Red caps tested Master Garthis’s fears. Kaitlyn was sitting at a table with Rashir and Javorora, working on sewing a new shirt when a small man appeared at the edge of her clearing. He actually appeared rather than merely came out of the trees.

Rashir reacted first, growling and rising to his feet. Kaitlyn set her sewing down, looking at her new patron. He looked like a wizened old man, leaning heavily on a pike for support. He wore a simple tunic and hose, both a grey-brown with no dye. On his head was a pale red hat. His eyes were squinted, and his bear scraggly.

“You should not come here,” Rashir snarled.

“Stop,” Kaitlyn said, “my land is neutral territory, everyone is welcome.”

“Kaitlyn….” Javorora was clutching her own arms, “that is a redcap. They kill humans.”

Kaitlyn looked at the man. He nodded and said, “Aye, I kill those that trespass on my lands. Ain’t my fault it’s almost always humans.”

“You will not kill here,” she said firmly.

He nodded and sat at the nearest table. No one else was here, so Kaitlyn approached and asked, “What would you like to have?”

“Your blood on my pike,” he grinned, showing long teeth.

Rashir growled again behind her, but Kaitlyn stood straighter and said, “Sir, if you seek violence I will ask you only once to leave. If you wish to remain you will need to order and pay for some food and drink.”

The red cap made a disgusted face and then said, “Bread and wine.”

“I have ale, but not wine,” Kaitlyn said.

“Fine,” the red cap was almost snarling and said, “Your biggest mug of ale.”

Kaitlyn went inside and carefully cut off two slices of bread and poured a mug of ale. She put some blackberry preserves in a small bowl and put it all on a tray. She carried it out and found Javorora and Rashir had resumed their table, but both faced where the red cap sat.

As Kaitlyn set down the tray, the red cap leered at her and put a hand with extremely long fingers on her forearm. She tried to pull away, but he pulled her closer and said, “Now, what exactly is a sweet little human girl doing alone in the woods my dear?”

Kaitlyn jerked her arm away and said, “I live here while I study with my master, Master Garthis.”

“Study?” he smirked, “is that what they call it these days?”

Javorora’s gasp behind her only made Kaitlyn blush more furiously. She then said, “Sir, I am student magician and I must insist that you pay now and as soon as you finish eating you will leave my lands.”

He took a slow drag on the ale and leaned back in his chair, leering at her. Kaitlyn retreated to join her friends, picking back up the shirt, but unable to sew because of her shaking hands. The three sat in tense silence until the red cap called, “I want another ale. I have coin. I expect my ale.”

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Kaitlyn looked at her two friends as she stood up. Javorora was shaking her head, Rashir frowned in worry. The red cap called, “If you refuse me hospitality….”

Kaitlyn went inside before he could finish. She returned with the ale and then said, “This will be your final ale sir, I will be closed after this.”

“It isn’t even supper, what if someone comes?” the red cap asked.

“Then they will be unable to receive food or drink tonight,” Kaitlyn said.

The red cap narrowed his eyes at her, but didn’t do anything. Kaitlyn returned to her friends and sat down again. The three met eyes, but still didn’t speak. When the red cap finished eating, he leaned back so the chair tilted far back, nearly tipping over.

At that moment, Fapallo came home. In his mouth, he carried a small doe, still almost young enough to be called a fawn. The red cap took one look at Fapallo and lept towards Kaitlyn, his pike aiming for her. She froze, panic preventing her from reacting immediately.

Fapallo gave a screech and dropped his prey as his fur and feathers raised like a dog’s hackles. Rashir cried out and Javorora screamed. Kaitlyn grabbed for the first spell she could think of, her flame spell.

Fire caught the red cap’s hat and he let her go to quickly begin beating it out with his hands. His pike sliced her collar as he let her go, but she took the moment to leap away from him. She turned and said, “You attacked me!”

“I need human blood!” the creature cried, fingers looking more and more claw-like and teeth even more pointed. “Humans are evil and is it my created purpose to rid this forest of their taint. You taint this forest!”

Kaitlyn drew back as spittle flew from the creature’s mouth. He tried to leap towards Kaitlyn again, but this time Fapallo moved between them, hissing furiously. The red cap screamed in fury and drove his pike towards Fapallo.

Magic flared and plants grew up and around the creature, holding it fast. The red cap hacked at the plants, but Fapallo was there and using wings and tail to distract the creature, he snatched the pike from the red cap. The creature let out a screech which made Kaitlyn’s bones ache and frost appeared on the edges of the plants.

The hat on the creature’s head was now almost a grey color. Kaitlyn stared in horror as the creature thrashed in the vines. She turned at a noise and saw Master Garthis striding from a portal, looking pale. He took one look at the creature and spoke a word. Thunder boomed overhead and lightning struck one of the nearby trees.

The red cap was no longer among the plant. Instead a painting of the redcap, whose cap was nearly white now, sat among the branches. Master Garthis looked pale and quickly came over to Kaitlyn and asked, “Are you alright? Did he hurt you?”

“I…. no,” she started but then he touched her collarbone and swore. She reached up and touched the wound, looking at her own blood on her fingers.

“I’ll help her clean it,” Javorora said, coming over and taking Kaitlyn’s hand and leading Kaitlyn to the well.

The cut wasn’t deep, but was several inches long. Master Garthis got the whole story from Rashir and then nodded. He said, “There haven’t been as many merchants coming through the forest paths, and those that do are being more careful. His hat… he might still die of starvation.”

“Starvation?” Rashir asked.

“Red caps don’t actually need food or drink,” Master Garthis said, “they survive on the blood of those who disrespect them. A single red cap might go two or three years without killing, but they need it as much as a wolf needs to hunt for meat.”

Kaitlyn looked at the picture and asked, “What did you do to him?”

“I trapped him,” Master Garthis said. “I will take him to my father’s court. My father will know of a place where he can be set to protect something or other which men are foolish enough to try to take. It will give him the sustenance he needs without putting you or other innocents in danger.”

Late that night, alone in her bed, Kaitlyn found herself sobbing. A kind of loathing that she hadn’t acted faster filled her, and her mind went over and over the actions she had taken. What should she have done differently? How could she had prevented the red cap from attacking? Or if he attacked, which spell should she have used to stop him? What if Master Garthis had not arrived?

She needed this place to keep her safe, and she needed to be a better mage so she could keep herself safe. Fapallo could only do so much, and Master Garthis might not always arrive in time. Cilvic had sent word as soon as the red cap had arrived and it had still been long minutes before her master arrived. She would have to be stronger.