The Werewolf Incident

The next morning the group gets up and begins their routine though somewhat slowly due to lack of sleep. Paranoia consumes Ezra as he looks around with every slight sound such as a twig snapping. Lily who sees his nervous state taps his shoulder which causes Ezra to flinch.

"Sorry", she apologizes when she sees a embarrassed blush color his cheeks. Ezra laughs it off and just tries to give Lily a reassuring smile. He had thought of the werewolves all night. Would they cooperate? Would Lara seriously try to carry out a mass execution on them if they didn't? The thoughts tumbled in his brain and he felt nauseated. Taking three deep breaths he tries to calm himself down.

"Okay guys let's load up our gear and visit the wolves", Lara announces as Torin stands beside her his arms slung lazily around her shoulders. Torin had noticed that Lara seemed troubled though she refused to tell him why. He had a sneaking suspicion that Ezra knew because he had the same demeanor as his sibling. Maybe they were nervous about the werewolves for some reason. He releases Lara reluctantly and begins helping pack up camp.

Tarrow has a bit of a pep in his step. The sooner they met and got business done with the werewolves the sooner they leave this forest. The thought of leaving this forest literally had him giddy with excitement. Though he didn't sleep well he was energized at the thought of escape. Lily pushed herself but still found herself behind Tarrow who was more than ready for some reason to see the werewolves. She didn't understand it but she did her best to keep up with Tarrow's speed.

Finally having the equipment packed they begin there way through the forest once more. Lily watches the ravens as they observe her with tilted heads. Their blood red eyes seem to be examining her very soul leaving her with a eerie feeling. Was it normal for those creatures to behave in such a way?

They were only about twenty minutes away from their destination when a blood curdling scream rang in their ears. In a instant the group was on alert. Their eyes quickly scanning the forest for the owner of the distressed scream. Tarrows eyes landed on a small child stuck in the top of a tree. She was backed onto the very edge of a branch by a snarling goblin whose outstretched claws kept swiping at the small child. Seeing the situation Tarrow grabs his bow and arrow from behind him and aims at the goblins head. Loosing the arrow it connects and the grayish green body falls from the limb hitting the ground with a dull THUNK.

The child who was still crying and clinging to the limb for dear life seems paralyzed with fear. Lily with a motion of her hand makes the limb wrap around the child securing her before lowering her to the ground. The tree limb releases the child returning to its previous position and the child trembles looking at the group. Lily notices the the pointed canines but an overall human appaerance. Was this what a werewolf looked like?

"There there you're safe now", Lara assures the child while taking a few steps closer to her. The child seeming less panicked then runs to Lara wrapping her arms around her legs in relief. Tarrow walks over to examine the goblin whose body has been still. Checking the pulse Tarrow nods in confirmation at Ezra's unasked question, the vile creature is dead.

Goblins only attacked things smaller than them, that had less of a fighting chance at surviving their attack. They often went after small children or pets or if in a pack occasionally an adult. Theu are savage little beings that have no mercy and honestly seemed to have very little thoughts.

The little girl rides with Lara, showing her the way back to her settlement. She seems to only be around six or seven and she says very little. Soon enough they come to a opening in the forest surrounded by a wooden fence. Modest little houses fill up the fences in its entirety. The villagers all seemed to freeze looking at the intruders at the gate.

"Tia", a short ginger woman shouts upon seeing the child and runs toward the girl with a tall dark haired man accompanying her. "Where have you been we've been worried sick looking for you", the frightened woman who must be her mother admonishes. The little girl clings to her mother as if her lifes depends on it. She had been in a traumatic situation, one could only imagine the fear the small child had felt while the Goblin tried to kill her.

"Thank you so much for returning her. I'm not for sure who you are and why your here but Thank you for finding our daughter Tia and returning her safely to us. I'm her dad Ozzy and also alpha to the village. Welcome to our home", he says holding his hand out to Lara for her to shake. Lara smiles politely while silently thanking their luck at saving the chief's daughter. She takes his hand and shakes it firmly and then retrieves the scroll form her satchel.

"This is for you Sir a message from the queen", Lara says giving him the the scroll that didn't include the threat of killing his whole settlement. Ozzy gives a distrustful glance at the scroll but takes it none the less. That woman was not his queen but she continued to try to push her power unto his people. He found it quite annoying.

He reads over it quickly and sees that she is ordering his people not to kill anymore travelers. Thats easy as pie for them considering they aren't the ones attacking the travelers. "I've no problem not killing travelers since its not us to begin with", he says in a tone thats dipped in offense. Lara gives him a questioning look to which he shrugs. "My people and I are peaceful, we harm no one that doesn't try and harm us".