Reconnaissance

Songbirds and buzzing insects greeted Johan as he woke up. He watched shadows of branches dance across the fabric overhead. The sun had barely started rising and Johan scarcely slept that night. The volume of the beast’s screech suggested he was already being stalked as soon as he entered sight of the tree line. Lifting himself off the mattress, Johan shuffled over to his desk and unrolled a map of the Goldvine Forest before reaching into his knapsack. He pulled out a dark leather pouch and emptied its contents onto the table before clapping his hands together.

“Lagezeltbit!”

A blackened sheep’s bone rolled across the map with irregular rhythm, shuffling right to left before spinning in place on a single point. Johan picked up the bone and placed it back in the pouch before marking the spot with a triangle. He clapped his hands together a second time.

“Lagevaldheimbit!”

This time, a sun-bleached bone began its own journey through the forest. This bone slid cleanly across the map before spinning a short distance to the west of the tent. Marking the town with a square, Johan gathered the rest of the bones into the pouch before returning it to the knapsack. Looking back at the map Johan paused for a moment as he noticed the feather laying at the head of the desk, blood dried within the quill. He gingerly grabbed the feather, placed it onto the map, and clapped his hands for a third time.

“Lagegrypusbilt!”

…

The feather stayed in place.

“Ach, was worth a try.”

Johan said to himself before changing into a fresh pair of clothes and donning his boots. The air outside the tent was crisp and clouds from the north and west were slowly encroaching, threatening new snowfall. He figured he had today to get back to Valdheim before he would be stuck from snowfall, but Johan had a sneaking suspicion evidence lay just beyond the boundary of the forest.

Johan slowly trekked into the woods, making sure to keep the tent within line of site for a hasty retreat. Barring expected traffic from native deer and the occasional wolf, the ground was otherwise undisturbed. A gentle breeze weaved through the branches overhead, absorbing all other noise in the immediate area. Content with his cursor search, Johan returned to the tree line and plotted his course back to Valdheim.

____________________________________

“A gryphon, you say?” Hans Bauer, seated in his office, pondered at the notion of a previously mythical beast not only taking residence near his village, but hunting his citizens, “Do your field notes cover anything about this?”

“Not at all, at least for a creature of this nature.” Johan replied, “However if we assume this is like a bear with feathers, as the young kindr said, then the hunt should be all the same.”

“Please,” Hans said, “If there is anything we can offer in assistance, please say the word.”

Johan thumbed through a couple of notebooks, folding the corners down on specific pages before looking back up at the mayor.

“I would like to speak with your town’s guardsmen, if possible. I would employ their support for when I locate the beast.”

The two men made their way to the town’s guardhouse on the northern edge of the town square. The empty marketplace continued to unnerve Johan.

‘I should be hearing the chatter of merchants, gossiping wives… children at play…’

They reached the guardhouse, as the mayor took the lead popping his head into the entrance.

“Herr Murdaley!” Hans called out, “I come with a guest who would like to speak with you.”

“Aye, aye, hold yer horses!”

A gruff voice called from inside the guardhouse as heavy footsteps bounded closer to Johan and Hans. From behind the divider appeared a burly Braeling clad in padded leather armor.

“Terrible morning as always, Herr Bauer,” The Braeling greeted the mayor, “And you are…”

The captain of the guard stared at Johan for a moment, squinting his eyes before a mild gasp escaped his mouth.

“Well, now,” Captain Murdaley uttered with a knowing stare, “If it isn’t li’l Johnny boy! How’s my favorite Woods-Vermin?”

“L-Lac!” Hans sputtered out, “That is absolutely uncalled for!”

“Oh it’s fine, Herr Bauer,” Johan waved his hands dismissively, “Lac, I’ve never been better, dearest Kindrvolk.”

“Hah!” Lac chortled, “I think you might’ve grown since I last saw you. You’ll have to tell me if it’s going to rain later, haha! How’s your dear mother doing, still at the old house I take it?”

“She’s alright,” Johan replied, “I visited her grave this past summer.”

“I see. My condolences, sincerely.” Lac’s tone flattened, letting the silence linger, “Ahem! Anywho, you came here in regard to whatever’s out there terrorizing our town. Whatever you need, you’ll have it.”