The forest around them was a bit aflame after the agnibears rampage, and Trina, though worn, used her magic to dampen the flames as much as she could. Hattie dismounted Monte and used a strip of cloth from her pack to bat the flames down where she could reach.

“Whew,” Hattie said, when she’d done what she could.

Ally and Alex had a green salve out, and were rubbing it into their raw faces.

“What are we doing with the carcass?” Hattie asked the group in general.

Trina answered while she caught the flames that were further away and smothered them, “The fur’s no good, since we ruined it, but we weren’t expecting to keep it. There should be a heart stone in it’s chest, which will be the most valuable thing. And nobody likes agnibear meat, since it’s too smokey, like eating a pile of ash. The main rewards come from offing it.”

Hattie nodded, “I’ll get that heart stone out then,” she said.

Balewin made a sheepish face, “I’m so glad I don’t have to deal with that…” Before Hattie came along, Balewin took care of most of the monster clean up and meals. He didn’t like that sort of work though.

Trina continued inspecting the clearing, making sure she had doused all the flames, and Hattie got to work. She had Balewin help her roll the carcass over, so the bear’s empty eyes faced the sky. She began the work of skinning it.

Monte came over and sniffed at the carcass.

“Will you eat it?” Hattie asked, worried it would be too smokey for him. She would feel bad if he had to go hunt for himself on their first trip together.

Monte sent over a feeling of enthusiasm. He didn’t just want to eat it--it smelled scrumptious to him. Hattie was relieved.

Soon enough, she found the heart stone, as its names indicated, located by the agnibear’s heart. The heart stone was a craggy rock with red and orange swirled throughout it. Hattie took some water from the stream and washed it off. Clean of blood, the heart stone’s deep colors glowed under the light of the sun.

The others agreed to set up camp a ways away from the carnage. Alex, Ally, and Balewin went over to their decided upon camp spot, while Trina continued inspecting the clearing for any lingering flames.

“This is a good place, since we have water here and the ground is pretty flat,” Ally said as they went about setting their supplies down.

Meanwhile, Hattie separated the choicest parts of the agnibear’s meat. Once she’d gathered what she thought was enough, she walked over to the campsite. She got out her special pan reserved for Monte’s more...exotic meals. With all her tools out, and the meat in a safe and clean spot, she and Monte moved around the clearing and picked up dry pieces of wood. While she and Monte did this, Balewin dug a fire pit. Hattie dumped the pile of sticks down, and got a fire started. When the pan was sizzling hot, she threw some of the bear meat into it.

Hattie was interested to see the meat react to the heat by turning a grey-black color, yet it didn’t smell burnt.

She spiced and seared the meat, and Monte pounced on it as soon as it wasn’t hot enough to burn his muzzle. Once Monte had eaten his fill, Hattie prepped food for herself and the others. She wasn’t working with anything she’d chosen, except for her own spice store. Balewin had packed the supplies.

“How did you know where the bear was?” Hattie asked, while she worked.

Alex winced as he brushed a tender spot on his face with a second salve, this one blue with white specks, “You didn’t see? There were black paw marks everywhere and the trees were all messed up.”

Hattie made sure the meal wouldn’t burn, and walked over to the edge of the clearing, where they’d entered, and saw Alex was quite right. The agnibear’s paw prints were scattered about, and the forest had suffered from its presence.

She wondered how she hadn’t noticed. All the action must’ve been too interesting to pay much attention to the foliage.

“You know your stuff well, boy,” Hattie said, impressed, and moved back to the cooking pit. Alex struggled with the compliment from this strange old lady, whom he suspected was growing on him. Hattie smiled when she was sure he couldn’t see.

Hattie bustled about, and asked Balewin to find some larger logs and rocks for them to sit on, while she monitored the food. Monte, belly full, was lounging nearby.

This was what Ally had agreed to let her join them for, after all. Hattie had promised she could provide extra comfort and good food during their time in the wildlands. Hattie seated each of the members on a log or rock. When everyone was settled, she served out portions of rice, sauteed vegetables and roots, along with thin slices of softened jerky meat that lay glistening from the delicious juices that’d been produced during the cooking process. It made the adventurers' stomachs pinch with want.

They ate in silence for a while. Hattie wished she’d added more garlic to the meat. Monte had moved to curl around Hattie’s feet, and he sent her a strong request for a taste. Hattie smiled, and slipped a bit off her plate for him. Monte let Hattie know he preferred agnibear. Hattie snorted--of course he preferred fresh juicy meat instead of something that’d been aged and dried, then refried.

Still, at least the humans were appreciative.

“This is amazing,” Balewin said, “How did you manage this?”

“Well,” Hattie said, and waved her spoon, “I did spend quite a lot of time in the Duke’s kitchens, helping, but I also have a rather keen sense for good food, since I was able to eat the same fare as the Duke and his family many times." Hattie leaned forward, “I’ve been wanting to ask, what was wrong with that agnibear?”

Trina glanced upwards, as she thought, “Well, a normal agnibear contains its fire and burns in a controlled manner to help revitalize the forest. This one, for whatever reason, lost all sense and one was rage away from completely burning everything it could.”

Alex spoke up, “It left a hamlet around the edge of the forest devastated, which is how we got word to take care of it.”

Hattie had a thoughtful expression on her face, brow scrunched, “Will we be hunting the roggs today?”

Ally spoke up, “We’ll be taking turns going out, setting different types of traps. This spot will pretty much be our base for the next two days, since the request was to do a thorough job.”

Hattie nodded, and then remembered, “Ah, one more thing,” Hattie set her bowl down and rose. She picked up a thin bowl, and handed it to Ally.

“I thought you might enjoy something a little sweet,” Hattie said. In the bowl were sliced apples drizzled with honey.

Ally took a slice and passed the bowl around.

“Thank you for the meal,” Ally said.

Hattie said it was no problem, and cleaned up. She washed the dishes and pans in the nearby stream, then set them out to dry under the sun. Ally and Alex left the clearing to set up traps for the roggs. Baldwin and Trina would stay behind to help make camp.

Monte left too, telling Hattie he was going to trail Ally and Alex and help hunt the roggs too. He knew the others would protect her in his stead. Hattie waved him off and got back to work.

A while later Ally and Alex returned, and Trina and Balewin went out. Hattie didn’t know where Monte was. The distance between them muffled their bond, but she had the vague sense he was enjoying himself, so she wasn’t worried.

Ally and Alex were mud streaked, and worn. They washed up, and reapplied the green burn salve and the blue and white speckeld one, which apparently helped speed up the natural healing process. Hattie fussed over them, and made Alex put on fresh bandages where the agnibear had clawed him.

“Goodness, you two,” she said, “This adventuring business, hum.”

Baldwin and Trina returned from their trap setting, and washed up. Hattie saw that Trina was quite clean, though. It came with being a mage able to manipulate water and ice, and, of course, the traps she’d set were all magic. Monte hadn’t returned with them.

Hattie felt at their bond and saw no reason to worry. Monte's enjoyment was even stronger than before.

For dinner, Hattie served the same fare, spiced in a different style of northern origin. Trina commented that she liked the new flavors better.

Everyone was wrapped up in blankets, which Hattie had scented with lavender and orange, ready to sleep. At last, Monte slunk back to the clearing. His muzzle was damp with water. He’d taken care of dinner himself, and let Hattie know roggs were delicious. Hattie was just thankful he’d cleaned himself up after.

The gentle night sounds of the forest lulled her. Hattie fell asleep with Monte’s fur warming her back, thankful that she’d found a kind group and a steadfast companion.