DAY 288 (23th Nightal)(December) cont ...
Grumbling to himself over the lack of success with the Night Masks Fenrir considered joining the city watch and discussed how this could be done with Harvel.
In the morning Arahel felt sick again and coughed up blood. She decided to go see Weynay back down in Ferbone to see if she could help. It was just five miles away so she turned into a bird and flew down.
Meanwhile, a young lady called Gelly was at the door and representing the Night Masks offered to give information on the Night Parade for 300 gold coins. Fenrir accepted and was told;
''
I have the name of a being that describes herself as the leader of the Night Parade. There is a house on Snip Street that can only be found by those that really look for it. It is said by some that this is the dwelling of the last members of the Night Parade in Westgate. Her name is Bezebelle and she is said to be unspeakably evil.
However, I have heard from a usually trustworthy source that she knows the location of a Snake Gate.
How I don't know, I suppose you can ask her, but if I was to guess I would say that creatures that are essentially nightmares made flesh have skill in moving between Planes.
''
Fenrir liked the look of young Gelly and opened a bottle of wine. She stayed and chatted for a while.
In Ferbone Arahel initially confused Weynay by not turning back into her true form. Weynay was not overly concerned about a talking bird but her diagnosis was improved by Arahel revealing her kiloren nature.
'Oh, I think you have been cursed Arahel,' said the cleric. 'There is a woman not far from here called Nexelmode who can remove curses, but she is not very nice and the forest she lives in is dangerous. Perhaps you should gather your friends before looking for her.'
Arahel saw the sense in this and flew back to Westgate. She landed on the kitchen table back at the cottage and asked Fenrir, 'Have you mated with this female yet?'
'Not yet..oops!' replied Fenrir, forgetting for an instant that Gelly was still present.
After lunch Fenrir, Arahel and Harvel set off for the short walk to Ferbone.
At the Westgate city gates they saw that a merchant's cart had spilled its load. Rather than wait for it to be cleared Fenrir and Harvel helped to move all the bales of cloth that were lying everywhere.
Harvel earned them a silver, all the while Fenrir pretending he was Harvel's servant. Fenrir presumably wanting people to think he was not the one in charge (laying the foundation for excuses that may be required later perhaps?).
They arrived at Ferbone, by cab, at three o'clock. Weynay told them she could arrange someone to take them part of the way to Nexelmode and that the could also do her a favour as she explained;
''
For some reason there are goblins in the forest south of here. They seemed to arrive a few months ago. Well, the locals hunt the forest for rabbits and deer and such and a few of them have either gone missing or been found dead now. That area of forest is Nexelmode's domain. She will know what is going on. Perhaps you could find out while you are there and either put a stop to it or let me know? Be very diplomatic with her, she is quick to anger and very powerful.
''
Harvel dismissed the cab driver and Weynay arranged them rooms at 'The Dead Badger Inn'. Now, the landlord's daughter was young and very pretty and Fenrir's eyes caught her's very quickly.
The landlord was a tall and strong man called Kreggen, while his daughter was named Tweppy.
Fenrir tried his best to woo her, but in the end was stymied (or to use a coarser term - 'cock-blocked') by Arahel once more. She turned into a human lady and loudly proclaimed that Fenrir was her husband and that he should leave the tavern wenches alone!
Fenrir did his best to smooth everything over and succeeded, but went to bed alone that night.
DAY 289 (24th Nightal)(December)
They set off the next morning, Weynay having arranged a man called Hew the Archer to take them most of the way to Nexelmode's domain.
It was two miles to the edge of the forest, then another five to an old stone bridge over a fairly large
river. Hew informed them that they only had to follow the path another mile or so and they would be at their destination. Hew himself dared not go any further.
It was about noon when they were attacked by a pack of wolves. There were a few dire wolves running with the pack and they were quite strong. Fenrir attacked from above the trees and Arahel saw some of them off when she turned into a rhino. Harvel was badly injured in the fight and fell into a bush, bloody and unconscious. Luckily for him though, his friends saw off the last of the wolves before they had a chance to eat him.
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