An Unfriendly Reception

It might have seemed rather unkind of us to leave Mucky behind on his own, but he wanted to remain with his wrecked machine. Frankly, he annoyed us by being so concerned about its well-being that he never even enquired after our own. Nevertheless, once we reached the village we would send help for him.

Or perhaps we would be able to send him help sooner, for the group of people now approaching presumably come from there, since as far as we know there is no other settlement in the area. However, it seems that they may be much less friendly than we had anticipated, for when they see us those who have bows cover us with them. Not wishing to get into a fight when we need these people's aid, we raise our hands in the air in the universally recognised gesture of surrender. Is it the elves who are spooking them? Or perhaps the demifoxes? Or even my own dusky skin?

"Hello," Jarlath says. "We mean you no harm. Indeed, if you are from the village to the south of here, we come seeking your aid. We need horses and supplies, and are willing to pay for them in gold."

1. This is received less well than we hoped.
2. There are looks of blank incomprehension on their faces, and I realise that they don't speak the Common Tongue. That possibility hadn't occurred to us. Everyone can speak Common, we had thought.