I own the unnamed female (a.k.a. the rumored "witch), the hunter, and the random mostly anonymous townspeople.
I own nobody else.
Um...I guess, technically, I own "the figure" (yet to be named), but only in the same way that I "own" Anzu in Ships in the Night.

Second Theft

The next morning, Doc and Drew prepared to go back to town for another round of questioning.

Tsul Kalu stopped him. The creature attacks the farms at night, he said. Offer your services to the farmers. Not to hunt this creature, but to work on the farms. You can watch for it, and find your lead.

He said this to Zak, so the boy could translate, but the cryptid looked right at Doyle.

"No offense," Doc said, "but I don't think anyone would hire us to work on a farm. We don't know anything about—"

Doyle sighed. "He means me. I've been a farmhand. I may not look the part, but I know how to act it."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea," Doc said. "We need you to keep an eye out here for this thing. You won't get that in town." He winced. The last thing he wanted to say was we need you away from town, so you don't freak out again, but the argument he gave made no sense, even to his own ears.

And Doyle wasn't buying it. "But the farms aren't in town," Doyle replied. "They're all out in the open. What better place to watch than where this thing attacks?"

Tsul Kalu listened briefly to another voice. Doyle shivered upon recognizing the voice, but he gave no other sign that he'd heard it.

Tsul Kalu nodded. He told them where to find the man that should hire Doyle. His home is a bit to the south, but you will want to enter from the eastern road. Doc found a map of the town, and Tsul Kalu pointed out which way Doyle should go.

"That seems a bit round-about," Doc said.

But he will need to go that way, Tsul Kalu replied. And he must reach his destination within the hour, if he is to find your clue to this creature.

"Wonderful," Doyle muttered. "Is this supposed to be your next test?"

Zak gave his uncle a puzzled look. How did he know—? He was sure Doyle hadn't been near enough to hear that.

—

Doyle walked through the town, following the directions Tsul Kalu had given. He really didn't want to be here, but it was early morning yet, and not too many people around.

He was almost to his destination when he heard the argument.

"How many times do I have to tell you," a female said, "I am not moving in with you!"

Thanks a lot, Tsul Kalu, Doyle thought. You walked me right into a lover's spat.

He tried to figure out how to get past them; he didn't want to get in the middle of it, but his time was running out. He didn't miss the irony that a larger crowd would be useful.

He shook his head. No help for it. If I'm quiet, maybe I can get around them, and they won't notice.

He stepped around the corner, glanced at the two, then froze. The man matched the description Doc had given of one of the hunters they'd met...and he still sported the black eye Drew gave him.

The woman was an unknown, but behind her was another figure, the one who had spoken to Tsul Kalu this morning. Doyle shivered to see that entity, but the two people did not acknowledge it.

The man had opened his mouth to reply to the woman, then shut it on catching sight of Doyle. He glared until Doyle continued on his way.

Doyle ducked into an alley, and listened in as they continued their argument.

"It's just until the creature is gone," the man replied to her.

Doyle learned a few interesting things. For example, the man who'd told Drew that he was engaged to this woman was clearly not. He apparently hoped that killing the thing would impress her enough that she'd agree to marry him.

But Doyle learned little else, and was about to give up.

Then the woman said one more thing.

"I don't need your protection," she said. "The forest takes care of its own. It has always taken care of its own. That creature will never harm me."

Now how could she know that? Doyle wondered.

Why did Tsul Kalu send him that way?

And what "clue" was he supposed to find?

Hmm...something else was supposed to happen in this chapter, but it started getting long. Long enough that I divided it into three chapters. (More to the point, the events of the following chapter alone are what made it "long.")