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They reached the edge of the forest by dusk and quickly found a game trail that led deep into the undergrowth. It was quite dark inside of the forest, the thick canopy above blocking almost all light that tried to filter through. The childlike Alena once again took the lead, moving with a confidence the others had never seen in him before. It was obvious Dar was quite comfortable inside of the immense forest.
They pushed on through the thick underbrush, still leading the horses by their reins, until the darkness engulfed them completely. A sudden rumbling of thunder announced the coming of rain, forcing them to search for shelter from the coming storm, instead of setting up camp in the open.
Before long, Dar located a small cave that had been recently occupied by a bear. It was rather cramped inside of the cave with the horses, but it served its purpose and kept them dry. They had just finished setting up camp when the rain began to fall. They built a small fire to help to ward off the chill, then sat staring out into the darkness.
It was nearly autumn, and the rain that fell from the sky was ice cold against bare skin. They were all quite relieved that they had been able to find shelter before the storm released its fury.
“We really need to replenish our supplies.” Dar informed them, a bleak expression on his face as he rummaged through their packs. “We’re completely out of food. I can continue to forage as we go, but we really need fresh meat.”
Sly grunted, then looked at Damion. “Got any ideas?”
Damion sighed heavily, then rose to his feet. “I’ll be back.” He shifted into the form of a panther, then stepped out into the rain. He paused for a moment to give Sly a sour look as the cold rain instantly drenched him, then melted into the darkness with Snowfeather gliding silently above.
The forest was bursting with life, and it wasn't long before his keen sense of smell found the trail of a large buck that was silently feeding on some tender shoots of grass. It was quite large, with a huge rack of horns that bristled with sharp points.
Letting his instincts take over, he silently crept up through the shadows, then burst forth, sinking his foreclaws deep into its back. Strong jaws locked like a vice around the thrashing stag's neck, and Damion suddenly tasted fresh blood as it flooded into his mouth. With a powerful wrench, he broke the buck’s neck with an audible snap, and thrashing creature fell limp.
“Good kill!” Snowfeather praised from the darkness above.
Damion bared his fangs in a smile. He had always enjoyed hunting with Snowfeather, and it was good to be able to get out and stretch his muscles a bit. He shifted back into his own form, then easily hoisted the dead buck onto his shoulders, and made his way back to the cave.
“Excellent work!” Sly exclaimed as Garth and Dar set about gutting and skinning the buck. “That stag will last us for the next week!”
“We’re going to have to be careful as we move through this part of the forest.” Dar told them as he began to cut strips of meat from the butchered animal. “We are close to the territory of one of the harpy flocks, and I’m sure that Kaviel has more of his minions scouring the forest in search of us.” He tossed several strips of meat into a frying pan, then sat it into the coals of fire.
Damion's stomach growled loudly as the smell of the cooking meat reached his nostrils. He couldn't remember the last time he had been so hungry.
Once the food had been cooked, and the rest of the stag had been butchered into smaller, more manageable pieces, they stretched out on their bedrolls to relax.
The ruffling of feathers announced Snowfeather's return from his hunt. He glided noiselessly into the cave and settled on a large stone next to Damion. “I feel so much better!” He shook the rain from his feathers. “This shower was just what I needed to wash that vile mud from my feathers!”
Damion snorted in amusement, then silently asked. “Did you see anything unusual?”
“Nay,” The ghostly owl replied, rearranging his freshly-cleaned feathers. “but that doesn't mean anything. There is an abundance of wildlife in this forest, and hundreds of places that can conceal just about anything. Who knows what’s out there!”
“Was there any sign of Kaviel or the dragon?”
“This forest is enormous. It could take me months to locate them in this place. It's huge!” He hopped onto Damion’s leg and gazed at him with large golden eyes. “I understand how you are feeling. I remember how it felt to lose my mate.”
“She isn't dead.” He snapped, causing Snowfeather to flinch. “She’s still alive, and we are going to save her!”
“You don't have to be so grouchy!” The snow owl hooted in a hurt tone. “I was just trying to be supportive!”
Damion sighed heavily. “I’m sorry. It's just that I feel so... helpless. I should have stopped them!” He pounded his fist against the cave wall, showering everyone with dust.
“Hey!” Sly complained. “How about not trying to bury us alive?”
Damion ignored him, and continued to brood.
“If she is still alive,” Snowfeather continued, unfazed by his outburst. “We will save her, and then you can put a stop to that madman's rampage once and for all.”
“You make it sounds so easy. I have to face that dragon again, and I don't know if I can defeat it. Plus, I have to deal with the Dragon Gem. As long as Kaviel has it, he has a distinct advantage.”
“If anyone can stop him, it’s you.” The great snowy owl chirped confidently. “You can do things that no one else can, and you are far more intelligent than that scar-faced human. And you also have the Dragon Sword. It seems to have the power to affect the beast.”
Damion snorted humorlessly. “At least one of us is convinced that we can succeed. I just wish I had some of that confidence.”
