“Ugh, never mind forget I asked.” Lyra rolled over on to her back looking up at the roof of the Kraan-thur quickly forgetting what she was upset about as she smelt the food cooking.

          “Probably for the best.” Tharon chuckled as he handed her one of the meat skewers, taking one for himself and taking a bite and enjoying the flavor of the salted meat.

          While Tharon and Lyra were back at camp enjoying a bit of food. Zarath was back in his element though not the plains of the central Heartlands hunting to him was second nature as he stalked the hills sniffing the air his ears twitching slight at every sound that was made, his four-legged companion Hura sniffing at the ground in front of him her tail wagging slightly as she gently pawed at certain spots of dirt. A sudden rustle of grass and both master and hound were posed and ready to strike. Zarath drew the sting of his bow, taut his arrow nocked and ready to lose at a moment’s notice, Hura hunched down her heckles raised and her fangs bared. Suddenly a rabbit burst from the grass and Hura went to chase it Zarath suddenly letting out a burst of a whistle making her stop.

          “Sorry girl, I get you want to hunt but I’m getting sick of rabbit.” Zarath patted Hura her fur flatting out as he did and her growl turning into pants as her tongue lulled out, as he did, he caught a scent familiar to him but still strange, the scent of decay and rot. Hura began to growl, and her hackles raised again.

          “You smell it to don’t you girl.” Pulling his bow string back halfway he slowly began to walk towards the hill crest lowering down into crouch as he inched closer. As he and Hura reached the top of the hill a blackened skinned beast burst towards them its ribs, visible arms and legs elongated, red eyes and jagged and gnarled teeth. As Zarath jumped back and drew his bow taut again aiming at the creature suddenly realized it wasn’t charging him and he realized it was also another blighted elf like what attacked him and Tharon on their way to Vaerthruin but something was different, unlike the ones before this one didn’t mindlessly attack him in fact it seemed to realize that Zarath had the advantage with a ranged weapon.

          Hura circled around behind the blighted elf growling and snapping her jaws, Zarath growled bearing his own fangs. Something was different why did he feel such a rush at the fact he was about to fight, his heart pounded in his ears and his blood boiled in his veins. And in the back of his head, he swore he heard someone whispering the words yes give into the rage and fight. Shaking his head for some reason he dropped his bow and let the claws on his fingertips out showing his fangs and his own hackles raised the fur on his ears, face and tail bristled.

          The blighted elf let out an ear-piercing shriek and tried to rush Zarath as he did Hura lunged and latched her jaws around the disfigured creature’s lower leg forcing it to fall forward. Zarath burst forward tackling the creature back sinking his own fangs into the blighted elf’s blacked skin sinking his fangs deep into the elf’s shoulder and Zarath’s claws digging into its withered chest, the creature letting out a shrill scream. Tacking one of its elongated arms it grabbed Zarath with its claws scrapping against his leather chest guard and throwing him a few feet into the air and at least a yard away from it, it quickly turned its attention to Hura who was still biting at its thigh and growling, she jerked her head back forcing the creature  off balance again, it brought its claws up and went to lounge at Hura only for Zarath to suddenly grab it from behind wrapping his arms around the beast neck pulling it back.

          Between Hura grabbing and pulling at the creature’s legs, Zarath was pulling at its neck in the opposite direction, the creature flailed its arms as it tried to grab either one of them its long grotesque claws swept past their heads. Eventually a sickening snap echoed in the air and the creature went limp its arms once swinging like whips now dropped limp and spasming on the ground the creature’s eyes rolled back as Zarath released his jaws from its neck and Hura released hers from its leg. Zarath slowly stood up his fur still standing on end, he spit out a mouthful of the creature’s black blood onto the ground. Panting heavily, Zarath wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, the taste of the blighted elf’s blood lingering unpleasantly. Hura came to his side, her tail wagging slightly but her eyes still alert for any other threats. Zarath knelt down, resting a hand on her head, and took a moment to regain his composure.

