Crossroads Inn, Kingdom of Stilyra- Mid Summer 14 years AR

Jaes walked out of the Inn hating life. The training was far worse than anything her mother did to her but at least she felt there was a reason for this. A very obvious, not get stabbed in the head by a knight as a form of mercy killing kind of reason. Didn’t mean she liked getting beaten half to death every night for two weeks. She could feel the results of the nightly training already. It wasn’t that the beastmind was quieter, it was more like blended in, a hint of spice in a dish. It was now part of her but not overwhelmingly so.

She followed the others and looked at Jon’s back. That was one of the most frustrating parts, she liked hugging him, kissing him even though it was only twice. Now she had no idea if that was because she liked him or if it was because of her beastmind. She’d always looked at Leofrith as her sibling and that never changed. As for Jon, she thought he was cute and interesting before but after they fled Terra, she’d gotten closer to him. The problem was up until meeting Prince Erik again, she had felt as though Jon was the Alpha of their pack. The strongest of them that could protect them. He was also the only boy with a beastmind around her that wasn’t her brother for weeks. So was that her starting to get more than a slight crush or was it the damned beast in her head looking for a mate?

“Ugh,” she grunted and stomped, getting a raised eyebrow from Leo at her side and a slight chuckle from Afgheir up ahead. Leo paid no mind after a second, probably thinking she was mad that they were about to be bruised bleeding piles of flesh on the ground once again. To be fair, she kind of was. Did they have to endure this until they didn’t move a muscle? Take a couple hits without fighting back or running?

Afgheir found a lycan to fill in for him and returned to the meeting. He was a big man and Jaes felt bad thinking that she was glad he was replacing Afgheir, which meant Jon would be getting the big guy where her normal torturer would be handling her. Okay now she felt really bad, 14 days of this and so far 14 times Jon has helped her stand up when it’s done and helped her sit down to eat. He even fed her one day when she could barely move her arms and Leo decided he couldn’t stomach even porridge. She still didn’t want a guy twice her size kicking her in the ribs but… If she was knocked out or could barely stand, the others were forbidden to help but Jon and Leo could get her back up. If Jon was too injured to move, they’d be better off building his tent over top of him and letting him sleep where he fell.

‘Fuck! Next time I kiss you, you better actually kiss back for this!’

They made it to their training site, far away from sight of the camp this time. Leo lined up with his dance partner and Jon lined up with the new guy and her knight stood in the center. Rather than lining up she walked over and pushed Jon’s side.

“We’re switching,” She said, “this is happening.” It wasn’t happening, Jon just leaned into her so she couldn’t move him.

“Jaes?” He seemed confused. So she just did the next best thing, she moved further to the left and pointed at the big guy and the spot in front of her.

“Stay put, it’s her choice,” He said and walked over, she looked at Jon who was giving her a wary look. She started to brace but that didn’t help one time yet. Gods she was Nervous, she closed her eyes and started to focus on her breath when the first punch came to her stomach. She could hear Jon and Leo getting hit from the side as she dropped to her knees winded. She tried focusing on her breath and then realized that rather than continuing to brace maybe relax instead, she did. He kicked her a few more times in the stomach and took a step back. She just lay there on her side for a moment.

‘Innnnnnnn and ouuut, innnnnnnn and ouuuuut. Wait is this working? No no, breathing, breathing, innnn…’

She looked up at the large man and slowly got up to her knees in a non threatening way. If she made any move that might be a precursor to an attack or attempt to flee, it’d start over again. It was starting to rise again, she didn’t like the way it was staring at her. She didn’t like the fact that two of the most important people in her life were….

‘Innnnnnnn and ouuut, innnnnnnn and ouuuuut…’

She shook slightly trying to ignore the anger she felt at these three. Entire minutes had passed as she tried to focus on her body, focus on her breathing, her heartbeat. She didn’t dare close her eyes any longer as she wasn’t sure if that was cheating. Plus it’s worse if she can’t see a heavy blow coming.

Five minutes in, now she was focusing on the cool breeze of her skin, the man glanced to the left and then nodded. Next thing she knew Jon was kicked with a cry and landed in her field of vision. Her eyes went wide seeing his crying, bleeding form. Those sons of BASTARDS! She moved to jump up but ended up laying on her back swearing that she had a boot-print in her ribcage. It took her a moment to get her breath again.

