The next day Kael had just finished working with his hammer when he heard people pushing through the brush towards his cave. Sighing, he went into his cave. Taking the 4 javelins he had left, he stuck them into the ground by the cave entrance tip first. Placing his bag and hammer on the inside of the wooden barrier, he grabbed some dirt to rub on his face and arms. Sticking one of his daggers in his belt, he took the other one up in his left hand, while holding one of his bone swords in his right. His basic idea was to look like a wild kid, show no valuables, and hopefully not need to kill more people.

About a minute later 4 mercenaries crashed into the opening by his cave. The three in the lead were wearing nice leather armor with a rose imprinted on the breast. They had crossbows hanging off their hips with nicer swords in their hands. The one in the back was wearing leather armor with a solid steel breastplate over it. The armor was well crafted and in good condition. The man had two swords strapped across his back and was following the other men in a leisurely manner. The upper right area of his breastplate had a rose embossed on it as well.

The men were greeted with the sight of a dirty kid, in ragged clothes, and armed to the teeth standing in front of a cave. Coming to the stop as they stared at the kid, the three guys in the front drew their swords. The man in the back walked forward telling the other men, “Slow down, any kid that can live out here is not someone you want to fight to the death with.”

Hearing the man’s words, Kael was relieved but still wary. Jumping straight to the point he asked the man, “What do you want?” Seeing the kid so vigilant, with a row of javelins and his positioning, the man was worried about his underlings. If they got into a fight the kid could easily take cover while hurling the javelins that had wicked looking tips on them. Although the man was assured of his safety against a kid, he would still lose one man at the best.

“Calm down little guy, there are a few mercenary groups out here on a hunt. We lost a few of our trackers yesterday and we are just looking for them. Have you seen them?”

Nodding to the man's question, Kael pointed to the area he dumped the bodies in and said, “There were the remains of three corpses and some torn up packs that way.” Hearing the child's reply, the man was sure his men were dead. The only question was how they died.

Continuing to walk forward the man said, “You wouldn’t mind if we used your cave to rest for a bit would you?”

Seeing the man still coming forward, Kael stuck his sword in the ground and took up a javelin. “I would mind, and if you try to force it you won’t have as many people leaving with you as you came with.”

The man came to a stop as the kid picked up the javelin. Swearing to himself that his plan to get close was ruined, he paused before saying, “We need to check to see if our guy's stuff is in there, how do we know you did not kill them?”

“If I killed them you should know that I can kill a number of your men before you take me as well.”

The man was starting to get pissed and was about to rush the kid when a voice rung out behind him. “Ohh, the noble Rose Mercenaries, bullying a poor wildling kid. What has happened with the world for you to fall so low.”

Kael looked up at the edge of the clearing where 5 more mercenaries had entered it. At first, he thought, I am so getting robbed. but then he saw the wolf head branded into the newcomer's armor. With a grin, he shouted out, “Hey, how is Walt doing these days?”

The five newcomers were surprised by the wild kid asking about their vice-captain and stopped to size him up. Looking at him closely, their leader could tell the kids clothes, although nearly destroyed, were of good quality cotton. His waist had a well-built waste pack on it, and his boots were also of high quality. It was obvious to him once he took a close look that the dirt and weapons were just a disguise. Coming to this conclusion he thought, This kid probably really knows our vice, what the hell is he doing out here alone?

“Yeah kid, Walt is doing well, he did not come on our trip though, how do you know him?”

“He was buying a couple hundred gold of merchandise from my father each year. This year I doubt my pops will make the trip though. Perhaps you guys will send a gift to Walt for me as an apology?”

Hearing what the kid was saying, the merc guessed the kid had close ties to them. Especially if the number of goods they bought from them was really that much gold. “Sure kid, I love free stuff, what ya got?”

“Come on into my cave, I’ll help you bundle it up.”

Accepting the offer the man waved his 4 comrades forward as he approached the cave. The man in the steel breastplate just stood there and listened to their conversation. Hearing the kid had a rich family he knew he got swindled. He was pretty sure the kid did not kill his guys, but he was still pissed that another mercenary group was going to get a haul of free stuff. Waving his men off, they took off in search of their probably dead comrades.

