Adjoining farms enclosed by lattice fencing sit in front of Sarah and Wolf. Beyond those farms are three of the interlocking-log walled farmhouses grouped together. The locals begin moving about excitedly, all gathering and funneling between two of the houses.

  Wolf’s ear twitches and Sarah raises an eyebrow.

  “I wonder what’s going on over there,” Sarah says.

  “They’re happy to see someone,” he replies. “Apparently, he’s a bit of a celebrity.”

  The two of them continue to look on as the crowd starts backpedaling from between the houses as a figure emerges. He has an axe laying over his shoulders and looks across the farms to see Sarah and Wolf waiting for him.

  “Jack?” Sarah asks, astonished.

  Jack shakes his head to the locals, continuing to apologize to disappointed faces as he makes his way past them. He steps onto a dirt path dividing the farms, continuing towards the two of them as they remain seated on the wooden chest.

  As he approaches, it becomes apparent that he’s been in a bit of a scuffle. His shirt sleeves are no longer rolled, instead being loosely bunched below his elbows. His hands are black, and scratches run across his forearms. His clothes are also soaked in blood while red smudges mar his cheeks and mat his beard.

  “Geez, Jack,” Sarah protests, “you were just supposed to be hunting game, not showering in a ritual sacrifice.”

  Wolf’s nose scrunches. “I recommend bathing—preferably downwind.”

  Jack looks back and forth between them. “Are you two finished?” he asks.

  “Probably. I don’t think there’s any point in asking about the other guy,” Sarah says, smiling.

  Jack smiles back and shakes his head. “No, they won’t be troubling anyone again.”

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  Sarah reaches into a leather satchel next to her. It has two simple buckles where a leather tongue weaves through and is secured by a pin in a hole. She pulls out a pair of vials, one red and one yellow, then passes them to Jack.

  He looks at them, then back to Sarah. “What are these for?” he asks.

  “It’s a healing potion and a cure disease. I don’t know what you went up against, but those should take care of any injuries or diseases that you incurred out there.”

  He nods, then takes them each in turn. He looks over his arms to see the wounds close, leaving only the smeared blood behind. “Thanks, Sarah. I don’t suppose you have something that rids you of monster funk?”

  She nods and thumbs across the field. “I do. It’s called a river.”

  Sarah reaches into the satchel again as Wolf and Jack look on. “Alright, boys, I’ve got us a few things.”

  She grabs a handle and begins pulling it out. The boys’ eyes continue to grow as four-feet of shaft comes out of the bag, displaying a hammer head on the opposite end.

  Jack rushes forward and lifts the satchel off the top of the chest, thinking she’s instead pulling something out of the trunk below.

  “Hey!,” Sarah protests, smacking his hand and pulling the bag away. “Don’t touch that. You’re filthy.”

  Jack looks back and forth between the hammer in one of Sarah’s hands and the bag in the other. “But how did you just do that?” he asks, bewildered.

  She begins to pass the hammer to Jack but changes her mind, passing it to Wolf instead. “Hold this.” She looks back at Jack and oscillates the fingers of the now free hand. “Magic,” she whispers.

  Sarah digs back into the satchel, providing no further explanation as Jack looks over to Wolf.

  “I don’t know why you’re looking at me,” Wolf protests.

  She pulls out a bundle of gear, piling it on the chest next to her. She stands, then separates the gear into different stacks. “Alright, Wolf,” she says, meeting his eyes. “Do you think you can carry this stack down to the river for him? This other stack is yours.”

  Wolf nods back. “Don’t we still have to worry about the werewolf scare though?”

  “No. We’re about to head away from town, so I don’t care what people think while we’re out and about. If they get lippy, we’ll shut them up.”

  Wolf grabs Jack’s clothes as Sarah scoops up a pile of her own. She opens a portal to go change elsewhere.

  “I’m glad you made it back alright, Sarah,” Jack says.

  Sarah stops as she’s about to step through the portal and turns around. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  Jack smiles and nods. “Wherever you went while I was hunting…I’m glad you made it back alright.”

  She narrows her eyes at him as he turns to walk away with Wolf. “Hey, wait a minute,” she calls out. “What are you talking about?”

  Jack and Wolf continue to walk away as their shoulders begin to jostle up and down. Sarah growls, then stomps through her portal.