Chapter-13 Dwarven cooking

Finally, after what seemed like hours, they heard a rustling in the bushes nearby. Niall tensed, his eyes scanning the underbrush for any sign of movement.

Suddenly, a small rabbit darted out of the bushes, heading straight for one of their traps. Lith's heart pounded with excitement as he watched the rabbit sniff at the bait, its nose twitching in excitement.

Niall motioned for Lith to be quiet, and they both held their breath as the rabbit moved closer and closer to the trap. Finally, with a quick snap, the trap closed around the rabbit's leg.

Lith let out a whoop of excitement as Niall carefully retrieved the rabbit from the trap. "Great catch," Niall said, grinning from ear to ear. "You're a natural at this."

Lith beamed with pride as they gathered up their traps and started their way back towards camp. They managed to catch 3 rabbits and one of those rabbits was pretty big. He couldn't wait to show off their catch to the rest of the group and to try his hand at cooking their rabbit dinner over the campfire.

Niall and Lith made their way back to the campsite with three rabbits in hand. One of them was particularly large and would provide a hearty meal for the group.

Arin greeted them with a broad smile, patting Lith on the back. "Well done, laddie!" he exclaimed. "Ye have a keen eye for hunting. I be havin' a few dwarven rabbit secret recipes that would put those rabbits to good use."

Niall chuckled, shaking his head. "Always thinking about food, Arin," he said with a grin.

The dwarf laughed heartily. "Food is one of the great pleasures in life, Niall," he replied. "And dwarven cuisine is the best there is."

Lith looked up at Arin with interest, wondering what kind of recipes he had in mind. "What kind of recipes?" he asked.

Arin rubbed his hands together, his eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "Oh, all kinds!" he said. "Rabbit stew, rabbit pie, roasted rabbit, rabbit sausage. Ye be namin' it, I be havin' a recipe for it."

Niall rolled his eyes playfully. "He's not kidding, Lith," he said. "Arin can cook up a storm."

Lith grinned, excited to try some of Arin's dishes. "I can't wait to try them," he said.

Arin patted Lith on the back again. "Ye're a good hunter, laddie," he said. "Ye got a bright future ahead of ye. Maybe one day ye'll be a great dwarf chef like meself."

Niall and Lith laughed, enjoying the company of the dwarf. They settled down around the fire, handing the rabbits to Arin to cook.

Arin hummed to himself as he prepared the rabbits over the fire. He was a dwarf, and he took pride in his cooking skills. He knew that the rabbits had been caught by Lith and Niall and he was determined to make the most of their hard work.

He started by removing the fur and cleaning the meat. Then he seasoned it with salt and pepper and added some herbs, creating a savory smell that filled the air. Once the rabbits were ready, he placed them on the spit and slowly turned them over the fire.

As he worked, Arin chatted away happily to himself using words like "me hearties" and "at last". He had a special way of speaking that the other mercenaries found amusing.

Meanwhile, the rabbits cooked slowly and the group of men watched in anticipation. Arin kept turning the rabbits, ensuring that each side was evenly cooked. As the aroma of the cooked meat filled the air, everyone's mouth began to water.

Finally, after what felt like an age, Arin declared that the rabbits were ready. He removed them from the fire and served them on a plate.

But Arin was not done yet. He had noticed that some of the pieces of rabbit had been left unused and so he decided to make a stew. He added some potatoes and carrots to the pot, as well as some spices and herbs. He stirred the mixture until it was bubbling and then added the pieces of rabbit.

The men watched in awe as Arin cooked the stew. His skill was evident as he stirred the pot and added spices to the mix. Soon enough, the stew was ready as well and the men could finally eat.

Drogan and the mercenaries were equally impressed with the meal that Arin had prepared. The aroma of roasted rabbit filled the air, and the meat was so tender and juicy that it practically melted in their mouths. As for the stew, only one word could be said, delicious. They all praised Arin's cooking skills and complimented him on the delicious meal.

Even Lith, who had never tasted rabbit before, couldn't help but be impressed by the flavor. He had caught the rabbits himself with Niall's guidance, and he felt a sense of pride in contributing to the meal.

As they ate, Arin couldn't resist sharing some of his dwarven cooking secrets with the group. He talked animatedly about the various spices and seasonings that he had used, and how he had marinated the meat to make it extra flavorful.

The mercenaries listened with interest, nodding appreciatively at Arin's tips and tricks. Drogan even joked that they should hire Arin as their personal cook, to which the dwarf responded with a hearty laugh.

For a moment, they forgot about the dangers that lurked in the forest, and simply enjoyed each other's company. It was a welcome respite from the perils of their journey, and Lith felt a sense of belonging and camaraderie that he had never experienced before.

After the meal, they all settled around the campfire, feeling content and satisfied. They talked about their journey so far, and Drogan shared some of his plans for the next few days.

Lith was excited to be a part of the group and felt grateful for the experiences that he had already had. He couldn't wait to see what other adventures lay ahead, and he felt confident that he had found a place where he belonged.

As the night grew darker and the sound of nocturnal creatures filled the forest, Drogan set guard shifts for the night. He ordered two of his mercenaries to take the first shift, followed by Arin and Niall, and he himself with Lith would take the final shift before dawn.

Before heading off to bed, Drogan checked on the injured mercenary who was still in a deep sleep inside the wagon. His cauterized hand was wrapped in bandages and not bleeding anymore, but he still had a fever. Drogan looked at him with concern, knowing that infections were common in wounds such as the one his mercenary had sustained.

"We need to keep an eye on him," Drogan said to his companions. "If his fever doesn't break soon, we'll have to take more drastic measures."

The mercenaries nodded in agreement, their faces tense with worry. They knew that losing a member of their group could mean the difference between life and death in these dangerous woods.

After checking on their injured comrade, Lith, Drogan and his companions started to settle down for the night, the forest grew even quieter. The only sounds were the crackling of the fire and the occasional hoot of an owl in the distance. Lith tried to ignore the uneasy feeling in his stomach and closed his eyes, hoping to get some much-needed rest.

But sleep would not come. He tossed and turned, his mind racing with thoughts of the missing mercenary and the strange feeling that they were being watched. He couldn't shake the feeling that they were in danger, and that whatever was out there in the darkness was not friendly.