CHAPTER 3:

After gaining assurances that Moria was quite housetrained, the merchant leader set off to take care of his wares and scold his workers. The group got off the ground, going their separate ways. Derrik, Caeli, Raven and Moria (who adamantly refused to be separated again) set off towards the market, but Aki stayed behind, intending to inquire further about the Wardogs. The first of his questions was seemingly innocent:

“So, Edric. You don’t happen to have made any powerful enemies? The kind that would hire brigands?”

“Hmm? There are my competitors, of course, but my kind fight with pen and paper, not swords.” Edric pointed at the long lists of numbers and figures he was pouring over, apparently detailing facts about his wares.

“Then, do you know why they threatened you at the tavern? Is there a particular reason?”

“No clue. I don’t even know who ‘they’ are.” As he said this, a slight distraction came over him. Not for long, but just long enough for Aki to notice, insightful as he was.

“I dunno much about them either. But I think I picked up their name. They’re called the Wardogs, led by some fellow named Gascon.”

At the name “Gascon” Edric’s eyes, which had previously been darting across the paper, stopped moving, and his face became noticeably paler than it had been a few seconds ago.

“I… don’t think I know of any Wardogs. Nor of a bandit leader named Gascon.”

Aki was certain now. The mercantilist in front of him was lying.

“In that case, I think I should be going to meet my fellow adventurers now.” He began walking away, “do tell me if you remember anything! Such knowledge could save your life.”

He left his hirer to ponder his words, continuing toward the town’s gate. However, Aki had just lied as well. When he was sure no eyes were upon him, he skirted in behind a tree, and unslung his pack. From its bowels, he brought out a costume. A valid thing to have, for an entertainer such as himself. It was a classic getup, worn by those who played the role of fox spirit on stage, including free-flowing fabrics held up by dyed ropes. Quickly, Aki changed into it, animal mask included. Then, he stood straight, savored the delightful freedom, and transformed into his true self.

He needed no spell, no casting of any sort. To shapeshift was a part of his being, an ability held within his very nature. The costume was designed specifically to hide his new form’s most recognizable features, and as such, a theoretical onlooker would’ve noticed very little difference. They might discover that the triangle ears of the headdress now moved organically on their own. They might find that his legs weren’t quite right; digitigrade, backwards kneecaps were hard to disguise, hence the need for the garb’s spaciousness. Equally difficult was hiding the fact that his hands and feet had become paws, but the long costume helped with this as well, so that it took more than a glance to notice what he was.

A toothy grin spread beneath the mask, as the two-tailed, humanoid fox emerged from his hiding place. He kept on the outskirts of activity as he bounced back toward the caravan, remaining undetected. Really, though it concealed what he was, the getup was terrible for stealthing. It was meant to attract the attention of others, which was the exact opposite of what he wanted. Fortunately, people were so busy with the last preparations that none took notice as he darted between crates and wagons. Eventually, he found Edric again, who swaddled from place to place, commanding his underlings and taking more notes, unaware of the nearby stalker.

Though Aki overheard much about the caravan’s ongoings as he skirted around, the tax rates on medicinal cave moss wasn’t exactly incriminating. Finally, however, he caught the merchant master by himself, heading for a lone freight wagon on the outskirts of the caravan. Like the others, its cargo was underneath a tall cloth cover, kept stiff by an interior scaffolding. This was to prevent goods from falling out on the bumpy road, (not that there was anything rightfully called a road where they were going. That fact did not diminish the bumpiness) but it also kept prying eyes from the contents within. To have a gander, one needed to fold aside the curtains on the wagon’s back, which was exactly what Edric was doing now. Aki watched as the overdressed man stood there for over a minute, glaring at the mysterious interior, before popping again with a sigh of relief. Then, he stepped away and returned to his duties, as if nothing strange had happened. Curious, Aki tried approaching the wagon himself, but out in the open, his fortunes finally turned on him.

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“Oy! You there, sniffing about! Stop!”

Aki glanced over his shoulder, and found himself faced with one of the caravan’s hired defenders, flanked by several other workers. Naturally, he did the opposite of what he’d been asked, literally turning tails and rushing toward the Pitchwoods. A brief clamor ensued, but the quarry, as sly as he was swift, soon lost his pursuers among the foliage.

Bah. I’m losing my touch. Aki cursed to himself in his native tongue, sylvan, as the chase dissipated. Oh well, he could always investigate the wagon later, as his other self. He’d certainly have plenty of opportunities once they’d entered the Pitchwoods.

