Iris and the group quickly took cover, blending into the foliage as best they could.
Feeling a sudden, gentle touch against her arm, Iris turned to find herself eye-to-eye with Akane. The kitsune was partially concealed by the underbrush, her multi-tailed form blending into the shadows. A silent communication passed between them and with a soft glint in her eyes, Akane wove her magic. A veil of illusion fell around the pair, their figures blurring and blending seamlessly with the foliage. The kitsune's adept illusionary skills making them appear no more noticeable than the surrounding vegetation.
From their hidden vantage point, Iris locked eyes with Laken. The high elf ranger glanced at the patrol before nodding subtly, confirming that their illusion was working. Iris let out a quiet sigh of relief. With the bandit patrol moving unknowingly past their location, it was a stark reminder of the danger they were about to face. They were in enemy territory now, and the quest had truly begun.
When they were sure the bandits were gone, Iris nodded to Akane and stood up, the illusion falling away as they did. Catching sight of the others, Iris gestured for them to continue, careful to not make noise that would cause the patrol to turn back too quickly.
Kaira had the other two move closer to her, while Iris, Laken, and Akane drift slightly further from the other group as they resumed their trek with an abundance of caution.
Through the dense thicket of the forest, Iris and her companions advanced, each step taken with painstaking care. The underbrush provided a mix of cover and hindrance; disguising their approach, but also making their progress slow. They came across three more patrols, but each time, they halted, hiding themselves within the forest until the danger had passed.
Akane's fox form proved to be a boon during these encounters. Her keen senses alerted them to the approaching men far before anyone else could detect them, allowing the group ample time to find a hiding spot. Laken too, with his ranger training, was instrumental in guiding their path, identifying the most concealed and noiseless routes to take.
The fort itself appeared more like a makeshift settlement when they first glimpsed it through the gaps in the foliage. Covering almost a hectare of land, it was a sprawling cluster of wooden structures, surrounded by an imposing palisade. Within its walls, Iris could make out a large number of people, moving about with the organized chaos typical of a bandit haven. Their careful scouting allowed them to estimate the numbers to be in the dozens, a force not to be underestimated.
A significant portion of the fort was occupied by a series of pens, filled with a variety of animals. The constant growling, roars, and other animal sounds created a discordant melody that hung heavy in the forest air. Next to these pens, a large tent stood, a clear hive of activity. They could see bandits moving in and out, carrying various objects, and even from this distance, they could make out signs of butchery and hide processing.
Taking turns to keep an eye on the fort, the party started making plans. They needed to remain undetected, for being outnumbered and in unfamiliar territory, a head-on confrontation was not in their favor. And so they continued their watch, etching the details of the fort and its inhabitants into their minds, forming plans and contingencies as the sun sank lower in the sky.
Yet, amidst their careful planning and observation, Iris suddenly noticed something. Akane, who had been a constant presence by her side, was no longer there. She glanced around quickly, her heart pounding. There was no sign of the large, multi-tailed kitsune.
“Akane?” she whispered into the quiet forest, dread curling in the pit of her stomach. Her voice echoed slightly, then fell silent, the forest seemingly swallowing up the name of the kitsune.
“Iris, I swear I didn't see her go,” Laken whispered, his eyes wide with concern. His hands fiddled with an arrow, the only sign of his agitation. His focus had been so trained on the fort that he had missed the fox's quiet disappearance. He cursed under his breath, looking around in the dim light, hoping to spot a flicker of the elusive kitsune.
Iris gave him a slight nod, her mind racing. Akane’s disappearance was unexpected, but not necessarily a cause for immediate alarm. “We need to regroup,” she said, her gaze never leaving the area where Akane had last been. They moved quietly back towards Kaira's group, their bodies blending into the shadowy forest.
“Kaira, Akane's gone,” Iris informed the high elf once they were within speaking distance. “She was with us, then she disappeared. We don’t know where she went.”
Kaira's eyes widened briefly but soon narrowed as the woman crossed her arms over her chest. “I knew that she was hiding something,” she murmured, the high elf paused for a moment before emitting a soft sigh. “Now what do we do? Continue with the plan?”
Gryff shared a glance with Bree before he piped up, “Should we abandon this? Find Akane first?”
Iris looked at them all, her gaze steady. “No,” she said firmly. “We continue with the plan. Akane is not some helpless creature. She can take care of herself.” She paused, taking a deep breath before continuing, “We need to split up, spread out, and get a handle on the patrols and movements within the fort. Meet back here in three hours. Just as the sun is setting.”
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
They all nodded, though there were clear signs of concern etched into their faces. The thought of venturing further into the bandit-infested woods was daunting, especially with Akane missing. But they trusted Iris, her leadership had gotten them through tough situations before.
As they split up, each moving to their chosen vantage point, Iris looked once more at the spot where Akane had been. “Where did you go, you sneaky fox?” she whispered into the silence, her words a mix of worry and anticipation.
