Intrepid Heroes : 8

The Original 'Intrepid Heroes'

by Edeyn Hannah Blackeney
parte the eighth

Turn for the Wurst

 
They pulled up to the farmhouse, and WE was already on the ground and striding to the door before the horses and cart had come to a complete stop. Banging on the door, he shouted, "Goodwife! Or Hermit! One or the other! Hallo the house?"

The others joined him on the wooden porch just as the door was opened and a young man stood there dull-eyed. Behind him, a sturdy-looking middle aged woman pointed a cocked crossbow over his shoulder at WE's chest. "Ma don't take too kindly t' strangers," the boy said. His eyes roved over the group. "Don't take kindly to Dwarves, fellers in green, or ladies shorter'n her, neither," was the rest of the greeting.

"Er. We were being chased by Warwolves and thought to stop and rest our horses before moving on to the next town. May we use your barn for a bit?" WE asked... and was rewarded by a kick in the ankle from Lily. He ignored the kick smiled his winningest smile at the lady.

"I dunno. What you think, Ma?" said the boy, turning to her and noticing the crossbow for the first time... he took a step back so as not to impede the line of fire.

The woman bulged a frowning eye at the group, and pointed the business end of the crossbow at the ceiling. "Sleep in the barn. Don't kill any stock. Leave before I go out to feed the hens," she abruptly ended the conversation, closing the door in their faces.

"Yeh heared the lady! Thar's only about a candle 'fore dark, get us a cookpot over that firepit by the barn-door, Lily. Scout the woods from here back up the road a piece, WE, I don't want any more suprises like those wolven again. Tana... make yerself useful.

"But Agnar... we've nothing for the stewpot... I used the last of the potatoes and carrots in the other camp. They were dumped along with the seasonings in the pot when we made our escape," protested Lily

"Well, we'll be fine making a fast of it until the inn tomorrow, anyway. Take stock of what we lost and what broke in our scamper, then," he answered. She stood to her full height (still the smallest of the group) and gave him a mock-salute before jumping into the back of the cart.

Tana took out a squirrel trap and WE scurried about his assignment as the Dwarf guided Yoke and the cart-team into the barn and got them shuck of their tack and settled for the night. The night was uneventful, and they were just pulling out of the cart-track onto the road when the farmwife came out the front door with a bucket.

They settled into travel-routine for the next piece of a day, though all of them started to feel the rumblings of their hunger. About four candles after they had left the farm behind them, Lily pulled hard on the reins and drew the cart to a stop. She stood atop it, inhaling the wind deeply. The others started sniffing at the wind in hopes of figuring out what it was she'd caught scent of on the breeze.

"Sausage," said Tana after a brief (and if anyone'd been watching, ludicrous appearing) session of name that smell, "Lots of it and some of it smoked. Someone's got a good stock out there."

Lily had already leapt down from the cart and was striding toward the smell.

"Get yerself back here, yeh Halfling fool! We're all hungry and there's likely enough for all of us to buy from the owner. Take the cart," admonished Agnar. She nodded and grinned, jumped back up to the seat and took the reins, then guided the cart to the almost-invisible track off the road.

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