“We taking bets Deniz went towards it?” I asked.

“May as well. Her trail will be nearly impossible to follow in this dim light and rain.” Niobe shrugged.

We all headed in that direction, huddling in our cloaks. Except Izzy. The little elf was skipping along, clearly enjoying the weather. I kicked snow at her a few times but she didn’t notice.

We approached the built up bonfire and saw it was actually four fires. They surrounded two wooden framed teepee like structures made from heavy furs. A handful of long-haired goats were gathered between the teepees. A small, well-built human male and a woman, both of early middle years, sat beside one of the fires with Deniz. They dipped their hands into a bowl and at whatever they scooped out.

“Dammit. I knew it.” Niobe swore. We stopped moving forward at the edge of the treeline, watching the shelters amid the fires. It looked like Deniz had busted open a rotted log and grabbed the bugs from it for her meal.

The humans were odd looking. They were both very pale, with dark hair along with numerous piercings and tattoos. The man’s hair was shaved above his ears, done in what looked like dreadlocks across the top, but long and flowing to shoulder length in the back. Sort of like a reggae mullet. The woman’s hair was shaved across the top, back to her ears, then long at the rear of her head. She carried a staff covered in bones, beads, and various trinkets.

Each of them had multiple piercings of bone, slivers of metal, and various other things through their ears, nose, and lips. We could hear murmurs of conversation, but couldn’t make out what they were saying. The man had a large hide and wood shield decorated with turtle shells across it. A spear with a blade that looked to be made of obsidian leaned against the shield on his leg.

The man laughed at some comment, throwing his head back. The happy sound echoed off the trees. They didn’t seem ready for combat.

“Do we just attack?” Jackson asked uncertainly.

Izzy shook her head. “I don’t think so. They aren’t menacing us.”

“They’re hiding Deniz and we have to get her back. I vote we attack ‘em from the shadows. I just picked up a sneak attack ability I’m aching to use.” Niobe snarled.

“Hey, let’s take down the temperature a bit. It looks like they’re just hanging out having dinner.” I told the group. “I see no reason to attack them.”

“Are you gonna go talk to ‘em?” Jackson asked.

I sighed. “Yeah, I guess so.” I got up and moved out into the light. The left hand held the shield as I waved my empty right hand. I was being friendly, but wasn’t stupid. “Ho the fire!”

The man stood instantly, equipping the shield and grabbing his spear. With his short stature, I could tell it was a body shield, similar to what the old Roman legions would have used on Earth. He wore heavy leather with pockets for what looked like plates over vital areas. Turtles featured prominently in the decorations of his armor.

“Who approaches the fire of Caltrim and Lilybet of the Iron Turtle Kindred?” The man called out in a clear voice. The woman, Lilybet, I’m guessing, stood behind him and faced the other way. Her staff rattled as she took it to hand.

“It’s a friend of mine.” Deniz told him. “Hey Mike, good to see you again.”

The warrior, Caltrim, I suppose his name was, looked at the little lizard sitting by the woman. “You speak for him? That he may approach?”

“Oh no, he’s the one I’m running from. I just know him.” The reptilian woman shrugged.

“Surely you recognize the truce of the bleeding sun?” Caltrim asked in a loud voice. “All members of The Races must band together. The beast of wood and field turn to savagery below its light.”

Savagery beneath the bleeding sun? That explains the wolves. “May I approach?” I called out.

“Come in peace with your hands empty of weapons.” Caltrim yelled back. “Our fire is shelter to all good intentioned folk.” He gestured to the space between large bonfires.

I walked forward and stepped in between two of the bonfires. Caltrim nodded his head. Lilybet gestured towards the log where Deniz sat. “Come and warm yourself, traveler of the deep roads.” Her voice was relatively deep for a woman’s and had a soothing quality.

“What brings you out in such a night?” Lilybet asked, sitting back down beside the lizard woman.

“Really, just her.” I pointed to Deniz. “I have to bring her back or our entire group will be severely punished.” A goat with curling horns bleated at me and sniffed my hands. I carefully petted it on the head.

“Arlo likes you.” Lilybet said with a smile. “He’s a good judge of character.”

Caltrim handed me a dark, crusty loaf of bread. “Break bread with me friend and seal the peace bond of the red sun.”

“My thanks.” I broke off the end of the loaf and nodded. He passed it around and each of us broke off a piece. ”I’m Mike Resnick.” I said in response to his introduction.

“With this bread we share guest rite. This is no longer my fire, it is now our fire.” Caltrim bowed to me and lay his shield and spear down. He reached down and grasped my forearm, placing his into my hand. He then shook my arm firmly and sat down, grinning.

“The bread is very good.” Lilybet said, dipping it into the pot that contained an aromatic stew.

“Where are Jackson, Izzy and Niobe?” Deniz asked.

“They’re around.” I told her.

“So I didn’t get any of you with that wolf ambush?” She smiled, showing her triangular reptilian teeth. “I was pretty proud of that.”

“Yeah, it was great.” I said with a grimace. “So Caltrim, what brings you two out tonight?”

Lilybet answered, “I am a trader. I’ll take the furs gathered by our kindred and some woven goods and trade them for metal. Weapons and tools.”

Caltrim shrugged, “I guard her, that she may be successful. It is important to our kindred.”

“You’re trading these to High Vale, or the castle?” I asked, just making conversation.

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“High… Vale?” Lilybet said carefully, like she was tasting the words.

“I think he means the place of steaming shelves. They’ve renamed it.” Caltrim told her.

