The tavern was alive with the sounds of clinking mugs and cheerful chatter, the kind of noise that filled the space but didn’t intrude. Behind the bar, Ray, the bartender, was thodically wiping down a glass, his hands moving with the ease of soone who’d done it a thousand tis.
At the counter, a man sat slouched in his chair, one hand around his mug and the other tapping idly on the wood. He was well-dressed but gave off an air of casual authority, the kind of man who was as comfortable in a brawl as he was in a eting room.
"Looks like we’ll have sothing new to talk about in town for the next few days," the man said, his voice carrying just enough to reach Ray.
Ray glanced up, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Shouldn’t you be at your office signing those papers, Desmond?"
Desmond groaned theatrically, leaning back on his stool and throwing an arm over the back of his chair. "Ahhh... You know, I ca here to escape that, to relieve so stress and here you are, dragging it back to ."
Ray snorted, unimpressed. "I’m just saying. You’ve got responsibilities."
"I know, I know," Desmond muttered, waving him off. Then his expression shifted, a glint of curiosity lighting up his face. "But tell sothing, Ray. That silver-haired guy, what do you think of him?"
Ray paused mid-wipe, his gaze flicking toward the staircase. "You an the one who gave Gaston a slap of realization? Yeah, he’s sothing, alright."
Desmond nodded, a small grin tugging at his lips as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the counter as he swirled the liquid in his mug. "It’s not every day you see soone stand toe-to-toe with that bull. Especially now that Gaston’s awakened his latent talent. You know what that ans."
Ray placed the glass on the counter and reached for another. "Sure do. Rare to see folks like that anymore. Even rarer to see them walk into this backwater village."
Desmond chuckled, taking a swig of his beer. "The way he carried himself... I don’t know. There’s sothing about him. Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?"
Ray raised an eyebrow. "Wonder enough to try and recruit him?"
Desmond leaned forward, resting his elbows on the bar. "Nah, I don’t think he’d go for it. Sa with that red-hooded little girl. They’ve got their own thing going on. Besides, he doesn’t strike as the type to answer to anyone."
Ray humd in agreent, the faintest trace of a smile on his face. "You’re probably right. Still, makes you curious what brought him here."
Desmond tipped his mug toward Ray in a mock toast. "Curious is one way to put it. Let’s just hope whatever it is doesn’t bring trouble. Though, knowing Gaston, trouble’s already brewing."
Ray laughed, the sound low and dry. "Trouble’s always brewing where that guy’s concerned. But I’ll give you this, things are about to get interesting."
Desmond downed the last of his beer, setting the mug on the counter with a satisfied sigh. "Interesting. That’s one way to put it."
"Another?" Ray asked.
Desmond nodded. "Sure, why not?"
_________
In the dense forest, a crowd of militias gathered around a grim scene. The air was heavy with tension, whispers and murmurs spreading like wildfire as people exchanged worried glances. So inspected the surroundings, while others stood back, wary of getting too close to the grueso sight before them.
Two figures knelt by a lifeless body, their expressions grim. Gaston approached, his imposing figure cutting through the crowd with ease. Lefou was at his side.
"Any findings?" Gaston asked
Lefou nodded, glancing uneasily at the corpse. "The man’s na was Harry. A local hunter. Apparently, he went out of the village last night, and a woman gathering wild fruits stumbled upon his body early this morning."
Gaston’s eyes narrowed as he crouched by the body, his gaze lingering on the deep gashes across the man’s torso.
"Werewolves?"
Lefou hesitated before answering. "It seems likely. There are claw marks on the body and signs of a struggle in the area. The wounds match their kind."
"And?" Gaston prompted.
Lefou held up a small, blood-stained canine tooth. "This was found nearby. It confirms it, a werewolf."
Gaston stood, his jaw tightening. "Anyone else reported being out of the village last night?"
"The guards swear no one left the village after curfew," LeFou said, shifting nervously on his feet. "But... there is one thing. Ruby was spotted outside the gates before the curfew, and she only ca back into the village early this morning."
Gaston’s expression darkened, his brows drawing together. "Ruby? That brat?"
Lefou raised his hands in a placating gesture. "She’s just a kid, Gaston. What could she possibly know about this?"
Gaston let out a sharp, frustrated breath. "Tsk. Don’t be a fool, Lefou. You know exactly what that kid is capable of. Go ask her if she saw or heard anything."
Lefou blinked, hesitating for a mont too long. "But—"
Before he could finish, Gaston’s patience snapped. He shoved Lefou forward with a firm kick to his backside. "Move it!" he barked.
Lefou stumbled but caught himself, straightening with a nervous laugh. "Alright, alright, I’m going! No need to get rough."
As Lefou hurried off, Gaston’s gaze returned to the body, his thoughts racing. The growing presence of werewolves near the village was bad enough. But if Ruby was involved, it complicated things in ways he wasn’t ready to admit.
_________
Lucian and Mordu returned to the dock just as the first rays of dawn painted the sky in hues of gold and soft pink. They walked up the gangplank of the ship.
When they stepped onto the deck, they found the rest of their crew already awake and active. A large table had been set up near the railing, covered with a cloth and laden with fresh bread, fruits, cheeses, and steaming pots of hot food. Astrid, rida, Hiccup, Ariel and the others were already seated or moving around, looking content and busy.
"Hey, look who finally decided to co back," Astrid called out with a grin, wiping her hands on a cloth.
Lucian smiled, stepping fully onto the deck as Mordu lumbered past him to find a spot near the rail. "How was your day?"
"Productive," rida answered, taking a bite of an apple. Her bow was strung and resting nearby. "We went through the market and bought many supplies we’ll need for the adventure, food, rope, rations, extra cloth, dicine... all sorts of things. Enough to last us a long journey."
"And we stopped by the cartographer’s shop too," Hiccup added, tapping a rolled-up parchnt sitting on the table. "We got detailed maps of this region, the coastlines, and even charts of the cities further inland. It should help us navigate much better."
Lucian nodded, his expression turning serious but hopeful. He looked at the maps, then at his companions. "Well then... tomorrow, at first light, we’ll start our journey properly, searching for the path to the Lost Kingdom."
"Yeah! But let’s eat first," Ariel chid in happily, patting the empty seat next to her. "The food’s getting cold, and I’m starving!"
Lucian’s serious deanor lted away into a warm smile. He walked over, pulled out a chair, and sat down amongst his friends. As they all began to eat and share stories of their separate days.
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