[Mkguild] First Steps (6/?)

[Nathan Pfaunmiller]

Here's an idea I've had in the works.  Feedback requested.

-LurkingWolf

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	Lucy hated to leave the Keep after she heard about Gerard’s bad news,
but she had already been at the Keep longer than she had originally
planned.  Since she insisted on a private room in order to work on her
magic, she had to spend money out of pocket in order to rent a room in
a local inn.  There were simply no private rooms available in the
Keep’s barracks, at least not for the regulars.  She couldn’t afford
to spend more money at this point.

	Her father was happy for the help, at any rate.  He was still young
enough to be at work himself, and the fact that the Curse had made him
a sturdy ox made him even more durable.  Still, Lucy was a good helper
for setting and checking the traps, as her smaller body and ability to
magically mask her movements made certain that she would not scare off
any prey that was still interested in the trap when she came to look
it over.

	She was now working on the traps that were set nearest to her
father’s residence.  They had so far proved empty, as was often the
case.  The Keep’s own hunters had free range in this area, and while
they might not be after the same prey, their movements often kept the
small game away as surely as the big game.  They had some success in
the area, however, and it cost them nothing to keep the traps up.

	As Lucy approached her next target, she found that it was also empty.
 She sighed, but moved up to see if it was still set.  It seemed that
it had been triggered by something, but whatever it was had chewed
through the cord that was intended to hold the prey secure.  Lucy was
prepared for this, however, and pulled out another length of cord,
already cut and prepared for this purpose.  She made quick work of the
transition, replacing the broken cord with a new one and drawing it
taut, locking it into the mechanism.

	As she worked, however, she felt increasingly on edge for some
reason.  She glanced about, wondering if she was being watched, but
was unable to see anything.  As she continued, however, the feeling
became even more intense. She shivered a bit, turning fully around a
few times just to be certain that there was nothing there.  She felt
cold, but it had not grown colder since she had settled down.  No,
chilling was the only word she could think of to describe how she
felt.  Really, it was more of an ever-intensifying panic that she
could not shake, and which only seemed to grow worse as she remained.
She pulled her sword out, holding it at ready even as she tried to
finish her preparations with increasing frustration, wild jerks of her
hands throwing her off.  She spouted out several words that were
simply scalding coming from her childlike mouth, but still could not
calm herself even so.

	Suddenly, something hit the ground in front of her, and she lashed
out with her weapon, striking five times in her blind panic.  She
stopped only when she realized that she had ruined the trap she was
working on, and she let out another string of curses.  She looked for
what had startled her, and found herself looking at a stone, a sheet
of parchment wrapped about it haphazardly.  She grabbed it and picked
it up, unwrapping the paper with hands that shook so much that she
tore the paper several times.  Finally, she was able to finish, and
she stilled her trembling enough to look at what it said.

	<i>I’m coming through the woods in front of you.  Please try not to
panic.  You’ll know why I ask when you see me.</i>

	Lucy took a deep breath, trying to ease her frayed nerves while at
the same time growing even more restless as she had to still he mind
as it came up with theories as to what the person might be to have to
preface their introduction with such a note.  Finally, the question
was answered as the person stepped out of the trees.

	At first Lucy just had the impression of a canine Keeper stepping out
of the trees, but her eyes widened as she understood the truth.

	He looked like some sort of tracking hound.  She had seen many types
of hunting dogs in her time, but this creature was not what she was
used to seeing.  Regardless, she knew what she was looking at, and it
only increased her fear.  She had to restrain herself to keep from
bolting as soon as she saw him.

	He was a dog, of a sort; a Moondog.  While she had seen none in her
own time, the descriptions of their appearance and their effects
matched perfectly with the person in front of her.  Its short fur was
a pale color that suggested white but was far enough off to create a
disturbing effect in any light.  Even if it was simply a minor detail,
anything could add to its strangling aura of terror.  Eyes seemed to
flicker from an unnaturally empty whiteness throughout, the a dark
gaze that spoke of death to Lucy.  Yet he was a Keeper, and he had
warned her before emerging.  Surely he meant no harm?

	Movements… He was signing to her.  Scout’s signs; at least they
looked like they were.  It took her a few moments to figure out what
he was signing.  Her panic simply didn’t want her to look anywhere
near the creature in front of her.  She swallowed her fear, though,
and watched.

	A message, he said, important, intended for…  bat?  The bat?  She
signed her lack of understanding.  A few more signs; a hidden… no, a
spy bat?  Andwyn!  She signed her understanding quickly, and he
continued.  He drew a scroll from a case at his side and threw it to
her.  She was glad; if he had approached her, she could not predict
how she might have reacted.  She held the scroll, keeping her eyes
fixed on him for the moment.  He looked awful; not just the fact that
he was a creature born of fear.  He looked like he had been in the
wilds for ages.  Enough clothing remained to preserve his modesty, but
everything else he wore was simply leather straps, holding an array of
weapons and tools.  She saw no food anywhere, and there were precious
few places to hide anything.

	She quickly dropped her pack, working through nerves to look through
it, and took out a pack of food.  It was only enough for two meals,
just in case she had to take that much time.  She didn’t need it,
though, and this man might have need of something even to stay alive,
although his naturally lanky build made it hard to tell.  She tossed
it to him.

	He had to open it to see what it was, but once he did, he thanked
her.  He bowed, smiling as well as his muzzle would allow, and walked
silently away.

	It took several minutes for Lucy to recover, but once she did she
left immediately, headed for the Keep.  She wasn’t certain what this
meant, but the manner of its delivery made her certain it required
haste.  Whatever the case, she wanted to put some distance between her
and his forest home.

!DSPAM:4f810dde296251804284693!