Even though their quest had potentially become a lot more complicated, she was not ready to back down. Each of them disappeared into the forest, their forms swallowed by the dense foliage. The sun began to lower itself towards the horizon, casting long shadows that stretched out like dark fingers across the forest floor. Time ticked on, the quiet of the woods only broken by the distant sound of activity from the fort.
And so they waited, each in their own hidden corner of the forest, their eyes trained on the fort, their minds alert for any signs of danger–or a certain missing kitsune.
The slow descent of the sun cast a pall of transitioning hues across the fort nestled within the forest. The luscious greens of the foliage retreated, usurped by oranges and purples that pirouetted within the waning sunlight. As the day's light yielded to the impending embrace of darkness, the towering trees threw long shadows that gradually retracted. The symphony of daytime forest sounds was slowly replaced, the chorus of birds and rustling leaves making way for the subdued hoots of nocturnal owls and the sporadic rustles of creatures awakening to their nightly exploits.
Simultaneously, the fort itself underwent its own transition. The dying light was replaced by the growing glow of numerous campfires and braziers, the flickering flames casting a warm and somewhat menacing glow on the wooden palisades. Guard towers studded at intervals along the fort walls were more clearly visible now, with their occupants changing shifts as the day handed the reins to the evening. The entrance of the fort was a flurry of activity as guards, cloaked in the light of the nearby braziers, performed their changing of the guard ritual, giving the fort an appearance of a place bracing itself for the nighttime.
With night taking hold, Iris's group began to make their way back to their designated meeting point. Their movements were slow and cautious as they navigated through the dimming light, each step carefully measured to avoid drawing the attention of the fort's watchful guards. Their silent approach was drowned by the nocturnal orchestra of the forest, their whispered conversations barely a ripple in the concert of the night. The backdrop of the fort's glowing lights provided an unusual ambiance to their secret meeting, the flames throwing dancing shadows that mirrored their concern and anticipation for the task that lay ahead.
Bree and Laken arrived first, their faces etched with a mixture of concern and determination. The bard was softly humming to herself, a habit Iris had learned the woman would do to calm her nerves.
“We spotted a few patterns,” Laken reported, his voice barely above a whisper as they discussed their findings. “There's a set patrol route with four men, they rotate every hour or so. And there's a lot of activity around the northern edge of the fort, near the animal pens.”
Bree nodded in agreement. “We saw them loading some animals into smaller cages and onto wagons. They were different than the ones being butchered.”
Kaira and Gryff arrived shortly after, adding their observations to the mix as Iris and the others filled them in. “We also noticed the caging,” Gryff added, his gruff voice unusually soft in the evening quiet. “It appears that not all of the animals are killed, some are clearly captured and transported somewhere.”
Kaira nodded, adding, “Akane was right. There’s definitely more going on than just banditry; it’s a surprisingly sophisticated, if horrific, poaching operation. Especially if any of the creatures are similar to Mocha and Akane.”
As they shared their findings, they all realized the depth and complexity of the operations within the fort. It was more than just a bandit outpost; there was an organized and carefully orchestrated enterprise going on. With Akane still missing and the full extent of the bandits' operations unknown, the quest had certainly become more challenging.
While the last rays of the sun still faintly lingered in the sky, the group huddled together, discussing their plan for the night. Their voices stayed low and hushed, but the undercurrent of tension was palpable. Iris kept casting glances at the fort, her mind churning with questions and scenarios. She was in the middle of outlining their watch schedule when a sudden uproar from the fort froze the words in her mouth.
The sounds of merriment and idle chatter were instantly replaced with a cacophony of shouts and the swift crunching of hurried steps on the gravel. Their eyes flicked towards the fort, struggling to discern the cause of the upheaval against the diminishing daylight.
A sharp intake of breath from Laken drew their attention. The ranger’s face was etched with surprise as he pointed a finger toward the path leading to the gate of Storm’s End. His voice was strained as he called out in a hushed tone, “Iris, look!”
Iris followed his gesture, her breath hitching as her eyes focused on the scene unfolding. Walking up the road with a confident gait that shook the ground was a familiar figure. Her heart pounded as she recognized the form of Mocha, her faithful friend–who should have been back with the mundanes and the wagon. The mare was in her full armor, every piece gleaming under the fading light of day, her stride sure and powerful.
But what took Iris’s breath away was the figure astride Mocha. With an aura of absolute calm and authority, Akane sat in the saddle, her humanoid form visibly undaunted by the proximity to the fort. Iris could only stare in stunned silence as the sight registered in her mind. She had expected many scenarios, but Akane confidently riding Mocha up to the bandit fort was not one of them. Her voice lodged in her throat, the plans for the night forgotten as she, and the rest of the group, watched the unexpected scene unfold. As the duo neared the gate, Akane lifted and pointed a sword that looked awfully familiar, causing Iris’s hand to shoot to her waist, only to see a stick poking out from the sheath.
Fuck!