“This is becoming too frequent,” he muttered, glancing at the creature’s lifeless body. He had encountered blighted elves before, but something about this one seemed more calculated, more aware. As he examined the creature’s twisted, darkened form, the whispering in the back of his mind returned, stronger this time. It beckoned him, urging him to embrace the primal fury that had surged through him during the fight. He shook his head again, trying to dispel the unsettling thoughts.

“We need to warn the others,” Zarath said to Hura, who responded with a low whine of agreement. He retrieved his bow and adjusted his leather armor, noting the fresh scratches left by the creature’s claws. With one final glance at the corpse, Zarath and Hura began their descent down the hill and back to the camp. The journey back was tense, every rustle of the wind causing Zarath to reflexively reach for his weapon. The scent of decay still lingered in the air, a grim reminder of the recent battle. As they neared the camp, the comforting aroma of cooked meat reached his nostrils. Pushing through the brush, Zarath saw Tharon and Lyra sitting by the fire, engrossed in conversation.

“What happened?” Tharon asked, standing up and eyeing Zarath’s disheveled appearance.

“We were attacked by another one of those creatures,” Zarath replied, his voice steady but tinged with fatigue. “This one was different. More aware, more dangerous.”

          “Are you alright? Is Hura?” Lyra’s eyes widened with concern.

“We’re fine,” Zarath assured her, patting Hura’s head. Tharon nodded, a determined look crossing his face. As the trio sat down again Tharon handed Zarath one of the meat skewers he had saved, Lyra rubbing Hura’s belly as she rolled over before moving to check the claw marks on Zarath’s armor.

“What exactly attacked you I may be new to being outside the settlement, but I’ve never seen claw marks like this on any of the Krellar or any of the migrating tribes either.” Lyra asked as she examined the claw marks closely.

“To be honest, I’m not sure what they are, something like an elf in appearance but I don’t think they are elves it might have something to do with why me and Tharon are seeking the Wardens.” Zarath took a bite of the meet skewer, his face lighting up as a big smile spread across his face.

After eating Tharon and Zarath agreed to putt up an extra layer of protection for the camp the thick cloth that made up the Kraan-thur’s was hard to cut through which is why the nomadic wolfkin used it to make their shelters as well as the large cloth walls that circled their camps, there time in Vaerthruin Tharon had actual spent some of the money Zarath’s father had given them to buy a smaller version of the great camps cloth walls. Strating behind Tharon’s yurt like tent they looped the cloth wall around both Kraan-thur’s leaving no possible way into the camps middle without climbing or digging under it. After letting the fire die down a bit as to only light up the inside of the now walled off camp Tharon agreed to take first watch snice Zarath had clearly just been in a fight.

As the night dragged on, eventually Zarath took over on the watch for Tharon, allowing his friend to rest. He sat stoking the fire, the ears atop his head twitching as he kept alert, he felt something behind him and slowly began to reach for his bronze sword laying on the ground next to him. Just as the tip of his clawed finger touched the hilt Lyra plopped down behind him and wrapped him in the large fur blanket, he left in his own Kraan-thur for her to use, she laid her head against his back her ears flat atop her head and her tail tucked against her as she tried to wrap her arms around his front.

“Those things are the reason you and Tharon came to the temple to get purified isn’t it.” Lyra asked her voice low and hushed as she did.

“Part of the reason yeah, what every they are two of them attacked us before we got to the settlement, I thought after the purification we would be fine, but I guess we truly won’t be until we find the Wardens.” Zarath sighed and stiffened up he was trying to relax but couldn’t not with Lyra this close to him he had never in his fourteen years really spoken to a girl other than his younger sister and Lyra had a strange way of throwing him off and confusing him just by being near him for some reason he didn’t quite understand.

Lyra shifted slightly; her breath warm against Zarath's back. "You really think the Wardens will have the answers?" she asked, her voice a whisper in the quiet night.