The Dawnguard Hunter

Finding The First Recruits

As night fell on the Reach Mallory grew paranoid as the Forsworn gave both her Stormcloaks and the Imperials an angering amount of difficulty.

"Hurry up." She ordered Bumba as she spurred her horse. "I don't like being out in the open at night."

"Karthwasten is closest to here." Bumba said as he caught up to her.

They reached the small mining town to see it still slightly active as mercenaries seemed to be harassing the the towns leader. They were arguing about the mine and The Silver-Bloods and other things that had no interest to Mallory so she waited. When she saw the argument kept going in circles she interrupted. 

"Excuse me  but tell me, how often do you two have this same conversation?" She interrupted.

The mercenary suddenly seemed at a loss for words as he started stumbling over them. 

"Uh we were just having a tussle-" The mercenary said.

"EVERY. FUCKING. DAY!" The village leader said.

"Then you can have it tomorrow." Mallory said as she then dismissed the mercenary and started talking to the leader.

"Ainethach." The leader introduced himself as he shook her hand. "And since when are the imperial soldiers interested in Karthwasten?"

"Not necessarily Karthwasten but one of the individuals that live here." Mallory answered in a business like tone.

"And who is this individual if I may ask?" Ainethach asked.

"A breton scout by the name of Lisse. Where is she?" She asked.

"She tracked a small group of Forsworn heading south a few days ago." Ainethach said . "Haven't seen or heard from her since."

"Why would she be tracking Forsworn?" Bumba asked.

"They tried to raid us a few weeks ago. With her help and none from the mercenaries we barely fought them off." The leader responded.

"Where is her house?" Mallory asked. 

Ainethach pointed to the small house at the end of town. 

Mallory and Bumba walked towards the small house, it was slightly isolated at the end of the town. 

She opened the door without any problems. 

"Why is it unlocked?" Bumba asked.

"Good question." Mallory answered as she pushed the door open to see the small house was messy, as if someone was rooting through it.  

Mallory went over to the overturned bookshelf  and looked through the loose papers and fallen books while Bumba looked at the bed as it laid on its side. 

"There's a key in the bed frame here." Bumba said as he dug out a rusted key embedded in the bed frame and tossed it to Mallory.

"Could that have been what they were looking for?" He asked.

"We'll have to find her to find out." She responded. "Ainethach said Lisse was heading south." 

"Yeah,the only thing I know that is south of here would be Markarth, south of that is Dushnikh Yal. The orc stronghold I was born in." Bumba said.

"So you know the area then?" Mallory asked.

"Yes ma'am." Bumba answered.

"Good." Mallory said as she tucked the key away and stood up. "We need to find her quickly." 

They headed back to their horses and mounted then left.

"Commander wouldn't it be better if we wait till the morning?" Bumba asked.