PREVIOUS: 018: Soups Basket
Jagal has the presence of mind to stay at his usual not-exactly-breakneck eating pace this time. But it's good soup, and he gets through his share by the time even the awkward patches of conversation here have started to wrap up.
Lucya rests her spoon in the bowl meekly, and is just about to excuse herself when there's a strange sound outside.
LUCYA: "Eh?"
JAGAL: (unconcerned) “Mm. Wolf, sounded like.”
LUCYA: "At this time a year...? I'll go look, Pa."
She stands up and pats her waist to make sure she's still got her axe on her.
DUNCAN: "Auh, be careful, dear... Just last month, Edda-- (to Jagal) that is, Edda, not Adda, or me lovely Ada-- auh, she saw a mighty big wolf on the edge a town!"
LUCYA: "Ye didnae tell me that!"
Jagal seems mildly amused by the names that he won't even attempt to keep straight.
JAGAL: "Guess you are pretty close to the Wilds here..."
DUNCAN: "W-well, we looked the next night and there was nae sign a the thing... But if it's back--"
LUCYA: "I'll be fine, Pa! Mr. Jagal, he will go with me, aye?"
He's a little less amused by that, but moves on to raise an eyebrow at Lucya for just Stating that. He hops to his feet regardless.
JAGAL: "Sounds interesting enough to check out, sure."
BRAJAN: "I-I should check on the goats..."
ALEKSY: "I wanna see them fight."
ADA: "Ye can see them fight from the window in yer room! P-please stay inside..."
Ada ushers the boys upstairs, while Duncan ensures the windows and doors are secured-- except for the one Jagal and Lucya leave through, of course. It's good and dark out now, but nothing looks amiss just yet...
🎲 Jagal and Lucya get a weak hit on Gather Information. We decide to add another person to the scene to complicate things.
Jagal stays fairly crouched as they start their search in the poor light. A little farther along, he stops to peer at the ground closer.
JAGAL: (bemused) "Hm. Some kind of wolf, I guess..."
Lucya frowns and squats down to inspect the tracks.
LUCYA: "Aye, and we're nae the only folks after it... These tracks, they're fresh too, see?"
JAGAL: "Too small for an elder, at least, but still—Mm?"
Jagal shoots a look to where Lucya's pointing.
JAGAL: "Someone already trying to steal our fun? Unbelievable."
LUCYA "I just hope they're alright... We've had enough trouble in our wee town already!"
Lucya follows the trails with a little extra caution, hoping her silhouette looks un-wolf-like enough that nobody makes any mistakes in the dark.
JAGAL: (snorts) "If they get hurt chasing after wolves at night, it's their own fault, anyway."
Jagal... follows? It's laughably easy for him to disappear out here, so it's hard to be completely sure.
There's a flash of pale brown fur ahead.
🎲 The gang Enters the Fray! Lucya gets a miss, and Jagal gets a weak hit. The Pay The Price table decides that Lucya takes damage right off the bat.
The creature blends back into the shadows. There's only a moment to try to place it before it bursts from the brush beside Lucya.
LUCYA: "Auh!!"
The large wolf snarls at the yell and bites Lucya's nearest arm, not far above the wrist.
🎲 At least Lucya gets a strong hit on Endure Harm! Only -1 health.
Lucya manages to twist around enough that her bracer catches the bite, but the pressure of it's still going to leave a bruise.
As she tries to pry her arm loose, she gets a better look at the beast.
LUCYA: "Th-that's a weird bliddy wolf!"
The wolf pulls away, nose twitching, and turns towards the brush. It seems to hesitate for a moment.
🎲 Jagal attacks and gets a strong hit!
Jagal doesn't wait for a better chance to speed out, dagger flashing. He digs a long score down the wolf's flank and vanishes into the shadows again.
The wolf yelps, drawing back another pace, and for a moment... Its whole silhouette shifts, its fur seeming to shrink down, and pain visible in its oddly human eyes. Then the unnatural wavering subsides, and the wolf is as it was before.
Jagal blinks at that before brushing it off. Eyes playing tricks on him again, just the usual.
LUCYA: "Th-th-that's-- uh-- Wait!"
Lucya doesn't put her axe away, but she lowers it and takes a step back.
LUCYA: "Y-ye're nae wolf, are ye? But, if ye stay away from me folks, I willnae hurt ye..."
The wolf? backs away a touch more, but it's still wound up and wary.
JAGAL: (from close behind Lucya) "What are you going on about?"
Lucya flinches, but she's getting slightly more used to hearing Jagal's voice come from unexpected places.
LUCYA: "Did ye nae see that?! It went kinda..." (gestures helplessly) "Wobbly? And it's nae got a wolf's eye, nay..."
JAGAL: (blinks) "Wait, you saw that? ...You, uh, gettin' enough sleep?"
LUCYA: "Maybe ye need sleep if ye didnae see it!"
JAGAL: "No, I saw it, just—"
Jagal gives up on the whole deal before he has to think on it more.
JAGAL: (to Wolf?) "Then, uh. Shoo, I guess?"
Jagal flips his bloodied dagger and grins.
JAGAL: "Unless you really wanna keep this up?"
Ears already flattened, the wolf? gives a little whine before turning tail and fleeing into the night.
JAGAL: "Smart not-wolf."
Jagal still keeps an eye out but retrieves a rag to casually clean off his dagger.
LUCYA: "Humm... But what was it?"
JAGAL: "Less of a threat than most beasts I've fought, at least. "
The two get a few moments to lower their weapons before there's another rustle in the brush, this time from the other side.
Lucya at least has the presence of mind to not yelp aloud this time, but can't do much to hide except standing stock still. Somehow the exact same method is much more effective when Jagal does it.
The rustle crescendos, and this time a whole person bursts through the brush a few feet in front of them.
VEREN: “Where did she...“
Panting for breath, what appears to be Veren comes to a brief stop—brief enough that his hasty survey of the dark doesn't pick out either traveler. He just lets out a whoosh of breath, braces himself, and hurries ahead.
LUCYA: "..."
JAGAL: “She who?”
Jagal shoots Lucya a glance before hurrying after Veren.
Veren's in no state to notice a professional sneek, but he's in no state to find whoever it is he’s looking for, either. Without any clear attempts to stop and look for tracks or other signs, Veren just wends wildly through the wood until finally emerging from another edge of it.
VEREN: "....."
His shoulders slump, and he casts one last worried(?) look around before seeming to move on altogether.
Lucya waits around a few minutes after both Veren and Jagal leave, but soon decides to head back to the house and make sure the goats are alright.