"What are you doing?" Butch snapped.
"There are no monsters here," I said. "Put your sword away."
"There are no monsters here," I said. "Put your sword away."
The big NPC glanced around, suddenly realizing that there were no other weapons drawn. Reluctantly, he put his blade back into his inventory.
"If this wasn't a monster attack, then how did the fire get started?" Butch demanded to know.
The villagers all pointed to the pack mule.
"The mule got out and knocked over one of the furnaces," the village's crafter said.
"Then...then there is no danger here?" Butch sputtered.
"Then...then there is no danger here?" Butch sputtered.
The old crafter shook his head and smiled.
The big NPC kicked the ground in frustration, sending a clump of dirt flying, then turned and jumped onto his dark horse.
The big NPC kicked the ground in frustration, sending a clump of dirt flying, then turned and jumped onto his dark horse.
"The forest!" he shouted, before galloping for the village gates.
"Wait, where are you going?" Hunter asked.
"The forest is on fire! Come on!" Butch bellowed.
Hunter gave an exasperated growl, then pulled her reins around to follow him.
I ran to my horse and mounted quickly. Many of the villagers shouted questions at us as we left, but none of us answered. We all rode our horses toward the dark columns of smoke now climbing high into the sky.
"Wait for us!" Stitcher screamed ahead.
But Butch only ran faster.
I pulled up to Crafter's side. Smoke from the forest fire was now blotting out the setting sun, erasing the rosy-red sky to the west and replacing it with a sad gray haze. As the sun sank behind the horizon, the biome in the distance gave off a flickering orange glow stretched from one end of the spruce forest to the other. It was a huge fire, but as we rode, I realized it was not getting brighter: it was growing dimmer. Clearly, it was burning itself out.
We rode hard into the night, pushing our horses to the brink of exhaustion. Finally, I put out my hand. I refused to drive the horses any harder, so I pulled back on the reins, slowing from a gallop to a trot.
The others slowed as well, except for Butch, who continued to pull ahead. But none of us cared anymore. We could feel the strain in the animals and knew we had to slow down, or we would end up killing our mounts.
"Herder, I think you should send your wolves out with Butch," Crafter said. "He'll be alone out there now, and it's getting dark; he may be in trouble."
"It serves him right," Hunter snapped.
"Yeah!" Stitcher added.
"We don't abandon our friends, no matter what," Crafter replied.
"Yeah!" Stitcher added.
"We don't abandon our friends, no matter what," Crafter replied.
Hunter sighed and nodded her head as Herder leaned down and spoke to White.
"Hey White." he said. "Could you go with the other wolves and protect Butch? That would be much appreciated. If you are in trouble, just howl."
"Hey White." he said. "Could you go with the other wolves and protect Butch? That would be much appreciated. If you are in trouble, just howl."