76 Chapter 4 - Journey to Essenark (2/2)
In response, Tenko started waddling forward even under her stifling layers of cloth. Following over a hill, Kenji's eyes widened as he found Essenark lain out before him in all its glory.
Sleepy hunting lodges, restful wooden cabins, well-tended too flower beds and little plots of farmland lay scattered about ancient trees and grand glacial mountains that rose like the backdrop to a play. Kenji had the odd reminiscent feeling of watching a North Korean propaganda ad on MeTube, that had seemingly shone an idyllic village lifestyle only half as pretty as this.
As they walked down the road they found children playing with streamers, townsfolk trading produce, and little cartloads of pelts and food rumbling down freshly gravelled roads. Yet no donkey pulled the carts, but scantily clad, wolf eared, and twitching werewolves instead.
”Ho their travellers, where might you be heading to?” said the farmer with a sunny smile and a whip in hand, speaking in the hissing local accent, as if every word had to be whispered in secret.
”Eh, looking for the Hunter General actually. Wanted to learn about the local werewolf packs. The Hero Guild is thinking of setting up a chapter house in this town, and I wanted to find out what we might need to know first.”
The sunny farmers smile faded, and a look of deep concern fell over his weathered features.
”Best you be gone soon, adventurer. Those that deal with the Hunter General don't last long these days, The Hound comes for them all eventually. Last two general's already died from the beast, the current does nothing but drink and scheme at the Townhall now. We're prosperous besides in these parts, so we common folk at least have no need for your guild. The Mayor might though, thought I heard through the grapevine he was looking for someone.”
Kenji bit his lip as he thought, but they really did need information. Tenko knew this region was where her pack had been before the Church's raid but hadn't the slightest clue where they might be now.
Tenko meanwhile stared at the twitching werewolf boy pulling the cart. Shaking all over, eyes rimmed in sleepless black, and constantly scratching at his side, Kenji felt he looked high or something. But surely narcotics couldn't be smuggled into a fantasy world, so just what had happened to the poor boy?
”Don't mind him little one, he won't bite. Not anymore, show her Gary,” the kindly man raised his whip, the werewolf boy quickly opening a mouth lacking teeth.
Kenji had to turn away, Tenko's grip on his arm painfully tight as he heard the softest of growls beneath her cloak. The werewolf boy's ears raised, as he stared at Tenko with a knowing intensity in those yellow eyes.
”Come now you two, hop aboard and I'll give you a ride in to town. That way you can see the Mayor today and be about your business. Come, come,” beckoning them a board, the man then barked an order to Gary who got pulling. Even as powerful as a Werewolf was, the added weight was making him strain himself to the limit.
Forced to listen to the man's kindly words, and the slave Werewolf's sounds of exhaustion, Kenji and Tenko entered the hidden village of Essenark.