Chapter 3

Scout and Cara head back to the group who are at a tavern. Copper and Hook are at a table at the far end while the old man is at the back of the building. Talking to someone with a similar gear to the group, they appear to be talking to each other in a hush hush tone.

Walking in the tavern Scout carrying Cara looks around the pub. There are currently only a few people eating inside sense it's almost noon. Seeing both Hook and Copper she heads to the table sitting on one of the empty chairs with Cara sitting on her lap. On the table was a plate of lettuce with tomatoes, 2 bowls of meat soup, and plate of meat skewers. Taking a meat skewer from a plate she hands it to Cara who tuck her hood over her head even more almost completely covering her head. Removing the cloth mask from her face she nibbles on the meat skewer keeping her head down to not be noticed by hostile strangers.

Scout rubbing on Cara's hooded head gently, looks at her teammates with different reactions. Hook is eating the plate of lettuce and tomatoes without removing his cloth mask. While Copper is eating gray thumb sized pellets with a vial of strange greenish brown liquid from his many pockets or leather strap holders.

If Hook was alone eating his salad there would be the sound of crunching coming from him. Instead he takes slow bites looking at a wall opposite of him trying to ignore Copper. Scout looks at the bowl of meat soup then at Copper looking at the gross mud like mixture in the vial she has a hand over her forehead with closed eyes. Copper who is the only one probably enjoying his "Meal" bites on three of the gray pellets then takes two of the small greenish vials to wash down the pellets. When Cara hears the gulps coming from Copper she looks up seeing what he's drinking gags a little bit in her mouth almost making her throw up the little food she ate.

Everyone except Copper is looking at the food on the table with a loss of appetite. Couple minutes later the old man walks in the tavern. Taking a quick glance he sees his group at a table eating. Walking to the table he sits on an empty chair he slumps down letting out an exhausted breath with his head dangling back.

Everyone except for Cara ignores the old man but Cara being the small and curious child ask. "What's wrong?" Ignoring Cara the old man looks at food on the table taking a skewer from the plate. "What's wrong?" using the skewer as a pointer makes a circle in the air at Cara "What's wrong is that there is a another party besides us going to the same location." Biting on the skewer he looks at Copper "From what tid bit of information I got they are a party of humans called the 'The West Adventurers.'

Copper and Hook stop there eating while Scout stops her head rubbing on Cara. The old man looks at the teens and says "I'm sure you are aware of what may happen if we cross there path." Finishing the last meat on his skewer he uses the stick to pick at his canine teeth under his cloth mask. Putting the stick down he looks at everyone leaning his head down letting his head rest on his hand he says "Yes or No."

The three teens look lost in thought aside from Cara who looks at the old man with slight fear. Being the youngest of the group she has no say when there team leader is serious. What scares her is not him but the word being 'Human'. Her upbringing is not what you would call an ideal childhood but one of terror that was induced do to human with there discrimination view in her kind. Putting her head slightly down she awaits the decision the party will choose hopping in her heart she will not meet the or any human party.

Copper is the first one to be out of his thoughts. Spinning a small empty vial between his fingers he sighs for a bit placing the empty vial back in his many strap pouches. Opening up a buttoned pocket from under his robe he takes out three thin red vials and places them on his belt holder raising his hand he says. "Yes."

Scout is next out of her thoughts looking at her weapon hidden under her robes sleeve she slightly bends a finger down. Hearing a quick quiet click noise she feels around her arm for the cross bolt. Feeling more down she reaches for her cross bolt holder mentally counting them. 'Okay' With the ideal amount of amount of ammo she has, she nods to the old man.

Last is Hook. Hook is looking at his barely eaten lettuce with one of the tomatoes being pricked muiltple times with a iron fork. Trypophobics Beware. Looking slightly up he sees Cara with her hood down covering her head. Rubbing the back of his neck he feels his a missing patch of burnt hide skin. Looking at the plate of salad he removes his cloth mask showing his bull like animal face. Opening his mouth wide he takes the plate and finishes the lettuce in one bite. covering his face with the cloth again looking at the old man Hook says with confidence "Let's go."

The old man looks at Hook while holding another meat skewer close to his mouth says "We will go once we finish eating also you should pick up the mess that's on the floor and clean your self off."

...

In another location between the forest and the swamp there is a stare down going on with a group of adventures and some small group of almost kid size creatures. On the adventures side there is a tank in the front raising his shield up at the creature's. The musician with a fencing sword is also in front looking at the creature's with a disgusted look. In the back a archer has it string pulled with an arrow ready to shoot at any notice. Next to the archer and the last member is a cleric with a mace looking at the creature's.

On the creature side there are 5 short monsters wearing strange wood or bone mask hiding there faces. They are wearing a combination of a leaves and bark tied together with reeds or vines that covers there head and body. Making it even more difficult to even tell what they even are either being some sort of swamp goblin or kobold. 2 are holding a stick with a sharp bone wedged and tied on the top, one is holding a similar stick but replaced with a hard round bone like skull. Another behind it's back has a wooden boomerang almost the same size as it self. Lastly there is one in the back who has a basket made of sticks putting it down on the floor slowly making the archer aim at it.

