Chapter 3 - Exploration
That Friday night, of the eighth, in the third year, Gryffindor, girl's dorm room, there is a hushed conversation going on in between the two youngest of the transfers. "You're starting the exploration of the forest shifts. Remember to look for creatures that are detrimental to the natural ecosystem." After a few more words of reminder, the black haired girl whispered a few words causing herself to seemingly change into a small, blue dragon that one of the older girls kept as a companion. "Now go, remember it will only last one minute.
The little dragon rolled her eyes, nodded, and took off out of the open window into the night air. The dragon flue into the Forbidden Forest. As soon as it landed, it changed back into the small dark haired girl. The girl wandered around for a few hours before she came to an abrupt stop.
"I know that you're there... you might as well come out." She spoke in suggestion to seemingly nothing after turning to her side.
The bushes rustled after a few moments wait. Out walked a man with the bottom half of a horse.
The blue eyed girl blinked in surprise, she had never seen anything like the horse man. Considering that the horse man had responded to her words, she figured that he is sentient. "Hello, I am called Kari. What might I call you?" She inquired formally.
A glimmer of surprise could be seen for only a split second before it was gone. "I am called Bane," he replied in an equally formal tone.
"A pleasure to make your acquaintance. I do not suppose that you could ask your companion to come out as well?" Kari politely asked. The look of surprise returned for a brief moment. After a few minutes of staring at each other, he nodded his permission. Out of the bushes emerged another horse man. "I beg your pardon, but I do not believe that I have come into contact with creatures such as yourselves before. If you do not mind me asking, will you please inform me of your species name?"
Another flicker of surprise entered both of the horse men's eyes. "I an Firenze. We are centaurs."
She nodded her understanding. I see, so you are the natives of this forest," at their nod, she continued, "my allies and I would appreciate it if you could tell us if there are any creatures that are harmful to this forest's ecosystem." They nodded again. "We are willing to kill anything in this forest that poses a threat."
"There are several nests of Acromantula in the forest. They are not natives of this region," Bane replied, "how about we have your people come to the edge of the forest tomorrow at noon and a few of us will escort them to one of the smaller nests."
"I am agreeable to those terms. However, I do not know if all of us will be available, therefore, if we cannot all make it to the meeting, then a representative of our group will come to set up another date and time for our meeting. Is this agreeable to the people of the centaur?" Kari inquired.
"Yes, we of the Centaur Herd of the Black Forest are agreeable to the terms set before us." Firenze formally stated.
"Thank you, that is good the hear. Now then, will you please escort me to the edge of the forest, I'm afraid that I'm a bit lost." With their nod of compliance, the small girl and two centaurs set off. "One more thing, I don't suppose that you can keep a secret?"
