It didn’t take very long for Jachum to catch up to the Windego, but just as quickly he was almost killed. As he got closer to the windego the air had become fridgid. And as he slowly stalked around, the windego leapt out of the darkness. Jachum managed to adjust his body out of the way, but a large gash still appeared on his right shoulder. Stepping quickly away from the windego Jachum fired his arrow into the charging windego’s face then quickly rolled out of the way leaving his bow behind in the process.

“Why are you hinting me little warrior?” asked the windego. Jachum’s arrow was still sticking out of its shriveled chest. “Your eating our people why wouldn’t I hunt you?”

“Our people?” The windego let out a cackling bone rattling laugh. “I am fair more similar to the friends I eat than you are to any humans. So I ask again why are you hunting me.”

Jachum rolled his eyes. “ Whatever, your going to die and thats all that matters at this point anyway.” “Oh really” the windego sneered licking his lips. “I’d love to see what you taste like. I am so hungry.”

The windego charged forward. While they had been talking jachum drew out a war tomahawk and a long dagger. So when the first slash of the windegos talons came, he was able to parry with the tomahawk and stab into the monster’s side. The windego’s other arm whipped around knocked jachum onto his back.

Jachum rolled back to his feet as quickly as he could while ignoring the burning pain in his shoulder and chest. Drawing another dagger from his side, he charged towards the monster. Doging under the first swipe from the windego he swung his tomahawk into the right leg of the monster. A crack sounded as the steel cut threw the outer tendon and lodged itself where the knee cap would normally stay. Jachum rolled to his feet and quickly backed away from the monster going for his bow. It took another 6 arrows to bring down a monster that had gotten to its feet and had tried to limp away.

Almost as soon as the monster collapsed dead, his father appeared out of the darkness. “I’m so happy for the help Dad, I really couldn’t of done it without you.” Said Jachum while removing his coat and shirt to examine the damage to his body. “Oh, quit whining, you didn’t look like you were gonna die. But that scratch on your shoulder has to be pretty embarrassing. Having your prey catch by surprise and all that.”

“Will you just come over and help me, I’m bleeding rather profusely here.” Jachum growled, trying to hide that he really did feel embarrassed. After a couple of hours with his father’s healing he managed to return to practically normal.

“Lets camp here for the night and try to relax.” Said his father. “Go ahead and take first watch.”

The next morning they restarted their trip to Jachums Grandfather’s house. Everything seemed normal for Jachum as they made there way through the ever shrinking forest until the third day. It was mid morning when the came ot of the forest into what Jachum thought was a large clearing, until he realized he couldn’t see forests on the other side. Sure, there were trees that popped up every so often, but the forest was gone. “I’m not comfortable with this dad.” Jachum said after walking in the open for 20 minutes. I feel so naked.”

‘I know son, I’m going through the same thing, it will wear off in a couple of days. Following a river that had appeared to be running east to west, they came upon a town 10 days after leaving his small cabin in the woods.

It was a small town with only a wooden barricade to protect its occupants, but Jachum was in awe by the amount of people it held in its walls. That was until someone someone tried to rob them. It was a middle-aged man that tried to do it while they were looking at a farmer’s food stand. Jachum couldn’t help it, the amount of time the fox had stolen his food and weapons it had become a force of habit. And by the time he realized what was happening the man already had a tomahawk buried into his skull. Jachum’s father slapped a palm to his face, “Jachum was that entirely necessary, now were going to have to leave before his friends make the whole town riot against us.”

“I’m honestly very sorry, I don’t know what happened, he reached for my bag and instinct kicked in.” Said Jachum 10 minutes later while they walked east on the rough dirt path that led away from the town.

“It’s alright, I didn’t think about this when I was going over social norms. Just make sure this doesn’t happen again. I don’t want to build a reputation of killing random people.” Sighed his father shaking his head.

Jachum’s next experience in a town went a lot better and they slept in a small inn. They still did a night watch, but it was much more comfortable to do in a warm room that outside on the plains. Because the had made it to the inn late at night, Jachum didn’t see the owner’s daughter until the morning meal.

His father laughed at his staring when they sat down to eat breakfast. “Either go talk to her now or wait for her to come over but stop staring you’re going to creep her out.”

Jachum quickly jerked his head away and glance at his father, who was still laughing. The girl was pretty in a plain cute sort of way, thought the Father. “Maybe he’ll experience all the fun a town has to give.” Chuckling ruefully to himself the man shook his head and went back to his meal. The daughter who was waitressing table eventually did come over and introduced herself as Alaina. After some small talk Alaina did try to flirt with Jachum. But all the courage he had while facing the wendigo, or Morana in the forest left him, and the girl eventually gave up and walked away. Jachum refused to meet his fathers eye the rest of the day.

They were now only a 5 days away from his Grandfathers house.