‘Innnnnnnn and ouuut, innnnnnnn and ouuuuut…’

She could see Jon there lying in agony as she breathed deep and repeated in her head. She saw him clothes his eyes and start doing the same. She could tell because his sharp shallow breaths slowly increased in length and depth. She gain slowly sat up while a minute later Jon stood up just as slowly, he opened his eyes and took slow steps to his starting position. Once there she couldn’t see him and dared not turn her head but she could see the knight assigned to him tonight, standing there with an amused look on his face. Her eyes snapped back forward and she continued breathing as she heard the sound of punches hitting flesh. Leo hadn’t noticed yet.

She had figured it out, the morning and evening exercises weren’t two separate ones, you were supposed to use them together. She didn’t know why they hadn’t just told them but maybe there was a reason. She couldn’t help but smile. Unfortunately for her, her smile at her success was mistaken for her baring her teeth and she soon lay on the ground again after being hit a few times and thrown. A moment after she landed she saw Jon who’d been standing there this entire time step towards the man that had just thrown her. A minute later he was on the ground again, whimpering in pain at a dislocated shoulder.

‘Innnnnnnn and ouuut, innnnnnnn and ouuuuut…’ at least Leo finally got the message, either that or he was unconscious.

**********

The session finally ended, it seemed to last a lot longer than usual but they also spent less time getting hit. It took Leo a lot longer to figure out what was going on but then again Jon didn’t until he was kicked in the stomach that sent him rolling in front of Jaesmin. She figured it out first and he just mimicked her. He thought that trying to calm the beast at this point seemed cliche but he basically new nothing about the process they were going through at the moment. He at least realized his idea about understanding your body for partial transformations was probably wrong, well maybe wrong. Again he had no idea what was going on. Who knows with tonight’s progress, maybe he’d actually be able to spend his first night in the forest not bleeding and sore.

“I owe you one,” Jon said as they entered their camp.

“You owe me two! One for taking the big guy and one for figuring out how to avoid enough hits to walk here and not feel like dying,” she said, she didn't actually feel a lot better, sure her chest still hurt from the kick and her knee hurt from the last throw but after that, there was nothing she just sat up in the grass and stayed like that. She was excited that she had actually kept the beast inside her calm, that her thoughts ruled over it’s instinct.

“Okay I owe you two,” he still offered an arm to help her down although she didn’t really need it this time. Leo had gone to the outhouses as soon as they were done.

“Hey, you guys get let off easy tonight? That’s not right? Let me go find Afgheir,” Aethred said and made to walk way from the tents but his pant leg was snatched by Erin.

“Nope! We actually figured something out tonight so hopefully wer-mmmhmm.” Jon had reached over and put his hand over her mouth, the others laughed.

“No false hope, our luck it means you say that and the exact opposite is going to happen,” he said and quickly let go when she licked his hand, he laughed and wiped the saliva off on her shoulder so she stuck out her tongue at him.

“Okay in that case I hope Aethred doesn’t get the bite and have to go through weeks of pain after mocking three of his friends going through it now.” Erin smirked an evil little smirk and glanced around like a lycan or werewolf was going to suddenly ruin her day by biting him. A movement behind Erin did catch Jon’s eye though. She noticed the look and turned around.

“Oh my gods!” her yell caused Aethred to jump. She jumped up to greet the new arrival Cara was the next one to get up and laugh as she ran to the new person approaching the fire as well, it was Diana. They both hugged her.

“Awwe, one of the little ones said they saw you march by with the army, I didn’t really believe him but when I heard they were marching on Terra, I had to come see. Talked old Fred into bringing me down.” She said squeezing her little sister so tight she was gasping for air. She finally let go “I’m just going to assume you were busy and couldn- What happened to you two?” The hug ended and Cara led her sister into their little circle of tents set off the side of the encampment like always.

“Oh that, that’s just from training, they’re getting better. Their first night they could barely fucking move,” Aethred said and gave Diana a hug. After a moment of awkwardness she hugged back. He continued after he broke off the hug, “the third??? night Jaes couldn’t lift her arms and Jon had to feed her. Oh and that was for Misses Elaine, miss the old hag.”

