The Bet - Dungeoneer Adventures **Edited**

Part 2

The crew got to work: Hycis wadding through the water to find rocks pointed enough for blades. Farryn searching for and picking white yarrow flowers. Melteid digging through the muck on the creek bank for clay to make a pot. Drogor collecting thick branches from the ground for spears and knives.

After completing their tasks the team began walking to the cave. Nearing the entrance they had just started readying their newly makeshift weapons when a growl burst from the cave. Each of their backs stiffened, the feebleness of their rickety weapons etching worry onto their faces.

Steeling himself, Drogor stomps forward deciding he would be the best choice to face whatever lies ahead first. Following suit the others raised their makeshift weapons and walked into the darkness behind him.

Hycis was the last to enter, his spear raised high and ready. A sneeze sounded behind them. The sound startled everyone, including the giant bear barreling towards them!

Bracing himself, Drogor swings his club hard, hitting the beast of a bear right on his snout. It let out an earth-shattering roar and swiped Drogor aside, knocking him into the cave wall.

From the rear Hycis let loose his spear, embedding it into the bear's neck. Melteid and Farryn took this to their advantage. Using the spear and each other they propelled themselves atop the bear and dug their daggers into the bear's neck.

Letting out a small moan, the bear slumped forward, its jaw slackening.

"Well, that was easy", Hycis sighed, yanking his spear free.

Pulling a loose rock from his shoulder, Drogor grunted: "Speak for yourself".

"Coming!", Farryn chirped. Rummaging through the breast of her tunic she produced three yarrow flowers. Popping them in her mouth she began chewing them and assessing Drogor's wound. "We'll rinse it well in the morning, but first let's get this fur so we don't freeze tonight."

"Way ahead of you," said Melteid absently. Her full focus was on skinning the bear, making sure not to rip any of it. "Someone can cut the meat, our bellies will be full tonight."

"I'll tend to that after I've searched the place", Hycis announced as he readied his spear again and walked deeper into the cave. A pungent smell drifted to him from the far right, catching him by surprise. Ugh. That was a swift slap to the face. Following the stench, he stumbles upon a bed of bones and rotting rabbit carcasses. Tucked just a few feet from that sat what looked like a tiny room carved into the cave wall. In it was a small bed and a table big enough for one of his feet. Amused he decided he'd show the others, maybe lighten the mood. Grabbing the bed he jogged back to the start of the cave. "Guys, either a tiny creature lived here or the bear played with dolls", he laughed showing off the bed.

"So nothing good then?", asked Melteid. With the back of her hand, she wiped away the sweat dripping into her eyes. "There, you two can finish this and dispose of the innards" gesturing between Farryn and Hycis she announced, " I need to wash the guts from my hands".

"Go with her, Drogor. It's best not to wait to clean your wound. I can repack it if it is still bleeding" Farryn stated, contemplating which task she wanted.

Sighing, Drogor follows Melteid back to the creek. "I shouldn't have mentioned it. Now she will fuss over it until it is completely gone", he huffed.

Giggling, Melteid began rinsing the gunk from her hands, making faces every time she caught a whiff of it. "You had better rinse that or there will be hollering", she joked.

"Yeah, yeah", Drogor grumbled, peeling his tunic off. Laying down, he eased his shoulder into the creek, the cold water causing him to cringe and shudder.

Bending over to inspect her handiwork, Melteid sighed, " Well, this won't be dry until the morning. I'll grab some dry branches so we can build a fire. Let's head back, I'm hungry."

Together they made their way back to the cave, grabbing branches along the way. Entering their temporary home they noticed strips of meat piled on top of the bear's fur, yet there was no sign of Farryn or Hycis.

Just as Drogor was about to speak Farryn came stumping from deeper in the cave followed by an amused Hycis.

"If you smell something horrid tonight, blame Hycis for not dumping the guts in the woods!" Farryn snapped at the others.

"You didn't even smell anything until we got back there. Plus, if I did dump it in the woods, there is no telling what it would have attracted", laughed Hycis.

Before anyone could say anything more Melteid interjected, " Let's start cooking this meat, we can do it all before we sleep." Dumping her pile of branches, she began building a small pyre. "Anyone knows how to light this?", she asked getting nervous. Vadania always lit the fire. Scoffing at her friend's name, she looked to the others silently praying to Lliira.

Farryn steps forward, holding out her hand to help Melteid from the ground. "Go help build a stand to lay meat over. I've got his. Don't look so puzzled. My grandfather thought it was a necessary skill, even for a Lady." Walking around the cave pulling up tufts of dead grass, she went over the steps in her head. After acquiring a few handfuls she began vigorously rubbing one stick into another, pushing hard and fast until the friction produced a tiny spark onto her dead grass. Hurrying so she did not lose her flame, she gently blew on it, causing the handful of grass to ignite. Farryn then put the remaining grass into Melteid's tiny pyre, placing the bundle of flames on top.

The others brought over a makeshift contraption made with three large sticks. The top stick, the longest, sat on the forks of two smaller sticks. After digging the legs into the dirt they began laying the strips of meat over the middle. When there was nothing to do but wait they sat around the fire intending to plan tomorrow's journey.

"I think we should split up. That way at least one of us is going in the right direction. We could meet back here before nightfall.", Melteid thought out loud.

"That, love, is a horrible idea. We stick together, lost or not" Hycis said brushing his thumb across Melteid's cheek.

"Agreed", both Drogor and Farryn said in union. Smiling, Farryn looked at Melteid sheepishly. "Sing us a song, Bard!"

"One song", Melteid replied, narrowing her eyes.

"I knew an elf named Vadania,

She was a lot of trouble.

She thought highly of her companions and friends, yeah

Although, that got them in a quarrel or two

But sending them to the Fey Wilds

May have been a little too far this time!"

Hycis stood, plucking four strips of meat from the branch and pulling the fur pelt closer. "Let's eat and sleep. We should get an early start tomorrow.

They each ate their share and laid near one another pulling the fur up over their bodies.

-SLEEP-

Farryn was the first to wake, moaning from her back aching. Yawning she tried to sit up only to yell out in pain. "OW," she and Melteid screamed simultaneously. A burst of laughter echoed around the cave, waking the others.

Someone is here and for some reason tied Melteid and Farryn's hair together.