The Bet - Dungeoneer Adventures **Edited**

Part 1

   One by one the group of friends awoke. Groggy and disoriented they looked around in disbelief. Their last memory was of the druid, Vadania, arguing loudly at the tavern with someone about a bet. Two things became alarmingly clear. First, none of them had backpacks. Everyone wore only their armor. Lastly, they were in the forest. This forest seemed to be alive.

Roots like dolphins rose up and dove back into the Earth. The ground was covered in a vibrant and mushy moss, varying in shades of green. They seemed to be alone, save the few butterflies perched on a bush of yellow flowers. Nonetheless, the group could feel eyes on them.

"Where is she?!", Farryn demanded to no one in particular. "That elf is always getting us into trouble!", she screeched.

"Lower your voice woman, we don't know who or what is out here.", Drogor snapped, eyeing the area.

Melteid turns around after hearing her husband's sigh. Stumbling to him she opens her mouth to speak, but he spins her around and plucks a note from her back. "Find the door", he reads. "Well, that's vague", Melteid scoffs, snatching the note from his hand. Smiling, Hycis opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by a vine cutting through the air and yanking Farryn off her feet and away from the tree she was leaning on. "Hey!"

A dryad bursts from the tree, yelling in an unknown language! Startled, the group put up their fists, ready to fight for their lives. A look of annoyance passes over the dryad's face as she looks over the group's defensive postures. It plucks four magenta flowers from the ground, bringing them to its upturned mouth it began whispering foreign words. When done it throws the flowers at the group, motioning for them to pick them up.

Each of the companions warily picks up a flower, holding it at a distance. Once they each had one the dryad began to rant again. "Do not lean on my tree as if it were yours!", she exclaimed staring directly at Farryn. Looking them all over she added, " Go home mortals, this is no place for your fragile bodies." Relaxing her body Melteid steps closer. "If you don't mind me asking, where are we?", she inquired dreading the answer. The dryad's gaze snapped to Melteid. Bolting forward and stopping inches in front of her "How do you not know?", it asked cocking its head to the side. "Nevertheless, you are in the Fey Wilds. Best you find your way back to your dimension. This is no place for the fragile."

Hycis walks forward, shoving Melteid behind him. "Pardon, do you happen to know where a door would be, leading to the mortal realm?" he asked lacing his words with as much sincerity as he could muster. The dryad turned and walking back to its tree says, "Be wary of every step." before vanishing into her tree.

"We should find food and shelter before it gets dark", Drogor pointed out, looking at the sky. "I'll attempt to make weapons", huffed Hycis turning away from them. "Who knows maybe making wooden daggers will be like making arrows."

Melteid squatted, listening tentatively. Hearing the trickle of a creek she motioned the others to follow." Come on, you can get splinters after you eat and drink", she picked with Hycis, hoping he would listen. Sighing loudly he brushed a bit of her tomato red hair behind her ear and motioned for her to lead the way.

Not four yards in, the sound of scurrying had them stopping in their tracks, again. A small hairy creature came scampering out of the bushes, it's necklace of fingers throwing out big red mental flags. It wiggled its fingers at the four comrades giggling. "Trade for berries?!" it beamed licking it crusted lips, a crazed look glossing over its eyes. "Back off fur ball, we want all of our fingers", Drogor practically growled, his orcish features becoming more evident. The small creature seemed to sober up immediately. "T..take them! Don't eat me!", it hollered throwing the berries and darting the way it came.

"Well, that was a quick food run", Farryn laughed picking up the berries. Winking at Drogor she turned to Melteid. "After you."

Smirking, Melteid continued her path to the creek. Moving a low hanging branch out of her way she gasps in excitement. In front of her lay a creak and not one hundred yards away she could just make out a cave.