I couldn’t get my mind off Miko the entire trip south through the forest. She was an enigma for sure. Fiery red hair and attitude to match. Every time I thought about her grinding into my thigh I felt myself get hard again, not a great thing when you’re investigating things.

I had to put her out of my mind, but I just couldn’t. She was unique and it would sure be an experience questing for her.

After a while, I came across the Weeping Cave. The forest was thick and dark in the southern area of the Crossroads zone, but the immediate area around the cave was clear cut and an beautiful meadow.

I hovered by the edge of the meadow to take in all of the cave and surrounding meadow. The cave was set into a ridge that stretched in each direction for about half a mile, and for a brief moment I thought I noticed movement atop of the ridge, directly above the cave entrance.

I froze, not wanting to give away my location, and focused on the spot above the cave. There it was again, some kind of movement, like something crouched there watching me.

I crouched for another five minutes, pondering if I’d just been seeing things or if I should take the Perception skill to be sure.

But after a few more minutes, I no longer saw anything moving, and so far the entire meadow had been deathly silent.

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I tried to move more around the edge of the meadow to get a better shot into the cave, but no matter the angle I observed, I wasn’t able to see inside. It was pitch black but for two green dots. At first I thought those might have been eyes but they never wavered, blinked, or moved. It had to be a trick of the light or maybe something simply reflecting what little light manages to make it into the cave.

I also couldn’t feel anything. I wasn’t very well versed with magic, but I did have Healing. I thought back to my training, remembering the two beautiful women stark naked wrapping their bodies around me, telling me to feel their heartbeats.

I calmed myself, hoping that if I was able to concentrate on any heartbeats inside the cave, it might tell me if there was anything inside there waiting to kill me if I ventured inside.

Despite only being level 1 in Healing, I was able to calm myself down quickly. I was one with my heart, it’s slow methodical beats filling my head. I projected out across the meadow and into the cave.

I listened, but didn’t hear anything. I waited longer, probing around. Still, there was nothing of note in that cave. Most likely empty. So why had Miko sent me down here if there wasn’t anything in there?

I pulled back my Healing skill focus, and unsheathed my sword, drawing it slowly and quietly.

Clearly the wait and observe method wasn’t working, it was time to charge in, screaming bloody murder and see if I startled anything.

I pointed my sword at the cave and stood up, stretching my legs. I would need a running start at the cave to be most effective.

Just as I was about to burst out of the cover of darkness and into the meadow, a voice to my left spoke up, freezing me in my tracks.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”