AN: Another story, same day. I'm really working here. Again, another variation to the rules: Even though a druid's animal companion's Intelligence score isn't effected, I use their Wisdom scores when they think; which happens to be 13.

Trivia: Fenrir is a giant wolf from Norse mythology who bit off the hand of Tyr. Horus is the god of vengeance from Egypt, who has the head of a falcon. Huginn was one of the ravens that sat on the high god Odin's shoulder. Huginn means thought.

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The Meeting

Theo:

'Rootwall, a city like all the others.' Theo thought to himself as he walked through the front gate, little more then a palisade really. 'So unnatural. How can these people live in such a congested place?'

Looking down to Fenrir, the two had a brief agreement in that they disliked the town because it shouldn't be there. A type of link is between all druids and their companions, making them more like other halves to themselves. The wolf looked around and expressed its disdain for the place, though felt an urge toward the flock of sheep in the market.

"No, Fenrir." the young teen said sensing his friend's animal urge sneaking into him. "You will be fed soon enough. For now, you will have to wait. We don't another fiasco like last time."

The wolf nodded its head in agreement, a silent promise to behave. As the two walked toward the manor near the northeast wall, they, mostly Fenrir, received many stares. Theo could care less; he didn't need to meet any one's expectations... anymore.

'That is in the past.' the druid thought to himself. 'No need to dwell on it.'

Fenrir looked to his friend with concern in those lupine orbs. Theo had let his thoughts travel across the bond, something he tried not to do. The wolf didn't need to care for his friend's past.

"It's nothing." Theo said looking away from the canine's eyes and to the guard standing to the right of the large oaken doors; who was giving a look neither druid nor beast appreciated.

"Are you Theo?" the guard asked looking from Theo to Fenrir as if trying to assess who was the bigger threat.

"That I am." the young man said meeting the man's gaze. "And this is Fenrir, we are here to meet with the 'Lord' Gunthar as was told." the older man made a noise that sounded like humph before requesting that Theo remove any weaponry.

Reaching into his hide amour, he extracted a dagger, and handed the blade to the man. Also, produced from a side pouch, a sling with ten round bullets was taken. A short fight over allowing Fenrir ensued, which eventually ended with Theo threatening to tell Gunthar that he'd refused to do his task because of the rudeness toward his friend.

The guard could have sworn he saw the wolf smirk before heading inside.

Olin:

'The city,' Olin thought to himself as he crossed over the threshold. 'Not so bad once you know your way around.' The ranger walked leisurely through the town, since he was not rushed for time. Horus, his golden-hawk, sat on his right shoulder, to which he thanked whom ever, invented studded leather to protect from the talons.

"It's a nice place don't you think Horus?" the ranger asked looking around. The hawk bobbed its head up and down in agreement. "Now remember, you and I had an agreement. I promised not to ignore you in favor of any female and you promised not to steal any one's purses."

Horus covered his feathered crown with a golden wing as if in shame. Looking to the poorer side of the town, Olin spotted an old man, sitting on the side of the street with a cup in his hand. A swift pang went through the ranger's heart for the man.

He knew what it was like to be poor, not knowing when you'd eat again, whether you'd freeze at night or live to beg another day. Walking to the man, he reached into his money sack. The man looked like he hadn't eaten in a few days, and his face seemed drawn when he looked at the ranger.

"Here," he said plunking in four gold coins, enough to feed the man for over a week. "Live happily; for a while at least." the man's eyes lit up and began to water.

"Thank you my lord!" he said in a raspy voice, Olin offered him a swig from his water skin, "No, no Sire, you need not give anymore. May you be blessed young man."

"And you too Sir." giving the man a pat on the shoulder, Olin rose to head for the manor. "And remember I'll look for you the next time I'm here. I hope you will have a respectful job." Horus fluttered to the man's feet and reached his beak under his right wing. Bringing it out, the bird produced another silver piece and dropped it into the can before fluttering back to Olin.

"And thank you Master Hawk." the peasant said in a half chuckle. As they walked away from the elderly man, Olin thought of something.

"Horus," the bird looked to him, "Where did you get that coin?" the bird's response was to look away as if something had caught his eye.

Dalton:

Dalton was double-checking his inventory of spell components in his over-the-shoulder-pouch-belt when a knock came at the door. Looking at the markings on the wall where the sun hit, he surmised it was about an hour before he was due at the manor.

"Dalton!" the voice called with a raspy throat through the wooden door. "It's me, Gerald! I've got your money!" the half-elf looked to the raven sitting on a perch by an open window.

"Huginn," he began, "Should I let him in?" the black bird cocked its head to one side before answering.

"There is still time for gold to be made." the bird said in its crowing voice.

"True enough." going to the door, he removed the bolt and opened the portal. "Gerald, you have come for your body art at just the right time." the man who entered was dressed in peasant beggar robes with his face seeming lost of substance. Amazing what a little make-up could do. "I was just about to go speak with the Lord Gunthar."

"Well then we must be swift," the man said with a smile, "Wouldn't want to keep the Lord."

"So you're sure you want the symbol of Olidammara?" the sorcerer asked, and was given a nod in response. Olidammara is the god of rouges by the way. "Alright, remove your shirt."

