The forest thinned as the party made their way south, heading for home. Sunlight spilled through the canopy in warm patches. Birds returned to their perches now that the chaos had passed, chirping over the crunch of boots on the dirt path. Everyone looked a little scuffed, a little tired, but mostly satisfied.

  Bhel stretched his shoulders with a groan. “Well… that was fun. I give it a solid seven out of ten. Points deducted for being bitten. Twice.”

  Brett snorted. “You only got bitten because you keep putting yourself between us and everything with teeth.”

  “That’s my whole job,” he replied with dry pride. “If you want me to stop, I can start hiding behind you instead.”

  “No thanks,” Brett said quickly. “I bruise easily.”

  Josh limped along for a moment before realising his leg no longer hurt and corrected himself. “For a first proper mission, we did alright, didn’t we?”

  Perberos raised an eyebrow at him. “Alright? We fought off at least two packs and a dire wolf the size of a bloody horse. I’d say that’s slightly above ‘alright.’”

  Carcan, still glancing at her brother’s leg every few minutes, nodded, staff resting lightly in her hands. “We worked together well. But we need to tighten our formation when something big charges. Josh almost got folded in half.”

  Josh shrugged. “I think we did fine. Mostly. Bit surprised I didn’t level up or anything though. All that effort, and not even a little blue box.”

  Perberos gave him a look that fell somewhere between amused and exasperated. “We’re past level ten. You’re not going to be gaining levels from every skirmish anymore.”

  Josh frowned. “But we killed loads of wolves.”

  “Yes,” Perberos said patiently, “but levelling slows down as you go. From here on, we’ll need far bigger threats or quests with significant experience rewards.”

  Bhel leaned over and nudged Josh with his elbow. “Translation: no more baby monsters. You want a ding, you’ve got to fight something that can swallow you whole.”

  Josh made a face. “That’s not reassuring.”

  “It’s not meant to be,” Bhel said cheerfully.

  Brett adjusted the strap of his satchel. “Still… we did well. I think we’re getting better at predicting each other. But maybe next time, Josh, you could not run straight into the biggest thing first?”

  Josh blinked. “But that’s what Perberos told me last mission, he said ‘you’re the fighter, engage first.’”

  Perberos cleared his throat. “…Yes. But I didn’t mean like that. There is engaging, and then there is attempting to solo a dire wolf.”

  “It was tactical,” Josh insisted.

  Everyone stared at him.

  “…Wasn’t it? I kept it away from you guys whilst you dealt with the other stuff…”

  Bhel laughed loud enough to send a pair of birds flapping away. “Sure, let’s call it that. Tactical tanking.”

  Carcan softened the mood with a small laugh of her own. “Next time, maybe we’ll try to plan a little more before the screaming, sorry I mean before issuing a heroic challenge and charging in.”

  Josh held up his hands. “Alright, fair point. Next time we strategise first. Then I scream and charge.”

  Perberos pinched the bridge of his nose. “Progress. Somehow.”

  The road opened ahead toward the town, faint rooftops visible in the distance. Tired, bruised, triumphant, and bickering as ever, the party continued onward, already talking about what quest they should pick next.

  Soon the familiar outline of Ashenfall appeared ahead of them, the gentle slope of the hill leading down to the town catching the afternoon light. Smoke curled from chimneys, and the distant sound of carts and chatter drifted toward them on the breeze. After hours of forest and fighting, it felt strangely comforting.

  Brett broke the comfortable silence first. “You know… once we’ve handed in the wolf quest, maybe we should start thinking about that kobold dungeon again.”

  Perberos glanced over, unsurprised. “Because you want to level faster.”

  “Well, yes,” Brett said, adjusting his staff, “but also because it’s supposed to be a structured dungeon. Guaranteed fights, predictable layouts. Better training.”

  Bhel nodded thoughtfully, resting his axes across his shoulders. “It’ll toughen us up a lot faster. And the sooner we’re stronger, the sooner we can take on the undead dungeon. Which, if we’re being honest, is the real goal, isn’t it?”

  Carcan shivered slightly. “I’m not excited about skeletons crawling out of the ground, but… yes. It’s the kind of danger that helps the town and us, the most.”

  Josh scratched the back of his head. “I’m not against it. Really, I’m not.” He paused, then snorted at himself. “But after today? I think I need a couple more ‘easy’ days like this first.”

  Bhel stared at him. “Easy?” He asked, gesturing at the deep tear in Josh’s trousers where the direwolf had bitten him.

  Josh shrugged, “Well… easier. Comparatively.”

  That got a round of laughs from the group.

  “Only you,” Brett said, “would get launched by a direwolf, bitten nearly in half, and then call it an ‘easy’ day.”

  Josh shrugged with theatrical modesty. “What can I say? I’m adjusting to the lifestyle.”

  Perberos shook his head, though his expression softened. “You’re recovering quicker, that’s for certain. But you’re right. A few days of simpler quests while we prepare for the dungeon might be wise.”

