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Malroth crossed his arms as he stared at the horizon. "I can smell when a fight is brewing, Caroline, and this whole place stinks of it. I don't know if it's the tree you've grown or that bell you keep ringing, but something has the monsters in a seriously bad mood. You need to kit out everyone who can wield one with the best weapons you can, that includes me. What do you say, are we ready to mash some monsters?"

"Let me check." She turned to look at the farmers surrounding them, "Who needs a weapon?"

Brittany and Bonanzo both already had swords. She had been skeptical when Bonanazo had asked for a sword after seeing her give one to Brittany. She figured it was all bravado, but he actually had helped fight some iron ants that had come to town and made a bee line for the cabbages. A new arrival raised his hand and to her surprise so did Clayton.

Caroline darted to her work bench and knocked together two more swords. She was handing the last one to Clayton when the first wave of monsters came into view, a mix of gremlins and badboons.

Everyone waited until Malroth charged forward and followed after him. It was chaos at first but soon everyone started working together, with multiple people attacking each monster then swarming the next when it fell. Except for Malroth who charged in taking multiple enemies at once. Caroline was hit with a sleep spell but before Malroth could get to her Bonanzo and Brittany were om either side keeping the monsters away until the spell wore off and she jerked awake and took aim at a gremlin trying to sneak up on Brittany.

The last Gremlin fell and the second wave, a troop of skeletons charged in. She looked to her left and saw Clayton asleep on his feet, victim of the last sleep spell to be cast. She hurried to stand infront of him and kept the skeletons at bay until he woke up. They both joined everyone else in defeating the last monster, a huge but hopelessly slow skeleton. Dozens of blows caused many hairline fractures to form and one last blow from Malroth caused the skeleton to crumble into a heap.

Malroth ran to her and they shared an excited hi five as the pastor came running over. Worry was evident in his posture and voice as he quickly asked "Everyone are you- Is everyone alright?"

Malroth completely missed the pastor's worry as he turned his accusing glare on the pastor. "What's it to you? Those monster where from the children of Hargon! What'd you do, call your buddies over?" He took a Step toward the pastor while grabbing his weapon but Carolina grabbed his arm as Rosie stepped between them.

"I don't think that's the case. The pastor has been with us the whole time, there is no way he could have slipped a message to the monsters, also he said there is more we have to do to grow the Dietree, why would he want us dead? It doesn't make sense."

The pastor regarded Rosie silently for a long moment. "Your name is Rosie yes? Tell me, child, why are you so desperate to see Furrow field farm rebuilt?" he asked.

"Why?" Rosie asked and thought for a moment, "It's just always been my dream, i suppose."

"I see..."

Rosie regarded the other Furrowfieldians. "Everyone did great today. Let's leave any talk of tasks or missions until tomorrow, I think we've all had enough excitement for the day. I am going to rest with my head on a pillow of wheat under a warm blanket of cabbage leaves. I expect everyone else to do the same, it's the Furrowfield way."

With no tasks or missions Caroline found herself with nothing to do. Bored she ate a large dinner and went to bed early, so she was up at the crack of dawn the next day. She eased herself from under Malroth's arm and quietly let herself out of the room. He awoke minutes later and found her beneath the Deitree. He stood beside her and admired the tree while they spoke of it's progress and the children of Hargon. She told him she'd heard Hargon had been defeated and his forces scattered to the winds so it was strange they were so powerful here.

"You two," The pastor snapped at them, "what do you gain by waking so early only to waste the day with idle chatter?" They both cast him an irritated glre but he ignored it as he beckoned them to come to him. "There is still much to do to grow the Deitree to her full strength, but before we begin tell me, what are your thoughts about young Rosie?"

"She's a sweet person." Caroline replied with a shrug. "Very upbeat, almost to upbeat."

"Yeah, but at least she isn't afraid of hard work, or of making sure the others get their lazy asses moving." Malroth replied.

The pastor nodded thoughtfully "Indeed, her cheery outlook and irrepressible optimism make it all but impossible to maintain my dark and brooding demeanor therefore it is for her sake as much as my own that I ask you to tackle these next tasks."

Caroline gave him a critical look. "Not thinking of creeping on her are you? She's only 16."

"Absolutely not!" The pastor replied sounding both offended and disgusted. "She is but a child! The clergy of Hargon are vowed to celibacy anyway. I will admit I am growing quite fond of Rosie, but it is entirely platonic." He then waved over a number of farmers filing out of their house. "Gather around my vassals and hear what's left to be done."

The pastor waited patiently while they all gathered before him, Perry dead last because he took the longest waking up. "First of all I would like to apologize for the recent attack. Know that I did not call my allies to attack but the very fact I am here may well have."