“Ah, yes. We’ll trade with the village and the great stone building. Who ever gives us the best price.” Lilybet said with a sly smile.

“Why did you call the village the place of steaming shelves?” Deniz asked, leaning forward.

“We did not name it such. Another kindred, aahhh.” Lilybet snapped her fingers, trying to bring it to mind. “Was it the Burning Hawk Kindred? They had long settled there after the stone house was abandoned. Many generations. But they were roused from their homes and set to wandering when the stone house was lived in again.”

“Do you think she means the baths?” Deniz asked me.

“Huh, yeah. I bet that’s part of it. The attendant said they were heated by natural springs.” I nodded. The goats started bleating. I could see now all of them except the lead ram were staked down. They pulled on the leather straps.

Suddenly Jackson came sprinting out of the darkness, shield leading the way. Caltrim stood, turning to equip his own shield and grab his spear. Vines grew up from around the fire. Clawing, thorny things that wrapped around Denize, Lilybet and Caltrim’s legs. I sat there with my mouth hanging open. Deniz screamed.

Caltrim arched his back forward. “Uhhhhhhh.” He moaned.

Niobe appeared behind him, the long blades of her war claws sunk deep into his lower back. “Grab the lizard! Let’s go!” She shouted.

Deniz stood, pulling on the vines that held her. “No! You can’t do this!”. Jackson charged in, knocking her silly with his shield and spearing Lilybet, who grunted and grabbed the wound. The warrior quickly switched his spear to his left hand and grabbed the lizard with his right. He threw her over his shoulder and turned back to the forest.

I was still sitting on my log, trying to process what was happening. Niobe kicked me and sprinted after Jackson. I stood, mouth working. “I’m sorry!” As I ran after them, I yelled. “I’m SO sorry!”

Izzy was standing at the edge of the forest and turned to run ahead of us. Jackson was loaded down with the kicking and screaming Deniz carried across his back and was keeping up with me. Niobe passed the running warrior and yelled excitedly, “Did you see? I got to use my sneak attack. It was awesome!”

“Put me down!” Deniz struggled and cried out.

“We have to take you back!” Izzy said as she ran beside Jackson and slightly ahead of me. “You know what’ll happen if we don’t.”

The lizard woman opened her mouth wide and chomped down on the human’s neck. Blood spurted from the wound and he dropped her. Jackson’s hand covered the injury.

Deniz gave a bloody smile and stood, just in time for me to barrel into her. My full weight slammed into the little bird-like lizard and I could feel bones crackle between me and the ground. I got back up to my hands and knees.

“Deniz, are you okay?” I asked, lightly slapping her scaly cheek. No response.

Jackson’s hand was covered in blood. Izzy touched him lightly, chanting. The clean scent of pine swept through the air and his bleeding stopped.

The human moved his hand away from the wound, “That’s miraculous Iz.” He said, looking at his hand.

“It literally is.” The sea elf smiled hugely. “I’m fortunate to be a vessel for it.”

“Oathbreaker!” Caltrim screamed from the camp, holding Lilybet in his arms.

“I thought they were dead?” Jackson said.

“Why did you attack?” I asked.

“They’re only NPC’s, relax.” Niobe told me. “Now get a move on before he chases us. I thought for sure that sneak attack and double hit would kill him, but he seems to be pretty tough.”

I hefted Deniz’s body up onto my shoulders. Dwarves may not be able to move fast, but we can carry a load and go at a good pace all day. I ran by Izzy, “Come on!”

Jackson and Niobe were faster than Izzy and I. Nearly half again as fast. They ran on ahead. After a few minutes of jogging, not sprinting but much faster than a walk, I could hear Caltrim crashing through the underbrush behind us.

Izzy was just ahead of me. “Come on Mike! Let’s go.” She put on some more speed, but I kept to my pace. I wasn’t going to sprint for a hundred yards, then have to stop. I could keep this up all day.

The human was gaining on me. I looked back and could see the bloody, tattooed man steadily gaining. I kept running, Deniz’s body flopping across my shoulders.

“I’ll… kill you… oathbreaker.” Caltrim said between deep breaths.

I could see Izzy up ahead. She’d stopped, hands on her knees, huge plumes of steam like she was a dragon in the frosty air. “Izzy… run!” I yelled.

Passing a huge oak and jumping over its exposed roots, I saw Jackson crouching by its thick trunk. I kept running. He leapt out and jabbed Caltrim in the leg with his spear. Niobe stepped from cover and back stabbed him again.

I looked back. The human’s eyes went red, blood rushing to his head. His gritted teeth foamed. The small man’s muscular body expanded. “Oh shit, he’s a berserk!” Jackson yelled and started running, Niobe right beside him.

They’d slowed him down, but it was a nightmare retreat. At the cliff we had just enough lead to lower Izzy. I dropped Deniz, her bird-like body a boneless pile at the bottom. The rest of us free climbed it, Jackson falling near the bottom. Izzy healed him again, or he’d have died there.

The white sun was just breaking the horizon when we arrived back at the castle. The guards let us in as we shuffled in exhaustion to the parade ground.

“Second Squad, report.” Bidlack intoned.

“Second Squad, all present and accounted for!” The squad leader yelled.

I arrived and dropped Deniz at the end of the squad’s line. Jackson, Niobe and Izzy fell in and I stood first.

“Third Squad, report.” Bidlack said, eyebrows raised at Deniz’s corpse.

“Third Squad, all present and accounted for!” I told him.