  Bhel stretched his arms behind him. “I could go for a break. Maybe a proper meal. Maybe a hot bath. Maybe all of those. In reverse order.”

  Carcan giggled, staff tapping the ground as she walked. “I wouldn’t mind that either. And it gives us time to restock potions and arrows. And maybe someone” she eyed her brother pointedly “shouldn’t let himself get tackled by wolves anymore.”

  Perberos cleared his throat. “It’s not like I did it on purpose. And I feel like I handled the whole situation rather admirably.”

  “Mm?hmm,” Carcan said knowingly.

  They reached the first houses of Ashenfall and some locals noticed them returning, a few calling out in greeting. Despite their exhaustion, the party straightened with a shared sense of accomplishment.

  Josh glanced at them all, smiling. “So… kobolds soon then?”

  Brett nodded. “Soon.”

  “But today,” Bhel declared, “we celebrate not being dead.”

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  “Seconded,” Josh said.

  “Thirded,” Carcan added.

  Perberos sighed, though the small smile betrayed him. “Very well. But tomorrow we plan. Properly.”

  They walked through Ashenfall together, bruised, tired, and already looking forward to whatever came next.

  As the party pushed open the guildhall doors, the familiar scent of parchment, wood, and simmering stew greeted them as they stepped inside. A few adventurers glanced up from their tables, noting the scratches, dirt, and faint singe marks that clung to Josh and the others, then returned to their drinks with knowing smirks.

  Mich was at the front desk, sorting through a stack of reports. She looked up as they approached, eyebrows lifting. “Back already?”

  Bhel set the bundle of wolf tails onto the counter with a satisfying thump. “Plenty of wolves. And one big one.”

  Perberos placed the direwolf tail beside the others. It was larger, darker, and rougher, its fur bristling with a strange energy even now. “This was leading the pack.”

  Mich let out a low whistle. “Direwolf, hm? That explains the rumours.” She pulled the tails toward her, counting with practiced eyes before reaching under the desk for a pouch of coins. “Decent work. You cleared out a threat near the farms and got yourselves some solid materials. Payment for standard wolves plus a bonus for the direwolf.”

  She handed the pouch to Josh. It jingled with a satisfying weight, though not quite enough to make anyone gasp.

  Josh grinned. “A decent reward, but nothing to write home about.”

  “That’s adventuring for you,” Mich said, shrugging. “Most jobs pay what they’re worth, not what you wish they did. But you all did good today.”

  The group thanked her before claiming a table near the back. A server dropped by quickly, and they ordered a mix of hot stew, bread, roasted vegetables, drinks and at Brett’s insistence, something sweet for after.

  They clinked their cups together, the soft thunk mingling with the lively hum of the guildhall.

  They had a plan. A simple one. But a good one. When the food arrived, the warmth of it spread through their tired muscles. For a few minutes, there was only the sound of spoons scraping bowls.

  Later that night, the party drifted toward the quest board like moths to a lantern flame, the gentle bustle of the guildhall wrapping around them. Ashenfall’s adventurers were already slipping into their late?afternoon routines: tankards clinked, parchment rustled, and someone in the far corner kept failing spectacularly at tuning a lute. The scent of roasted boar and spiced root stew rolled from the kitchen, warm and comforting after a day spent on the forest trails.

  Brett snorted, finding another wolf quest, this time requesting wolf fur, the reward a wolf fur jacket. “Hey Josh, look at this, it’ll match the cloak I guess… you’ll look like a wolf in no time!”

  Carcan stood beside them, brushing a loose braid back behind her ear. She still looked somewhat rattled, though steadier than she’d been in the field. Her staff rested lightly against her shoulder as her eyes scanned the board with a focused intensity born out of habit more than interest.

  Perberos, leg aching but spirits unreasonably high, leaned on his sisters shoulder. "Well, if we’re lucky, something without teeth might show up. Lost sheep. Misplaced cabbage. Runaway goose. I’ll take anything that doesn’t try to bite pieces off me."

  "You’d be surprised what a goose can do," Bhel said dryly. He crossed his arms, axes hanging at his sides, and studied the parchment sheets, reading them far faster than seemed natural.

  Josh plucked one from the board. "Here’s one looking for someone to clear out a small nest of cave bats just outside town. Easy enough. Level range is seven to ten. Pays alright. Won’t be much of a challenge though"

  "Bats?" Brett said, grimacing. "Last time we dealt with those flying things, you spent half the following day thinking one had got stuck in your hair."

  "Yea… actually I’m vetoing that one," Josh replied, putting the parchment back.

  Carcan stepped closer, humming softly under her breath, the same calming tune her mother had taught her. The melody wrapped around her thoughts, grounding her as she read another parchment. "What about this? Farmer Rillic’s fields have been seeing strange disturbances at night. Suspected burrowing beasts. Level 13 suggested. No mention of how many."

  "Burrowing beasts, huh?" Perberos said. "Probably just mole rats the size of my foot."