Speaking of that, it was about time to change back. It would be bad if he were missing for the caravan’s departure, especially now that they knew a shapeshifter had been present. There were many misconceptions about his kind, but their ability to change between bodies was well known. Swapping attire again, he relished his true form for just a moment longer, then let his fur and twin tails retract. The racial magic was, unfortunately, limited to only two bodies, just like he only had two arms, or one nose. Still, it worked well enough for a little bit of mischief.

Now with sins masked, he walked in an arc around the woods, eventually emerging onto the path connecting the caravan and the town proper. His fellows-in-arms, as it happened, had already returned. A living, breathing panther by your side apparently worked wonders when it came to making space on the street, meaning their shopping had gone by quickly. Raven had got her arrows, while Caeli naively bought a light novel as entertainment for the road, and Derrik, tempted by the many gadgets on offer, had finally settled on a bag of ball bearings. Miniscule, metal marbles one could pour out to unbalance and trip. You never knew when you needed to set a trap, after all.

With the return of all the adventurers, the caravan was set. Each pair of horses had been tied to their respective carts, every bit of goods was securely stored in the wagons, and everyone stood poised before the Pitchwoods with steely resolve. All they were waiting for was Edric’s order.

The dim mood had not been lightened by the appearance of a kitsune while the four were gone, an ill omen if there had ever been one. The attendees whispered personal wards against evil, and many recanted the old adage against the foxfolk: “may there be none among us.”

Raven, and Aki himself, were not so superstitious, instead busying themselves with compiling information.

“Alright, the Wardogs are after Edric,” Aki began, “so they attack him at The Herbal Flagon.”

“Attack might not be the right word,” Raven pondered, “they didn’t actually try to kill him, only capture him.”

“True. You have any idea why they want him alive?”

“Do we have any idea why they want him at all?”

“No, I don’t. And Edric doesn’t seem to either.” Aki leaned in close, and quietly added: “But I'm not sure I trust him. He seems nervous about the matter.”

“It could just be fear. We are talking about a band of merciless thugs which attempted to kidnap him.”

“Maybe. Though I've seen quite a few liars in my days. I know how to spot one.”

“Perhaps it has something to do with what the tavernkeeper claimed.” Raven’s brow was getting steadily more furrowed. “Did you hear what he said? There were rumors about Edric cutting deals with criminals. Those criminals might be the Wardogs.”

“But why attack him then?”

“Perhaps the deal went sour.” Raven had some experience in such matters. It wasn’t uncommon for criminals to turn on their brokers if it benefited them. “From what I've heard from my… personal sources, though, the Wardogs haven’t been striking deals with anyone. They’ve been busy attacking places that work with herbs and plants.”

Seeing Aki’s confusion, she continued: “Their behavior has me as baffled as you. Of all the places to target!”

The two spent a little time in rumination, before Aki finally said:

“Nope, I’m at an impasse. Can’t quite connect the dots.”

“Me neither.” Raven straightened herself, “honestly, where we’re going, I doubt it will matter.”

“That’s fair.” Aki was about to give up, when something odd suddenly struck him. “Actually, why is Edric even going through the Pitchwoods? That’s another thing that doesn’t make sense.”

His answer came quickly, but not from Raven. It was Caeli’s melodious voice which answered as the elf approached the two of them.

“I overheard a conversation just now. Some merchants were saying that he wanted to get ahead of his competition.” She stepped in next to the pair, “our ultimate destination is Reach’s End, a city directly on the other side of the Pitchwoods. It’s expanding rapidly and has a large shortage of goods, meaning journeys there pay exceptionally well. Unfortunately it takes months to go around the forest, but theoretically, it would only take a few weeks if one went straight through.”

“Still,” Raven replied, “A renowned merchant like Edric shouldn’t be taking risks like this. Everyone knows this place’s reputation. The only reason I'm here is because the job pays so well.

Caeli was about to say something, but just then Edric spoke up, giving the long-anticipated order.

“A-alright friends, let’s get this journey over with.”

And, simple as that, the caravan began its steady trudge forward.

The scenery of the town was swept away, pulled off the stage by chains and mechanisms. In its place rose the shadowy, haunting Pitchwoods, alongside the caravan, small in comparison to the great trees and musk of the dark. Anticipation high, the audience continues its silence.