The party followed Cleatus through the forest for five days. He found a main road that they walked down. In the distance they saw a man hunched in the middle of the road. Odelia narrowed her eyes. Something smelled fishy. She quickly ran up alongside Cleatus.

“Hey, doesn’t that seem odd to you?” Odelia asked. Cleatus shrugged.

“Sure. But what doesn’t in this forest?” He said. He walked a little faster and raised his hand. “Hey friend!” The man in the road jumped at the noise. Turning with a wild look in his eyes.

“Don’t come any closer! Go Round!” He yelled. Cleatus cupped his hands around his mouth.

“NO!” He yelled. Still advancing.

“Don’t! Don’t trample on my map!” The man yelled. Cleatus stopped the party as they came to the edge of a giant map drawn in the dirt.

“What is this?” Haagut asked.

“A map.” The man said. Haagut sighed and shook his head.

“Yes. But why?” Haagut asked.

“I’m performing a ritual. To reveal a location of something I’m looking for.” The man said.

“Okay. How long will that take?” Cleatus asked.

“Well I uh.. Don’t have a very important ingredient.” The man said nervously.

“Which is?” Odelia asked.

“Blood.” The man said. An odd wind blew between the crowd.

“What?” Odelia asked. Reaching for her staff.

“Bear blood! I need a sacrifice about the size of a bear… So I still need to find and kill a bear.” The man said hurriedly. Odelia didn’t seem convinced.

“What is it you’re looking to find?” Cleatus asked.

“Yeah, if theres some good coin, maybe we could bring you a bear.” Odelia suggested.

“Wh-really?” The man asked impressed.

“Well you aren’t trying to sacrifice us and want to find a bear instead so yeah that’s pretty impressive.” Shaynen shrugged, “It’s a pretty low bar.”

“Oh wow, you guys… uh. Have seen some shit huh?” The man looked at all the faces worriedly. He got no visible reaction. He cleared his throat. “Well if you do bring me a bear then… Well I’m looking for whats left of an old dragon and its horde it-”

“Say no more.” Odelia said loudly. “Cleatus, find us a bear!” Cleatus nodded and looked around the area. His eyes contracting to slits and thens stalking into the bush.

“Odelia, you aren’t phased by anything.” Shaynen jumped up alongside Odelia as Cleatus led them through the forest. “What would you find like… interesting? Y’know? Like something you’d see and think; ‘Wow! I need to know more!;” Odelia stared off into the trees for a moment.

“Not fucking colleges, I’ll tell you that.” Odelia snapped suddenly. “All those stupid dusty books and stupid dusty professors. Y’waste years of your life and for what? Fuckin nothing.” Shaynen stared at her and nodded slowly.

“Okay but that’s not what I asked.” He said. “I wanted to know what would make you really impressed,”

“Nothing really,” Odelia shrugged. Shaynen waited for more but Odelia was done talking.

“Oh, okay… Cleatus! You aren’t surprised much!” Shaynen called as he ran over to Cleatus. “What do you find interesting?”

“Oh uh…” Cleatus jumped as Shaynen ran up beside him. “I like dragonchess. That’s pretty interesting!”

“I’ve never played, what’s so great about it?” Shaynen asked. Cleatus’ eyes lit up and his pupils went giant. He cleared his throat and tried to stay neutral as he explained how to play dragonchess. Every possible type of strategy. As he spoke his voice took on a more gravelly vibration to it.

The fire snapped branches. Night had long fallen, Cleatus was hidden within the trees and Odelia was fast asleep in an alcove of roots. Haagut had taken off his hat of disguise and was gently cleaning it off. Shaynen watched him for a while. Trying to find words to say but not coming up with anything.

Travelling through the night came a roar of pain. Haagut and Shaynen were both on their feet in seconds. They stared off into the trees, the forest was suddenly dead silent.

“What was that?” Haagut asked.

“Something big… the bear maybe?” Shaynen said quietly.

“We should wake everyone,” Haagut said. Shaynen stopped him.

“It was really far away. It could have been nothing and if it was nothing then we’re just gonna annoy everyone.” Shaynen said. “Odelia doesn’t like being woken up if she doesn’t need to be.”

“That’s true.” Haagut agreed. He ran to a tree and knocked on it’s bark. After a brief moment of silence, Cleatus jumped down.

“What is it?” He asked.

“Some kind of animal in the forest,” Haagut explained. “Sounded loud and big, It’s pretty far away but if it’s what we’re tracking then tomorrow we might have some others to contend with.” Cleatus looked out into the forest.

“All is quiet now. Whatever it is, we can deal with it in the morning.” He said decisively. He climbed back up into the tree. Shaynen shrugged and found his seat again, Haagut nodded reluctantly. Finding a seat by the fire to continue his inspection of the hat of disguise.