The tattoo was to go on the rouge's right shoulder blade, the side he used to swipe with, for luck. It resembles a twisted mask, one side black with a sinister smile, and one white with a frown. It would only be a few inches big, the standard for most tattoos given in one session.

Concentrating on the picture, Dalton traced it out with his pointer finger and muttered a small incantation. The process took little more then a minute to do but the results were fantastic, as always. Still, Gerald checked in a mirror. He thought it over before saying it was 'okay.'

"That will be a silver piece my good man." as the man reached into his pocket within his poor excuse for a shirt, the sound of clinking coins came to the half-elf's ears. "Oh no, don't tell me you scammed someone out of a lot of money."

"Only four gold coins and this here silver." he said handing over the coin. Dalton shook his head in shame. "Don't be like that Dalton. I'm starting my new job at the inn in a few days. I'll go straight after that, promise."

"You'd better," the mage said putting the coin into his pocket and calling Huginn to his shoulder. "Or I'll send Huginn to peck out your eyes."

Ethan:

Sitting in the War Room, Ethan waited patiently for the other three to arrive, along with his uncle. As the time passed, he amused himself by taking out his dagger and flipping it in his hand. The blade was one that he had made as a page, and had killed one or two orcs with it.

After maybe a dozen or so flips of the knife, a tall male entered the room, Ethan guessed he was around six and a half feet tall and about one-hundred-eighty pounds. His dress was of the hide of some creature or another, Ethan couldn't tell. His hair was brown and had a slight tan, the kind you get from being in the woods all day. 'This guy is probably the druid.'

A small grumble came from the side of the druid and a head popped up and onto the table. 'Nice wolf. Wonder how he convinced the guards to let it in?' The wolf's fur was a light grey color with golden eyes. The druid walked to a wall and leaned against it, his wolf following him.

Giving the druid a curt nod, which was returned, Ethan went back to flipping the dagger. Occasionally, the fighter would see the tall figure in the corner nod as if answering a question. Also, the wolf never stopped looking at his master, like he was an equal.

The squeaking of the door pulled him from his thoughts as he watched another male walked in, this one wearing studded leather and a hawk sitting on his shoulder. He was of average height and weight and had an okay amount of muscle on him from what the fighter could tell. 'Possibly the ranger. Beautiful golden hawk too.'

This one looked from the druid to the wolf to Ethan, before taking a seat a few chairs away from the warrior's own. Since the table had no less then twenty chairs, they would be spread out a bit.

Ethan was given a slight bowing of the head from the ranger, which he nodded much like how he'd done for the druid. The other two also shared a silent greeting before going into their own thoughts.

Looking out the window, Ethan checked the placing of the sun.

"Lord Gunthar should be here any moment." he said to the others.

"Thanks." the druid said not looking away from the floor a few feet before him.
"Much appreciated." the ranger replied with a friendly smile. The door swung open yet again to reveal a half-elf, one that he knew as Dalton. Huginn, his raven familiar sat on his shoulder.

"Sorry I'm a little late," he said taking a seat opposite Ethan. "Had to take care of one last customer." 'He works? I thought he just had a lot of money stockpiled.'

"What is it you do Dalton?" he asked. The mage was surprised that the fighter knew his name; they had never met personally. "My father is captain of the guards and my uncle is Lord Gunthar."

"Of course." he said, he'd met with both a number of times about random magical things. The ranger's hawk and Huginn were looking at one another with mild interest. "I am a tattoo artist. I draw all my own designs and use magic to mark it onto the skin."

"Interesting." the ranger said with one eyebrow quirked. Before he could say anymore, Lord Gunthar walked in.

"Ah, very good; you've all arrived." he began walking to the head chair. "Theo, please, take a seat. You must be tired from your journey."

"It wasn't very long." he said not moving.

"I insist." he said, no longer sounding polite.

"Very well." taking a chair farther away from everyone else, but at least seated.

"Now, I've called you all here because we have a small problem in the town of Jaknith." Ethan's eye twitched without his wanting. "The people there were attacked by hobgoblins, gnolls, and trolls; their messenger had a rather large gash on his shoulder and his horse looked as if it had been ridden to near death."

"Do we know how many?" the ranger asked, his hawk taking interest in the noble's words.

"At least a war band of hobgoblins, Olin." he began. "Around forty gnolls, with several hyenas, and a handful of trolls. Basically speaking, this was a huge hit."

"And you expect the four of us to kill them all?" Theo asked in an annoyed tone.

"Not all of them, but enough to make the rest run." Gunthar said pulling out a map of the island and unrolling it. "It will take you a day to get to Jaknith, so make sure you have enough rations or catch enough game to feed you on this journey. Tomorrow, you will head out and attempt to assess the enemy. Try and end the battle as quickly as possible. For tonight, I have arranged for you all to spend the night.

"Theo, I hope you don't mind but I gave you the room with the balcony near the pine grove. Your wolf, he may stay in your quarters with you as well."

"Thank you Gunthar." the young man said.

"Servants shall show you to your rooms, and if you wish you may come to the dinner tonight."