[Brinniel]

Though the trees still covered the sun, Raye could tell it was setting, for the sky slowly began to darken.
She stopped in her tracks and observed her surroundings. The group stood at a clearing of the trees, a perfect place to camp. The foul stench had grown stronger than ever, coming from Raye's right. The entrance to the creature's lair was near. But the creature would not hurt them here; it only would if one of them got any closer to the lair. The murderess smiled. Yes, this was a perfect place to camp. She turned to the others.
"We will rest here, tonight," she announced.
There were several mutters and groans in response.
"Couldn't we walk a little bit further?" Faryn complained. "The smell is quite terrible here."
"Not if you do not wish to walk blindly in the dark," Raye snapped. "I do believe you would like to live another day, servant girl, especially after all that trouble escaping from the night elves."
Faryn did reply to her comment.

The group settled into their camp quickly, each heavily in a conversation with another, except for Raye, that is. Instead, she watched Tallin and Berethion, who were speaking to each other, looking too happy.
"Wolfsoul, we need firewood," the murderess said suddenly.
Tallin looked at Raye. "Yes, and why are you telling me this?" she responded.
"I want you to get me some."
"Me?!" the wolf tamer cried out. "Do it yourself, Raye. This is a forest, for goodness sake! It's not that hard."
"Excuse me? I have led you through the forest all day, and what have you done? Nothing!"
"Perhaps you should do as she says," Berethion whispered to Tallin, obviously not wanting the two to fight. "It won't take long."
The wolf tamer stood up angerly.
"There are plenty of broken branches over there," Raye observed, pointing to where the foul smell was coming from. "Perhaps you'll find even more if you go further in."
Tallin glared at the murderess.
"Unless you are too frightened by the smell."
Tallin had enough then. She stormed off in the direction Raye had pointed, muttering that she wasn't frightened by anything, especially some silly smell. Raye hoped it would be the last time she would see the wolf tamer.

"You know, you do not have to be so hostile towards Tallin," Berethion told Raye. "The two of you could get along quite well if you just gave her a chance."
"I can't give her a chance," Raye replied. "She is a wolf tamer and therefore I believe she is part wolf. You can't ever trust a wolf."
"What is it you've got against wolves, anyways?" Berethion asked. "Did they once hurt you in some way?"
Raye did not respond.

A half an hour had passed and Tallin had not returned. It was then Berethion made the decision to go after her.
"She has been gone too long," the elf declared. "Something is not right. I have to find her."
The others nodded in agreement, some offering to help find the wolf tamer, but Berethion turned down the offers, claiming he could find her alone. Raye was the only one who disagreed with Berethion's decision.
"Tallin is fine," she said. "She is probably just somewhere sulking."
What the murderess said was probably true, for she and no one else had heard any sign of the creature. She couldn't help but to wonder why it hadn't gotten her yet.
But despite what Raye had said, Berethion went after the wolf tamer.

Raye waited for the elves' return, hugging her knees and chewing on her nails. She now hoped that the creature wouldn't show and they would return safely. The murderess couldn't afford to have anything happen to Berethion. He had saved her life, after all. Twice.
Perhaps there was no creature, after all. Perhaps it was just an old smell and the creature was dead. This thought made Raye relax a little.

It was at that moment when a loud noise sounded from the direction the elves had disappeared. It was a strange noise, something the murderess had not heard before. But she knew what had made it and stood up immediately.
"What was that?" Dimithil asked, who now stood next to her.
Raye shook her head. She bit her lip hard, knowing her plan had backfired.
Before Dimithil could ask her another question, the murderess charged forward in the direction the creature had made the noise.

[ February 17, 2003: Message edited by: Brinniel ]