Questions

"Where did you go?"

Zebulun stood before the Marshal. He had been training new recruits, not one over sixteen, when a messenger told him Marshal Benjamin wanted to see him.

"I went to scout those woods," said Zebulun. "And to hunt."

"That’s right," said Benjamin, "I had heard you were a skilled hunter. How was the hunting?"

"One turkey, two quail, and two trout."

"Fine hunting. You manage to eat all of that yourself?"

Zebulun lowered his eyes for a split-second, then looked up and said, "No."

"Your lieutenants said you had friends along. People they didn’t know. Who were they?"

"Friends."

"Friends?" asked the Marshal. "What kind of friends? I didn’t think you knew anyone outside the army."

"One is a philosopher," said Zebulun. "The other is a performer."

"A soldier, a philosopher, and a performer walked into the eastern wood?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Zebulun took a breath. "I had a hunch those woods might be our next campaign. I wanted to see them for myself before risking any of my men."

"And your companions?"

"They wanted to go," said Zebulun. "They had heard the stories of Eastwood being filled with goblins and spirits. They wanted to see it for themselves."

"And you took them?" asked Benjamin. "Why them instead of army scouts?"

"I would take the willing before commanding those required to go."

"Hm," said Benjamin. "Fair enough. So, how did the scouting go?"

"I recommend against sending soldiers in there."

"Why? What did you find? Are there people there after all?"

"Yes," said Zebulun. "I met them. They are great hunters, and they know the territory."

"You think they could defeat our hundreds of soldiers and our dragons?" asked the marshal. "Do they have dragons of their own?"

"Not that I’ve seen," said Zebulun, "but I saw other things."

"What things?"

"I can’t explain," said Zebulun. "All I can tell you is that the woods are filled with elves, goblins, and spirits, just like they say. I don’t know what powers they have."

"You saw these things yourself?" asked Benjamin. "Not just stories from the forest folk you met?"

"I saw them."

"Really? What did they look like?"

"Like elves, goblins, and spirits," said Zebulun. "I think they might be able to look like anything. You can’t see them unless they want you to."

The marshal looked at Zebulun like he’d grown a second head. "I know you’re no liar," said Benjamin, "but I have to wonder if you inhaled some swamp gas along the way."

"No, sir. I saw things I do not understand, and don’t know how to fight. That’s why I recommend we stay away."

"That’s a lost cause," said Benjamin. "Our king wants that timber. I’ve already dispatched a company from Dalton to deal with the wolves."

"Wolves?" asked Zebulun.

"Wolves. A team of woodcutters we sent into the woods got attacked by wolves and ravens."

Zebulun said nothing.

"You don’t seem surprised," said the marshal.

"That forest is alive," said Zebulun. "It has a mind. It has a spirit. She will defend herself."