Devis backed cautiously away as he pointed behind them. "That."
Tordek and Lidda turned to see a mountain of rippling muscle under a thick, dark pelt. They looked up and saw a massive torso that must have weighed as much as ten Tordeks. They looked up more to see claws like black scythes. At last they looked up to a height greater than three dwarves, and they saw the savage face of a dire beast.
Lidda fell backward and scrambled away from the brute, soon outpacing Devis on her hands and knees.
"Oh," said Tordek. He stood in the creature's black shadow and crossed his wrists nonchalantly over the butt of his war axe. "Is that all?"
"Greetings, Tordek." A voice like a warm breeze on a forest stream came from behind the monstrous wolverine. An elf emerged from behind the huge animal, her fair skin luminous in the moonlight. She wore tough hide armor and carried a wooden shield festooned with feathers and a great elk antler. She stroked the beast's flank, and the animal dropped down to all fours. The top of its shoulder still loomed high over Tordek. "I hope Gulo has not frightened your friends too badly."
Tordek glanced back to see Lidda and Devis huddled together, gradually regaining their courage as they saw him standing calmly beside the newcomers.
Tordek turned back to the elf and nodded at her, as if to an old but not entirely welcome acquaintance.
She nodded back. "It is time to settle old debts."
An hour later, the four of them stood staring out from the woods at the burning heap that had been Tordek's wagon.
"They stole my mules." Tordek scowled at the flames.
"At least they only hurt the wagon," observed Vadania. "It gave them something on which to vent their wrath. Better it than you." The druid had sent Gulo away to forage while Devis and Lidda adjusted to the great beast's presence. "Fortunately, I was able to retrieve your packs before they found the wagon."
Tordek took his helmet from the pile of rescued belongings and set it gratefully upon his head. "I'll not take this off again until Caravans Cross is a spot on the horizon."
Devis straightened and tugged at the hem of his short jacket. He had already used the diversion of Gulo's sudden appearance to slip back into the inn through a second-floor window and fetch his gear, forsaking his feminine garb in favor of quilted trousers and a one-sleeved jerkin. He also soothed his injuries with a song-spell, leaving his handsome face unblemished and his demeanor considerably merrier. Despite Tordek's earlier threats, the half-elf seemed oblivious to the dwarf's continued glowering.
"I care little for such towns," said Vadania. "So many people packed so close together. It makes them mad."
"We weren't planning to stay the night," said Tordek. "We were here only to collect our pay and move on."
"Then everyone wanted to buy us a drink," said Lidda." 'A toast to the heroes of Caravans Cross!'"
"Heroes," spat Tordek. His contempt for the word was palpable.
"Only it turned out what they really wanted was to get you drunk and steal back the bounty they paid for those bandits, eh?" Devis smirked.
"Oath breakers," spat Tordek.
"Luckily for us," said Lidda cheerfully, "you and Tordek had that little misunderstanding."
"Hey," said Devis. "That wasn't my fault! He pulled me into his lap."
"I thought he was a tavern wench," said Tordek, looking away from Devis.
"Lady in waiting," corrected Devis. He sighed dreamily. "To that raven-eyed beauty from the merchant lord's entourage."
"What is this?" asked Vadania, arching one silver eyebrow.
"Nothing," said Tordek. "Just a mistake."
"What a mistake!" cried Lidda. "The moment Tordek touched-"
"Lidda," warned Tordek.
"-when he realized," she amended, "that Devis here wasn't really a woman, the husband of the lady you'd been 'attending' became awfully interested in you."
"It wasn't my fault!" protested the half-elf. "How was I supposed to know the girl was his wife? She could have been his daughter. His granddaughter, even!"
"It would have been all right if he'd seen you leaving the bath with his granddaughter this morning?"
Devis scratched his chin. "Not as bad. Besides, most of the time, the worst that happens is they insist you marry the girl."
"Before or after they castrate you?" Somehow, Lidda managed to appear as though she were looking down on the half-elf, even though he was nearly twice her height.
Devis just grinned. "Doesn't matter. I usually get away before the actual wedding."
"Usually?" asked Lidda. "You mean you had to get married once?"
"Once or twice." Devis shrugged.
"Once or twice!"
"All right, maybe it was six times," he replied. "Anyway, no harm done. I got away with all my parts and bits."
"You have six wives!" yelped Lidda. Her lip trembled in a quarrel between awe and disgust.
Tordek snorted and shook his head. "Disgraceful."
"Say, dwarf," said Devis indignantly. "You're the one who tried to kiss me."
"Not my fault you have such a pretty mouth," said Tordek. "The dress fit you nicely, too."
Devis grinned. "Well, I do have a pretty mouth."
"I will call him Bunny," said Vadania. The others looked at her to see whether she had cracked a smile, but the elf's face remained serenely composed. "You know," she added, "because bunnies tend to-"
"We get it," said Lidda.
"Hey!" protested Devis. "I'm not sure that's the kind of nickname I want to be stuck with."
"Then maybe you shouldn't go hopping from burrow to burrow," suggested Tordek. He hefted his pack and slung it onto his back, checking to ensure that its position did not impede his ability to draw his axe quickly.
"I like it," said Lidda, giggling as she pulled her own pack onto her shoulders. "It's sort of sexy."
"You think so?" said Devis. "Bunny," he tested the name. "Bunny. 'Call me Bunny, sweetheart.' Hmm, maybe it's not so bad."
Lidda and Vadania stared at each other for two heartbeats, then simultaneously burst out laughing. The halfling's laughter was as cheery as sleigh bells, the elf's as gentle as morning rain.
Tordek sighed and stomped away from Caravans Cross, leaving Devis to look from the elf to the halfling.
"What?"
As Devis stared at the women, they gradually regained their composure, looked at him pitifully, and turned to follow Tordek.
"Hey!" he called after them, grabbing up his own pack. "Where are we going?"
TALES
Tordek awoke to the smell of roasting venison. Peering toward the campfire, he spied Lidda turning juicy strips of meat on skewers stuck into the ground next to the campfire.
Beside Tordek, Devis snored gently under an oft-patched woolen blanket. Tordek thrust a stiff pair of fingers into the half-elf's ribs.
"Rise and shine," he said, poking Devis again. "Bunny."
Grumbling, Devis began extricating himself from his bedding.
Tordek found the stream and washed himself, smoothing back his red hair with wet fingers. He felt the braids in his beard and decided they were still properly tight. He shook out his outer garments and re-secured his plate armor. By the time he went back to the fire, Vadania had returned from scouting their surroundings. She handed him a tin cup of strong tea.
"So it's morning," said Devis, warming his hands on his own steaming cup. "We're miles away from that town. Now will someone tell us where we're going?"
"You are not going anywhere," said Tordek. "Not with us. This business is between me and Vadania."
"Actually," said the elf, "after last night's rescue, I suggest that all three of you owe me a favor."
Tordek scowled but did not dispute her claim.
"Sounds fair to me!" said Lidda. Tordek shook his head at how blithely the halfling promised her help, but he knew her well enough to realize she could never pass up an opportunity for adventure or treasure.