59 Gathering Information

After taking a sip of her tea, and eating of the small cakes, Jayde turned to face Mrs. Ryunzo and complimented her on her lovely cakes, then turning to Elder Ryunzo.

"Elder Ryunzo could you give me more information about your problem with the Direwolves."

"Ah, um yes. Well it all started about five years ago, a small pack of Direwolves moved into forest nearby, for a while they left us alone, it was only three year ago that they started to attack us, first it was our livestock, but they quickly moved up and started to hunt our villagers, now it has gotten so bad that we dare not even go out to plow our fields, three weeks ago we lost two children to them, they brazenly attacked us during the day, killed little Jenro and Hyda and took off with their bodies."

"Ah poor Milta, her babies killed and their bodies were stolen right in front of her — that poor, poor woman, she can't even bury them, their poor souls, no last rites — how are they ever going to find rest," Mrs. Ryunzo said taking out a small handkerchief to wipe her tearful eyes.

Jayde just nodded, she really had no clue what she was supposed to say in this sort of situation. She had never had to deal with "normal" people before, and her social skills were really lacking.

"Do you have any idea how big the pack is, or where their den is?" she asked.

Elder Ryunzo was patting his wife's hand trying to give her some comfort, looking at Jayde he said.

"There were six Direwolves that entered the village three weeks ago, but I think that their pack is bigger, from the description of the Direwolves that have attacked other villagers and from witness accounts, I believe that there must be at least ten pack members."

"Behro, he is our local huntsman, he should have some information about where their den is, I can arrange for you to meet him, poor man he hasn't be able to enter the forest to hunt for nearly a year now, if it wasn't for the villagers helping him and his brother out they would have starved to death by now."

"Elder Ryunzo, please would you arrange for me to meet Behro as soon as possible, also if you can think of anyone else that might have any information, I would like to speak to them, right now any additional information would be valuable for me, and help me with this hunt" Jayde replied.

"Ah of course Mis... I mean Jayde" Elder Ryunzo said standing up.

"Also, where I can arrange lodgings?" Jayde asked stopping Elder Ryunzo just as he was about to leave.

"Oh," Elder Ryunzo said scratching his head.

"Well our village is too small to have an inn, but you are more than welcome to stay here" worried that he might have insulted Jayde he quickly rushed on "I know its not much, but we would be honored if you could stay with us, right dear?" he said turning to Mrs. Ryunzo.

Mrs. Ryunzo quickly nodded.

"Of course, honored absolutely honored" she quickly agreed.

"Then I thank you for your hospitality," Jayde said politely.

****

While Elder Ryunzo left to speak to the villages and arrange for Behro to visit Jayde, Mrs. Ryunzo escorted Jayde to their spare bedroom. Entering the quaint bedroom, Jayde smiled and thanked Mrs. Ryunzo.

Leaving Jayde to rest for a while, Mrs. Ryunzo promised to call her once Elder Ryunzo returned with the villagers.

Jayde sat down on the bed, lightly touching the homemade quilt that covered it, it was beautifully crafted, Jayde had never seen anything like it. Growing up she had been surrounded by items that were necessary for their survival, something homemade like a quilt had never been something that she had been exposed to.

Reiko sensing Jayde's strange mood lay quietly on the floor beside the bed. Looking around the beautifully decorated room, Jayde decided that when she finally had her own home she wanted her home filled with such beautiful décor. She had always been surrounded by utilitarian items, it was only now sitting in this room, that she realized how important having such items around a person could feed a person's soul.

An hour later Mrs. Ryunzo knocked quietly on Jayde bedroom door, announcing that there were some villagers to see her. Thanking her, Jayde followed Mrs. Ryunzo to the living room. Seated in the living were two young men and a young woman.

Elder Ryunzo introduced the two men, one was Behro, he was a tall, strapping young man with sharp grey eyes, and black hair, the man seated next to him was his younger brother Jinko, who looked quite similar to his brother, the young woman was Milta, the young mother who had lost her two young children to the Direwolves three weeks earlier. Her eyes were filled with grief, and it looked like she had lost a lot of weight recently as her skin hung loosely on her small frame, her face showed signs of aging, and her skin had a yellow tinge to it.

After speaking to them for a while Jayde was able to get a rough idea if where the Direwolves were located and Behro confirmed that the pack had ten members, he offered to guide Jayde to the area where the Direwolves lived, but Jayde turned him down — she was going to have enough problems looking after herself, taking a non-magical person in with her, would just be disastrous.

Just as the three were leaving the young woman Milta suddenly turned and looked at Jayde her eyes filled with wrath, she knelt down in front of Jayde.

"Miss Jayde, I beg of you, please kill every last one of those hell demons, give my children vengeance" she begged her voice harshly hoarse.

Walking over to the grief-stricken mother, Jayde gently held her hands and lifted her up off her knees

"Milta, I swear to you I will ensure that those Direwolves will never harm another child again, and I will personally bring back the Alpha head for you" Jayde wasn't sure why she felt compelled to make such a promise — it was stupid and careless of her to promise this young mother something like that — but her heart strangely ached for this young woman who eyes where dead, she couldn't give her back her children, but maybe just maybe she could give her a little bit of peace.

With tears streaming down her face like a river, the young woman just nodded her head and kept on repeating.

"Good, good."

Mrs. Ryunzo hurried over to the young woman, and gently wrapped her in her arms, whispering softly to her, she led the young woman out.

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