The Savage Storm of Golden Geese

Prologue

"Look over there," Ser Josiah Blackwell urged with a raise of his fearful arms. "Past that crossroads is where it lay- mangled with their bones showing, and I don't wish to meet the same fate. The crypt wouldn't take me as such."

It had been five days of a dull patrol, Aaron's ears perk up like a cat hearing a bird land.
Of course something would happen when they finally arrive at Renevere.
"Fear will only get you so far as a knight," Alec interjected. "You protect, you do not ignore."

Ser Josiah's thoughts were clearly elsewhere. Aaron noted the look of fear dissapeared when his youthful eyes met the blue colours of the Blackwell banner.

"You are right, I just wish to make haste on our journey back to Summerstone," Ser Josiah Blackwell replied humbly.
"What do you think, Aaron? Gregor speaks highly of you, your nose sits in books, he says you are a bright mind in a bastard body."

Aaron knew eventually he would be called upon,
"It's dark enough for us to move. Check out the body and see if it is a human."

Aaron analysed Alec's cowl, it was dark onyx, dusky enough to hide in the shadows cast by the sooty purple sky that throbs like a black eye.

"It was human." Ser Josiah Blackwell whispered with certainty without missing a beat.
"Human." he echoed.

Aaron avoided the eyes of Ser Josiah, choosing to stare at his iron ornamanted chestplate wet with crimson blood which had not a scratch on it.
Ser Josiah was one of the younger sons in a line of heirs to a house ancient. He had cobalt eyes that rebuked war, and keen hands that wished to prove the opposite.

"I did not see much, I admit my fault in not searching further, the woods whispered dangers," Ser Josiah reflected.
"But I know human limbs when I see them, scattered and hidden, gnarled to the bone. It's soul is long lost."

"No doubt an animal of the forest, it may be nearby the body, we track and slay the beast." Aaron strongly suggests.

The Renevere Forest was a pelethera of heath, ferns and lichen across the wetland, dwarfed by the thick and large oak trees that cast shadows on all inside.
When black consumes the sky, the wise often advice staying clear of most areas far from civilisation in the West, but Renevere Forest the example. Fables all circulated around the legendary land, tales of a long dead belief that still leaves stains on the soldiers stationed in the surrounding area.
Ser Josiah was differing, the precariousness interested him as a convenient chance to demonstrate his artfulness as a Knight.

Closer than any of the others to the young knight was Alec, never too far behind on foot or mount.
He seemed to never fail in watching out for him.
Creamy white dropped from his face, milky like smoke. His locks no different, Aaron could tell from the bristles that poke from his cowl. His hands were soft, his fist not once swung with emotio, or worked until they were raw. His eyes were cinnamon yet dyed a darker colour from the shadows that circuit them, stopping only at his vast nose that sat on his face foreign.

"The three of us should befit this responsibility well," Ser Josiah noted with selfish undertones.
"I see no need for our steeds, the walk is but a half hour."

Aaron silently disagreed.

Alec nods with a competent and satisfied shake of his beard.
"I agree that three is enough, but my mind is worth more to you than my blade. I shall abstain,
and assist with finishing camp," he admits. "May the Gods hallow your blade, my lord."