When night fell we decided to keep on going due to the lack of dangerous animals or monsters in the surrounding area. There were wolves and even some rather aggressive birds, but they were about as deadly as first-floor mobs so none of us were particularly scared. We all had magical lights, although Tenna had a magic lantern that gave off a much whiter glow compared to mine and Lex's torches.
In any case, we could see, and though so could anything else, we weren't worried.
"The next farm is just up ahead," Lex said. "This one wasn't as bad. They only lost a few animals, although one of the people took a nasty wound."
"That means he might have a description," I said, then frowned. "But if he did, then why wasn't it in the info we got."
"Because he was asleep," Tenna said. "That wound got infected, and none of the adventures who came saw fit to heal him. They just assumed they could handle it." Her voice has a note of disapproval.
"Unsirpsing," Lex said. "They're all at Winsby for a reason. They couldn't cut it in the big cities. To put it bounty. They're low-class adventures, even if they are the strongest in the town."
I wondered how long it would be before I managed to get to that level. It wouldn't take nearly as long as it would for Tenna or Lex, but that led back to my biggest problem. The inevitability of choice. A choice I would have to make sooner or later. I couldn't hide things forever, and eventually, people would notice. I really didn't want to leave, but so far it seemed like it was the best option. To keep training here, then leave and head somewhere else. That would be easy, or at least it would be before I'd met Eloria and her group.
For the first time in a long time, I had friends. True friends who had my back. I didn't want to lose them so soon, especially not to lie. I sighed, and put those thoughts to the back of my mind. That time would come, but for now, I had a job to get on with.
It was the middle of the night by the time we arrived at the farm. Unlike the first farm, there were no dogs as guards. Instead, a voice called out to us.
"Stop!" It was loud and punctuated by the sound of a drawstring.
We froze.
"Who are you!"
"Adventurers," Tenna called back. "Here about a job."
"What job?"
"The attacks," Tenna said. "Others came but they failed. We're here now."
There was a long silence before the sound of footsteps drew close. A young man in his twenties with brown hair and blue eyes came into view. He winced and lifted a hand to cover his eyes. Lex and I turned our torches off, leaving only the white light of Tenna's lantern.
"Are you the owner?" I asked.
"No, I'm his son, Thomas," he said, raising a hand, and turning to look over his shoulder. "You can lower your bows lads." He turned back and gave the three of us an assessing look. "You don't seem as well put together as the last one who came."
"The job's gone public," Tenna said.
Thomas grimaced. "Shit. And you think you can do what they couldn't?"
"Maybe," Lex said. "We just want to speak to the one who was injured. Then we'll be on our way. We passed Toka's place, and are heading north."
"Well, you can come in, but one wrong move, and you're out on your asses."
He turned without waiting for a response. We glanced at each other, then Lex shrugged and followed. Tenna and I followed a second alter.
"They seem one edge," I whispered to Tenna.
"Well, they were attacked," Tenna said. "Even if it seems like it's passed, it's not a bad idea to have heightened security."
"True," I said. Too much security never hurt, but too little always led to problems.
We were led up to a large building, passing three other men armed with bows. Thye shot us suspicious looks but kept their eyes on the night for the most part. The interior of the home was basic and relatively clean.
"My da's and mam are away on business," Thomas said. "Left me in charge. Well, me and my sister, but she's still recovering." He didn't elaborate further before walking up a set of stairs and down a hall to a door that had a few patterns and cute images painted onto its surface.
Thomas knocked twice. "Lora, you dressed?"
There was the shuffling of sheets, and rapid footsteps before the door opened to reveal a teen. Lora looked like she was around eighteen with blond hair and blue eyes that matched her brother's. She was dressed in a simple tunic and pants.
Thomas sighed. "You shouldn't be walking, Lora."
Lora pouted. "Why not, I said I'm fine."
"You may feel fine, but Ma said you're not," Thomas replied, moving into the room. Lora stepped back, and her eyes focused on me and the others as we stopped in. She blushed and quickly turned to Thomas.
"You should have said we had guests," Lora hissed.
"They won't be here long," Thomas said. "They're adventures, and they want to ask you some questions about… that night."
Lora's face grew pale, and she gulped audibly. "Oh."
Her entire demeanor seemed to shift, and her shoulder slumped as she walked back to the only bed in the room. She took a seat and glanced at her brother who nodded silently. "Go ahead."
Lora looked up at us. "What do you want to know?"
"Everything," Tenna said in a gentle voice. "But take your time. If it's too much, we'll leave. We don't need this information, but it would be helpful." Lex and I nodded in agreement. We already had a good idea of what we were dealing with, but some solid details would be very welcome. Whatever Lora had seen, it had clearly left a mental mark. Her eyes looked haunted, and her face had grown paler.
"I was just checking on the lambs, when it happened," Lora begin. "It was nearly full dark, but nothing had ever happened to us. The only monsters around never approach, so I took my time. That was a mistake…" Her voice trailed off and her eyes became distant, like pools of glass, reflecting nothing.
None of us said anything. Soon she snapped out of it and shook whatever had come off, at least most of it.
"It started with a howl." Lora took a deep breath. "I was surprised, but I'd heard them before. But this one was closer, and when I turned, I saw something in the trees. I thought it was one of the boys messing with me. They've done it before so I walked over." Her hands were shaking, and her voice grew quieter. "It wasn't. It was like a dog on two legs, its fur was black as night, and its eyes… its eyes… It stared at me, and I just stopped."
Thomas put a hand on her shoulder. Lora jumped but then relaxed under her brother's reassuring touch.
"How big was it?" Lex asked.
"Maybe a foot taller than you." She pointed at me. "And it had claws, but that wasn't the worst part. Its mouth didn't open normally. It split like a flower, into four parts."
"Four parts?" Lex said, sounding confused. "And it looked like a dog on two legs."
Lora nodded. "It jumped at me and clawed my leg. I passed out after that, and woke up in the house."
"So it attacked but didn't kill," Tenna muttered. "It killed your animals, though, yes?"
Thomas nodded. "Six of 'em, they only ate two though, left the others to rot. We managed to get to the meat and get it off so we could keep it well. Don't like to waste."
I nodded. I very much agreed with that. It was something my dad had really enforced into me at a young age. Never waste food.
"Well, if that's all, then we'll be on our way," Tenna said.
"At this time?" Lora asked. "You should stay."
"As pleasant as that sounds," Lex said, "we got a job to do."
He was right, and after a quick goodbye, and a large wrapped pack of meat shoved into our hands, we left, promising we'd let them know if anything came of our hunt. When we were a good distance away, I turned to Lex. "So, know of any monsters like that?"
"Not specifically," Lex said, tearing a chunk out of a dried strip of meat. "But I have heard of such monsters, although the thing with the mouth is not something I've ever heard of. Not even in the deep green. Seven feet, claws, pack mentality, and intelligent. We've got our work cut out for us. This isn't going to be easy."