored skin. The form of a young woman took shape, her ears still long and pointed with the leafy earrings, her dark hair flowed to the small of her back. Her eyes were as red as mine. She began to run to the northeast, the same direction as the village. Her feet were swift, but also silent. Even my ears only picked up the smallest of sound as she planted her toes onto the ground, after each step.
I followed her all the way to the wood line that peeks out to the village. Flying there was much faster, but the forest offered much more cover. The young woman stood behind a tree peeking her head around it. A narrow road of dirt that led out of the village, past the farm fields directly westward into the woods was nearby. Each guard tower had fresh men posted for the night watch, their lanterns shining brightly in the darkness. The two guards that stood at the gate earlier that day now paced the road inspecting the area for any activity. One headed for the gate as the other walked towards the tree line, then they would turn and go back. The grey skinned woman inched her way over closer to the road without making a sound. As the guards met half way between the woods and the village she began to cross the dirt road. It looked as if she was preparing to ambush the guard that was coming towards us. As he got closer and closer I began to hear the trampling of hooves and feet, armor rattling, and the heavy breathing of horses coming down the road. I disappeared into a black fog, then reappeared behind the woman. Wrapping my left arm around her waist as my right hand held her mouth to keep her silent. She and I vanished and then emerged in a high branch in the nearest tree. Shocked that she had been captured she wiggled her body, and scratched at my face, trying to be free of my grasp. She quickly stopped as nothing she did could free her, and then she saw what was happening. A squad of soldiers rode down the road and out from the forest. "Set up camp here in the clearing!", ordered the warrior leading on horseback. I scouted out the army as they began to unload buggies, and set up tents. They had a decent range of levels from twenty up to the commander, who was thirty eight.
The night patrol met the commander and inquired as to why they were setting up at the village. "Commander Theo what is going on here? Are we finally launching an attack into the Nightshire?", the watchmen said with a proud grin. "No a prisoner escaped the capital heading east. We are here to capture him if he shows himself in the area. Soldiers have been dispatched to ever village east of Falmon, and the five guild halls of the kingdom received notice of the prisoners escape.", the commander replied in a stern and serious manner. The young woman and myself retreated backwards into cloud after cloud of dark smoke, until we were far enough away that I could safely fly us back to the cave. As we were now a safe distance away I released my hand that covered her mouth.
"Thank you, I would have been killed had I went for that guard.", the woman said as i released her at the entrance of the cave. "Wait, were you following me all the way from this cave?". She asked as she turned to see me. "I was.", I answered. "I stumbled onto you sleeping in this cave, I thought you were just a bear, so I planed to use you to farm some experience. What are you exactly?", I then asked her. "I am Feleshia, a dark elf shapeshifter of the Nightshire. Are you a shapeshifter too?", she asked as she noticed my wings were no longer in sight. "I am sort of like a shapeshifter I guess.", I said as I walked up the tree I had began to watch her from. "Level thirty three vampire lord, what is a vampire lord? I've never heard of that race.", she inquired with a puzzled look. "That is because I am the only one. I have no understanding of this world really. I've been in cages my entire life, so I don't know what a dark elf is either.", I said now hanging upside down from the lowest branch. "The dark elves are one of the races that inhabit the land across the river. The humans rule over Falmon, and that village is where adventuring parties stay to attack us. We are at a disadvantage in numbers. Dark elves can level higher, because the beasts in Nightshire are stronger, however the humans have vastly superior numbers, and form parties and groups to attack.", Feleshia explained to me. "I see so you were sent to scout the area, and thin their numbers as best as you could.". "Exactly, but now I won't be able to do much, and will have to retreat back to Nightshire tonight.", Feleshia stated now walking toward the river. "May I come with you? I would like to see the monsters of the Nightshire. If they can help me to level up more I could help you. You and I share a common goal.", I asked as I fell from the branch. "The dark elves do not do well with strangers, especially from Falmon, but I believe you might help us fend off the intruders, as well as bring some sense of peace to the Nightshire, so come and follow me".