The new knife glided through the meat of the wolf with almost no resistance. The hook was wonderful in grabbing any snags as he skinned it, and by the end he had one of the best pelts he ever made. Once all four of his wolves were skinned he continued to cut off the meat and remove the bones.

Every piece had a use, and every use meant more copper for him. With the amount he was earning from the attack, as well as the high quality work the knife was doing, he might even earn a silver.

The hardest part was keeping the sparkling chain hidden from the snoop sitting next to him. He decided not to sell the knife but to keep it, no matter how much it would be worth. Hell, it might even be worth a few gold. That much money would keep him fat and happy for a very long time. But if Goodwill got a look at it now he would go and blab to the Merchant who might lay a claim to it.

Damn those contra⁵cts. Raylas was pretty sure they didn’t always say what the Merchant claimed, but he couldn’t argue because he never learned how to read.

“How are you cutting so cleanly?” Goodwill interrogated. “You’ve never been this good! You’re four wolves might even be worth more than my seven by how things are going.”

“It is the fate of those who steal others' kills to fall behind,” Raylas chanted with mirth. “Learn from your mistakes and repent, oh cheap sniper.”

The halfling punched him in the arm, hard. Well, at least as hard as the pipsqueak could do. To Raylas it was no worse than a child throwing a tantrum, though unfortunately his aim hit the bruise the wolf left when it bit into his arm.

“Ouch,” Raylas laughed as he shook the pained limb.

“Serves you right, dung-breath!” Goodwill snorted. “Making me buy you all the drinks when we are earning the same thing. Foul play, I say!”

Rolft chortled, trying to hold back his laughter and failing miserably. Goodwill gave the giant man a mean glare before sniffing angrily and jumping up.

“Well if I have no allies here I am going to turn in my pelts. Good evening to you, sirs.”

He bent over and took the pile of wolf skins and faded away into the darkness around them.

“Poor guy,” Raylas laughed. “He has such a great aim with that bow, but when it comes to skinning he makes a goblin look skilled.” He roared in laughter and slapped his leg, the dagger glinting in the firelight.

“Yet for such a great hunter like you, you are very dense,” Rolft sighed.

Raylas snorted and coughed. “Oh? Dense you say?”

“Yes, dense,” Rolft confirmed. “The fact you didn’t notice which pile he took clearly proves it.”

Raylas froze and looked at the ground beside him. The pile he skinned was missing as well as the halfling’s pile. Raylas snarled and just about jumped to his feet when Rolft set his hand on his leg.

“Before you kill the little thief, tell me,” he pointed to the dagger and chain which slid out of his bag when he was standing up. “Where did you find that?”

Raylas jumped and shoved the chain back into his bag and looked around. There were no other eyes looking his way from the other fires around the campsite, so he turned back to glare at Rolft.

The large man was dead serious at the moment, and was rubbing his bushy beard thoughtfully.

“Listen, baldy,” Raylas hissed. “This is my find and it’ll stay that way. The knife is too good for that greedy, snake-oil salesman to steal it from me.”

“I’m in complete agreement,” Rolft sighed. “But where did you find it? You didn’t–”

“I’m not a thief like the halfwit,” Raylas growled. “Found them by an old corpse in the woods when I went to retrieve my weapon.”

“A corpse?”

“Long dead, only bones remaining.”

Rolft pondered for a few moments. “You said them? What else did you find?”

Raylas flinched and coughed uncomfortably. “Nothing, just a dagger and chain. Looks like precious metal and has some engravings on it.”

Raylas could feel Rolft’s stare. He slipped up and mentioned the other items, and Rolft was one of the smarter members of the group. He might be as large as a barbarian and could be as brutal as a troll in a fight, but the man had a brain. It was why Raylas enjoyed partnering with him during missions. He could see it when others tried to scam them, and that meant a lot more gold in Raylas’ pocket in the long run. He was also a good man to drink with and had a good heart. A rare commodity in the cut throat world of mercenaries.

If only he had more ambition he would be perfect.

The moment stretched for half a turn before Rolft sighed.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“Fine, don’t tell me.”

“Don’t want to talk now. Too many ears,” Raylas grumbled as he motioned toward the way Goodwill left. “Too dangerous.”

Rolft peered into the night and nodded.

“Let me know before you try to sell them, but that stuff is bad news, Raylas,” he cautioned. “Could be magic or cursed. Who knows what is hidden in the wilds since the world was destroyed.”

“I’m pretty sure what I found wasn’t from the Old Age,” Raylas chuckled. “If it were I bet there’d be a ruin filled with goodies aro–”

“Shut your mouth before you curse us, fool!” Rolft roared in a hushed voice. “Never speak of those wicked places lest we stumble upon one.”

“You’re being too superstitious.”

