Chapter 20: The new addition

The glow of an oil lantern guided the huntsman through the old growth. The man's aged hands shook as he used to haft of his spear to support his steps.

"Come out you demon!" he called, holding his spear close

The first of the autumn leaves crunched underfoot of his heavy gait. The huntsman cradled his spear to fidget with the buttons of his overcoat with one hand. The chill of the Fall season was starting to take hold of the land. And with it, many beasts were starting to prepare themselves before hibernation is to take hold. This included those of the darkest depths that plagued Kessier Forest

In the darkness of Kessier, everything seemed to take a different light. Sounds seemed amplified, shadows more ominous, and the path obscured. A cracking twig sent an alarm to the man's soul. His old heart wavered when the eye shine of a timid rabbit leaped out from its barren just to startle the huntsman.

The man walked bow legged as he pointed the spear towards the edge of his line of sight. The light from the lantern started to fade and the man scurried to try and raise the wick. In his panic he failed to notice the long dark claws slice his neck and face from ear to ear. The oil lamp crashed to the forest floor and the little flame became doused in the fresh blood of the huntsman. His screamed turned to a gargle in his blood as the beast began its savage feast.

"WAKE UP HASTUR!

The young mage shrieked as she leaped from her bed and fell over the edge onto the floor. In her alarm she found herself tangled in her blankets. The mage cursed as she found no actual danger other than having a jackass roommate

"Thaelin? ...What in the Nine Hells is wrong with you?" the mage said rubbing the sore part of her head.

The cleric shivered from the early autumn chill. She wrapped herself in her blanket and tried to make sense of the rude wake up call. But she received no answers. Her roommate was bouncing around the room going back and forth stuffing hunting accessories into his knapsack.

"Hurry, Hast. We got a deadline. We have to go! Now!"

Hastur let out a long yawn and muttered to herself. "Thaelin, chill! You're starting to freak me out. Tell me what's going on."

"Got a job. And we got to hurry!"

The ranger paced around in a circle trying to find the last of his kit. "Shit! Where is it? Shit, shit, shit…"

Hastur staggered to her changing screen and got dressed. Much to her surprise she found that her roommate had already laid out fresh clothes, her satchel and rapier were all set out for her. Something was surely afoot. And she was going to be roped into whatever scheme he was up to.

"Thaelin, you know I can't. Not since the last time I went on a job." She said with a sorrowful tone looking at her hands. It was almost a month ago and she can still feel the heat from that fire spell eating at her.

Unbeknownst to her, the ranger paid no attention to anything she had just said. He was too focused on finding his precious accoutrement. The man's nervous frown elated when he suddenly remembered where his final piece of equipment was. He dived under his bed and laughed when he found what was lost.

Hastur stared with concern as the man grabbed a long metal chain and dragged the most wicked looking contraption she had ever seen in her life. Attached to the chain were two crescent shaped metal jaws with large shining teeth all along the curve. Two long metal bar springs were attached to both sides of the jaws. She could faintly spot signs of dried blood all along the teeth and jaws of the contraption. The ranger had an oversized evil smile at the equally oversized hunk of steel.

"Ah, Big Bob! We're going to have so much fun with this." The man belted on his sword belt, slung on the knapsack, and hauled the large trap over his shoulder "Okay, Hast. Lets go."

Inside herself, Hastur wanted to protest the venture. She felt unsure of herself. But seeing how persistent her friend was about going out on another adventure, perhaps she should go through with it. She grieved for the men she hurt. But she couldn't find penance for her sin. Some fresh air, and some 'fun' might be what's needed for her. And along the way, a hope at redemption.

The journey south of Hayak was a rather slow one. Hastur stayed back a few feet from Thaelin as the large steel trap swung wildly over his shoulder. She felt rather uneasy looking at the device. And when she did look at it. One question itched at her:

'What is he hunting that needs such a massive thing to catch it?'

The South Road of Hayak snaked its way through the dark and concerning forest. The leaves were starting to take a mix of yellow and orange colors marking them ready for the Autumn. The Dirt path they followed was marked by a wooden postmark that read:

"Kessier Village 10 Miles -"

"- Hayak City 9 Miles"

The ranger grinned at the sign. He was getting close. Thaelin looked to the canopy of the forest. Between the breaks in the trees he saw that the sun was sitting a little past its meridian He judged that by its position they should reach Kessier Village with plenty of time. Nothing was going to slow him down. Save for the distant whimpering down the hill from them.

"Lets go."

"Wait, do you hear that?" Hastur asked, trying to pinpoint the source. She pulled back her cowl just enough so her tapered ears can catch the strange sounds again

"Probably an injured animal. Not my problem." Thaelin put taking off for the village. The massive trap jingling as he walked away.

Hastur pouted her lips at the cold-hearted remark. "Well, it is mine, asshole."

She said wondering off the path to find the source of the cries for help. Those whimpers struck her soft heart like an arrow. The half elf slid down the steep incline till she came to a fallen log where the whimpers seemed to be coming from. Buried under a pile of leaves was the pouting face of an orange and white haired puppy. Hastur cautiously approached the little dog making sure not to make any threatening advancements towards it.

"Its okay. Its okay, little fella." She whispered as she knelt down to offer her hand to the puppy.

The pup growled at the mage at first, making Hastur move a step back, but offered her hand again. This time the little pup showed some signs of curiosity in the being before it. So it tried to approach the half elf. The rattle of a metal chain shocked Hastur to the core. It was a smaller version of one of those steel traps clamped around the hind leg of the little hound. Its wicked spiked teeth protruded into the hindquarter of the puppy. Dried blood stained the pup's coat in sticky clumps near the lacerations.

