The Northfell Curse

13. Everybody Needs Some Body to Loot

Chapter 13 Everybody Needs Some Body to Loot

Their new boar "friend" insinuated himself closer to Hala and looked back at Autumnus smugly. At first. Then he decided that a two-legged with horns can't be all that bad. He sniffed Autumnus' hand and gave a small snort. Then he looked up at Hala. She's mine, he thought, as he snuggled close to the elf.

She rubbed his belly. Ah, that's the spot. The boar closed his eyes in bliss. He half-listened to Hala discuss the boar pack. "My thar karask friend, I do not know what was disturbing this boar and the others, but I am happy to help." He didn't really care about the other boars. Now that their leader rambled off into the woods without them, he considered himself a free boar. I bet she has food. Maybe she'll feed me. He looked at Hala adoringly.

The boar noticed that the cat woman had her ears flat, and looked away from them a lot. She didn't seem to like his Hala very much. Hmmph. I bet she just didn't scratched behind her ears like I did. She's just jealous of my belly rubs.

The annoying guy in the yellow shirt the hoomans called Lou kept looking at the sky. "It's s getting dark soon. We should decide if we going back to town or if we are going to ask the farmers for help." Then he put his hands on his hips and looked around the forest. "Say...where did our beautiful, bacon bounty hunter go?"

Autumnus, Hala's friend, and therefore, his, looked worried and looked around, too. " I don't know where they ran off to, but if it is getting late we should rest somewhere. Unless, Hala, you know how to travel these lands at night without the threat of monsters." He said, as he joined Hala in petting the boar's belly. Ah, yes. This is the life.

Hala tapped her chin, thinking, and frowned. "Well, there is a farm not too far from here where I think we can stay for a bit of coin. I remember that much." She nodded at Lou. "Our siffi friend is right, though, it wouldn't be good to leave anyone behind..I think we should find them first."

"I agree." Autumnus said. "Let us look for Kylia. Does anyone have anything with her scent on it? Maybe the boar could follow it," he said, coughing in his hand and looking at Lou.

Lou raised his hands in protest. "No, I swear, I don't have any more of her underthings." He looked saddened at the thought. "But, hey, where did that Hafoc guy go? We're dropping in numbers here. It's like herding cats."

Tine shot Lou a death glare. "Oh, well of course it isn't...I mean, you're a cat, and you've stayed put. Sensible you." Lou fawned upon the Mutkin in an apparent effort to make amends. "The rest of us, we're the true cats here. Oh, wait, that didn't come out right..."

Tine narrowed her eyes and hissed. "Stop already. I get it, you're sorry. Let's just find them and get going before it's dark!"

*

Kylia stood very still, listening to see if the bear meant her harm as she tightened her hold on her dagger. Kylia realized she didn't look very intimidating. When she hid her elf ears under her hair, she was often mistaken as a teenage human girl. She guessed that even someone of Autumnus' height would intimidate this green, spectral bear; it looked like it was easily 7 feet tall. It continued to stare back at her, and stood on its hind legs, unmoving.

"An' what's that?" Hafoc whispered in her ear from behind. Kylia nearly stabbed him in a reflexive move.

Instead, she calmed herself, kept her eyes trained on their foe and said in a hushed voice, "Just a giant, glowing, green bear. Y'know, the usual." She nodded toward it. "You want dibs on taking it out? I'm sure it wouldn't be too much for you."

"Oho, flattery will get you nowhere." He smiled a greasy smile. "I think we'll need to tag team this 'un. Kinda short in the weapons department right now." He drew his daggers.