A small guest of wind passes by making the leaves rustle and the adventures on edge. The creature with there mask are almost motionless except for the one in the back the rest can be mistaken for statues. The archer has his eyes switching from the "statues" then to the one in the back with the basket.

Looking at his front teammates he is wondering why they haven't made a move yet. 'hugh.' forcing himself to stay focused he stares at the creatures. The wind hits the leaves on the creature's body making it look like any plant in the wild. 'Come on do something already.' There is a hidden rule for adventures when dealing with the unknown and that is "the first to strike will pay more than an arm."

The cleric looks at the creature's very intently. Mumbling something under his breath his eyes glow slight and his pupils slightly enlarged. Unfortunately for him this was a huge mistake.

The creature in the back notices the strange glow from the cleric and with no hesitation breaks the basket causing a harsh blinding light to spread. The tank covers his face with his shield, the musician covers his eyes with his arm, the archer miss fires his shot from shutting his eyes, and the cleric drops his mace covering his eyes with his hands.

As if a switch was turn on the creatures with the stick weapons dash at the adventures on all fours with there weapons on there back. The one with the boomerang takes out a strange hollow stone with, holes, and a hollow stick sticking out. Placing the stick under the mask a low vibrating noise is heard ending with a high thump from letting the stone hit the ground. If the adventures weren't covering there eyes they would see brownish aura flash enveloping the creatures than disappearing. Removing the body size boomerang from it's back it tosses in the air by spinning in a direction. Similar to the other creatures it dashes at adventures this one is going around the tank and musician. The last one who cause the adventures to cover there eyes is in similar situation to the adventures which is currently blinded. Unable to do much it digs on the ground for a bit then jumps and dives into the ground leaving the area.

First to strike is the creatures with the skull on a stick strikes at the tank making a thud noise like a rock hitting hitting iron. "What!" The tank gets pushed backed away from the musician putting him in the middle of his other teammates.

"What's going on! Agh!" The musician who is covering his face isn't lucky being the only one in the front. The two other creatures holding the sharp bone sticks attack at the same time giving the musician two horizontal bleeding slash marks on his chest.

"Aaah!" "Shut it!" The Cleric is still screaming with tears his eyes are almost complete bloodshot. The archers next to him is in similar shape only having one eye open when he was aiming. Seeing a four legged creature dashing towards him he aims another shot fumbling trying to grasp an arrow from his holder. Being tunnel visioned trying to get an arrow he was strucked hard at the side of his head.

Falling to the ground he glimpses at his teammates. The musician is laying on the ground in pool of his own blood. The cleric beside him is choking on the ground holding his stomach. Without him knowing somehow the cleric was attacked and lose the ability to continue. Lastly the tank is surrounded by the four creatures however the archer loses consciousness unable to see the result.

...

In another location the creature that was digging through the ground pops its head out. Around him is a dense forest with tall trees blocking the sun leaving few space form most plants on the ground to grow. In front of him is a tree that looks different from the rest. The base of the tree looks like it replaced height with width, the leaves and branches dangle down almost touching the ground, there are also bidges, vines, small shack towers, strange fireflies, and finally there are holes that look to be about 3 to 5 feet all over the base of the tree.

Jumping from out of the ground the creature on all fours dashes at the tree. There are similar creatures with different mask and outfits noticing there comrade. One of them takes out a pole with tied nuts at the top shaking it making a rattle sound in a tempo. The sound spreads, others do the same thing by taking out a similar pole and follow the same rattle tempo.

Bit by bit the sound gets louder and the tree starts to become active. Firefly clumpt together producing brighter lights, vines begin to fall with more creatures going down, bridges flow from branch to branch, and the the trees hole begins to glow.

When the dashing creature reaches one of these holes it takes out a strange blue glowing solid rock. Others do the same going from hole to hole putting these glowing stones on there back that stick on without trouble. When the stones are removed the holes start to reseal in a less than a minute the tree looks dried and dead.

A group of creatures wearing bug mask carry a basket to one of the bigger creatures who looks very important judging by unique design of its mask. Opening the basket a big bug shell with a empty socket is taken and handed to the unique mask. Holding the bug it scratches on the surface writting strange symbols and shapes. Removing a small yellow jewel from it's mask it inserts it into the socket then places it down.

sockets causes the bug to glow a bright light making it open its wing and hover in the air. The bright light concentrats on the butt of the bug then like a rocket zips away leaving a yellow trail in the sky.

Nodding in place the unique mask holds out a stone cleaver with a long blade making a quick slash in the wind. The sound grabbed the attention those close by looking at the unique. Using the long cleaver it points at a direction making them nod and walk in the direction of a dark forest path. Those with the glowing stone light way while others carry or push a wagon.

looking at the tree it leaves last disappearing with the rest.