“I’ll make sure she gets it,” Diana said and slapped the back of his head, he looked at her confused, “That’s exactly what she’d do if you called her an old hag to her face, consider it from her to you!” The badgers laughed and after a moment had to explain Mrs. Elaine to the squires.

“So you’re from Terra as well?” Astrid asked.

“I am, now I help run the group home in Everton… it’s the orphanage for the survivors,” she said the second part quietly but continued at normal volume, “You lot better come visit, they’ve been talking about you, making up stories about all kinds of crazy adventures.”

“Not much of an adventure, road in a wagon all the way to Sentia, hunted some imps. From there all the way to Saena, where the bridge was closed and Jon had to swim across the river to find these guys. But by the time he got through the gate on the other side the bridge had long since reopened so he had to chase them down for miles to catch them.” Andrew said, “Meanwhile we were waiting for him, camped out by the river. He was suppose to come back and yell across what bridge or ferry they were going to cross at so we could meet them there, now….” he gestured towards the camp.

“Didn’t you guys also fight some bandits?” Ragnar asked.

“Yup, eleven of the fuckers, Cara took the fi-” Aethred stopped as he saw the change on Diana’s face, “it’s not bad! Cara took the first chance to take cover while the rest of us fought, she used her lighting to distract them till we drove them off. No one got hurt…”

“I thought Cara used BOLT and blew some bitches chest wide open and you and Andrew took arrows?” Ragnar didn’t seem to get the sudden urgent looks to shut up. Diana gasped and Jon realized they never actually told their squire friends who she was.

“Ummm… Ragnar, this is Diana, Cara’s big sister,” Erin informed him.

*********

Jon got up from his meditation the following morning and moved to collect his pack. No more wagon, they could have brought it to Terra but they couldn’t just leave the horses there. So they sent it back, with much of their stuff, to the orphanage. Diana had turned livid the night before after learning that her baby sister had killed someone. She only calmed down a bit after Cara explained that the woman she’d hit with the spell had slit a little boys throat and was threatening her, it was self defense and justice in one. It turned out she was fine with Cara going into the Dain, largely because of the small army going with her, but she didn’t like the bandit incident because it was a person. Aethred unhelpfully pointed out it was just one and then listed the confirmed kills of each person, thankfully without detail. That seemed to get mixed results in that the rest could fight to protect her baby sister but they were also killers now too. She told Cara to hit them in the arm or leg next time before rolling off with the wagon and saddle horse in tow. Once Diana was gone, Deld walked up to Cara.

“She means well but don’t listen to her. If some bandits trying to kill you, only maim them if that’s all you can do. You take out their leg and they’ve got a bow or know a spell…” He shook his head.”Unless you kill them or get them to surrender at the point of a sword, they will still try to kill you.” He left her alone with her thoughts after that. Erin and Jaes both moved in to give Cara a hug. After a moment Astrid stood next to them and acted like she was going to join in too but started turning away. Erin caught her and pulled her into the group hug. Jon really wasn’t sure what was with that girl. She acted proper and a little pompous but also tried to integrate herself with the girls in his group a couple times now. She was an alright person, just strange. Jon took his attention away from her and gave it to Prince Erik that he’d noticed was approaching.

“I want you.. Badgers up front as we get to Terra and as we enter the forest. You know the landscape and the initial parts of the forest. I also want you to show me where it happened.” they all agreed with a ‘yes your highness’. “Drop the your highness and prince stuff out here. I’m here as a knight, not a prince… also I know it’s going to be tough, when we get there if any of you need a moment…” he gave each a meaningful look. Jon took it as either if we needed to look at something or just walk away to hide tears they were good to do it.

Jon walked over an picked up his woodmaul as SER Erik turned and walked away, he swung it up on his shoulder with ease. Even though he’d barely carried it around after joining the expedition, he’d still grown stronger somehow. As easy it was for Ser Afgheir to throw him around, he no longer doubted it was part of being a lycan.

They walked over to the formation and double checked, they could march with the squires as long as they were up front as Terra came in sight. At that they headed back home. Less than two months before they trudged along in dirty clothes covered with sweat and tears. Now they were marching back, armed and armored. All more confident in themselves than they had ever been before. Two Warriors, a Warrior-healer, a Barbarian-healer, a Spearwoman, and a Mage. Each armed and armored in their own way with weapons they were familiar with.

