It’s the middle of the night. We made our way to the forest, the undead didn’t seem to follow… as much as we’d like to say we were still fighting the undead we can’t help but admit defeat. We thought the big mansion would be a good place to start running to, maybe we’ll find the necromancer who made it or something like that but nothing was there. It was complete luck that we escaped the undead and found the tree and the only lead we have is a giant canine footprint that leads to the forest.

The priests seem convinced. Guy asked me several times whether I would like to escape now that I can and were out of danger but it’s useless. The undead will attack the nearby villages if we don’t stop whoever is controlling them, my village included. Grey also tries to talk to me, maybe because I’m an “adventurer” to him he asks about the undead and about the footprint we’re following, I should ask him, he is longer in this world than I am, but I can’t let him know that. Lisa has been completely quiet.

“Perhaps we should split up for the time being”. I hear Guy’s voice behind me.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Guy. We’ll lose our way in this darkness.”

“What?” He replies, as if I said something that doesn’t make sense. I look back to see him focused on his book of prayer.

“I think it’s a marvelous idea, we should look for food or shelter, it would take less time.” I hear Grey from beyond Lisa.

Before I get to tell him that’s wrong I hear Guy tell him “That’s ridiculous, Gregory, we need to keep going together.” I am confused, didn’t Guy suggest this in the first place?

“Hold on, Guy, I think it’s true, I also heard Lisa needed to go for a loo break and I could use some privacy too, just for a minute.” Was that… me? I think I heard my voice, or was it?

“Then it’s decided!” Grey says… no, it’s just his voice.

Guy lifts his head from the book and says “ Fine, if you insist on a bathroom break, just make it quick, we'll be up ahead.”

I think I understand what’s going on… is it the forest? I think I should be careful… or maybe I should gambit this… “Thanks, just wait ahead for a moment, I’ll be done quickly.” I tell him as he walks past me, Grey sees that he walks past me and makes a confused face, I just tell him “Gotta pee”. Lisa is as usual under her hood, in the night you can barely tell she has a face and her walk indicates she’s barely aware of her surroundings, it has been a tiresome day.

I am now alone, I look at the darkness behind me and hold the hilt of my sword, ready to unsheath. “Come out now, I know you’re there.”

It didn’t take more than a second before something leapt toward me from the darkness beyond the trees. Luckily I instinctively drew my sword in front of me but in front of me is a giant wolf… or is that a lion? it has a mane but it looks canine… a hyena? it’s the size of a horse. More astounding than it’s size… it speaks. “You could tell? How astute.”

I don’t know what’s more off putting, that a giant Hyena speaks? Or that it’s using my own voice? “How Brave of you- no, Courageous! How courageous of you! Yes!”

“Do you taunt me? I’m not intimidated.” I try to bluff, soon enough Guy and the others will come back to check up on me, if it’s a 4 on one I have no doubt we can win.

“Taunt… intimidate…? Yes, that’s good… What is your name, human?”

It wants my name? What an odd monster… “My name is Fren… and yours?”

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“Fren… Do you know any other good words? or perhaps can you… read?” It ignored my question and asked more questions. “Would you like to be my pet?” It asked me. it asked me!

What an odd thing to even consider… I don’t think I’ve ever heard that question being asked, and by a giant dog to a human. The tense position softened, I even lower my sword slowly for a moment and the Hyena in turn relaxes his stance.

“Fren, are you done?” I hear Grey yell up the road… “Are you talking to yourself?”

“Umm… yeah, just encouraging myself… I’ll only be a minute longer.” I hold off their intervention… I think this doesn’t have to end with a fight. Honestly I do feel tired from everything we went through today.

“Do you comply?” The Hyena asks again.

“I am sorry for the misunderstanding mister- umm… big hyena, but I am not to be anyone's pet. I need to take care of my village, and of my friends. Why do you need a pet anyway?”

“The village is already filled with undead, you have nothing to work for- labor! nothing to labor for. I can keep you safe, in exchange for you teaching me more words and reading books for me.”

“I see… Well, perhaps I will teach you a new word, but I cannot stay. I must clear the undead from the village and return to my own quest.” It looks like it’s considering its options, maybe I can persuade it… “If you could help… maybe I will be able to return with stories and more words. I need to go to a big city called Mandosa. I will be able to find a thesaurus in a library and you can learn all the complicated words you want.”

I think I have it in the bag, I can even see a huge fluffy tail wagging behind the hyena and even its feet tip-tap a bit from excitement.

“A thesaurus? What is that word?! is it a book?”

“It’s not just a book, it's the name of a book that’s like a dictionary, it contains many words and their synonyms. You can switch fancy words all you like.”

“Yes… I want! I desire thesaurus!” It says aloud.

“Fren, are you alright there?” Grey is even more worried.

“I’m having a breakthrough!” I reassure Grey and quickly return to the hyena “So, do we have a deal?”

“Yes, we most certainly do. I can bring you to the place where the undead came from. Will that be a fine trade? Originated! the place they originated from!”

“That would be a great help… um… I still don’t know your name…” maybe it’ll answer it now that we are ‘friends’ or rather mutually beneficial.

“I do not have a name, do you know how strong named creatures are? You’d be dead where you stand if I did.” It’s gaze wanders briefly.

“It’s a good thing you don’t then… “ I tell it half laughingly, “just… leave more footprints leading to where we need to go. We can handle a few undead if they fall into our way.”

Thus ends the weirdest conversation I had this far, a bargain with a giant hyena that not only speaks but also uses my own voice out of its mouth. but it all ended well, somehow. The hyena’s allegiances are won with knowledge of language and now he will lead us to whatever necromancer that started this, I don’t think we can ask him to let the dead rest as nicely, we should prepare for a fight soon…

I return to the party, and grey greets me with an odd face “Did you pee with your sword out? no wonder it took you so long.” oops, I forgot the sword was still in my hand. I smile awkwardly and sheath it.

“Heh, yeah… anyway, let’s move on.” I walk a bit and look at the ground, the moonlight is a bit weak but I know what to look for. “Ahh, another footprint, let’s follow them!”

“I was thinking, the tracks lead here and we’re no longer in immediate danger. But following a giant footprint will only put us in danger more.” Guy makes a good point. I think he feels we drifted off from our quest.

“It could be the necromancer's dog. Besides, I have a good feeling about this. It's definitely the right way.” I think it’s even more suspicious to tell them about the Hyena deal.

“I trust Fren, we should follow the footprints.” Grey says.

“Alright, fine. Let’s just leave these woods first.” Guy is convinced.

I look at Grey, he is deep in prayer. I don’t think he’s the one who said it, I think it was just his voice.