Somewhere, West Virginia, USA.

Jeb and the Trap Master trekked through the woods just north of Jeb's home. While they had seen some signs of smaller game, rabbits and such, they had yet to find tracks for anything bigger.

A good sized deer, even a boar, would go towards keeping the tribe fed when winter hits. But they couldn't even find tracks of either. Which Jeb thought was weird. With winter getting closer the animals should be out foraging. But they haven't seen anything!

Some birds chirped nearby as Jeb knelt and studied the dry leavings of a deer. The only sign they happened across in over an hour. But it was too old. The deer was long gone.

Jeb huffed as him and the Trap Master strode through the colorful landscape. For the Trap Master it wasn't near as colorful as their former home, which was tropical and full of bright and florescent flowers and fruits.

At least they managed to bag a few rabbits, the Trap Master thought as he watched Jeb walk through the woods with barely a sound despite the dead leaves. Though the Trap Master was quite skillful when it came to hunting he felt quite noise some compared to the way Jeb seemed to stalk the woods.

He had to wonder if he was just that skilled or if it was him unconsciously tapping into the power of that other side of him. The thought of being preyed upon by Jeb and those creatures that stalked the gloom made his scales shiver.

He was tempted to broach the subject with Jeb while they were out here. The Den Mother had said that she would be the one to tell him. But so far it seems that she is dragging her feet yet again. If she didn't do it soon than either he, or one of the others in the tribe would.

They were growing impatient. Everyday it was becoming more and more obvious that Jeb could breed with them. While it was yet to be confirmed if they would be kobolds, the hope was enough to make the tribe antsy. It was becoming harder and harder for the Trap Master and the Chief to calm them. If the Den Mother wanted to be the one to bring it up with Jeb then she would have to do it soon.

Jeb cursed as he stood. Yet more old tracks.

"This don't make any sense! Where is everythin'?!"

"With how cold it's getting, perhaps they have left already?"

"No. It ain't that cold. There should be SOMETHIN' here! No deer, no boar. Nothin'!"

"Is it rare for this to happen?"

"The only time this happens is if there's a bear nearby." Jeb stated as he looked around with a cautious eye.

"Are bears common?" The Trap Master asked as he followed Jeb's gaze.

"Not enough that things should be THIS scarce!" Jeb said. As they went, even signs of rabbit and other smaller creatures have been getting fewer and fewer.

Their hunting trip looked to be only a couple rabbits if things continued this way. Sure a bear would scare away boar or deer. But everything else? The only things still nearby were birds! No squirrels, chipmunks, badgers, possums, nothing! Not even wolf tracks!

As they rounded a bend Jeb held up a hand to halt the Trap Master. He looked up at the human with a questioning look. Jeb held a finger to his lips and motioned for them to get lower to the ground.

They did so, Jeb unslinging his rifle as he did. He and the Trap Master crouch walked over to a rocky outcrop. As they got closer the Trap Master could hear something just a few yards from them.

Jeb peeked around the rocks and suppressed a surprised hiss at what he saw. A black bear. A 500lb, 6ft tall, black bear! It was huffing and grunting as it dug at something under a tangle of tree roots.

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Jeb motioned for the two of them to back away slowly. He didn't want to take any chance dealing with a black bear. Especially one that might be out foraging for her cubs. The two gently backed away. The Trap Master hurried a little more when he spotted what it was that had Jeb so worried!

Jeb motioned for them to stop though as the black bear ceased trying to dig at whatever it was and turned its head up and began to sniff the air. Jeb stared straight at the bear, a silent plea that the bear didn't catch their sent. A plea that went unanswered as its head swiveled towards them. It stopped sniffing as its black eyes stared right at them.

"Shit." Jeb cursed as he brought up the rifle and aimed down the scope at the bear. The bear charged them, whatever it was digging at forgotten as it spotted easier prey!

Jeb cracked off a shot, but it ricocheted off the bear's thick head. It roared and continued its rush as Jeb tried to reload. The Trap Master threw a javelin at the bear. But the sudden rush and the bear's thick fur and hide kept the sharpened length of wood from striking anything important.

Jeb and the Trap Master ducked and dodged out of the way as the bear thundered past them. It skidded and turned. It stood on its hind legs and roared a challenge at the two. Jeb tried to chamber a new round but it had jammed during his roll and he fought to unstick it.

Seeing a opportunity, the Trap Master threw a javelin at the bear. It struck into the beast's shoulder and it let out a roar as it pawed the throwing spear, snapping it and falling onto all fours as it charged its new prey.

