FrivYeti/CalinPg3
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"Wow, what a day." Brewan took a deep breath of the air, and grinned. "Perfect time for detached duty, huh, guys?"
"Try to be serious for once, Brewan." Redman turned to look at his companions, his expression stern. "This is important. We've got a missing armsman."
"Yeah, and it's Adar. While I admit he could get himself in trouble in his own bedroom, it's not important. We'll probably have to fish him out of a tree or something." Brewan chuckled, turning to watch the roadside. "Wait and see."
"Hah! You've gotten in trouble in your bedroom more than once, Brewan." Bryce smiled as he glanced around. "Remember the peddler's daughter?"
"That was a special case, Bryce, and I thought I told you never to... hey, do you hear that?" Brewan looked up, glancing over to the scrub. The others followed his gaze, falling silent. "Sounded like a yell." He started towards it, one hand on his saber. Bryce followed, sliding his spear off his back, and Redman brought up the rear. "Hello?"
There was a short pause, and then the underbrush rustled. A moment later, Adar came crashing through. His uniform was in disarray, and his scabbard hung empty at his belt. He looked at the others, wild-eyed, for a moment, and then collapsed on the ground, sobbing. Caution forgotten, Bryce dropped his spear and ran forwards to him. "By the Dragons, Adar! What happened to you?"
"Fear... fear on wings..." Adar looked up as Bryce took his hands, and brought his sobbing under control. "A monster. There's a monster up the hill. It's horrible..."
"A monster." Brewan raised an eyebrow. "Get ahold of yourself, Adar. Where the hell would a monster come from? You sure it wasn't just a wolf or a stryx or something?"
"I know what a stryx is!" Adar shouted, staggering to his feet. "It wasn't a stryx!"
"So what was it?" Cutting to the point, Redman shot a nasty look to Brewan and turned his attention back to the other soldier. "What did I look like?"
"It, uh..." Adar paused. He looked at the ground. "I didn't actually, um, see it. It screamed." He looked up, into Brewan's skeptical glance, and sighed. "You didn't hear this thing!"
"No, we didn't. But we probably should." Bryce stood up slowly, and, turning, retrieved his spear. He looked to the others. "If there is something dangerous, we'd better check it out. Adar, Redman, get back to the garrison, tell them what you did see and hear. Brewan, you and I will go check this out." Brushing the dirt off his spear, Bryce turned in the direction Adar had run from. "Which way?"
"Uh... just back there, up the mountain. I don't think this is a good..." Adar trailed off as Bryce looked solemnly at him. "Just be careful, okay?"
"Aren't we always? Come on, Brewan. Let's go see what this monster is. If we don't come back, you'll know why."
"Yeah, we decided to run off and start a family together." Brewan chuckled, nodding to Adar and Redman. "Don't worry, we'll be back before you know it. Shall we?" With a jaunty wave, he started into the bush. Bryce sighed quietly.
"Don't worry, Adar, I believe you. And we will be careful, and we will be back. We just need to know what we're dealing with." Turning, he followed Brewan into the woods. Adar and Redman watched the space the two had vacated for a moment, and then Redman turned to Adar. "Right. Let's get you back to base." Turning, he started back up the road. After a moment's hesitation, Adar followed him.