  "Or the size of you," Bhel said. "Descriptions are vague for a reason."

  Josh shook his head. "Let’s not pick fights with mystery diggers unless we really have to. After today, I’d rather avoid surprises with teeth."

  "There’s a herb?gathering contract here," Brett said, waving a small page. "Alchemist needs moonvine petals. They only grow in shaded glades. Low danger, mostly insects or boars."

  Carcan’s shoulders eased. "That one sounds manageable."

  Bhel tapped another posting. "This is a supply escort. Iron?ranked minimum. Level range ten to thirteen. Road to Coldbrook has seen lots of activity. No major skirmishes reported, but some caravans getting taxed or robbed.."

  Perberos gave a theatrical groan. "Escorts are boring." Then he paused. "But also safe. Usually. Relatively. Sometimes."

  Carcan turned and gave him a flat look. "You can just say you don’t want to walk for six hours straight."

  "Correct," he said proudly.

  Josh chuckled. "We’ve got options. But let’s keep looking before we decide anything."

  The group spent several minutes sifting through parchment, discussing possibilities, rejecting a few that sounded too dangerous or too vague. The guildhall buzzed behind them: someone laughed at a joke told too loudly, mugs clacked together, and the hearth at the back of the room crackled warmly.

  Eventually, Bhel moved away from the board and stretched. "We’ll choose in the morning. No point picking something while we’re this tired. And maybe something better will be posted by morning."

  They moved to one of the guild’s long wooden tables, still warm from the earlier crowd and a fresh round of drinks arrived soon after they got to the table. Carcan sat down with a soft exhale, her staff leaning against the bench. Her fingers still twitched faintly, leftover adrenaline from the day’s fight – but the warmth of the hall helped settle her nerves.

  Bhel tore into some bread. "Alright. Let’s talk improvements. Today wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t exactly seamless."

  Josh groaned. "Please don’t say the word seamless. My arm is still swollen."

  "Exactly why we need to review," Bhel said. "Your positioning was off when the direwolf lunged."

  Josh pointed his spoon. "Correction: the direwolf cheated. It jumped higher than a wolf should jump."

  Carcan smiled faintly at that.

  "You also drifted too far from Brett," Bhel continued. "Carcan had to split her focus trying to track both you and Perberos."

  Perberos lifted a hand. "In our defence, we had several very large wolves trying to make a meal out of us."

  "Josh," Brett added. "Mostly Josh."

  "Thank you," Josh said flatly.

  Carcan took a sip of water, then said, "We did well overall. But we need tighter formation when something bigger shows up, or several somethings. And clearer calls when we need to reposition."

  Once their drinks were empty and the worst of their fatigue washed away, the group eased into casual chatter. Guild members drifted by, greeting them, some asking about the direwolf fight.

  A young archer approached their table, her bow still strung across her back. "Is it true you took down a direwolf on the northern ridge?"

  Josh shrugged. "We annoyed it until it fell over, basically."

  "He let it bite him to assert dominance," Brett added.

  "I did not," Josh said. "It just… happened. And I regretted it. Immediately."

  The archer laughed and wandered off.

  At the next table, two older adventurers were arguing about whether slimes could feel emotions. Carcan found herself listening in for a moment.

  "I’m telling you, the blue ones get sad when you split them!" one insisted.

  "Sad? They’re blobs!" the other replied.

  She blinked and returned to her group.

  Josh leaned toward Brett. "I think we should tame a slime."

  "We are not adopting a slime," Brett said firmly.

  "Why not?"

  "Because you will feed it something stupid, like your boots, and then we’ll have to fight it when it grows two sizes overnight."

  Josh snorted into his drink.

  Bhel stood after a moment and stretched, axes glinting faintly in the firelight. "I’m going to check the training yard before we head back. Loosen up my shoulders."

  Carcan considered joining him but decided against it. Her thoughts were still drifting back to the battlefield, to the moment of panic when she’d seen Perberos injured, then Josh hurt again. She took a slow breath, letting her mother’s melody return to her mind.

  Josh noticed the distant look. "Hey. You okay?"

  Carcan nodded. "Just thinking. Today was… a lot. But we managed. You all managed."

  "We always do," he said lightly, giving her a warm smile.

  Brett clapped his hands. "Right. So tomorrow we pick something from the board. Something not deadly. Something not slimy. Something not flying."

  Perberos raised his hand. "I vote for cabbage theft investigation."

  "That wasn’t on the board," Bhel called from across the hall.

  "It might be soon," Perberos countered.

  Josh laughed and pushed himself to his feet. "Alright,. Lets keep an eye out for any rogue cabbage monsters. But seriously, tomorrow we grab a few lighter quests, get some levels under our belts, whilst relaxing a bit.”

  A shared ripple of agreement moved through the group. Their bodies ached, their clothes still carried the scent of the day’s battles, but the spark of determination in each of their eyes made it clear: this wasn’t just survival anymore. It was momentum, and they were ready to ride it straight into whatever came next.