It’s been a few more days, I’ve been feeling more stronger since Rayla’s been giving me extra food, at the pretext of me being a human. I didn’t argue of course. One day, she dropped a bag, my bag in front of me. Then proceeded to free me from my chains. “It’s time to leave, they’ll kill you today and we best escape quickly, hopefully the food I’ve given you has made you strong.” I nodded in agreement. I expected this, but I still had a small residue of surprise. Teaming up with a Varou, who’d have thought that’d happen. I picked up my bag and she handed me my sword, I immediately felt better holding it in my hand. “Time to make our escape from this outpost.” I nodded, getting ready.
We marched through the maze like cavern and opened up to a clearing. We were in stealth but it didn’t seem like there were any Varou in sight. I took this time to Resupply, unfortunately enough, we found absolutely nothing except a few dry bushes. Possibly the Varou have sucked this area of its resources. We couldn’t possibly get out through the deep forests, but Rayla knew of a path we could take, albeit dangerous, was far less dangerous than the Deep Forest.
As we sneak forward we reach a tent, this one far bigger and larger than the rest that we could see. Rayla immediately pulled me down saying this was one of the command centers of the outpost, I gave her a glare for leading us here, but she just shrugged saying that she had warned me of the danger. As quietly and carefully as we possibly could, we managed to get out of the center’s vicinity and found a path, but instead of following it Rayla pulled me into a thick shrub-filled area. There she revealed a hidden path. “This path is usually taken for emergency exits and such, there’s a very low chance anybody would be on the path. Maybe there will be a few guards at the exit, but I’m sure we could take them.”
We move forward, we didn’t have to sneak forward according to Rayla. She was confident there wouldn’t be anyone around. A few steps forward and we here a large grunt, we turn to our right and see a huge Varou standing in wolf form. Varou can be in human or wolf form although they are usually wolf. Rayla was in the human form, but all Varou are visibly large and unusual in human form. The Varou started running straight toward us, it held up a bow and cocked an arrow. We broke out into a sprint running straight towards the exit.
After a tense rush through bushes, leaves and sharp branches we manage to lose him. Rayla panting lets out a quiet shout of excitement. I glare at her again but she just smiles. We carry on forward and after about an hour of trekking, we reach the exit. It was guarded as Rayla expected and we re entered “stealth mode”. We needed a distraction, so Rayla pulled out a bow and arrow and shot a passing boar, which let out a loud enough squeal that alerted the guards. That was enough for me pull Rayla towards the exit.
We were out.
After we were out of earshot, Rayla let out another whoop of excitement. This time I asked, why she was this happy. I mean being a Varou she should have a lot of excitement, right? She says, “Sorry, I’m actually a low-rank soldier in this particular clan. They’re very strict, and me being a woman, I wasn’t let out of the clan (for stupid traditional purposes). I wanted to leave but my stupid brother wouldn’t let me. Seeing them bring you in, I figured you were my ticket out…I envy you humans, you are free to do what you wish. Even in towns where there are laws, you enjoy a freedom that we can not dream to accomplish. I want to become human, or at least how much ever human I can be. It’s why I tend to stay in human form.”
I listened and replied, “Why not come with me? Maybe we could find a way to make you human? I’m on a quest, a vow to destroy the Dark One and for that I’m on a run to make an army, but meeting the villages of the Ironlands.” Her eyes widened, “You….you want to defeat the Dark One?” “I’m not asking you to join me in the fight, although the help would be appreciated. All I’m saying is…a little company is appreciated.” She smiles, “I don’t know about fighting the Dark One, but if it’s company an a traveling mate you want, I’m in.” I smiled. I was truly grateful to her, without her who knows if I’d be alive now. I let out a sigh and turned south, it’s time to continue my journey to Redcrest, this time with a friend.
My RPG Journal 