Jon couldn’t help but think about the day they left, he figured none of them would ever set foot in sight of Terra ever again. A lot can change in a couple months.

*********

The road twisted on and they took in the scenery. They pointed out the few things of interest on the road and told their new comrades the story about how Ser Erik, Lady Kyanna and their company had saved them from Shadowcats. They also talked about the lake and their monster fish. That started the boasting on who was going to catch the next water titan as they carried 4 of Jon’s fishing rods with them and extra braided line. Jon also had his wood carving tools with, he needed something to do and more than one knight carried a crossbow, plus Aethred. If they broke, he might be able to fix them or he could start making another. His fiddle was strapped to the outside of hit pack as was Jaesmin’s cittern on hers and he knew Cara carried her kalimba everywhere. The drum and bagpipes went back to the orphanage. Hidden in the wagon for the children to find. Jon knew they were all getting smacked once the eventually found themselves back in Everton.

Ser Afgheir wasn’t too thrilled about the idea of bringing instruments on a hunt in the forest so Aethred told them how they’d lured imps out of a gave with music, when the little bastards came to investigate they ambushed them. With the idea of using them to trick their enemies he still wasn’t thrilled but he let it slide. He did ask to hear the fiddle though and Jon played for a little as he walked, drawing a lot of eyes towards the back and more than a few furry heads with their ears angled back to listen from the front. His teammates joined in and soon learned some of the other adventurers at the back had brought instruments. By the time they were halfway there they’d organized themselves and had some pretty decent music to listen to.

“Are they dancing?” Erin asked walking out to get a better look at the head of the column. Many of the lycans at the front were bobbing their heads or swaying with the music as they walked. Jon had gotten used to the knights who took a form identical to his nightmares but watching them sway and laugh, a few doing a little footwork or spins… they were not the same as the monsters. They were people who could look like monsters, nothing more. Even the more stoic Elvanni seemed to move with the music.

“Haha, you’ve really never been to Ederath,” Deld said, “Some cities like Jorvik, you wont find a square or corner without music playing. Not beggars trying to earn coin, just music for musics sake…. We really should march to music, even a few flutes. It makes it feel like back home.” Jon could have sworn his mother had said that to him once before but he couldn’t exactly remember.

“Do you play anything?” Andrew asked curiously, he didn’t have an instrument. Jon made a mental note to make a pan flute if he found some reeds.

“Actually I do, just a lute, nothing special,” Jaes without a word passed him the Cittern. It wasn’t a lute but it was close. He started plucking a melody on the strings. He was far better than Jaesmin but she’d only had it for a few weeks. He started teaching her a few tricks.

The music lasted for a mile or two longer until people got bored with it. It did liven everyone’s spirits though. Something the Badgers would need as they started recognizing far off hills in the forest and the overgrown remains of trail heads at the edge of the north grove, chopped clear of trees by their people. Leofrith beckoned them to follow as they increased their pace to get to the front of the column. They were nearly back home.

**********

Long grass and scrub filled the once well maintained fields, starving some crops of sunlight or water entirely while others grew on. They spread out, looking for anything from squatters to signs the wolves had returned. Leofrith noticed a ranger pluck a ripe tomato from the vine but slowly place it back on the ground with a guilty look when he realized Leofrith noticed.

Leofrith walked over to pick up the tomato and handed it back.

“Better eaten than wasted, take whatever you can find.” A few other’s heard that and the word spread, their rations were hardtack, dried meat and hearty vegetables. Once in the forest those stores would run out and they’d have to forage and hunt for their food. It’d be a long time till they could have fresh produce unless they found wild versions in the wood.

They were still looking for clues though and more than enough didn’t pick anything but kept their eyes on the treeline. They still pulled out cloth sacks and started filling them to the brim with tomatoes, onions, potatoes, whatever there were. He pointed out the orchards of apples and pears to some, who shifted to scout that direction. It didn’t take away from looking for evidence as there were nearly as many people here as had lived in Terra.

He walked up to the gate and stood there, the bodies were gone and with the exception of the homes that burned, the village looked largely the same as they left it. Sure there were signs of scavengers, both human and animal alike but the buildings stood, the blood washed away by rain.

