"This is dumb," Rheuben complained, as they tramped across the plain. "I wish you would tell me what we're supposed to be waiting for."
"You'll know when you see it," Loren assured him, grinning as he scanned the horizon, "and I'm sure you'll be satisfied once we do." Loren, at least, would be very happy.
After a few more minutes of plodding along, they both felt it at once. The slightest ripple in the air, only just unnatural, blew back Rheuben's long hair and ruffled Loren's short. They exchanged glances, Rheuben raising an eyebrow and Loren winking.
Then, something exploded, just beyond the pitiful clump of trees directly ahead. "Meet Kiera," Loren said, and they took off running in the direction of the commotion.
Kiera was a tall, thin stick of a woman, with hair the color of tree bark extending to her waist. It blew around her like a tornado, occasionally revealing pointy features that betrayed her as at least part Fier'dal, as the earth role up to swallow the feet of the last moving bandit. One of the huts still burned, undoubtedly the site of the initial explosion. Children with bound hands crept out of the other hut, looking frightened, and the part-elf ran to comfort them.
"Kiera," Loren said again. "Druidess of Karana. She likes fire, storms, and not leaving any bandits for us." He winked again at Rheuben.
"She looks like a hell of a catch," grinned Rheuben, shoving him playfully in the woman's direction.