The Squire and the Wolf or The Hungry Hin.

[omnihero]

A new squire. Tyal. Vega knew she needs to find somewhere that would be a challenge for her and him to learn from. Deciding orcs would be best she wandered up into the hills to hunt the green skined beasts. Cutting them down easily she sought out the stronger orc hammerer.

Stepping into the woods she gazed around looking for her desired quarry. Not seeing them she pressed onwards in hopes of finding one deeper. Wandering into a small clearing a wolf jumped out of the bushes at her. Unsure of the power of the beast Vega readies her shield and stands firm holding the beast off while she gages it's potential. Seeing that it's well with her means she proceeds to move back and forth fending off it's bites and eventually driving her blade home. She smiled to her self as she pulled out her skinning knife to take her prize.

Holding up the dark pelt of the wolf a faint feeling of Aravice crossed her mind. What if there's more of these wolves about. Feeling confident that she can handle a hammerer or more of these wolves should she see one she presses on cutting down and skining a couple more til she rounds a corner. There reds burning with rage like hellfire stands a worg. Again never having encountered such a beast she raises her shield and steadies herself for battle.

The beast howls in fury and her murder of it's pack mates and charges. Keepign her shield up and forming a brass wall between it and the squire she again observes her foe with her expertise in combat. Keeping her defense high she again sees an opening in it's attacks and drives her sword home. The beast fallen she takes her prize again.

Her confidence growing Vega proceeds deeping into the woods peeking around another corner she sees two more resolved wargs and a slightly smaller grey wolf almost seeming to be holding a disscussion. The Wolves spot her and howl. The grey one sits and waits as it's liutenants charge. Vega step backwards using the terrain as a natural chokepoint between herself and the squire holding her shield high to block attacks and keep them at bay while he fires arrows over her head into the wolves. Eventually thier fury drives them forward and they ty to squeeze past to the elf. Vega knowing he will not last against such an attack drives her blade into thier exposed ribs ending them then and there.

Looking down at her kills she gathers them as well. Her chest booming with pride….and arrogance she returns towards the clearing looks at the grey wolf confident in her capabilities. Readying her blade she lets it charge her. It lunges knocking her down tearing into her arm and hitting an artery. She shouts to the squire to run and squirms out herself. They flee. The wolf at her heels nipping along the way. Burst from the tree like the squire lets fly an arrow catching the beast alongside it's face.

The wolf turns to the new pest and charges. Tyal flees towards the city. Vega out of breath watchs the chase knowing that things will not end well should that wolf reach Tyal... or the city. Steeling herself despite her grevious wounds she picks up the chase herself. As she draws near the elf, wolf and gates she lets fly an arrow of her own catching the beast in the rump. Furious at the indignity of her shot the beast turns. Vega knows that she will not make it back to town and proceds to run away as best she can to lure it away in hopes that she can keep it from harming others for her folly.

The wolf gives pursuit Seeing salvation ahead in the form of a crack in the garden wall Vega makes for it. Mere feet from safety the wolve pounces her. Tearing into her leg ripping at it through her armour. feeling her life blood spilling from her Vega accepts her fate praying for her lord to take her soul and let her rest. Things start to go dark.

Suddenly a bright light surronds her raising her off the gound giving her new strength. In her mind she feels comfort and warmth and a voice telling her that it not yet her time that that now she must continue to run.
The wolf stunned by the light is left shaking its head as Vega make her way through the gates seeing Tyal awaiting her. They make thier way to the square Vega making the squire stay and watch for a hero. Heading back out to the gates she waits hoping that the beast does not come and ready to warn wayward travellers heading out that gate.

Holding her torn leg she sits lamenting her own folly and knowing that if the beast comes she will not last long. Praying for aid the thought of going out to attempt to lead the beast back to the woods it came from at her own sacrifice starts to creep into her mind. Near ready to rise a hin calmly strolls out the gate surveys the area spotting her. He asks if she's the lass seeking the hero. She nods and rises heading out with the hin.

They march through the garden. The beast spots them. It's rage and arrogance makes it charge. The hin stands ready between Vega and the beast. Worried for him Vega prepares to move to his aid. It proves unneeded. The hin draws his weapons and swiftly puts the beast down with a comment of how easy it was. Vega hoping to reward him offers him the beasts hide. The hin refuses and motions to the beast's remaining meat.

A short while later they sit at the cookfire. the beast roasting over a spit and the hin eating one of it's haunches with typical hinnish vigour. She comments to him that she had hoped someong big and strong looking like Eragor would have come. The hin turns to her and simply says this simple lesson. "Size does not mean strength." Vega nods humbled at the lesson that she has been shown by this hin and her lord.

[omnihero]

Sitting in the commons Vega pens down the tale after telling others about it. Not wanting to leave the hero's name out of the tale but not knowing it shes asks around eventually looking back to andrew describing the hin as best she can. "So do you know who it was? Andrew suggests in may be Raul but adds that so many hin look alike that you can hardly tell. She frowns but gets an idea all the same. Adding these simple words to the start of the manuscript. "To the unknown hin hero that saved a squire's life and taught her the value of humility."