After a few attempts of teaching Rayla math she gives up, which seems to bolster John’s confidence again, leaving him in a good mood for the rest of the day while Rayla looks like her brain got overcooked.

  In the meantime, Sher Aka and I are having a chat, “I have to say Thoma Ahad, that was some beautiful dancing, though I was a bit concerned when you started crying. Were you thinking of anything specific while dancing?”

  “Hmm…I’m not sure. I don’t remember, though it did feel like I was dancing with someone…Can I ask you something personal Sher Aka?”

  “Sure.”

  “What was your family in the flower country like? Do you miss them?”

  She gives me a gentle smile, “I do miss them from time to time, but I was able to send them letters that I’m still alive and healthy so that makes it more bearable.”

  “Do you have a big family?”

  “I have a lot of extended family but as for direct family members I only have a big sister. She works as a soldier. I believe she is currently an officer and leads her own platoon or at least that’s what she was fifty years ago, perhaps she’s of a higher rank now.”

  Intrigued, I ask, “Is your sister the one that taught you how to fight?”

  Her smile wavers for just one second to show some anger before going back to her usual expression, “No, I’m self taught. I am from a military family, so perhaps that helped a little, but I did not want to have anything to do with fighting growing up. The only reason I know how to fight now is because I needed to learn to survive…”

  “You were already an adult when you got kidnapped right? Does that mean you had a different job back then?”

  Giving me a smirk, she answers, “I did, would you like to take a guess on what it was?”

  “Hmm…Maybe a writer or poet?”

  “Tiahaha no. But you’re surprisingly close. I was a landscape gardener, I wanted to create the beautiful gardens that poets would write about. My goal was to eventually work in the palace grounds to maintain the beautiful flowers there.”

  “That sounds wonderful!”

  “Right? That’s why I wanted to meet my aunt in Naturia, she has a lot of knowledge about plants so I wanted to learn from her. How ironic that I ended up in a place that barely has any beautiful plants because of it…”

  “Well, it might take a while but I’m sure we’ll get you back home too!”

  “It would certainly be nice if we survived that long.”

  Continuing our travels another three days pass and we come to the village that posted the quest to the guild. As we pass the farms, we can already see some destroyed fences and only a small amount of livestock. When we come a little closer to the village I notice several giant cats, the size of cows, being milked.

  “Are those…Cats? Why are they milking them?”

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  John answers, “They are Carracars. They are bred here for both wool, milk and protection. Carracars are very tame to people but they are also quite strong and quick and can defend the town from smaller threats like rattes or even bears. They’re popular in the rural regions of Skar because they can get the space they need while also being very useful.”

  “They are also really cute looking!” I add.

  “Pfft…I guess they are, yes.”

  We then drive our cart into the village center, go to the village elder’s home and knock on the door. A kind looking old man with a long beard opens the door, “Yes?”

  Rayla speaks up, “Hello sir, we’re the adventurers you called for. We’re here to eradicate the sapphire tigers.”

  Mustering us up and down, he answers in a kindly tone, “Ah yes, it seems like the Guild did not consider us important seeing as they sent riff raff like you.”

  Rayla, with a friendly smile, answers, “I assure you Sir, we are more than capable of helping you.”

  He shakes his head, causing his long beard to wave around like a flag in the wind, “Puh! Sending a beast after a beast, what a joke. Also an Elven wench with a shield, I’m surprised you can even lift that thing. The Halfling doesn’t look promising either, he looks like a tail licker. And what are you supposed to be? Some highway robber? Take off that mask boy.”

  I take off the mask and he looks me up and down, “Hmm, you must be the master of the menagerie. I can tell you have some experience, perhaps you people aren’t just the scum at the bottom of the barrel. Come in boy, let’s talk. You three stay out.”

  Rayla nods at me reassuringly and I enter the house with him alone. The inside of his home is very rustically decorated with hunting trophies and beautiful wood carvings as well as many rugs that look like they’re made from carracar fur. It stinks of old man though...He then leads me into the living room and sits me down at an armchair next to the fireplace.

  “Would you like some sugar in your milk?”

  “As long as you recommend it.”

  He hands me a cup of milk and puts a bit of sugar in it, “May I ask for your name, Sir?”

  “My name is Thoma Ahad and our adventuring group are the Shooting Stars.”

  “Well then, Mr. Ahad, how fast do you believe you will be able to eradicate them?”

  “It depends on how fast we find them. Do you have any information about their whereabouts or movement patterns?”

  He strokes his bear for a bit while thinking, “They tend to strike at night during snowstorms and come from the northwest. A hunter has recently tracked their footsteps to a cave near the top of a nearby hill. We assume that’s where they’re staying.”

  “Is there any other dangerous wildlife in the area we should know about?”

  “No, most of them have disappeared since they moved in about two to three months ago.”

  “Were you able to notice any pattern when it comes to the nightly attacks besides that they strike at night?”

  “Hmm…They don’t tend to attack on well lit nights.”

  “I see…When was the last attack?”

  “Three days ago. They don’t seem to be afraid of the carracars anymore. We lost two within the last week.”

  “Is there anything we should know about the environment here? Particularly about the hill where their cave resides.”

  “Not that I can think of.”

  “Alright, is there anything else you think we have to know?”

  “No, I believe that’s everything.”

  “Good, provided that you’re right and the sapphire tigers are in the cave, we'll be able to solve your problem today. If they’re out it might take a little longer.”

  “I see…” He then reaches his hand out for a handshake and I give him my hand, “You seem very competent Mr. Ahad, I expect good things from you.”

  “Thank you, Sir.”

  I then put my mask back on and leave the house. Ralya smiles at me when she sees me and asks, “So, how did it go?”

  I recount the conversation I had with the elder to the group.

  “Alright gotcha, good job oki.”

  A bit nervous, I ask, “Uhm, so…How about you guys? Are you alright? The old man seemed pretty mean towards you.”

  “I’m fine, thanks for worrying about me.”

  “I don’t care about this old fart's opinion either.”

  Sher Aka lets out a chuckle, “Pfft, if you don’t care about old people’s opinions then it's no wonder you never listen to me, haha.”

  “Oh come on Sherry don’t make it sound like I’m some rebellious teen.”

  “Oh, I don’t need to, everyone can see that after all. But it’s alright, the grumpy teenagers always grow up to be the sweetest adults.”

  “Or they become horrible people.”

  “Daww, you’d never!”

  We then leave our wagon at a stable and ask the hunter for directions before moving toward the hill cave.