As the man approached the cave, Kael had already put his javelins away, setting them next to his hammer and bag. Grabbing the small side of his cave “door”, he lifted it up and placed it further to the side, opening it completely. The mercenary seeing a kid pick up a few hundred pounds of wood like it was nothing was a little impressed, he stopped in front of the child and asked, “Hey kid, what’s your name?”

Looking around to see the other group of mercenaries were gone, Kael introduced himself and who his father was. Hearing this kid was related to his group's alchemy supplies he was excited but also a little bummed. The thought of not having such high-grade goods in the future, especially the healing potions and powders was a little disheartening.

“What happened that may delay the delivery of the potions and powders?”

“Oh, our family is recluse from the world. We don’t like dealing with the nobles or other political power plays. Last time we were in town some people were nosing into our origins. Apparently wanting us to do alchemy for them exclusively, which gets annoying.”

“Not to be too nosey, but what are you doing out here alone?”

“Our family sends all of its kids out into the forest at the age of 9 as a rite of passage. I already killed the required rank 6 beast, so now I’m just stuck out here for another 7 months before I can head back.”

The man listening to Kael’s web of lies thought, Shit, their family is hardcore. Those Rose punks got off light by me interrupting them. “So what did you want to give us?” Waving the group of mercenaries in, the first thing they saw was the impressive hammer hiding behind the wooden wall. No wonder he didn’t let the others in, that hammer would definitely cause a fight.

If you head into the back, you can have all of the hides. I just hope you can give this large bear skin to my father when he comes by again. Thinking it was just going to be a few hides, the guy offhandedly agreed. When the mercs got into the large area in the back of the cave and saw 35 to 40 hides from rank 5 beasts laying all over the place he was shocked. These hides are worth at least 5 gold, if there are any rare ones hiding in there, it would be much, much more.

“Kid, you sure you want to give these away?” He asked.

“Might as well, I am just using them as padding right now, and those other guys will be back in force when you leave. I would rather give them away than have them stolen or ruined.”

Nodding his head to the logic, he couldn’t help but ask, “So, did you kill their guys?”

Without missing a beat Kael replied, “Of course I did, the stupid dogs tried to rob me. Their gear was too low grade to keep though, so I dumped it with their bodies out in the woods.”

Kind of shocked at the kid's words, he was even more depressed by his view of their gear. “It may be low ranked mortal weapons, but it’s got to be better than the bone weapons you made.”

Hearing this Kael chuckled. Tossing the bone sword he was holding into the dirt by the guy's feet he said, “Take it, it’s the equivalent of a rank 5 weapon. I have an extra so I don’t need it.”

Thinking Kael was talking nonsense the guy picked up the bone weapon in his right hand and held is own weapon in his left. Striking the two weapons together blade first, his sword broke in half and the bone sword was totally fine. Staring at the sickle-like weapon in his hand he was even more depressed. Today, a kid has crushed his view of the world.

Watching the sword get cut off Kael said, “I’m not sure if the bear that came from was rank 7, but it was at least rank 6. With some tender loving care, you can make way better weapons out of their bones than that shoddily refined sword you were holding. Most people just think metal is better because it looks pretty, but unless it is well crafted, might as well use a bone.”

With nothing to say to that. The merc slid the sword under his belt with a, “Thanks”. After a few minutes the mercs had everything bundled up, but with Kael’s huge bear rug there was too much to carry. “Hey Kid, if you can carry that skin to the river, we have guys floating goods down the river in a barge. Otherwise, it will be nightfall before we get there."

“No problem at all,” Kael replied. Packing up all his gear, he looked over his hole away from home one last time before he picked up the bearskin and headed out.

The mercenaries were a bit slow working their way through the forest until Kael took the lead. At a light jog, and carrying a huge hide with him, he put the mercs to shame. Speeding up so they wouldn’t fall behind a child, they reached the river in about an hour and a half. The could see a large barge with about 50 people downstream. Heading towards them the mercs joined up with the rest of their company. Adding his pelt to the others he reminded them, “The big bear skin is for my pops, let Walt know Kael left it for Iradin, and there shouldn’t be any issues.” Waving, he turned around and took off without giving anyone a chance to refute him.