The party stood around the fire; facing out towards the creatures that circled the camp. Getting ever closer.

“Maybe they are afraid of the light,” Shaynen suggested. He looked at the little stack of firewood. Before he could get to it, two wolves covered in black inky fire burst into the firelight. They snapped at Shaynen and Odelia, bringing them together on one side of the campfire.

Cleatus drew back an arrow and shot the more aggressive of the wolves, killing it instantly and spraying black ooze onto Shaynen and Odelia. The ooze began to soak into Odelia’s skin. The second wolf came at Odelia and sunk its teeth into her arm. Releasing just as fast as it grabbed her. Odelia felt her body get heavy as exhaustion washed over her.

“Oh fuck,” She managed to choke out. An owl flew overhead at Haagut grabbing at his hat of disguise. He shrieked out curses in panicked Goblin. Shaynen ran to Haagut, uppercutting the owl out of the air. It exploded in ooze that fell like thick mud a few feet from the two.

“Are you okay?” Shaynen asked. Haagut looked at the small talon holes in his hat with wide eyes.

“My hat!” He said. Odelia gripped her glowing sword and bit out a strange word and the blade lit up with a pale light. She felt her dull, chewed nails digging into the leather of her gauntlets as the knuckle of her thumb popped against the palm of her other hand on the wooden hilt. The remaining wolf’s eyes locked onto her, it lunged toward her. Odelia jumped forward to meet it, bringing the blade down in a bright arc of light that sliced cleanly through the jaws and out. What was left of the beast cleaved in half. Black ooze sprayed everywhere and soaked further into Odelia’s skin. Wearing her down further.

From somewhere in the dark came a sound reminiscent of echoing clicks in the dark. Cleatus heard it first and recognized it, turning only a half-second too late. A wildcat pouncing from the darkness and smacking his bow out of his hands and away. He landed on the ground hard, knocking the wind from his chest. The giant cat pinned him to the ground, massive paws on his shoulders. Cleatus kept his grip on the cat’s jaws, keeping them pried apart so it couldn’t wrap it’s powerful teeth around his neck.

Shaynen ran up, with a quick twist his knee hit the cat square in the neck and Cleatus felt its spine snap. The cat spat black ooze over Cleatus and Shaynen. Both felt the exhaustion soak into their bones. Shaynen helped Cleatus to his feet. A second owl flew out of the brush towards Haagut, he turned his shoulder hard and swung blindly. The back of his hand hitting the owl with the unnaturally loud toll of a bell. The owl burst into ooze that was splattered against the ground away from Haagut.

The woods fell still around them.

“I think they’re gone,” Shaynen said. Cleatus grunted. He went back to his tree and started up it. The lowest branch reached out and slapped Cleatus to the ground. The party looked up at the trees in uncomfortable silence. Cleatus jumped to his feet, looking to another tree. He bolted past and up the tree only to be knocked out of that one as well.

“Hey Haagut,” Shaynen looked to the goblin. “You didn’t get sprayed by the ooze, can you climb a tree?” Haagut didnt seem to acknowledge him. Staring at the black mud like stains over his clothes. Cleatus stalked off into the brush. Sitting in silence in the dark, he breathed deep. A little forest spirit peered up through the tree roots. Cleatus slowly reached for it, but it jumped and ran in terror. Cleatus grunted, he leaned forward. Trying to commune with the gods of the forest. But there was nothing but cold silence.

“Haagut?” Shaynen snapped his fingers until Haagut came back to reality.

“Uh-huh?” He said still a little absently.

“I was saying you should try climbing that tree,” Shaynen pointed up to a tree. “Since you didn’t get hit with the- What are you doing?” Haagut had gotten inches from Shaynen and sniffed at him.

“You smell normal, like some kind of pastry being baked.” Haagut said. Shaynen took a wide step back.

“Is it a habit of yours to smell me?” He asked uncomfortably.

