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Chapter 3 - On Track

On her way to the farm, Lynna couldn't help but wonder if the missing cattle were the result of a savage beast or something else entirely. She hoped that this investigation would be resolved quickly, but she also knew that nothing was ever as simple as it seemed in her small village. Getting rid of a straggling monster was fine in her book. However, dealing with human-to-human problems like theft or neighborhood issues was another matter.

After walking for half a day, Lynna reached the Wilset farm, where the cattle had disappeared. She examined the area and noticed something unusual: a set of deep, heavy claw marks on the ground near the fence. 

She let out a relieved sigh. Monsters are easier to deal with than humans. She decided to directly follow the tracks and not to stop at the farm.

The marks led off beyond the farm, into one of the two dense forests of the village, hinting at a potentially dangerous creature lurking within. Lynna hesitated for a moment, feeling a mix of anxiety and hesitation. This was not the first time she had faced such a challenge, but a strange lingering unease made her feel more cautious than usual.

Gripping her staff tightly, she casted a spell and dense air condensed around her, one of the most efficient magic protections she had learnt at the Academy. Then she took a deep breath and followed the trail into the forest. 

As she ventured deeper into the woods, the sunlight filtering through the trees cast eerie shadows, and the air grew colder. She followed a track of subtle claw marks, with no signs of struggle or torn vegetation, indicating that whatever had taken the cattle had done so very quietly. Lynna knew that something was off, and she steeled herself for the unknown encounter.

Lynna's heart raced when she stumbled upon a small clearing.

Scattered around it was the group of missing cattle, drained of blood. The cattle's coats, a mix of colors like whites, blacks, and browns, shone under the soft sunlight filtering through the canopy above.

Around her, the landscape was a riot of greens and browns, the robust trees towering overhead with their verdant leaves rustling softly in the occasional breeze. The ground was a rough carpet of grass and patches of wildflowers, their beautiful colors a stark contrast against the sinister scene at the center of the clearing. 

Up above, a patchwork of azure sky peeked through the spaces in the canopy, dappled sunlight dancing on the ground below. The air was fresh, filled with the natural aroma of the forest – a blend of earth and leaves – punctuated by an ominous low growl echoing through the trees.