Water lapped against the wooden posts holding up the docks. I closed my eyes and breathed in deep the scent of cool damp air. The sloshing sound of the water mixed with the children’s laughter and the cool breeze coming off the water made me feel electrified. I wanted to leap off the dock. I imagined all the children screaming and fleeing from the giant green pig faced Orc. I would likely have a dozen spears between my shoulder blades before I could tell the parents it was just a joke. I opted to push a kid back in the water with a foot to the face as I walked by.

A salesman talked with a woman explaining why the price of onions had doubled since last season. A boat bobbed in the water as I walked past. Tootsie hummed a tune to herself as she buzzed along beside my head. The town smelled of flower petals and fragrant oils.

“Hold.” A minotaur stepped in front of me. His hooves clomped on the wood planks. He rested a heavy club wrapped with iron rings on his shoulder. “State your business.” Two mermen swam up out of the water and revealed spears. Behind the minotaur, I watched as some of the townswomen tucked their children behind them.

“I am just here to do some trading. Buy something to eat perhaps. I am here peacefully.” I gestured back at the swimming kids. "That was just an accident. I didn't see the kid there."

The minotaur leaned to look behind me with a quizzical look on his face. He must not have seen it, I thought. “What faction are you with?” He took a step closer and looked up the hill I had come from.

“I’m not with a faction that I’m aware of,” I answered. “I’m,” I held out my hand but I could not remember my name for the life of me. I thought of Pig Face several times when trying to get my name off the tip of my tongue. It was as if I had been down in this world for years. “Pug,” I said for who knows what reason.

“No it’s not your name is Pig Face.” Tootsie announced. I swatted at her.

“Nice to meet you Pug. I’m Sheriff Wilt.” He shook my hand lowering the club down to hang at his side. “So long as you keep the peace here Woodhaven welcomes you. There are merchants and trainers and pubs. If you have any trouble finding what you are looking for, just ask around, folks here are friendly enough.”

“Thank you, Sheriff.” I let go of his hand. I chuckled nervously and shifted my feet. He looked over me like a hawk over a mouse. Then his hard look turned to a broad grin and he stepped aside. The mermen sank back down into the water and the sheriff walked off whistling while swishing his club. I saw the women relax and allow their children to finally struggle their way free.

I walked past a window and saw spices and vegetables displayed in the glass. A portly old woman swept a dirt covered floor with a straw broom. Then I smelled the apple pie again. I followed the scent to a diner with a wooden sign hanging over the door. Mia’s Diner.

I pushed the door open and walked inside. There were small, round, wood plank tables with barrel stools and a long polished bar at the back. An old man with whiskers and cat’s ears, sat by the door in a rocker chair with a gauntlet in his lap. The gauntlet had jewels at the fingertips and runes in the palm. I was curious but loud laughter drew my attention to the back corner. A group of men were playing a game with white and black polished stones on the table and one of them stood to draw in a pile of coins.

Each of the men was of a different race except the two dwarves with mugs as large as their heads. One of those was pulling in the coin. The other tossed in two coins and moved a white checker to a new square. After each of the other men moved their checker a man with a head like a falcon tipped a cup over on the table. They all went quiet as he lifted the cup and revealed three dice. More coins were tossed out and they moved their checkers again.

I smelled her before I saw her. As sweet as honey. She walked out of a door beside the bar carrying food on a large platter. She wore brown boots that were folded over at the knees and tight black slacks with a green button-up shirt parted just enough to be conservative as well as revealing a little femininity. She stopped walking and stared at me with a raised brow. She also had whiskers and golden cat eyes. Here yellow pointed ears poked up through blue hair that was braided down to her thighs. She held out her free hand with fingerless leather gloves. She gestured for me to look up at her face with her hand then smiled at me. Tootsie flew up under my chin and pushed it up.

The old man in the rocking chair cleared his throat and slipped the gauntlet onto his hand. Her father, I thought. I bowed and scuttled over to a table blushing all the way. I heard the table in the back laughing again and looked over to see they had all stopped the game and were now looking over at me. I sat down and pretended to be interested in a carving in the table surface.

“You don’t seem very liked here Pig Face.” Tootsie said, flying over and dropping her face in a mug at the bar. She came up wiping froth from her face then leaned back against the mug looking up at the ceiling with a contented smile.

The woman walked over to the table of gamblers and set down the food. She exchanged a few words with the men. They laughed again. Two of the men looked over at me at the same time as she did. I looked back down at the table. I considered walking out but my stomach protested. I had never felt hunger until now. Not like this. I could pick out each of the spices in the pie. The cinnamon, sugar, and warm apples, I was nearly drooling.

“Are you gonna sit there staring all night or would you like to order something? The woman walked over toward me and my eyes locked on hers. I was frozen, trapped like a fly in a web.

“Apple pie.” I muttered after finding my tongue.”

“What was that?” She tapped her boot on the floor.

I cleared my throat. “Apple pie.”

“A whole one?” She smirked.

“Did you make it?” I asked, my face burning hot.

“Yes.” She narrowed her eyes and turned her head to the side.

“Then yes,” I replied.

She grinned and walked away looking back at me.

“Smooth.” Tootsie called across the room with a belch.

Pug

Level 3 Orc

Strength: 16

Dexterity: 10

Charisma: 6

Intelligence: 17

Manna: 5

Constitution: 14

Perception: 14

Exp: 4475

Soul Points: 6

Skills: Furious Feline: cost 2 mana,

Dex: +3, Claws, time: 1 hour

Carapace Skin: +4 Constitution,

Cost: 2 Mana, time: 1 hour

Coin:

$715

Gear:

Loincloth

Ordinary Trousers

Generic Blouse

Rapier Beretta

Ammo: 3 hollow tip rounds

Average Short Sword

Staff of drunkenness: render opponent drunk for one game hour

Leather Kilt: Protection against fire damage, armor 2

Satchel: First aid kit

Beginner crossbow

Ammo: 13 bolts