“No, but I thought maybe…” Haagut trailed off. Shaynen nodded slowly. Unable to resist quickly smelling his tank-top. Noting it smelled like he hadn’t showered in a week, which none of the party had. Cleatus crashed into camp irritably.

“Something’s very wrong,” He snapped.

“What gave you that idea?” Shaynen rolled his eyes.

“I tried to commune with the forest gods, they aren’t listening.” Cleatus said. Shaynen scoffed.

“Yeah, that doesn’t help.” He said. Feeling a startling amount of bitterness appear suddenly. The party shifted awkwardly. “Uh, I’ll take that last watch. Since Odelia seems to be already asleep.” Shaynen shrugged a little awkwardly. Across the camp, Odelia had curled up already and gone to sleep.

“Right, in the morning I’ll perform a few rituals and see if there’s anything I can do.” Haagut yawned. Cleatus looked at the trees with a bitter anger that had a small hint of vulnerability in it.

“Logss ‘err juss’ flat trees.” Odelia muttered in her sleep. Cleatus looked at Odelia suspiciously then to a large moss covered log. He laid down on top of it and glared into nothing until he fell asleep. Shaynen sat facing the campfire. Watching the trees as the party stilled. He watched the shadows, mapping every movement. Focusing on anything that wasn’t his feelings and how they were changing. But no matter how hard Shaynen watched and wished the night passed completely uneventfully.

As the morning light bled through the leaves of the trees, Shaynen found it getting harder to stay awake. They got up and went to wake up Odelia, as he leaned down a ghost wailing chorus rose up from her slow breathing. It screamed in rage at Shaynen, forcing him to stumble backward. Now wide awake.

He stiffly walked back to the dying coals of the campfire. Before he could sit, he noticed the small swarm of rats that were dancing around Haagut. Shaynen grabbed the bag that Haagut kept the panpipes in and opened it so they could get inside.

After an extra few hours the party began to stir. Cleatus was the first to rise, slowly and stiffly. Grumbling to himself about sleeping on the ground.

“Any movement?” He snapped a little roughly.

“No,” Shaynen said. He stood and brushed the loose dirt off his pants. “I find the quiet highly suspicious.” Cleatus didn’t respond. The noise had Haagut waking up slowly. He grabbed his hat of disguise and put it firmly on his head.

“Haagut,” Cleatus barked. Startling Odelia awake.

“I’m up!” She yelled as she stumbled to her feet. “I’m up! Where’s danger?!”

“No danger,” Cleatus said.

“For now…” Shaynen mumbled. Prompting a sharp look from Cleatus.

“Haagut, you said you had some things you could do.” Cleatus said. Haagut got to his feet and nodded.

“If I had powdered silver then I could make some holy water and I’m sure that would make a difference.” Haagut sighed. Shaynen reached into his pack and brought out a bag of silver.

“We could crush this up into powder,” He offered.

“But we don’t have any powdered silver. Or any way to procure it,” Haagut walked past Shaynen who rolled his eyes. He pulled out a bowl and found a good sized rock. Haagut brought the party together in one spot.

“Everyone hold still for, however long this takes.” Haagut said. He sat and began chanting quietly in his goblin language. Picking up little rocks and stacking them ahead of him in different designs. During the rituals Shaynen turned one silver piece into powder.

“Well it seems you’ve all been tainted with necromancy.” Haagut said after an hour of his chanting. “I detect you’ve all been. How do I say this… Desecrated?”

“That’s what I suspected.” Cleatus said. He got to his feet. “We’ll have to find a priest that can get this off of us.”

“I made powder!” Shaynen held out the bowl. Haagut looked into it.

“Good, we need about 25 gold pieces worth of it.” Haagut said. Then left to gather his things. Shaynen looked at the powder, then to the bag of silver pieces he still had. After quick mental math it became clear he didn’t have enough silver pieces for all the silver powder they’d need.

“Hopefully we’ll get lucky on our way,” Cleatus said.

“I don’t think we’re due for that kinda luck,” Odelia said tiredly.