The food was passable, the company was passable, and the atmosphere was passable. Though not much was said between the three adventurers, it was pleasant enough to eat meat and rest their legs after the long trek into the forest. Overhead, the sun was beginning to dip downwards, high noon slowly giving away to the orange of afternoon, and even the few insects they saw flying over the muddy stream looked a bit charming. Idyllic, that’s what this sensation was. After a week of intense training under the strict guidance of people who were most likely borderline psychopaths, it was nice to not have anything to do.

Well, financial troubles were still present, but such troublesome things could be considered at a later date. If they got used to living in the woods, perhaps they could just run away from Andeave altogether, living off the land and slowly becoming seasoned woodsmen rather than risking life and limb at an occupation as nebulous as ‘monster hunter’.

Ash had already offered a humble piece of flesh (also hardly cooked, but eh) to Kur-Inuus. Matteo was busy distracting Muu with conversation as he snuck a few extra slices of rabbit from the Bladedancer’s portion. Only Muu remained alert and paranoid.
And thus, only her efforts were rewarded.

Hearing something [i]snap[/i] in their surroundings, the silent girl stiffened suddenly as she looked into the direction, back at the bushes behind her. "H-Have you heard something?" she tried to reassure herself. Another small animal, or a m-

The light danced off two sparking points within the bushes, and before Muu could think about the implications, her training took over and she dropped down, low as possible. An arrow whistled overhead, scattering against the tree behind her, but Matteo wasn’t nearly as lucky, a second arrow digging deep into his left upper arm, the pointed head stopping only once it reached the bone. Without pause, two humanoid creatures burst out of the bushes, discarding their shortbows for a club and a dagger, respectively. With bloated bellies, long ears and beady eyes, they most definitely fit the ‘description’ of goblin, monsters with the strength and intelligence of human children, sharpened to a jagged edge by territorial ferocity and monstrous voracity. Hardly a moment passed before they launched themselves at the adventurers.

One pounced onto the prone Muu, while another charged towards the still-seated Ash, both eager to finish off the prey their bait had lured.