"Look at the sky!" Rosie cut across him as a sickly pink haze rolled over the hill and eclipsed the sun.

"Hey, isn't that one of those whatchmacallits?" Malroth asked pointing at a spoilspore that had just formed smack in the middle of their brand-new wheat field another formed at the edge of their cabbage patch, five formed in all. The pastor knew of no way of stopping them but told Caroline all he did know, which lead to the theory that if they couldn't breathe they might just wither away. She raced to the one in the wheatfield and covered it in globs of soiled soil then held her breath. it exploded but left the ground aroung it clean. Caroline scooped up the globs of soiled soil and ran to the next, soon all five were dealth with and the sick pink mist cleared.

She returned to pastor all and told him the good news. Then he informed them they needed to grow five kinds of crops and plant 250 squares of crops. He noticed Caroline was looking at him like she had something on her mind. "Is there something you would like to say?"

"Yeah." She replied. "You're not fighting us. You've asked me to keep building and are even helping us to regrow the Deitree. So, when are you going to just become a member of the village?

"What? You think I should officially join you?" He exclaimed. "Do you not know who I am? I could never join forces with a despicable builder! I wash my hands of this whole affair! He yelled, his staff lighting up.

Malroth grabbed his weapon, but the pastor laughed, "I jest, I jest. I would be happy to join you!"

Malroth continued to glare in an irritated way as he returned his weapon to it's place on his back and several farmers clutched at their chests, recovering from the nasty prank. Caroline and Rosie exchanged a wide-eyed look then began to laugh.

"If I am to become a member of your village I should introduce myself more properly. My name is Al and I am the pastor of this island. You may call me pastor Al. Or how about "Altruistic Al? No... I think perhaps we ought to stick with Pastor Al."

"When people of the past brought in the harvest they used to hold a harvest festival to celebrate. I think we should do the same when we finish growing the tree. But first we have to find five kinds of crops and at least 250 seeds. Where are we going to find all those seeds?" Rosie wondered aloud.

"Wut 'bout them Iron ants? Dunt they sometumes 'ave wheat seeds in their tummies when ya kill them?" Perry asked Malroth.

"Yeah, bat that's a shit ton of ants I have to clobber, and it's still only two kinds."

"Each wheat seed does get is closer to the total. But we do need to find more varieties."

"If only we had a furrowfield retriever. Those dogs have the best sense of smell, Theye'd be able to sniff out seeds in a jiffy."

Just then something barked behind them. Caroline and Rosie wheeled around and saw a caramel-colored dog with a cream-colored muzzle and paws. She barked again wiggled around excitedly then jumped in a circle. "A PUPPY!" Caroline squealed as her eyes lit up.

"Do you have an owner?" She asked looking around. Seeing no one taking responsibility for the dog she dropped to her knees and held out her arms making kissy noises "Come her sweetie! Oh your a good girl, yes you are!" She cooed as the dog jumped up on her and licked her face.

Malroth was to say the least confused. "Uh, Caroline, are you okay? What's wrong with your voice?"

"It's a puppy Malroth! Come on, give her a little scratch, right here behind her ears, you'll get it! Won't he sugar?"

Malroth knelt beside Caroline and scratched the dog where she indicated. It wiggled even more and jumped on him, licking his face too. He laughed. "Okay, yeah, she's pretty cute! But why is she tasting us?"

"Oh lickies are just a doggy's way of giving kisses!" She replied standing up.

"Kisses?" Malroth asked, but Caroline was already talking to Rosie about finding seeds with the pup.

The dog barked again and ran in a circle and looked at them expectantly. "I think she wants you to follow her." Rosie stated.

Caroline looked at Malroth and he nodded, "Okay, lets follow the mutt."

They ran after her as she led the towards the mountains and through the woods. They had to kill some drakies, then followed her into a cave. they emerged on the other side of the mountains into a humid sticky swamp full of brambles, cattails, and purple slugs that were inclined to ignore them. They saw a naviglobe and Caroline activated it before they continued to follow the dog, pausing only to gather some new materials then dealing with a sentient storm cloud with a bad attitude. the dog led them to another cave which held two unhappy girls.

The older girl appeared to be in her late teens or even her early twenties and was cowering in fear The younger appeared to be about 8 or 9 and seemed more angry than frightened.

The dog barked and jumped down then the little girl noticed them. "Oh hello. I shared my lunch with you once didn't I. Did you lead these people here to save us?" She asked petting the dog.

"Well, this is just great. We come all this way and don't find any seeds, just a couple of scruffy looking girls."

"I beg your pardon?" the little one piped up "I think you'll find we're ladies, not girls and rather lovely ladies if I do say so myself!"

