Opal sat in the dark, cold room. She watched as T’hih-me slept in the bed across from her. They had only been able to find a single room for the night, thankfully there were two beds. Opal sat at the old desk, her journal out and her writing fast.

“There are so many places in this town that are being swallowed by darkness. I don’t even know where to start to bring back the light. Even with Gudrun, Edge, and T’hih-me I can feel it. How do I bring hope to these people? How do I show them the light?”

She quickly stuffed her journal and quill back into her pack as she heard T’hih-me stirring. She blew out the candle, sending the room into darkness and she tucked herself into bed. Her mind raced as she tossed and turned. She couldn’t stop thinking about what she had helped Gudrun and Edge do just a few hours earlier. Was this really the person she was becoming?

...

Spring 47 YR 331

T’hih-me and Opal walked into Gudrun’s shop the next morning. The boy looked refreshed and ready for the day while Opal could feel the exhaustion creeping in. She smiled warmly when she saw Gisli sitting on her haunches. The bear caught her eye and got to her feet.

“I’m so sorry I didn’t come back last night,” she told the bear. “You must have been worried sick...” Gisli nuzzled into her shoulder.

Gudrun sighed, “Don’t shoot the messenger. I have had a few neighborhood complaints of a large scary bear.”

“Do we need to look into it?” Opal asked. Gudrun frowned and then glanced toward Gisli. “Oh, you mean Gisli is a big scary bear.” She sighed. “Alright. I’ll see you later my friend.” She snuggled into Gisli’s fur and then the bear disappeared in a puff of snow.

Opal glanced around the room. Edge and T’hih-me were arguing about the appropriateness of swearing, while Gudrun made breakfast. She seemed to be talking to herself and glancing to the side every so often.

“So,” she stepped up to the counter Gudrun was working at, “What’s the plan?”

She glanced up from her work, “We should probably do some investigating. Check in on Slice and Dice. Maybe do a little scouting around the area.”

Opal shrugged and gave a slight nod, “Definitely worth looking into. Maybe the owners will have some information on what is going on around town?”

“Edge, swearing will get you swooped up!” T’hih-me exclaimed as he joined Opal and Gudrun. “That’s what Ma Suzie always said.”

Edge rolled her eyes, “I have been swearing probably longer than you have been alive and I have never been swooped up.”

T’hih-me’s eyes widened, “Ma Susie would never lie. That would…”

“Let me guess,” Edge interrupted, “get you swooped up?”

…

The line stretched around the block from the small corner shop. Gudrun stretched her neck over the line trying to gage how many more customers there would be until they made it to the front. She was in the middle of counting yet again as Edge stepped back up to the group.

“Twenty…nine…sixty-two,” she smirked as Gudrun rolled her eyes. “There is a fairly good group of people around here. May not be best to just go up to the window and ask why they are serving the type of meat they are serving.”

Gudrun nodded in agreement, “It might be best to stop by after hours.”

“Why can’t we ask them now?” Opal questioned.

Edge shook her head, “Start mass panic on what is in our food when it is already scarce enough?”

“Might get the right people to notice though,” Gudrun offered. “I think I agree with Opal on this one. We might not want to come out and say it when we get up to the window…but maybe we can cause a scene.”

T’hih-me hopped into the conversation, “Do you still have any teeth from Dean?” His voice was barely above a whisper. “We could conveniently find it in a purchased meat pie.”

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Gudrun smirked, “That is brilliant, buddy.”

“Isn’t that lying?” Edge asked

“My name is not buddy,” he frowned. Gudrun’s jaw dropped as she glanced between T’hih-me and Opal. “It’s not lying. There very well could be human teeth in the meat.”

They waited a few more minutes before they finally made it to the front of the line. A halfling woman with deep smile lines and greying hair greeted them.

“Well howdy there,” she smiled warmly. “A few new faces today. Isn’t that always the best Harv?” She glanced at the older halfling behind her and he grunted in response. “Well what can I do ya for?”

Gudrun did a quick head count, “Four meat pies please and thank you!”

“Four meat pies coming up,” she smiled.

