[i]Worrisome developments snare the attentions of the newcomers to this world, and up from the depths to confront them rise their first choices[/i]

[center][b][h3]Foothills Forest near Woodstop[/h3][/b]
[@TheFake] [@Lord Zee][/center]

The sudden, threatening bass in Revanmar's voice instilled a twinge of fear into the hearts of the men present.  Randy whistled, saying, “Hate to be that guy,” while Effin tugged on his collar.  Neither questioned why a sneak attack devious enough to slay any man had failed to draw even a drop of blood; they assumed it failed to pierce the silver knight's armor, instead lodging in the plate.  A glance at his protection's obvious quality was all the convincing one might need to believe such an assumption.  Instead, their thoughts had drifted to the possible ramifications of associating with these outsiders.  Both men gave serious doubt to their ability to stomach a knife wound as well as their new acquaintance.  Of the two, though only Randy commented further.  “So, are you going to try and find this villain?  There's some time before the attack tonight.  If we looked around, we might be able to find some clues.  Starting with the knife.”  Pompadour a-wobble, he nodded at the blade in Revanmar's hand.  “I'm not an expert, but to me that looks like a pretty well-made carving knife.  Not meant for battle.  You might start at the mess hall.  Even if someone there's not the owner, they might have an idea who took it.”

Emile, listening to the eccentric man's reasoning, gave an impressed nod.  [color=5D8AA8]
“Sounds like a plan.  The sooner this spy is dealt with, the better for Woodstop.  Right?”[/color]

A surprised smile graced Effin's craggy features, as though he couldn't believe how helpful these people were being.  “Not an hour in town and ye'r already gettin' busy!  Why the hell ain't more folks 'round here like yew two gennlemen?”  He laughed before standing to his feet.  From the way he framed his plans, he took Emile's comment as indication that both newcomers were on board with the investigation.  “Randy, why don't ye find Oz an' bring 'im along to look for clues?  We can split into three groups.  I'll tail Sir Revanmar here to the mess hall.  It'd be good fer now if ye just kept an eye out for anythin' suspect, Sir Emile.”

[center]-=-=-[/center]

A tense moment passed, the yellow eyes of the fox captains affixed on the nebulous strangers who slew their underlings.  Then, the mounted beastman barked a sharp command, and after a second of quiet the surrounding warriors began to move.  They gave Lenore and Kallahar a wide birth as they circled around, an orange-brown stream parted around an insurmountable pair of stones.  The highlander split off to join the right column, while the Spellsword accompanied the left.  Down the middle, toward the two interlopers, the mounted fox cantered.  “'Tis plain thou art inhuman, and no prey of ours,” the Cavalier observed.  “If 't be true thou shareth our kind's hunger, or our grudge, thou wouldst doth well to march with us on the warpath. If 't thou doth want purpose altogeth'r, seeketh the enchantrix of the mountain.”  A dark brown, clawed finger  pointed toward a copse of strangely-positioned trees about halfway up the mountain in whose foothills Kallahar and Lenore stood.  “Bid her yond Vranmahr hath sent thee.”

Having said his piece, the trident-wielding warchief followed in the footsteps of his army in the direction taken by Emile and Revanmar not too long ago.  Lenore watched them go, thinking.  [color=E2725B]“Wait...they're goin' after humans?  Like, the village Uncle E was talkin' 'bout?  Shouldn't we...uh, stop them?”[/color]  She held her head in her hand, glancing up at the mountain.  [color=E2725B]“Or were you thinkin' of goin' up there to find this 'enchantrix' person?  I guess it could be some kinda leader.”[/color]