"Lets get that disgusting thing off of you." She said gently trying to approach the injured hound. When the puppy let her close, she grabbed at the the steel jaws and tugged them apart. They were clamped together much stronger than they looked and Hastur felt so terrible for the young thing when she saw the amount of blood on the ground around the injured leg. Only a monster would leave a contraption out for something so meek to get itself hurt by it.

On one end of the trap was a long bar that she deduced was the spring to cause the jaws to snap shut. The mage placed her boot on the bar and the jaws opened right up. She scooped the little puppy away and let the menacing jaws of the trap close back up. Purely disgusted by the idea of such a contraption, Hastur threw the ugly device further down the hill and went straight to tending to her patient.

She hugged the little hound close. She wasn't an empath, in the slightest sense, but as a care giver she did feel how the puppy must have felt. It felt cold, scared, and no doubt hungry. It wriggled its weak body trying to be free of the comforting grasp. The little dog was roughly around 2 months of age. And it clearly didn't have much interaction around humans.

"Here, let me help." She said hovering her hand over the hind quarters of the little dog. The pup let out a nervous growl when the hand was outstretched over itself. Those little amber eyes watched with terror as the land hovered over its injured leg. It let out a yip and tried to bite at the clerics paw.

"Its okay! I'm a friend." Hastur tried to explain after retracting her hand.

The half elf closed her eyes and muttered a short prayer "Oghma. let me help this poor creature. Let it know I mean it no harm."

When she finished her prayer, the mage mumbled the incantation to a healing spell. Her hand radiated a warm golden glow. She showed the little puppy that she there was no danger and went back to trying to heal the little dog. As she focused her healing magic on the cut, she felt a wet tongue lap itself against her cheek. The young pup propped itself against her lap and continued to lick its savior.

"Awe! You're welcome little guy." The mage laughed. She felt so relieved that the hound could finally trust her and felt much joy now that she made a new friend. "How would you like to come with me, huh?"

The puppy continues to nuzzle close to the healer. A gleeful grin took Hastur as she cradled the orange haired mutt in her arms back up the hill

Back at the signpost, Thaelin sat impatiently bouncing his leg, waiting for his partner to come back. He let out a sigh of relief at the sight of the yellow cloaked mage peaking up from the hillside.

"Took you long enough," Sighed the ranger "find your patient, doc?"

"Yup." Hastur answered proudly cradling the little puppy in her arms "Say hello to the newest member of our group." She said waving her cloak aside to show off the little puppy in her arms. "I think I will call him Freki."

"Freki?" Thaelin rolled his eyes at the sight of the little thing being cradled like a baby. But even a grizzled huntsman like him, was no match for the sight of a defenseless puppy. Thaelin tried to keep his gruff demeanor when he laid his eyes upon the adorable creature.

"You know Madam Glassgate won't allow pets at the boarding house, right?" he said offering a hand for the little mutt to sniff him. Once the pup licked at his fingers he proceeded to scratch under its chin and smirked at the joyful grin the pup made.

"That old crone can fuck off, besides, look at how cute he is? Come on Freki. Let's go find some dinner. You must be starving."

Thaelin hoisted his steel trap over his shoulder once more and as he lead the way for Kessier Village. He didn't take three steps before the little dog behind him started barking and howling wildly. Thaelin turned to address the proud dog owner who was franticly trying to quell the tiny beast.

"Will you please calm that thing?" Thaelin sighed lowering his head in disappointment at the new addition.

"Freki! Its okay, little guy." Hastur said gingerly holding the puppy. Freki glared at the man in front of him and started growling at him ferociously. Hastur looked on at what angered him so and soon understood. "Its your trap!"

"What?"

"I found him with his leg in a trap. No wonder he doesn't like that thing you're carrying."

"Well do ya mind leading the way then. Hes gonna scare away my catch."

The light of the afternoon sun illuminated the overcast sky. The air felt damp with the possibility of a light rain to come at any minute. With the two finally able to see Kessier Village they made their way to get their lodgings ready for the night. When they made their way into the town, Hastur found it to be a rather stereotypical 'dark village'.

A wooden palisade about 15ft high with a tower every 50 feet made up the protective barrier to Kessier Village. The walls and gates were made of oak timbers and a pitch was applied to seal any gaps in the walls. The pitch stained the timbers a dark hue and gave the protective walls a slight ominous look. The gates were kept open enough for a single cart to squeeze by.

The air around the old weathered buildings smelled of bad omens, the sky looked faintly overcast, and the villagers followed the duo with a watchful eye. Even Freki grumbled with what Hastur thought was a nervous mutter. The sound of a blacksmiths hammer and anvil tinged in the distance. A large covered shelter stored roughly a dozen cords of firewood next to the East of the village. There was no sweet smell of a baker at work. Only the smell of mud and what one could describe as fear.

When they got closer to the inn, Hastur noticed a rather odd thing next to the hitching posts. Something that surely didn't belong in such a strange village as this A large antlered stag, with complete tack: saddle, bridle, reigns, and saddlebags was hitched next to the other mares. Its grey and brown fur was neatly kept. And looked to be well trained to be calm around humans.

Sheathed diagonally from the cantle of the saddle, to the stirrup was a leather sheath to a long hafted polearm. Thaelin grumbled at the green oakleaf motif on the saddlebags. The thought of its owner didn't sit well with the man.

"Is-is that an elk?" Hastur said, so completely overwhelmed by the bizarre sight.

"Oh shit." Sighed Thaelin, stepping up onto the porchway to the inn. Disappointment weighed heavy in his voice.

"What's wrong?" Hastur asked hugging the puppy in her arms

"Competition…"

Author's Notes:

Hey yall. So Just a heads up. Due to the whole quarantine craze going around, I want to assure you all. Heroes and Halfwits will keep on going. I have the next couple chapters all finished, only my internet access might be limited, so please bear with me.