The woman turned away from the group, but was back within seconds with four meat pies. She handed them over the counter. The group quickly made their way back toward the street. Opal stood between T’hih-me and the shop as Gudrun planted the tooth in T’hih-me’s pie.

“Oh my what is that?” Gudrun called loudly as she covered her mouth. “Is that a tooth in your pie?” A few people in line glanced our way but didn’t seem too bothered.

“Is it contaminated?” T’hih-me’s voice caught a few more ears.

While they were causing quite the commotion, the line didn’t seem to budge. Opal caught the eye of the halfling woman back in the shop. She waved her over.

“Did I hear right,” she started. “Your friend over there found a tooth in his pie?”

Opal nodded, “That’s what it sounds like.”

The woman frowned, “Well bring him on up and we will get him a new pie right away. On the house of course.”

“Thank you,” Opal waved the group over quickly.

The woman glanced at them again. “Why don’t you all come right inside? We will make a fresh pie. It will take just a few moments.” She glanced at the older man, and a young elf standing near a cauldron. “Stevie! Can you watch the front?” The elven boy nodded.

The group followed the woman into the back of the shop. She glanced at them and frowned. “Now why would you all pretend to find a tooth in a perfectly good meat pie?”

Gudrun stammered, “We weren’t pretending. Show them the pie T’hih-me.”

He held out the pie for her to examine. She frowned. “Now honey, I’m going to ask one more time. Why were you all pretending to find a tooth in a perfectly good pie?”

“Because your meat is contaminated with human remains,” Opal stated. “The butcher that sends you your meat was grinding up humanoid remains in the old windmill.” Her face paled.

Gudrun furrowed her brow, “You didn’t know…”

“Absolutely not,” the woman stated as she rushed toward the open store front. “Harv, we are closing up shop. Sorry folks, we are sold out for the day! Thank you!”

“Torny?” Harv questioned. “We got…”

“No more meat pies today!” She shut the front door and windows hurriedly. “The meat is contaminated! We need to start cleaning the processor immediately. It is going to take at least a week to find a new supplier…”

Harv stepped up to the woman and placed his hands on her shoulders, “The kid faked a tooth in his pie and now you are rushing around here…”

“There are human remains in our meat,” she stated. “In all of our meat.”

Stevie sniffed and pushed up his glasses, “That’s gross.”

“How do you all know that the meat was contaminated?” Harv asked.

Gudrun pulled out the map they had found with Eira, the red ‘X’ over the old windmill. “We were informed of some nefarious dealings taking place at the old windmill. When we went to investigate we found the evidence. Your shop was listed as one receiving the meat.”

Torny’s eyes widened in horror, “Our little shop was linked to nefarious dealings?”

“You didn’t know,” Opal offered.

Torny glanced up, “If you all are looking into all of this, you may want to check out the shop across the street.” Harv gave her a look. “There has to be something going on there. Sword’s Brand going in and out all hours of the day.”

Gudrun’s eyes lit up, “Which shop?”

Torny pointed at the shop catty corner to them, “They get deliveries of meat from the same man as us.”

“White Dragonborn?” Edge asked.

Torny nodded, “Breiner.”

…

The alley was quiet now that Slice and Dice had closed for the day. The long line had quickly disbanded and people were making their way toward other shops. Torny let the group leave out the backdoor, pointing in the direction of the other shop receiving meat from Breiner.

“We should split up,” Gudrun stated as they approached the shop. “We can do a perimeter check first and meet back here. Opal, you are with me.”

“But…” Opal started, glancing at T’hih-me.

Gudrun frowned, “It is better if Edge and I each have one of you guys with us.”

“That’s a good idea!” T’hih-me agreed. “Just in case we run into something.”

Opal nodded hesitantly as she followed Gudrun down the alley. She examined the bricks and stonework of the buildings. She frowned as she noticed an odd yellow marking along the windowsill of the building to her left. The marking seemed familiar. As she reached forward, the window exploded.

“Opal!” She barely heard Gudrun yell as the bugbear slammed her body into the ground.

She groaned as she swung her warhammer wildly hoping to strike her assailant. She stood, her head spinning and back throbbing. They were surrounded.