They had been traveling for three full days, and during that time they had seen no sign of civilization beyond small merchant wagons or small groups of travelers. Not even a small village had papered on the horizon, but Benji wasn't particularly worried. They still had a good amount of rations left, and so far they had been able to sleep peacefully. Abbi was only slightly less enthusiastic about the travel than she had been on the first day, and all seemed right with the world.
Surely that meant trouble ahead.
Just after the sun had reached its zenith, the two were approaching a small wood. The path seemed to pass straight through the middle, and it seemed that their walk would be pleasantly shaded for a time. They entered the border of the trees with Abbi chatting merrily and Benji glancing around, noting the birds and their songs. They were barely a hundred feet into the forest when they heard a cry and a whistling of arrows, not very far away. There were several thumping sounds, and a grunt. Both the travelers froze, wondering what might be going on. They both waited tensely. A rustling came from the bushes, and they both reached for weapons. After a second, out stepped a man clad in green cloth and carrying a bow. However, he didn't seem hostile at all, and he had a surprised expression on his face when he spotted them.
"Oh. Travelers, are you? Lucky, you are, because those bandits..."
He glanced back over his shoulder, back through the bushes he had come from.
"Likely ye would have found yourselves robbed, or worse. Lucky I was patrolling this section of road today."
Benji was about to speak when Abbi blurted out to the man.
"What do you mean, robbers?"
"Ah. There was a group making camp here in the forest. I came upon them just now while I was patrolling. I heard call to the others that two travelers were coming along, and to get ready. That persuaded me they were... well, not the most pleasant of folk. I stepped out and demanded what they were doing, and two of them attacked me. I stopped them in their tracks, and then dispatched the others."
Seeing the expression on Abbi's face, he continued.
"It was me or them. They were the first to attack, and the companions of those who first fell took up the fight. If you wish to see them, by all means come."
He guided them through the bushes and into a small clearing. A surprisingly neat camp had been set up, but is picturesque appearance was marred by nearly half a dozen bodies, all sprawled on the ground and all wearing pieces of armor that were stuck with at least one arrow. And they all had weapons on or about their persons. Most had fallen with blades in hand.
Abbi gave a gasp and looked at the man who had stopped them.
"These bandits were going to rob us, and you stopped them... how can we ever thank you?"
"Well, a patrolling ranger's life is a poor and thankless one... but any gold you might have on your persons would be greatly appreciated, miss, that I might replenish my supply of arrows"
He set his gaze on her, his expression serious. After a moment he stepped away, giving them a chance to go through their things comfortably. Abbi nodded at him and had begun to search her bag for coins when she felt Benji's hand come to rest on her arm.
"What?"
"You shouldn't give him anything."
"What?! What do you mean? He saved us from a fight with half a dozen robbers!"
"Truth be told, I'm not sure any of them are actually dead."
"What?!"
"It's a scam."
Surely that meant trouble ahead.
Just after the sun had reached its zenith, the two were approaching a small wood. The path seemed to pass straight through the middle, and it seemed that their walk would be pleasantly shaded for a time. They entered the border of the trees with Abbi chatting merrily and Benji glancing around, noting the birds and their songs. They were barely a hundred feet into the forest when they heard a cry and a whistling of arrows, not very far away. There were several thumping sounds, and a grunt. Both the travelers froze, wondering what might be going on. They both waited tensely. A rustling came from the bushes, and they both reached for weapons. After a second, out stepped a man clad in green cloth and carrying a bow. However, he didn't seem hostile at all, and he had a surprised expression on his face when he spotted them.
"Oh. Travelers, are you? Lucky, you are, because those bandits..."
He glanced back over his shoulder, back through the bushes he had come from.
"Likely ye would have found yourselves robbed, or worse. Lucky I was patrolling this section of road today."
Benji was about to speak when Abbi blurted out to the man.
"What do you mean, robbers?"
"Ah. There was a group making camp here in the forest. I came upon them just now while I was patrolling. I heard call to the others that two travelers were coming along, and to get ready. That persuaded me they were... well, not the most pleasant of folk. I stepped out and demanded what they were doing, and two of them attacked me. I stopped them in their tracks, and then dispatched the others."
Seeing the expression on Abbi's face, he continued.
"It was me or them. They were the first to attack, and the companions of those who first fell took up the fight. If you wish to see them, by all means come."
He guided them through the bushes and into a small clearing. A surprisingly neat camp had been set up, but is picturesque appearance was marred by nearly half a dozen bodies, all sprawled on the ground and all wearing pieces of armor that were stuck with at least one arrow. And they all had weapons on or about their persons. Most had fallen with blades in hand.
Abbi gave a gasp and looked at the man who had stopped them.
"These bandits were going to rob us, and you stopped them... how can we ever thank you?"
"Well, a patrolling ranger's life is a poor and thankless one... but any gold you might have on your persons would be greatly appreciated, miss, that I might replenish my supply of arrows"
He set his gaze on her, his expression serious. After a moment he stepped away, giving them a chance to go through their things comfortably. Abbi nodded at him and had begun to search her bag for coins when she felt Benji's hand come to rest on her arm.
"What?"
"You shouldn't give him anything."
"What?! What do you mean? He saved us from a fight with half a dozen robbers!"
"Truth be told, I'm not sure any of them are actually dead."
"What?!"
"It's a scam."