“It’s quiet,” Jon said beside him. It was true, even with the people around searching the fields there wasn’t much noise, no crying children from before, or the normal sounds of life and celebration before that. No, the people there now were professionals, if they spoke they spoke softly.

Leo turned and realized they were all there, looking in. A few further back looking at them. Leo felt his eyes glisten but tried to will the tears away, he was a leader. Leaders don’t show weakness in front of their people, what little was left. He was already doubting himself as a leader, he could organize them but he wasn’t the best at actual leading. He didn’t try to build their confidence before the imps or volunteer to swim a river, he would have but he was incapable. To him that didn’t make it much better. Even in combat, during the bandit fight, his little sister had taken out two before he took one.

A scratching sound came from the side and Leo looked to see Aethred carving into the wooden post of the gate. Jon took off his pack and took out a better tool than the long dagger Aethred was using. He just carved ‘we came back’ and under it his name ‘Aethred Woodman’ he forgot the ‘s’ but it didn’t matter, maybe that’s what he wanted it to be. As far as Leo was concerned that was his name now. One by one they carved their names deep into the wood, Leo was the last one.

We came back

Aethred Woodman

Andrew Hunter

Jon Halladson

Erin Halladson

Cara Spellslinger

Jaesmin Barling

Leofrith Barling

The spellslinger part was added by Jaesmin. They had joked that that was Cara’s job within the group and was a known slang term for a mage. So rather than letting it just read ‘Cara’, Jaesmin gave her a last name. Not derogatory just informal.

With one last glance into the village and to the hill where his home once stood, and his parents died, he moved on giving a nod to the people waiting to scout the village. The next stop was the wall, more than a few people were investigating it. He knew his father had been trying to keep it discrete lest others interfere somehow. A few people stood atop the tall stone wall, having climbed the steps. Among them was Ser Erik and Lady Kyanna. Leofrith climbed up and saw him poking at the cement mortar between the stones of the battlement.

“What is this?” Ser Erik was among the ones there.

“It’s cement Ser… someone from the village accidentally discovered it. I don’t remember the entire process but a powder that when you add water you can sculpt it like clay and when it dries it hardens like this.” He poked the concrete mortar between the stones but he gave Ser Erik a look and glanced towards the Stilyran knights that were quite obviously listening. Sure he could give it to his countrymen but they would have beheaded him on the spot if he’d gone to them first, not taken him in and saved him from either death or becoming a monster.

“My father intended to build something grand here but if it’s acceptable, I’ll tell you some other day,” He gave another meaningful look, he meant it both as he’d let Ser Erik in on Terra’s secrets and that he really didn’t feel like talking at that moment. Erik gave him a nod and Leofrith left it at that. He looked around from atop Terra's lone, unfinished monument. He took in his former domain and settled his eyes on the stones of the ruined tower. He started to explain to Erik the exactly where they had seen the monsters, both the one’s running people down and the the three that came out of the forest for them. That’s what he was here for.

*********

Jon was sitting with his back against the rock and Jaesmin leaning her back against his right side. His arm was up over her and reached around to hold her left shoulder. She rested her head on him. He wasn’t sure how they ended up in this positing they just sat and ended up scooting together like this. It was peaceful though, they were only a few paces away from where they had passed out after screaming in pain that night. The expedition had finished scouting the area and the announcement came they were bout to press into the forest. They would all be breaking down into groups that would travel in the column but meant to camp together. They weren’t likely to find a single clearing large enough for everyone.

“Love birds! Let’s GO!” Ser Afgheir yelled at them, Jon gave her a squeeze and they got up. He was a little embarrassed as he wasn’t courting her but held her because they were reminiscing about the night of the solstice. He felt a little annoyance as they walked past Afgheir, who gave Jon a slap on the back with a grin.

Packs back on, they joined their group. It consisted of 100 total and it would be the point of the column that would fan out as they pushed into the trees. They lucked out that Ragnar was Ser Hallr’s squire and Astrid was with him. Deld was assigned to a different group with his mentor.

“Well let’s get on with it, right?” Jon asked as they fell into step and started pushing their way into through the brush. Other groups entered on clear paths or forging new ones to their left and right. Jon was a little bit nervous now that they were actually entering the forest, there were true monsters somewhere in there.