The other girl whimpered "The children of Hargon threw us in this ghastly hole. They told us to reflect on our sins but that was days ago, and we've been stuck here ever since. I know cooking is wrong, but I was ever so hungry."

The little one rolled her eyes then turned to Caroline. "Say, who are you two and what are you doing here?"

"I'm Caroline the builder and this is my buddy Malroth. We're looking for seeds for the farm we're building with our friends."

"Oh no! no no no, the children will never stand for such heresy!" The older one moaned "Lillian stay away from such sinners! They will only lead you down a path to destruction!"

"Looks like we have a couple of true believers Malroth chuckled. Let's take them to the farm and make them builders like that other guy."

"Oh that does sound like a lark! I'm Lillian, this is my sister Saffron and we'd be delighted to follow you back to your farm." the little girl exclaimed excitedly. Malroth grinned at her, "I like your attitude kid."

"I think she'll make a fine builder!" Caroline agreed.

"Hold on now you, you builder! I am Lillian's guardian since ma and pa are gone."

"Well, she wants to come, so she's coming. You can come too."

"Well... Is it far?"

"Malroth and I can get you there in an instant. Malroth, you got Lillian?" She asked holding out her hnd to Saffron. He confirmed he did so as soon as Saffron took her hand, she closed her eyes and reached out for the Deitree. When she opened her eyes, Saffron was staring slack jawed at the tree. Malroth was grinning as he watched Lillian dance for joy and cheer.

This must be your farm Caroline, it simply marvelous! You must have worked ever so hard to build it. It's nearly enough to bring a tear to my eye!"

"Lillian whatever are you saying? This is a hotbed of Heresy!"

"Oh Tosh, the children of Hargon can rot! I plan to live here, be a builder, and eat until I a, bloody well fit to pop! I'd like you to have these, Caroline. I found them in the bog. They smelt nice so I kept ahold of them. Consider them a symbol of our inevitable friendship!"

Caroline met briefly with Pastor Al and Rosie to discuss the seedlings and how to ensure the dog's continued friendship then she made two new beds before tracking down the dog and giving her a pat on the head.

So, what should we call her? Caroline wondered as they sat side byt side playing with the dog.

"Hmm oh I know, from now on your name is Ghoul Beast! No death Jackle!" Malroth told the dog. She ducked her head and whimpered.

"I don't think she likes either of those names, do you sugar? Hey, let's call her Sugar!" the dog barked in approval and licked her face. "Okay, Sugar it is!" Malroth pouted but conceded that it was a good name. The dog exhausted from the days' excitement fell asleep curled up in Malroth's lap and he absent mindedly pet her as he mulled over the day's events.

"That Lillian is really something!" he laughed.

Caroline nodded. "She's a great kid."

"I am starting to see why you'd want one. Hell, maybe I'll even have one someday. My kid could protect yours and she could make him a club. Of course, that would mean we'd both have to have sex with someone."

"Shouldn't be a problem for you, your hot!" She replied then turned beet red as she realized what she'd blurted out. He was busy looking at the stars coming out so didn't notice her change in color.

"Hey who names a kid anyway?"

"Usually the mom."

"Maybe I could convince my, you said it was wife, right? Maybe I could convince her to name our kid Ghoul Beast."

"Not likely" Caroline replied laughing.

"Well, what would you name your kid?" he asked.

Caroline leaned back on her hands as she thought. "For a girl, maybe Chrystal. For a boy I kind of like Hunter, don't know why."

"Hunter is a great name! Mind if I steal it for my kid."

"It' not trademarked. I may not even have kids. I mean I'd have to find a guy and get married and right now I'm married to my work."

He leaned back on his hands and when he did his hand touched hers.

She pretended not to notice. He looked over at her and even in the dim evening light he could tell she was beet red. He grinned. He wondered if she realized how cute she was when she turned red. It seemed to be an involuntary reaction to something, but it didn't seem to hurt her. Of course, she was always cute. Fuck she was beyond cute, she was beautiful.

He felt strange. His heart pounded like he was in battle and his belly felt fluttery. Was he sick? As he gazed at her he was aware of wanting... something. but what? He laid back and put his arms beneath his head as he thought about what he could be feeling. His head felt fine, if a bit confused. His arms were fine. His heart was beating fast and he felt a bit winded. His belly felt weird, not bad, just weird. His penis felt hard. Well, he could take care of that later... He didn't want to do that he wanted... her.

It hit him like a ton of bricks. He wanted sex. He wanted it with her. But he had no right to ask for that. She'd made it quite clear sex was for married people. And wasn't just sex. Yes, he wanted sex, but he wanted something else too. Something more. He just wasn't sure what.