Monster Rancher

Garret's Crossing

I stretched out, trying to get the kink out of my back. The benches on the open stage coach were not the most comfortable, but at least I wasn't walking all the way to Garret's Crossing.  There was just the one coach and a couple covered wagons when we left Soren, but now we were joined by a couple other coaches from other near by towns.

Garret's Crossing was aptly named as it was a cross roads of sorts where a good amount of trade passed through here in the boonies. It was also an adventurers hub, where many famous adventurers had gotten their start in the Strasa dungeons.

The coach behind mine broke out in raucous laughter, the noise rising even above the sounds of hooves on gravel and the marching of our hired guards. I saw that the occupants were openly drinking, drawing dirty looks from a man seated in a personal wagon. He was a young father, bring his family to Garret's Crossing in the hopes of a better life. i think I heard him mention that he had gotten a job as an apprentice smith in town during our last rest stop.

"Damned-able idiots..." Gruffed the man seated next to me, drawing my attention his way. I couldn't help but smile at the old man. Darwin had accompanied me on this trip, leaving his eldest son in charge of constructing my home, now that he had gotten the blueprints all made up and the groundwork started. He wants to go visit his wife, as well as drop off the first of many payments I would be making to the irritable contractor. "Getting blind drunk mid travel is already dumb. Doing it this close to the Strasa forest could cost you your life."

"I am not saying you're wrong," Sighed Taro, Darwin's youngest son who was also taking this trip with us. "But I highly doubt they would care even if you told them."

"Idiots." Was all Darwin said in response.

The teenaged Taro, and I, shared an amused glance before looking away, incase the contrary old man caught us and chewed us out.

Taro was already quite tall for his age, and working with his father meant that he was quite fit, too. He had messy silver hair and deep brown eyes, over a slightly hooked nose. Unlike his father and older brother, Carver, Taro is more light hearted and easy going. I often see him joking and laughing with the laborers when they work. 

"Another hour and we will reach Garret's Crossing, Folks!" The driver called back to us over his shoulder. At his words, the rowdy group set about cheering and shouting.

I rolled my eyes at the group, pitying them for how they will feal in the morning if they were that drunk already.

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Garret's Crossing was significantly larger than Soren, and had a basic, but sturdy stone wall around it. It also had significantly more guards than one would expect for a border town, even one as large as this one. The added security was due to the cities proximity to two of the three dungeons famous in the Strasa forest. One was an hour out of town and the other was nearly half a day away, both being near enough that there is a genuine risk to the population if the monster happened to grow out of control.

Though, I am sure that neither needed to be worried about in that sense. All the dungeons in the forest were hunted in so frequently, that it was highly unlikely that the monsters could build up the numbers necessary to affect an outbreak.

"It's getting late Cass." Called Taro as he and his father cleared the checkpoint, allowing us all into the bustling town. "Mom will be waiting for us. I bet she will be surprised that we are bringing a guest."

I frowned. "I don't want to be any trouble..."

Darwin reached up and smacked his son on the back of his silver head as he approached, shooting the boy a glare. "You are no imposition." HE said gruffly. "If anything, Mariam will be overjoyed to have another woman around for a couple nights. "