Ranger Rising

Part 4: What Lurks in the Forest

I pulled back in shock. Aust threw a look back over his shoulder as if to make sure no one was eavesdropping on us. When he turned back to me, his mouth was pressed into a thin line and a grim look in his eyes. "The last thing I want to do around here is cause a panic."

Instinctively, I shrunk down. Then I stopped, shook it off, and squared my shoulders. Aust wasn't any more intimidating than anyone else in the inner circle. "Must be very dangerous," I said as I folded my arms over my chest. "Any idea what it is?"

Aust tilted his head as he looked at me, eyes narrowed and brow furrowed. Again, I fought to keep myself from fidgeting.

"No..." Aust finally answered my question with a slow, drawn out word. "Mayor Terrin had very few details and those he had were very vague."

"Father told me that the beast has tracks twice the size of a bear!"

"He did? When did he tell you this?"

I shrugged, "Last night. Haven't seen them myself actually. Father just told me about them. Erickson, our neighbor, found some of them at the outskirts of his property not to long ago."

"It's been seen on the edges of farms too?"

"Well maybe seen isn't the right term for it since all Erickson found were tracks but yeah... I guess that would mean it's been coming close to the farmsteads."

Aust looked past me and at the mayoral manse. He almost looked like he was clenching his jaw or something. I glanced back at the manse too, unsure of what he was looking at. It wasn't like there was anyone actually there. Aust mumbled something under his breath in an airy and flowing kind of language I didn't understand. Elvish possibly?

Awkwardly, I cleared my throat and continued. "Erickson's farm borders the forest on the Eastern side. He tends cows. Maybe the beast was hunting them? Easy targets since they're penned in."

"Maybe so..." Aust said as he finally looked back at me. His shoulders and back were rigid with tension.

"I take it you haven't had a chance to investigate the tracks yourself yet?"

"No, not yet." He rubbed his chin and continued to speak, but more to himself than me really. "I was going to settle into my lodgings before going out but perhaps it would be wise to..."

His voice trailed off naturally.

"I could take you to Erickson's farm! I could even help you look for them!"

"I need to get on its trail before it goes cold and I lose it," mumbled Aust. I wasn't entirely sure if he had even heard my offer or not.

"The Ericksons have about six meters between their grazing field and the first line of trees. It's usually pretty muddy because of all the rain we get here. It wouldn't be hard to find the tracks especially if they were only discovered a day ago. There's also this little deer path that—"

"Do you know if anyone has seen the beast personally?" Aust interrupted me.

No. I don't think he'd been listening to me. I crossed my arms over my chest. "Can't say that I know anyone myself. There are lots of hunters that frequent the forest though. Maybe one of them..."

"Interesting," nodded Aust. He looked at me. "No strange sounds from the forest late at night?"

"I don't think so. Father told me to stay away from the woods especially after sunset."

"A wise sentiment that you'd do well to listen to. Have you heard any other news about the beast from others on the outskirts of town?"

I shook my head. "Sorry."