“Hold still.” 

Bennett winced as the guildsman cleaned his wound. It was only a scrape from a fall, but he’d landed pretty hard on a piece of rubble. “I’m fine, it’ll just bruise.” He watched Wisp flit around their makeshift campsite. Bennett had not seen the creature so energetic in a while. Though, he supposed, they had just escaped certain death. Maybe Wisp was just as relieved as he was. 

“Never too careful,” he said, tying the bandage. “See? Done.” 

Bennett thanked him as he pulled his cloak back over his shoulders, the chill of the night was getting to him, even with the fire they’d made. His shirt, though, still lay in his lap. Of course he’d managed to tear the sleeve with the fall. 

He retrieved his supplies from the pouch on his belt, not the best place to have to repair, the stitching would be very visible, but Bennett knew he could disguise it in some embroidery. 

~~~

“We’ve gotta warn people about that beast.” Caeden started as he tended their fire. They were lucky that they got away like they did. Not many people could claim to have escaped a hunting beast. Especially without killing it first. “I’ll tell the guild to get a hunt together when we get back to town.” 

Bright light flashed before his eyes, blinding him momentarily, “ gah! Stop that.” Caeden objected, swatting at the offending creature. Wisp flickered, as if laughing before returning to Bennett’s side. The short brunet not even attempting to hide his snicker even as his eyes remained fixed to the cloth he was mending.

Caeden leaned back on his palms watching them. Now in better light, he could see many tiny designs stitched into the brown cloak he had wrapped over himself. His own work, Caeden guessed as he watched the younger man stitch the rip in his sleeve with quick precision. Aided by the light Wisp gave off as it fluttered over his shoulder. “So, where exactly did the living lantern come from? That’s no firefly.” he asked. There was no shortage of companion animals in the world, but this boy’s fiery pet was nothing like he’d ever seen.

“Wisp? Oh, um I’m not sure exactly?” Bennett paused his stitching for just a moment before continuing, talking while he worked. “They just showed up when I was lost as a kid. A traveler once told me that Wisp was a fire spirit and that they’d never known one to get close to humans, let alone befriend one.” 

“A fire spirit? Things like that exist?” 

“No idea. I tried to find him again to ask for more info, but he was gone.” Bennett shrugged. “It’s all I have to go on though, and it fits. Wisp certainly hasn’t told me any different.” He chuckled as the creature danced around as if joining his laughter. “Wisp is also a lot of the reason I go to ruins. Trying to find anything I can about spirits or something. Aaand I get to see some awesome carvings and designs that inspire a lot of my work.”

“An artist, huh? There are safer places to get inspiration, you know.” Caeden shook his head. 

“I’ve been safe. Guildsmen are just bad luck.” He smirks. “Why were you out here alone anyway? I thought you guys ran in packs.” 

“Heh. Runt of the litter, I suppose. I was sent to do some recon, see if the rumors of a beast were true.” He didn’t have to say anything else, after the night they’d just had. Morning couldn’t come fast enough, the rest of the guild needed to know immediately. 

~~~

Bennett hardly slept that night, Caeden hadn’t either by the looks of him. His bright brown eyes dulled by the circles under them. Bennett was sure he looked the same. They were dirty and exhausted as they made it to town in the early morning light. They’d hardly spoken as they traveled, clear goals in mind. 

Wisp hid themself in the folds of Bennetts hood  as they made it onto the main road. And Bennett felt tension leave him as they made it within the walls. The quiet port town of Fairhaven lives up to its name for the first time since he’d been here; a safe haven. It’s still early, and not many people are out and about yet. Heading toward the morning market, no doubt. 

Bennett stops at the first building, the inn. “Hey, this is me.”

Caeden turns, looking from Bennett to the building. “Right. See you around. I’ve got to report to the guild, that thing needs hunted immediately.” Bennett shivered as Wisp tickled his neck within the hood.

Bennett waves as the man turns to walk away again, uneasy feeling blooming in his gut. He shakes his head and makes for the inn. 

“Got yerself a guildsman escort back, did ya?” A gruff, familiar voice said as he turned back toward the door. Sitting on a barrel there next to the doorway was a man he recognized from when he’d first arrived here at the inn. Hadn’t gotten his name, but with the stench of alcohol already so strong on him this morning, Bennett wasn’t sure he wanted to. 

For the sake of politeness, though, he gave a nod and a short response before continuing into the dimly lit venue. The ground floor of the Rat and the Raven was more a tavern than an inn, stools set up at the bar and tables scattered across the floor, save for an elevated area toward the back that presumably was a stage at one time, now storage for crates of food.

Bennett helped himself to a bit of the bread offered and took a seat toward the back of the nearly empty room by a window, the light able to mask Wisp so the creature didn’t have to hide quite so much. He pulled out his sketchbook to flip through the sketches he’d made last night. Quick doodles of looping designs he’d found and a bit of the architecture he’d sketched, and lastly the unfinished drawing of the large relief he’d found in the stairway. Bennett frowned, it really was a beautiful piece, one he hadn’t seen in any ruins before. Though he’d never been to such a large, undisturbed site in his life. 

Lost in his thoughts, a voice behind him made him jump. “What were you doing out there, kid?” The man from outside was now standing behind him, a serious look on his face as he loomed over his shoulder at the sketches. 

~~~

“Caeden! I waited for you last night, buddy. You just getting back?” Frederick greeted him warmly as always when he entered the small building they call a guildhouse. It was really just a small outpost of the larger guildhouses and headquarters in the cities. Including Frederick and himself, there were only about a dozen members currently stationed here. A lot of them from out of town. 

“Fred. I need to report.” The sound in his voice seemed to surprise the other man, his smile falling. “Immediately.” 

What they had assumed was just a rabid dog or some other wild animal that had wandered too close, was most definitely not. Fredericks face paled at the realization. 

“By the sound of it, it is fortunate we arrived today.” Caeden and Frederick both turned to the office door where a man unfamiliar to Caeden stood. He wore the regalia of the guild, but notably with the emblem of the elites. Praised hunters who moved up the chain of command. “So tell me, what are we hunting?”

“We’ll have the hunting party gathered and ready by noon, Sir.” Frederick assured the elite officer,  once Caeden had finished his report. 

“Good man. And you,” he turned to Caeden, “you’re familiarity with the area and prior experience with the beast are valuable. I’m appointing you as leader of this hunt.” 

“Wh-what?”