Guard duty was important. Guard duty meant making sure none of the nasties that occasionally wandered the fields near Apple Gate Farm, a slight misnomer for a place housing hundreds of people, broke in and decided to turn some of those people into a late-night snack. Thus guard duty was necessary.

However, guard duty was also terribly boring, simply because nothing bigger than a rabbit with antlers and an attitude problem had tried to attack the farm thus far. Maybe the sheer number of people frightened critters off, or maybe it was the constant efforts during the day to kill off anything that might threaten the farm and its people, either way, nothing had tested the guards. Nothing but the efforts of a cranky old lady and the biggest monster in the vicinity, hiding in a diminutive package. Quiet consent was that if that monster decided to turn against the farm, the value of guards would be similar to the value of mosquito nets during a hurricane, which is to say virtually nill, though they might be turned into projectiles.

No, if the Pale Lady decided to attack the farm, nothing would stop her. The first of her students, the few spellcasters who had received her teachings back in the city, had spoken about her power. The power to reshape the world as she liked, to summon mist that would choke the life out of everything caught within. And they spoke of her ever-growing skills and power, growing faster than those of everyone else, despite her power already eclipsing their best fighters. Her name was never spoken outside of her hearing for fear of gaining her attention. She was only called the Pale Lady, unless somebody needed to speak with her, something only the bravest of spellcasters dared to do and only if they couldn’t continue on their path any other way. Inviting her attention might be akin to inviting Death and nobody felt like they wanted to die just yet.

Others whispered of her taller companion, with pale skin and blood-red eyes, rumours claimed that she used to be the daughter of the farm, only that she had been Shattered in the change, a fate thought to be irreversible. Nobody truly believed that tale, but it was there, only mentioned when nobody could hear, for fear of evoking the ire of those involved. Like the Pale Lady. And like the Pale Lady, nobody dared use the Observe-skill on them, not after it became common knowledge that the Pale Lady could feel the use, avert the use and easily punish the one using it. Nobody wanted to be made an example of.

And then there was the hound wandering with them. Big as a calf and twice as strong, leading a pack of dogs that could tear through anything. Some had seen them, when they had to flee the city, the vicious hounds happily hunting game many times larger than them individually and bringing that game down with apparent ease, using a mixture of brutal, physical assault and strange magical abilities.

But while the sheer mass of canine aggression that was the pack was a danger in and of itself, the hound was said to match that danger just by itself, using nothing but its physical bulk and power, allowing it to bowl over any foe and tear them apart. Some who had been out at night claimed that the hound had its own magic, a strange magic of the moon, allowing it to walk on two legs, prowling through the night in search of prey. Some claimed the hound was actually a strange sort of werewolf, though nobody truly dared to investigate and it was certainly a coincidence that the guards, and everyone else, stuck very, very close to the buildings when the Moon was full in the sky. Nothing to do with the rumours.

Staring at that massive hound, even in the sunlight, was enough to send a shiver down the bravest man’s back, those large amber eyes that seemed to glint with far too much intelligence for a beast, those paws that looked large enough to casually cave in a chest and those teeth. Oh, those teeth, set in a maw powerful enough to engulf a head and crush it like a grape, sharp enough to tear flesh from bone, or simply tear off flesh, bone and limbs altogether. It was a monster in its own right and only the presence of its mistress overshadowed it, at least normally.

But not on this day, now, in the light of the sun, it was only the massive dog, staring at the gate of Apple Gate Farm and looking as if it was judging which of the guards would make for a better afternoon snack.

Neither guard knew how to react, both knew better than to attack the hound, even challenging it sounded like a stupid idea, but what else to do? Wait for it to decide on whom to snack, or simply pray that it decided to go hunt for some other beast? With those options, praying sounded like an excellent idea, praying and trying to look smaller, less of a snack.

Watching the hound slowly approach the gate, neither guard stepped up, they simply watched the leisurely strolling canine, not daring to move. Not even when the canine casually leapt across the gate, barely missing a beat on its slow steps, only to stop next to the guards and let out a few chuffing noises, terrifying both of them. What if the beast called for its army, to tear them apart? A vanguard, capable to overcome their outer defence with chilling ease.

But no dogs came to assault the gate, the hound didn’t even care that one of the guards had levelled his spear in its general direction, it simply moved on. Towards the main buildings, disregarding the calls of a braver, or maybe more foolish, guard. Though, challenging a dog to state its intent might be the ultimate evidence of foolishness. Even if the dog wanted to comply, it would be impossible, unless the statement was delivered by pointy teeth, tearing somebody to pieces.

After briefly sniffing the air, the hound continued on its way, ignoring the guards, and all humans for that matter, slowly padding towards the primary building. Somehow, nobody felt obligated to be the first idiot to step in the way of some hundred kilograms of determined hound and it managed to get to the door. With almost dainty care, the hound took the handle between its teeth and instead of crushing it, as it had undoubtedly done to countless bones, it simply pulled down, opening the doors with ease, proving that the beast wasn’t just powerful but also far too clever. First, the raptors had learned to open doors, now the hound could, too.

Inside, the hound simply continued on its path, either unaware or uncaring of the disturbance its progress caused. Or maybe it was aware and utterly amused by it, whatever the case, it wasn’t sharing, or stopping for that matter.

Instead, it made its way to the primary meeting room, where the leadership council of the greatly expanded Apple Gate Farm was discussing what needed to be done to keep their quickly growing community safe, fed and content, to the best of their abilities.

Upon the hound’s entrance, silence fell over the gathered councillors, none of them not even the usually unflappable Wu Chunhua, knowing how to react. They could talk to a person and find out why their meeting was interrupted but it the interruption came from an animal? None of them spoke dog, if there was such a skill, just like nobody wanted to be the one to rouse the beast’s ire.

Luckily, the hound didn’t need to be addressed, it knew where it was going. Namely, directly to one of their military leaders, if such a term could be used. A commander and guide of their fighting forces, somebody trying to keep their people safe. A courageous warrior and yet, under the gaze of those ember eyes, that courage seemed to flee like mist under the sun.

With a soft growl, the hound made sure that everyone’s attention was focused on it, before putting her mouth under one of the bags it was wearing, carefully pulling out a folded piece of paper and presenting it to Mark.

Despite a brief moment of disbelief, Mark easily accepted the latter, quickly reading the incredibly short and blunt missive, telling him little more than that Jade Morgana, the Pale Lady, the most fearsome monster any of them had seen despite the petite package and the Mistress of the hound sitting in front of him, had found another group of survivors.

A simple, casual message and yet, it was the first message the monster had sent to them, making it a priority. That the hound had taken a seat and was staring at Mark, as if looking for dinner, made it clear that it was expecting something.

Hopefully, a reply would do, otherwise, somebody might have to be sacrificed to appease the beast’s hunger.