Chapter Text
They wake up feeling…light. Like a weight is off their shoulders.
Of course, they were exhausted when they went to bed. It’s probably that, but something else feels good. Like a thorn in their brain is gone.
The bed wasn’t the comfiest, but it’s hardly worth complaining about, especially considering they’re sleeping in it for twenty snails.
They slept in the same clothes they’d been wearing since the Coven Parade yesterday, so they’re feeling a bit grubby. Not too bad.
Their headache has dissipated mostly, they can only feel twinges of pain. It’s a good morning.
They exit their room, back into the place where they came in last night. The only person they recognize is the willowy witch in the corner, everyone else has gone. There’s a burly, red-headed man playing a light tune on his panpipes and the same direwolf from last night.
The red-headed man looks at them strangely, then quietly walks over to the innkeeper. He whispers something to her. They don't pay any mind, sitting down at a table as they check their scroll.
There’s messages from a lot of people. Terra. Eda. Darius, for some reason.
They check their messages from Terra first. They really do feel bad for leaving without telling her, she’s probably been worried sick.
9:42 PM, Sunday:
TERRAS_VINEYARD: Sprout, where are you?
10:17 PM, Sunday:
TERRAS_VINEYARD: They’ve been looking all over for you. You need to come back.
11:30 PM, Sunday:
TERRAS_VINEYARD: Are you hurt? Did something happen?
11:53 PM, Sunday:
TERRAS_VINEYARD: Answer me.
TERRAS_VINEYARD: Are you ignoring me?
TERRAS_VINEYARD: You need to answer me. This isn’t a joke.
TERRAS_VINEYARD: Now.
They scowled slightly, before reminding themself she was probably panicked when she wrote these, desperately looking for them. And she asked if they were hurt, so she did care. Still, it left a bad taste in their mouth.
They check Eda’s next. They wonder what she has to say to them, and they’re half expecting a threat, but:
1:27 PM, Monday:
BADGIRLCOVEN: ur welcome back. idk if youll get this but i wanna help
BADGIRLCOVEN: i mean it
They sighed slightly. It was a trap, but they were slightly tempted nonetheless. Despite the kidnapping debacle at the parade, they had some strange feeling that she wasn’t going to hurt them. Despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
And Darius. They found that strange. Why was he texting them? They were only coworkers, they never talked, and they got the impression that he didn’t like them, with all the strange looks and whispering to Eberwolf.
8:32 AM, Monday:
ABOMINABLE.GOOMAN: There’s a full-scale investigation taking place in Carith looking for you, and they suspect you’ve been kidnapped by the Owl Lady, considering something similar happened with Kikimora. That’s all I know. You didn’t hear this from me.
They blinked.
Oh no.
Eda. They were looking for Eda. They know where she lives, they know-
They look up as the brown direwolf hops onto the table they’re sitting at, the bard who’s twice their size walking behind them.
“You need to come with us.” She says, and when they hesitate, the last thing they hear before they black out is the sound of panpipes.