“Yup!” Jaesmin answered as she stepped behind Leofrith along the path that could fit two wide.

“They followed the path till it came to an abrupt end a mile or so away from the clearing where Terra had been built. They just pushed on breaking their formation from a number of steady lines to people weaving back and forth through the trees, trying to find the best way through the thickening forest.

“Might be easier that way, ummm…. Ser Erik, ”Andrew said and pointed towards the south east, “Trees aren’t as thick, my da said it was old growth. Big trees spread out instead of bunches of little ones. Goes on for miles like that. Straight ahead it’s nothing but this.” Ser Erik looked where he was pointing and changed course.

“Thank you.”

“Hm,” Kyanna gave a hum of approval, studying Andrew a moment. Jon couldn’t help but wonder if she had thought they wouldn’t be useful or if it was the fact they were already showing proof of it to the southern nobles who’d doubted them. Erik gave a few whistles and with a arm stretched towards the southeast the other groups turned as well. They walked for a ways and Andrew was proven right, rather than thick patches of trees and brush they entered a section of the forest that was nothing but great oaks spread tall and wide. The bushes gave way to ferns. It was nothing out of the ordinary to Jon, although he hadn’t spent much time in the forest as the north grove he’d still been there with Kaden and Andrew.

“Hah, a badger,” Erin pointed at the small animal scurrying off in front of them heading for it’s burrow to hide from the approaching expedition.

“Huf, I think we’ll leave that one go,” Leo said with a grin as the creature dove into a hole on the side of a berm. Ragnar was watching it go as well.

“Considering what you said happened to you lot last time you hunted one, might not be a bad idea.” They laughed lightly or just smiled.

“It’s unlucky anyways. Even bandits get into trouble when they try to hunt Badgers,” Aethred said proudly. Everyone else just cringed, they could hardly brag about that day and had barely been able to test themselves since. Erin just rolled her eyes.

“Pfft, Aethred, just no,”

They continued on for the rest of the afternoon. There wasn’t much to see, most animals fled as they got near or sat staring from the branches above them. Jon wondered why bring so many people if the monsters they were hunting would just run away before they even saw them. He also wondered what else was out there besides werewolves.

“What else is in here? What kind of monsters, I mean.” He asked Ser Hallr as they climbed the small embankment of a brook.

“Eh, giant snakes, drakes, living vines, direbeasts, wendigo, giant spiders,” hes started to list out a wide variety of monsters, Jon was surprised about the vines. He’d never considered there could be monstrous plants, “basilisks, pixies...There’s plenty but we wont even see most, they’ll keep their distance with this many. The most dangerous ones that wont run are deeper in the forest.”

“Speaking of pixies, if any of you try to swat one there’s going to be trouble” the nearby Ser Afgheir threatened, a series of blank looks met his gaze, “little bugs that look like humans, bout the size of your hand and glow.” Jon looked down at his outstretched hand, trying to imagine the creature he’d never seen before.

“They dangerous?” Cara asked, looking around.

“No but I am. They like to fly around and annoy you, swoop at your face, land on you and pull your ears and hair, steal anything they can carry. If you attack them, they’ll fly away and dozens of them will come back for revenge,” he explained his reasoning and looked directly at Aethred, the most likely to ignore his advice, “If I have to hike through the woods with a pixie trying to dig in my ear or shove it’s arm up my nose every step I’m taking it out on who ever pissed them off.”

“Yes Ser, no pixie swatting,” Aethred answered back but Jon wasn’t sure about his face. Ser Afgheir should have probably just lied.

That night they settled down to camp, no more were there orderly rows of before, instead it was small circles. The Badger’s camp was also moved from the exterior of the encampment to near the center. The more experienced warriors set up their temporary residence at the outskirts. They each got assigned to a knight that didn’t have a squire and were told they’d be sitting with the knight to keep watch when it was their turn. With the shear number of them, they’d only have to keep watch for a quarter of the night, every three days.

Jon was assigned with Ser Finn, a newly knighted lycan without a squire. He’d expected Afgheir but of course the knight was technically a part of the expeditions leadership and had commanded an entire cohort of soldiers. So he took on the role of a watch captain that was in charge of one of the shifts every night. Even though they were in the forest their routine continued, Jon was at least glad he was allowed to heal before his watch shift.