An Elusive Quarry

The party followed along behind Weiland mile after mile. Hunting manticore being a difficult task seeing they can decide to just fly off when ever they feel like it. Several times they had to double back to find the trail again.

Slightly breathless, the lordling Jessop inquired peevishly. “When are we going to get the beast, tracker?”

“When we do.” was the only reply Weiland gave.

Alex started to fall back further and further to the rear of the party obviously struggling with his heavy armor.

Weiland with just a touch of sympathy, paused at a small stream and made a production of searching back and forth along the shore.

Sensing what the green cloaked ranger was doing, the man-at-arms gave a slight nod of thanks. He pulled his water flask and drank deeply, then refilled it in the stream.

After half an hour of ‘searching’ Weiland started to ford the stream at a shallow spot. Dinatar close on his heels quickly passed through the stream. They take up defensive positions on the other side waiting for the lord and his retainer to follow along.

Half-way across the stream, the magnificent red cloak the young lord wore got caught by the current, pulled him over and dragged him twenty feet down the stream before he was able to regain his footing and extricate himself. Alex, his man-at-arms crossed and walked down the bank to assist the young lord Jessop out of the steam.

“Get away from me. Don’t touch me I don’t need your help. You should of been there to help me across!” Lord Jessop said.

Jessop marched off in a huff.

“Yes my Lord, you are right my Lord. Forgive me my Lord.” replied a exasperated Alex.

As Alex turned away he thought he heard something approaching from behind him. Starting to turn back toward the runnel, he saw a flash of orange and red. At the same instant a four foot long arrow flashed out, almost taking him in the back of the head. A breath after a slightly smaller arrow whooshed past from the other side.

A roar sounded from behind Alex. Before he could move, his chest was full of spikes, as a full sized adult male manticore swung and let loose several three foot long spikes from his tail. Alex was knocked down and only alive due to his heavy armor. Dazed, he first saw the red of Weiland’s and then the yellow of Dinatar’s arrows as they streaked back toward the manticore. A second roar then the rush of air as the manticores wings filled and it sailed aloft. While Weiland ran to check on Alex, it flew away to the west .

“GET UP MAN! MY FUTURE AWAITS!” screamed Jessop as he went running by, jumping into the river in a vain attempt to pursue the manticore.

Weiland said softly to Alex, “I wonder what he would do if he actually caught the beast.”

The man-at-arms replied, “Likely relieve himself much as I did.” as he got up and made his way to the stream to clean himself.

After a few minutes the lording was back crestfallen. “I almost had it.” Jessop complained.

“Yes my Lord, you did.” a slightly shaken Alex responded.

“Soon we will find its lair.” said Dinatar.

After assuring himself Alex would survive and a quick pull off his cider flask, Weiland set off again. He first crossed the river to pick up the manticore’s trail. Soon he could tell he was close. He was finding several dead kills with the unmistakable quills of a manticore tail all around.

After another half and hour he turned a corner in the wood. Dug into the river bank before him without a doubt was the manticore’s cave .

He quickly sped back to his companions and brought them to the den of their quarry. The party walked up to the front of the cave.

No one really knew what to do. They just stared at if for a few minutes. Then lord Jessup said ” Well get in there and get my manticore.”

Weiland pulled back on his bow and stepped forward, straining his ears he slowly walked to the entrance of the cave as quietly as his training would allow. Always ready to jump to the side in case the manticore detected him and let loose his tail spikes. He got to the entrance of the cave and took a quick look. He was surprised to find inside it was quite small.

“Looks empty.” he cried back “I’m going to take a look.”

Weiland ducked into the cave and quickly made his way to the back. He found several stacks of bones many of them human, piled into the edges of the cave. They made a bit of a nest of bones for the manticore.

He called out “Nothing here but bones.”

He exited the cave pulled his flask and took a long pull. Then quickly started to look around the landscape.

“There”, he pointed at a small hill near by, “we should set up camp there. We can keep an eye on the entrance.” Alex and Dinatar both nodded and started to set off.

“WHAT WE ARE JUST GOING TO SIT HERE? WE SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR MY DAMN MANTICORE! THATS WHAT YOU’RE BEING PAID FOR.” Lord Jessup shouted at the party quivering with anger .

Weiland said rather mordantly, “Manticores can fly. We will never be able to catch one if it doesn’t want to be caught.” he paused “and if it wants to be caught, that may prove unfortunate for us.” and with udder contempt dripping from my his voice he added, “My Lord.”

Blushing with embarrassment Jessup said, “We will settle this when we return home Weiland.”

Without another word Weiland turned and loped over to the hillside camp to await his quarry.