“And you’re being ignorant,” Rolft growled. “You’ve never encountered one,” he said as he pushed his peppered beard to the side and pointed to the scar stretching out of his armor. It went up his neck and ended where his jaw had a groove carved out.

“I am lucky the Captain saved me sorry ass back then,” he continued. “I deserved to die with the others for my foolishness. Never speak of them again.”

Silence filled the small campsite. Laughter from other campfires echoed around as well as the hushed complaints of those sitting on watch. Soon the silent steps of the halfling soon overcame the crackling of the fire and Goodwill leapt down onto his log.

“Good payday,” he cheered. “So did you cook any of the wolf meat yet? I’m starving.”

Raylas and Roflt gave each other a look before chuckling.

“Sure, sure,” Raylas slapped a few thick slices of the wolf on a stone they placed to heat up. The meat sizzled and a delicious smell of charred flesh filled the air.

Rolft finished deboning his wolves and backed his meat in a leather bag. Raylas picked at the cooking meat and pulled out one of his most precious items.

“Pepper?” He asked as he started to sprinkle some of the valuable spice on one of the slabs of meat.

“Oh yes!” Goodwill cheered and clapped his hands. “Goody goody good tasty spices!”

“I’ll pass,” Rolft said as he pulled out his knife and flipped his steak over. “Wolf meat is good enough without tainting it with that stuff.”

Raylas shrugged and flipped the rest of the meat and seasoned the other side. The smell of the meal was enchanting, and he felt his stomach grumble in anticipation. By the way Goodwill was salivating, he was thinking the same things as him.

After not much time yet far too long the meal was complete. Goodwill launched himself toward the steak but Raylas swung his weapon and hit the halfling’s arm with the wooden handle.

Goodwill cried out in pain and clutched his arm in shock as Raylas pulled out his old knife and picked up the two pieces of steak and placed it on his own plate.

“For the meat and pepper, it’ll cost you at least fifteen copper,” he stated. “For the price of my pelts you’ll either have to cook your own food or pay me to cook it for you until we arrive at our destination.”

Goodwill just gave Raylas a wide eyed stare. His mouth opened and closed a few times before he sighed in defeat.

“He got ya good,” Rolft roared happily. “Next time don’t be so quick with your greedy little fingers.”

“I can’t help them being little,” Goodwill mumbled as he took out fifteen copper and tossed them to Raylas. He in return plopped one of his steaks on the halfling’s plate and started to eat.

The meat was stringy, but overall much better than the travel rations they had been eating. A tear of happiness was shed down his cheek by the time he finished and a loud belch resounded next to him.

“Compliments to the chef,” Goodwill complimented as he dabbed his mouth. “It was worth the fifteen copper.”

Rolft nodded his head in agreement. “You should open a tavern instead of killing, Raylas. Ever consider it?”

Raylas barked a laugh. “Me an Innkeeper? If you think this is good then you’ve lost your sense of taste somewhere on these trails.”

“It's still delicious,” Goodwill insisted.

“That's the pepper talking, not my skills.”

The three of them quieted down as a crunch sounded nearby followed by steady footsteps. A figure emerged from the night and paused outside the fire, his arms folded behind his back and his leather armor looking freshly oiled and cleaned.

Overly groomed like a show horse, Raylas thought. Just like his face.

“Evening, gentlemen,” the Vice-Captain said. “Good hunt today, especially to you Goodwill. You kept those beasts from tearing into the right flank rather well.”

“Always willing to please,” Goodwill laughed.

“Raylas, the Captain wishes to see you once you get a moment.” The Vice-Captain gave Raylas a look over before sneering. “What he sees in you I have no idea, but your brutish skills are valuable.”

“I’m sure mercenaries everywhere will someday give up our ‘brutish’ ways and adopt the ways of the mind, like you,” Raylas retorted with a smile.

“Indeed if a day ever comes the world will be one step closer to paradise,” The Vice-Captain deadpanned.

“Say, Sigmund,” Rolft jumped in. “We’ve been on this damn escort for almost a fortnight now. How much longer until we hit Gloomcrest?”

“We arrive once we get there,” Sigmund dismissed. “There have been far too many delays and the Patron is getting impatient. Next time you lot should kill those beasts faster so we can make up for lost time.”

“How about joining us during the next party?” Goodwill sneered.

“I guard the Patron.” Sigmund waved Goodwill off. “You kill the rubble and earn your keep. We’re already about to lose profits from all of your slow work.”

He turned and gave Raylas an impatient look. Raylas sighed and stood up.

“Fine, fine, I’m coming now.”

“Some good news has finally hit us,” Sigmund mock cheered as he strode off into the darkness again.

“Don’t worry! I’ll clean up!” Goodwill offered as he started to gather the plates.

“And I’ll make sure everything returns to the proper bags,” Rolft sighed as he waved Raylas off. “Go see the Boss. I got things here.”

Raylas nodded and set off toward the bright fire in the distance.