First Quest

The leather satchel settled comfortably against Seraphina’s shoulders as they stepped back into the sunlight. Every few paces she found a new excuse to touch the hilt of her new dagger, as if reassuring herself it hadn’t vanished.

Kieran pretended not to notice.

Ahead, the familiar timer building stood near the center of town, larger than every neighboring shop. Weathered banners bearing the guild crest hung from either side of the entrance while adventurers of every size and race came and went beneath them. Armor clinked, boots stomped across the porch, and somewhere inside someone laughed loud enough to shake the windows.

Kieran slowed only long enough to hold the door open for Seraphina, whose eyes danced everywhere at once, before following her inside. The familiar scent of wood smoke, leather and iron greeted him immediately. It had been years since he had last stood inside this guild hall. Very little had changed.

Conversations rolled throughout the room, though more than a few voices quieted as they noticed who had entered. Several adventurers glanced in his direction before returning to their meals or conversations. Whether they recognized him form the Hero’s Party or had simply heard the rumors, Kieran couldn’t tell.

“...Kieran?” Seraphina spoke softly, leaning in closer as to not let anyone else hear them.

But he continued walking as if he hadn’t noticed the others around him. “The request board is this way,” he answered quietly.

Seraphina, however, wasn’t convinced. But she let the matter rest.

The request board occupied nearly an entire wall, crowded with overlapping notices of every shape and color. Monster exterminations filled the upper rows, and escorts occupied another section. Harvest requests, courier work, gathering commissions…

Kieran’s eyes skimmed them over almost instantly.

“No. Too dangerous. Requires guild registration.”

He reached towards one parchment before stopping himself. Goblin Sightings it read across the top. His hand lingered only a moment before settling on a much smaller notice tucked into the corner.

Missing Cat. Reward Offered By Owner. Those meant no Guild registration required.

“What do you think?” He asked, handing the flyer over to his companion.

She read it over twice before handing it back, her brows furrowed, “I thought we’d be fighting monsters.”

Kieran laughed lightly, trying not to insult his friend as he moved towards the guild receptionist. He flashed the paper to her and kept walking without waiting for approval. “Everyone has to start somewhere. And this is the best way to do just that.”

Seraphina blinked once before hurrying to keep up with him as he made his way out the main entrance, “I guess you are right,” she pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. “I just imagined something grander for my first adventure.”

Kieran looked over his shoulder with a smile playing on his lips, “It will take us out of the city.”

With just those words Seraphina’s lilac eyes lit up. Nodding furiously, she followed closer again, “Sold~!”

***

The city gates slowly disappeared behind them. Beyond the walls, the rolling countryside stretched beneath an endless blue sky. Wildflowers swayed in the breeze while insects hummed lazily through the tall grass. Before long the road gave way to gently rolling fields bordered by patches of woodland.

Seraphina practically skipped down the road. “So where do we start?”

Kieran unfolded the request again, “It says his name is Marmalade and he usually chases birds.” He nodded and packed the page away, “So we are looking for two things.”

She raised a finger to her chin as she thought, “ the cat… and birds?”

Kieran took off towards the nearest treeline. “Trees.”

“Ok?” Seraphina nodded and followed, curious where this was going.

The trees welcomed them with cool shade as they stepped beneath the forest canopy. Sunlight filtered through the leaves overhead in scattered patches while a gentle breeze carried the scent of pine and damp earth.

“If he likes to chase birds, then the birds will probably try to hide in their nests. Therefore…” He raised a hand up to his brow as he scanned the branches overhead instead of the ground.

“Oh we are following where the cat wants to go!”

“Bingo!” he winked back before moving further in.

They continued deeper into the trees at an easy pace. Every so often Kieran would stoop down to examine the ground. Running his leather clad hand over the loamy dirt, his brow furrowed.

Seraphina waited until he stood his inspection before asking, “What were you looking for?”

“Signs a cat moved through here,” he brushed the dirt off his hands, “footsteps, disturbed grass, possibly loose feathers.”

“And?”

“Nothing useful yet,” he shook his head before setting off once more, “or at least nothing that says a cat is nearby.”

