• A shrill barking noise came from the trees surrounding the small party.

    "It's an Elgroth," Nycholai said shortly. His dark hair whipped around his face as he spun it this way and that in an attempt to glimpse the enemy.

    "What's an Elgroth?" Kyma asked, the youngest of the group and not surprisingly the most frightened of the unseen foe.

    "It's somewhat related to the troll," Kharan responded. His axe was already held firmly in his hands and he was awaiting whatever attack that was to come with a grin on his face.

    They nudged their horses into a trot as Nycholai said, "There's a village up ahead, and Elgroth's are too cowardly to attack a full village. Don't run your horses until we're in sight of the village. Oh, and watch out for their claws. They're venemous."

    "That's exciting," said Corah from behind them.

    "All right, then," Nycholai said, "Let's go."

    As the group rode through the trees, Kyma could see brutish, half-man beasts loping through the forest on either side of them. "There," she shrieked as one came alarmingly close to the track.

    "I saw it," said Kharan, strangely calm. "It's not quite as big as a troll."

    "It's big enough," Kyma responded, her voice becoming more shrill.

    "That's the village," Nycholai said from in front as they broke through the tree-line. "Run!"

    They kicked the horses into a dead run and bolted for the village, hoping they would make it. Howls of outrage came from the trees behind them and the Elgroth's sped into pursuit.

    Just as they were about to enter the village, five daring Elgroth's surrounded the party.

    "This ought to be fun," Corah said with a grimace.