It was late afternoon by the time Ran made it to the isolated village of Matarn. The setting sun had slowly turned the sky into a deep scarlet as Ran lazily meandered down the winding road. It was a beautiful day, and he didn’t want to spoil it by hurrying anywhere.

Cresting the hill that overlooked the small village, Ran decided to stop for something to eat before entering the village. He had met a few fellow travelers along his journey and had managed to trade and barter for bit of jerky and other rations.

Sitting down by an old oak tree, Ran dug through his pack and withdrew a sweetcake, something he had been saving for a special occasion. Just as he was about to lift it to his watering mouth, a small, indignant squeak echoed from within his hood, quickly followed by a completely grey ferret.

Sighing, Ran broke off a small piece as the ferret settled onto his lap and looked up at him with two huge glass orbs.

“Y’know, you really need to stop being so greedy. I already fed you earlier…” but he trailed off as he quickly realized it would was an exercise in futility. Pips was as incorrigible as ever. Breaking the sweet cake into smaller pieces, Ran began to feed the small mammal in bite size pieces.

By the time the two were done, the sun had finally said it’s goodbyes, and set. Looking up at the fading light, Ran decided it would be best to find somewhere to sleep down in the village, before darkness fully hit. Sighing again, he looked down at Pips, who was laying on his back, with his overstuffed stomach out for all to see.

“Really, Pips. Even I didn’t think you were this shameless.” he said, hiding a smile. “What if a lady ferret were to see you like this?”

To his credit, Pips somehow managed to look slightly ashamed. Letting out a small laugh, Ran held his hand open for Pips to climb, and re-shouldered his pack.

“C’mon, it’s time to go. Let’s see what this world has to offer.”

______________________________________________________

Arriving at the entrance to the village, Ran was surprised to encounter guards outside the main gate. After all, Matarn was a small village on the outskirts of the Empire, and only had a relatively small population.

As Ran plodded up to the gate, two guards wearing a simple leather breastplate and skirt came out to meet him. One was an older veteran, with a missing ear and a scar over his bottom lip spreading down to his chin. Whilst the other looked around thirty, and had a wiry frame and a nose that looked like it had been broken and hadn’t healed properly.

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Looking up at Ran with a disinterested expression the older one called out

“State your name and business in Matarn.”

“Julius, and I’m just passing through, need to stock up on a few things. Got some money and a few things to trade”, Ran decided that although Matarn was far enough away that no one would be looking for him, there was no harm in playing it safe.

“Yeah, yeah. Didn’t need ya whole life story, pal.” The younger one snidely commented. Pips stirred in the back of Ran’s hood, sensing the tension suddenly spike.

“Wilmaer…” The older guard let out an exasperated warning before turning back to Ran and shrugging his shoulders. “Sorry, they give us long shifts, and this whippersnapper hasn’t eaten all day.”, he explained. “He can get a fair bit grumpy towards the end of our watch.”

Ran gave a small laugh at the older man’s comment, before his expression turned dark.

“I believe you. Hunger is a terrible thing.”

A shadow seemed to pass overhead, and as quick as anything, the temperature seemed to plummet. Suddenly, ravenous looks appeared on the two guards, and suddenly nothing seemed to matter but the urge to-

But as fast as the shadow arrived... it vanished. Leaving the two guardsmen shaken. The veteran stood there, pale as a ghost, whilst the younger one seemed to be shocked into silence, gripping his spear with white knuckles.

“I-If y-you would l-like to use that g-gate right there..” The older guard managed to get out, still looking extremely unsteady.

“Thank you for your time, neighbours” Ran tipped an imaginary hat to them as he walked past.

Criff, he thought. I need to be careful.

Control. Always.

From the inside, the village looked just as Ran had thought it would. Houses cobbled together at the sides of the road, trying to fit in as many as possible in the available space. They weren’t anything special, most were made out of a mixture of brick and wood, of varying designs. Although not politically or militarily influential in the slightest, Matarn was a trade hub due to it’s location so close to the Empire’s borders, and because of this, many people have come and gone in Matarn over the years, leaving the architecture, like the people, a melting pot of different ages and cultures. As such, Matarn has some of the nicest food in this region of the Empire. It was the reason Ran picked the city.

Making his way further into the city, Ran took note of all the vendors packing up at the side of the road, selling everything from swords and armour, for the wannabe adventurers, to chamberpots and other utilities. But no food.

It was well and truly dark before Ran managed to find an Inn.

The Whispering Duck was like a beacon of warmth and welcome to those out in the sea of the nighttime streets, at least until they got close enough to smell it. Opening the door, a billow of smoke and an odor of sweat assailed Ran. Coughing, he walked inside.

Pips made a squeal of protest as the loud raucous woke him, and climbed onto Ran’s shoulder, burying himself against Ran’s skin, as if trying to hide. Ran let out a small smile at this and gave him a quick stroke before muttering reassurences.

“Shhhh, Pipsqueak, it’s just a tavern, these people won’t hurt you”.

Pips slowly calmed at Ran’s words, although he still wouldn’t release his death grip on Ran’s cloak.