Forest Fire

"Ted, what's wrong?" Andrea abruptly pulled on her reigns, stopping several paces in front of Ted.

Ted sniffed the air around them. "Smoke," he said, but it was not necessary, because as if on cue, billows of smoke clouds puffed up from among the some distant trees. Ted dismounted his horse and ran into the bush. He came back some time later and said that many flames had been kindled amoung the forest. The dry leaves on the ground acted as tinder, and it was spreading very quickly. "We can't continue into the woods, the wolfmen probably could tell they were being followed and set the forest alight."

"But why would they do that? They've stolen things before and were pursued, but they never have taken such drastic measures to make sure they were not caught! This valley is the only place they can come down from the mountains. . ." said Andrea, shortly before being corrected by Ci.

"The only place we know of that they can come down from. They may have other ways down. The eastern mountains are not very well travelled by Allarians, and no one comes down from them other than the wolfmen."

"Hrrmph, I still find it odd they would light their forest on fire." said Andrea.

The three had been pursuing the wolfmen into a eastern forested valley from which they often came. Like Ci had said, the eastern mountain ranges were relatively unexplored. The wolfmen were the only things that came down from them. Until now, they had been but a nuisance. There was a theft here, some vandalized property there, but until recently they hadn't caused too much trouble. When they were chased, which usually was only when they had managed to steal an object of sentimental value that belonged to a noble, they were never caught. They were very agile, they could outrun all but the fastest steeds in the kingdom, and could climb mountains much more easily. Ted, Ci, and Andrea were sent this time because they were the best archers in the land, and would probably have been able to shoot them down. Although they did shoot several of them before they reached the forest and retreived many stolen objects, they did not get back the key.

Sir Ted groaned, "Well, whatever the reason they've lit the forest on fire, we can't continue into the flame. We'll have to turn around."

"Then what?" asked Ci, "We have to retrieve the treasury key, and we can't get up the mountains this way. If we're to go up another way, we'll have to find a route that's suitable for me and your steeds. Or, I suppose we could return to the King and tell him the wolfmen have gotten away with his key. Perhaps the wizard who enchanted the treasury may also be able to disenchant it. The fact that the treasury can only be opened by that one key is just idiotic. After, we could have another non-magic key made."

1. The three decide to look for another way up the mountain
2. The three decide to inform the King the wolfmen have gotten away

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