Snowfeather fluffed his feathers in irritation. “I can't believe I just heard that! That human murdered your father and destroyed your village! Have you forgotten that? Have you forgotten the death and destruction that contemptible human has caused?”
“Of course, I haven't forgotten!” Damion answered angrily.
“Then quit feeling so sorry for yourself and do something about it! Make that human pay for what he has done!”
He stared at the wise owl for a moment. “You’re right.” He agreed finally. “I need to quit feeling sorry for myself and focus on the task at hand.”
“Great! Now that I am done with my pep talk, I think I'll go find something else to eat.” The huge owl launched himself into the air, and disappeared out into the darkness.
Damion sat back in his bedroll and thought about what his feathery friend had said. He knew that Snowfeather was right, and he needed to formulate some sort of a plan, but he couldn't help but feel responsible for Kariah's abduction. The guilt was difficult to deal with, and seemed to dominate his thoughts. He sighed morosely, then went back to staring moodily out into the darkness.
They set off early the next morning despite the drizzling rain that seeped through the thick canopy above. The moist earthy smell of the damp undergrowth was quite pleasant compared to the wretched stench of the Dead Swamp, which seemed to linger with them still.
“This forest is just bursting with life!” Sly marveled after startling a group of quail from their hiding place.
Dar chuckled. “That’s nothing. There are creatures in this forest that haven't been seen by man in hundreds of years!”
“What kind of creatures?” Gretta asked curiously.
“There are the centaurs, a fair number of giants, and even a cyclops.” His eyes twinkled in amusement. “There are even a fair number of wood nymphs that call this forest home.”
“Wood nymphs, you say?” Sly asked with interest. “I’ve heard many stories about the wood nymphs.”
“And most of those tales are probably true.” The tiny Alena assured him with a smile.
Sly suddenly blushed a violent red.
“What stories?” Damion asked curiously.
“Never mind.” The scruffy l
ittle man coughed uncomfortably.
“What about the centaurs?” Garth was breathing heavily as he trudged down the trail on his short, stubby legs. “Are they aggressive?”
“Nay. They are a peaceful race, although they are all amazingly proficient with longbows. Their skills are unrivaled.” He smiled sadly. “They are a very old, very wise race. They usually prefer to remain aloof from contact with the other races.” The childlike sprite shook his head. “We have nothing to fear from the centaurs. It's the giants that we should be concerned about. They are huge brutish creatures that will attack anything that moves. They’re extremely stupid, and have no concept of fear. They will just keep attacking until they kill everything that breathes, or they themselves are killed. Nasty creatures, giants are.”
Garth's face went pale, and he gulped audibly.
The rain tapered away by the midafternoon, and the sun emerged from behind the storm clouds to shine, casting bright rays that turned a greenish-color as it filtered through the thick forest canopy. The forest seemed to be overflowing with life. Deer grazed in large groups on the abundance of vegetation and tender moss that covered every tree and rock. Numerous rabbits, many standing over four feet in height, darted across their path in flight, and tiny long-haired apes skipped nimbly through the treetops overhead howling in a strange hooting howl as they passed, warning everything in the vicinity of their location.
“I wish those things would quiet down.” Sly grumbled, his sharp eyes continually scanning the surrounding forest. “Those little beasts are alerting the entire forest to our location!”
“They are called howlers.” Dar stared up at the hairy little beasts and grinned. “They’re kind of the alarms of the forest. I'd forgotten about them.”
“Well, we really need to shut them up before they have every creature in this forest breathing down our necks!”
“Let me give it a try.” The tiny Alena stared up at the chattering creatures, then began hooting and barking in a strange piping voice. The tiny howlers suddenly fell silent, and watched him with large curious eyes. He continued to hoot at them for several moments, then stopped, waiting in silence for the little creatures to react.
The tiny creatures stared at the companions for a moment longer, their huge liquid eyes unblinking, then, one by one, they disappeared into the treetops without another sound.
“What did you say to them?” Sly asked, clearly impressed.
“I haven't the faintest idea.” Dar laughed, shrugging his tiny shoulders.
They pushed on, following one of hundreds of game trails that crisscrossed through the undergrowth. Occasionally, they would glimpse silhouettes of larger creatures moving through the distant trees, but Dar seemed unconcerned as he continued to confidently lead them deeper towards the heart of the forest. They continued moving for the next week without incident, until one night, after a long day of hard traveling, they made camp near the banks of a small clear stream. They built a small fire to push back the darkness, and then nestled down in their bedrolls to rest after a meal of leftover rabbit, which had been caught the previous evening.
It was almost midnight when Damion was awakened by Snowfeather, who glided down from the darkness and landed heavily on his chest.
“Damion, wake up! I think we are being watched!”
Damion groaned wearily, then rolled to his feet and reached for the Dragon Sword. “Where?” He asked in a whisper.
“I don't know!” The ghostly white owl chirped, obviously disconcerted. “I can't seem to find them, but I know that they are there!”