Jeb cursed as he wrestled with the bolt. Exclaiming as the jam finally fixed, he lined up a shot as the bear rushed the Trap Master. The shot rang out and hit the bear's already wounded shoulder. Causing it to whine and fall forward. The Trap Master took the opening and dodged to the side, avoiding the bear as momentum caused it to skid a few feet across the forest floor and slamming into the rocky outcrop.

The Trap Master joined Jeb and readied another javelin as Jeb lined up another shot. The bear limped up and turned towards the two. It roared in fury as it stared down the two that had wounded it.

The two parties glared at one another for a moment, unsure who would make the first move. But the bear's impatience, or rage, won out and it charged the two. Jeb aimed for the bear's chest as it lumbered towards them while the Trap Master pulled back his arm and made to throw his javelin.

Just as Jeb was about to squeeze the trigger a screech sounded out from above them! A flurry of feathers flew over them and crashed down on the bear. The creature wrestled with the bear for but a moment as its claws raked the bear's flesh and, finally, its throat.

Blood and gore sprayed from its many wounds and the creature screeched to the heavens in victory as it began to feast on the still warm and twitching bear. Whatever it was, it was a good size bigger than the bear standing at about 9ft to the former black bear's 6 and its back was covered with mottled brown feathers.

Jeb looked at the Trap Master with confusion, the Trap Master did the same. Neither were sure what had just happened. If it wasn't for the plumage and bird screeching, Jeb might've mistaken it for another bear with how large it was. Jeb motioned for the two to leave the massive beast. A twig snap caused the creature to bring up its head, which was facing away from the two.

It turned its head a full 180 degrees and stared right at the two with large yellow binocular like eyes. Its head looked like a great horned owl. Its mottled brown feathers and sharp beak were smeared with blood and gore from the bear. It stared at the two with a piercing gaze.

Jeb slowly brought his rifle up, ready for another fight. But the Trap Master put a claw on it and motioned with his head. Just above the slight ridge the creature came from appeared yet another of the owl creatures lumbering over to the edge, this one too looked like a great horned owl. Both stared at the two with that same piercing gaze.

The Trap Master led Jeb, slowly, away from the two beasts. Both continued to stare until they were far enough away from their meal. Then the two creatures screeched and feasted on the cooling bear carcass.

Jeb and the Trap Master didn't breathe easy until they could no longer hear the sounds of bone, sinew, and flesh being devoured.

"What the fuck were those?!"

"We never had a name for them. But we heard other races would call them owlbears. For obvious reasons."

Jeb looked back at the direction of the two creatures with a hint of recognition and mumbled.

"Looked smaller in the books."

Calling their hunt to a end the two made their way back home, with barely a few rabbits to show for their effort. With the two owlbears lurking nearby it was no wonder that they couldn't find anything. If they're the same as they are in the game books Jeb and his friends play then pretty much anything bigger than a chipmunk would be free game for them!

Jeb would call his kin when he got back to his home. They should know if they don't already. They cant have been here long though, Jeb thought. If they were then the kobold hunters wouldn't be coming back with nothing but bumps and scratches, and his kin would've told him when they were here or when he was at the Gathering.

The only good thing is the creatures are EXTREMLY territorial. Which means that its unlikely that there are more than those two nearby. That's about the only good news. Hunting and foraging just got a lot more risky. Also given their size and aggression then they're now a threat to anyone, and anything, smaller than them. Even bears apparently.

Just another reason to get the kobolds upgraded, Jeb thought. Those sticks might be fine for somethings, but against THAT?! They needed something with a bit more punch if they even wanted a chance against them.

They crossed the creek and entered Jeb's yard. The others smiled and cheered when they saw them return. Until they saw how shaken they were. Jeb dropped off the rabbits and went inside to get changed while the Trap Master laid out what they had encountered. The bear, and the owlbears both.

Given their proximity it was advised to avoid going north, where the owlbears were seen. Instead they would venture south for hunting. The Trap Master would talk with Jeb about setting up a trade system between them and his kin to the east. With a large swath of territory blocked off by the owlbears, they would need help if they were going to get enough food for the tribe when winter came.

The tribe didn't like it. South, more specifically south-east, was where the goblins had come from. Though scouts said that there weren't any left in that direction, it still made the tribe uneasy.

Things were just getting back to normal, and now they had to worry about owlbears stalking the woods. The Trap Master cursed to himself. He wanted to at least talk with Jeb about his powers while they were alone and away. But their poor hunt and the encounter with the black bear and the owlbears made him forget all about it! He just had to hope the Den Mother would finally bring it up with him.

With a threat such as the owlbears, and no doubt future threats, they needed all the help they could get. The power Jeb could potentially wield would be a great boon, and the Trap Master wouldn't compromise the tribe's safety and security because she wanted to keep it secret from him!

He decided. Tomorrow, if she had yet to tell him, then he would. For the good of the tribe and Jeb both.