They walked a little farther before Kieran slowed again. This time he didn’t kneel. Instead he raised an arm to stop Seraphina in her tracks. Instinctively her hand went to her dagger.

“Is something wrong?” she asked, her eyes darting around between the trees.

But that’s not where Kieran’s focus was. Instead, he looked toward a stand of oak trees further ahead.

“The birds,” he pointed upward.

She listened. A chorus of chirping echoed from one cluster of trees while another stood by strangely quiet.

“If I was a bird being chased by a cat…”

But before he could continue, understanding spread over Seraphina’s face. Silently, they made their way toward the oaks, their footsteps soft against the forest floor.

A moment later, a pitiful cry drifted down from above.

“Mrrrow…”

There!” Seraphina pointed up to one the highest branches. There an orange cat clung desperately while staring down at them with disdain.

“I’ve got this!” Seraphina announced triumphantly as she stepped beneath the tree.Kicking off as best she could, she scrambled up as quickly as she could, before quickly falling back down on her posterior. Luckily she had only ascended a few feet before her plummet back down. “Actually, maybe I don’t…” she mused as she rubbed her bottom.

Kieran walked past her and rested his spear on the trunk. Testing a low branch, he carefully pulled himself up. Seraphina watched as he moved upward. Not quickly, not dramatically. Just with the practiced efficiency of someone who had done this sort of thing a hundred times before.

One branch at a time, he ascended until he reached the frightened cat. The cat hissed. Kieran simply removed one glove and then offered his bare hand towards it.

“...Easy.” His voice barely rose above a whisper. The animal’s ears twitched. Slowly, its fur settled.

Moments later, he climbed back down with the cat calmly tucked beneath one arm.

“Pretty impressive, Mr. Adventurer,” Seraphina smiled warmly as she carefully took the cat and gently cradled it into her chest. “Well done.”

Kieran could only blush and rub the back of his head silently.

***

The walk back toward town was quieter than the search had been.

Not because either of them had run out of things to say, but because neither wanted to disturb the orange cat curled comfortably in Seraphina’s arms. Marmalade had decided almost immediately that she was the safest place in the forest, and now slept soundly against her leather cuirass, purring with every few breaths.

Seraphina looked down with a smile, “I think he likes me.”

Kieran glanced over before letting out a quiet laugh. He watched as she carefully stroked the cat behind the ear.

“Thank you,” she giggled as she looked over at him, her face lit with a smile.

“He blinked, “For what?”

“For today. For everything.”

Kieran looked ahead again, feeling his cheeks burning. “I didn’t do much, really.”

“You taught me how to pack for quests, to take the right quests and even found Marmalade on your own.” She lowered her gaze to the sleeping cat again, her eyes hidden beneath half lidded lashes, “I don’t think I would’ve known where to begin on my own.”

He was quiet for a moment, “When I first left home, I thought being an adventurer meant defeating monsters.” A small smile crossed his lips. “It turns out most of the job is just paying attention and acting upon that.”

She looked up at him, her eyes wide with wonder. But that switched quickly to a wide grin, “Seems like it.”

Kieran was about to continue when the cat suddenly stiffened. Jumping out of Seraphina’s arms it landed before them with its ears straight up. The purring had been replaced with a low growl rumbling from its tiny chest as it lowered its head.

“What… what’s wrong?” Seraphina carefully moved closer to the cat. It stared into the trees and hissed, backing towards Kieran.

The Lancer’s carefree look had long since vanished. His eyes tightened and moved from side to side slowly. Around them the breeze shifted. Leaves rustled, but not from the wind.

Instinctively, his eyes flicked towards the undergrowth.

On movement. Then another. Small. Low to the ground. Circling.

His hand tightened around his spear.

“...Seraphina,” his voice had become deathly calm, “Stand behind me.”

She immediately obeyed. The edge in his voice told her everything she needed to know. Picking up Marmalade, who was still hissing and swatting a clawed paw towards the trees, she ducked into Kieran’s shadow.

Only once Kieran felt her close to him did he lower his stance.

Without another word, the forest answered with the faint snap of a twig somewhere beyond the trees.

Whatever had been following them had finally decided to stop hiding.