Damion had learned to trust Snowfeather's instincts long ago, so he carefully began to draw the Dragon Sword from its sheath, but stopped when he realized it was glowing brightly. “Damn!” He quickly replaced it in its sheath it so not to provide a beacon for all to see. He kicked the others awake, then quietly stared out into the darkness, his keen eyes searching for any sign of movement.
Everyone quietly rose and drew their weapons, their instincts kicking in. The companions were quite used to the late-night encounters now, and reacted instantly whenever danger was perceived.
After several long, tense minutes, Damion began to grow frustrated, knowing that they were still being watched. “We know you are there, Kaviel!” He bellowed finally. Sly groaned, but Damion ignored him. He decided that he was not going to play this game any longer. “I am going to catch you, Kaviel!” He continued, his voice trembling with fury. “I’m going to make you pay for what you have done! You are a dead man!” Blood pounded through his veins as his anger took control, and he began to shake violently.
An evil laugh suddenly echoed through the forest, sending chills running down their spines. “Not if I kill you first!” A gravelly voice mocked from the darkness.
The forest was suddenly alive with dark figures that burst forth from the shadows, rushing at them from all directions. There was a sudden squeal of anger as one of the dark figures drew near the horses, then they heard a heavy thump as Storm lashed out with both hind legs, crushing a dragonspawn's chest, and sending it soaring back into the darkness.
Damion cursed loudly, then unsheathed the Dragon Sword. He flinched in surprise as of the blade suddenly burst into white flames, lighting up the entire area, but quickly recovered and cut down four goblins with four powerful strokes. He easily parried a clumsy blow from a rusty sword, and removed the head of the offending dragonspawn, then stepped back as nearly a dozen more of the scaly creatures ran up brandishing a variety of rust-covered blades. He scowled angrily, then drew in his magic. At the last moment, he remembered to moderate his power to compensate for the Dragon Sword, then began to hurl blazing balls of pure energy that he formed out of thin air. They streaked through the darkness, striking the charging dragonspawn in their broad scaly chests, and hurling them backwards with great smoking voids replacing what was once flesh and bone.
He caught a momentary glimpse of Sly as he parried a wild swing from a goblin and skillfully drove the point of his sword deep into its throat, then was forced to return his attention to the remaining dragonspawn. He easily cut them down, then was stopped short from searching for Kaviel by a sudden cry of pain from Garth, and a scream of horror from Gretta. He turned to see the dwarves fighting off three goblins. Garth had a rusty dagger buried deep in his back, but was doing his best to keep the beasts at bay.
Damion roared in anger, then charged forward. He drove the Dragon Sword deep into one of the creature's chests, then kicked a second in the face, crushing its skull and driving fragments of bone up into its brain. The goblin fell twitching to the ground as he beheaded the third with a powerful backhand swing of the flaming sword.
He caught Garth as the dwarf fell, and gently laid him the face down on the ground. “Don’t move!” He warned cautiously. “We don't want the dagger to do any more damage!”
Dar dashed over to their side to help. “I’ll take care of him!” The tiny Alena quickly began to tear strips of cloth from his tunic, and carefully tried to stem the flow of blood. “Go finish taking care of those creatures!”
Damion nodded, then returned to the fray, his fury doubled. He fell about the remaining dragonspawn and goblins with a frightening ferocity, his eyes blazing a fiery-red in the darkness. The creatures fell back in terror, and several tried to run, but one by one, they all fell to his wrath.
When all the creatures lay dead at his feet, he scoured the area for Kaviel. After a few long moments, the Dragon Sword's fire began to diminish until it was completely extinguished. He cursed fiercely, then returned to the camp where Sly, Dar, and Gretta were caring for Garth. “How is he?” He asked worriedly, concerned for the welfare of his dwarven companion.
“He’s lost a lot of blood,” Dar answered, carefully putting a bandage over the dwarf's wound. “but it looks worse than it actually is. It's a lucky thing our friend here has a bit of extra flab, or it would have been much worse.”
“I sure don't feel lucky.” Garth grumbled, wincing in pain.
“Will he be able to travel?”
Dar's face grew grave. “Only for short distances at a time. I know of a centaur village about ten miles from here. They will be able to heal him far better than I ever could.”
“Let’s get moving, then.” Sly stooped to help the dwarf to his feet, but was shoved away.
“I can do it myself.” The dwarf grumbled stubbornly. He slowly pushed himself to his feet, then stood wobbling unsteadily. “Just give me a second to catch my breath.” He was breathing heavily, and what was visible his face was deathly pale. Gretta hovered at his side, her face full of concern.
“How do you think Kaviel found us?” Sly asked Damion seriously.
"He must have used the Dragon Gem.” Damion answered grimly. “The sword and gem appear to react to one another's presence. He must have discovered this, and used it to locate us.”
“That means he can locate us any time he wishes.” The scruffy little man's face was worried. “That’s going to make things more difficult for us.”
“But it also works to our advantage.” Dar pointed out. “As long as we have the sword, he can never sneak up on us.”
Damion grunted, then began gathering their packs. “Let’s get moving before he returns with reinforcements.”