A HOWL IN THE NIGHT: UPDATE

[northcliffpass]

A Howl in the Night

The bitter cold temperatures are here to stay, at least for the foreseeable future, but not even the cold can keep the buzz of excitement--or anxiety--out of the air. In the days following its arrival the beast on the mountaintop has been glimpsed two or three more times, riding the wind currents while surveying its new terrain like the new lord in residence. Thus far it has showed no interest in swooping down the slope of the mountain to take a closer look at the village of Northcliff Pass, but that fact does not prevent anyone from worrying about precisely that scenario. What happens if the mountain goats prove to be too difficult prey to hunt in these temperatures? What is the rest of the village to do?

Magistrate Ward calls a public meeting at the Town Hall to announce that he's offering up a reward from the city's coffers (modest though they may be) to anyone capable of either slaying the beast, or successfully driving it away from the village. "As the garrison commander and his contingent of soldiers refuses to spare any resources to this end," the magistrate states, "we have no choice but to look elsewhere for help first."

I. A Hero Arrives

A silvery fanfare of trumpets pierces the air, and the town gates are thrown open. A solitary figure stands silhouetted in its opening, the drape of a lush burgundy cloak offsetting the rare plume on an elaborately crafted golden helmet. The helmet as removed as the tall, well-muscled figure strides into Northcliff Pass, revealing a handsome face with perfect teeth, a cleft chin, sparkling blue eyes, and blond hair of such a gold to rival the metalwork of his armor.

"Fear not!" he bellows, his voice a pleasant, ringing tenor, "it is I, Sir Theobald of Haguenne, slayer of monsters and keeper of the peace, protector of virtue and the right of unwashed commoners to live a life free from senseless fear of the unknown!"

He unsheathes his sword and raises it, glinting, to the sky.

"Behold, your savior!"

Are you a witness to this display of dazzling bravado, or do you hear about it second-hand?

[part II to be revealed]

Comments

[keenly]

Colin seems shaken already by how very close he came to making the situation worse. He nods, pale and demure now, and slips past to leave through the door.