Lowlife, Scoundrel, Bandit Queen

The additional blanket really is a lifesaver. Without it the night spent sitting on the landing of the stairwell, would have been even worse. My backpack helped a little too, but most of the praise goes to the blanket. With a bit of luck I won't have to repeat the experience anytime soon though.

I stretch and yawn mightily, while the usual notification, whispered in the voice of Fox, brushes through the very back of my mind.

[*Ding!* You slept. Not bad, but not terribly well either! Health increased by 0! Mana increased by 1!]

That really isn't a great turnout. I guess in the end I have to be glad to not have lost any health though. Unlike the very first time I slept here in the tower. A quick glance around the corner, into the shrine with its narrow windows, reassures me that, while it's actually morning, the day is still young. I haven't missed anything yet. I did not get woken up by angry giant lizards bringing down the tower on top of me either, so I guess the day is starting pretty well.

Now, how am I to go about returning to town? I still should observe the monster's schedule a little more. It really might be helpful to know if it comes to drink around the same time every day.

There is something else I need to consider too. How am I going to return to Riverrun? And by that I don't mean the way I'll take. My mind is already mostly made up about that aspect. No, what still troubles me is the body I'm currently using. I'm still sporting Núira's appearance after all.

In the end the question really isn't one though. I may loo like Núira, but I'm not wearing her usual outfit. I'm not carrying her usual gear either. No, no one would believe that I'm actually the elven ranger for more than a brief glance at best. I really have to change back. The real question is, when will I do it? Now? Or later, maybe when I'm already halfway to town?

I scratch my head, thinking about it, as I get up and stretch some more. Does it make any real difference? It's not like I have any combat magic available for which it would be worth saving my Mana. No, I might as well change back right away.

After working out a last few kinks, I wouldn't want those to carry over after all, I loosen my clothing a little once more and focus on my appearance. It takes very little effort, especially as I'm returning to the appearance I'm most familiar with, this time around. The feeling of a considerable chunk of my Mana reserves draining away still feels unpleasant despite everything. At least though, it works without a hitch and my [Change Shape] racial skill improves some more too as a result.

Alright, that's that. I readjust my clothes some more and fasten everything back in place as it should be. If only everything could be this easy. Afterwards I start gathering up the rest of my gear, especially the blanket. I put everything where it is supposed to be and make sure nothing will shift or make any unnecessary sound. Considering the new pan, the not so new water bottle and the monstrous scales in my pack, the blanket comes in especially handy. It goes into the pack this time and I use it to make sure nothing can clang together.

As a result the pack looks a little bigger, possibly even unwieldy as a result. I certainly won't look dignified carrying it, but that's quite alright. I can life with that, as long as I life anyway and the extra soundproofing provided by the blanket goes a long way to increase my chances in that regard.

I don't shoulder it right away though. First I leave it exactly where it is, to climb down the stairs one more to have one last quick drink before I leave the place. For a moment, as I stand at the edge of the water, on the last step not submerged, I ponder if I should try to illuminate what is below the water level using my new spell, but in the end I decide against it. Another day. Whatever is down there hopefully won't run away.

After having my quick refreshment I head back upstairs, grabbing my pack along the way. I still don't shoulder it though. Instead I carry it in my hand so can drop it at a moment's notice. So far I don't notice anything out of the ordinary. The tower is quiet and empty, except for me. No strange sights, sounds or even smells. Not as far as I can tell anyway. It's not for a lack of trying either, as the progress earned for my [Perception] skill can attest to. My [Stealth] skill improves a little too.

I'd say overall this is a very promising start into the new day. I hope it'll stay that way. Well, I can hope, right?

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

On the ground floor of the tower, meaning the floor at the upper level of the cliff, I take down the barricade a little. Not by much though, and I use the material to reinforce the remainder. I do so quietly, avoiding any unnecessary sound. Once I'm done I deposit my pack in the opening I have cleared. It fits quiet snugly. That's where I leave it too, before I climb the stairs to the very top of the ruined tower, slipping out into the open, all the while keeping an eye on the sky.

I don't linger this time. Instead I climb back down using the usual tree as a climbing aid. The process has become so familiar by now, that it doesn't earn me any skill progress anymore. Possibly because I'm not moving terribly fast either. That's quite alright though. I don't mind. What matters right now is that I reach the bottom without making a spectacle of myself. It's as simple as that.

Only afterwards do I grab my pack and this time it goes onto my back too. I don't go down the cliff right away though. Instead I follow it downstream for a while. I do so at a rather leisure pace, but with special care. Paying attention to my every step, the sky above and my surroundings. Progress is slow as a result, but that's alright. I can make up for it later, once I'm further from the flying terror's nest.

And anyway, I don't need to reserve any time for making camp or cooking today. I'm heading back to town after all. I probably won't even eat the leftovers of my provisions. Although, maybe I will, once I'm far enough away, I might as well rearrange my pack to its usual configuration anyway. I most certainly plan to sleep in bed at the guildhall though. About that I don't have the slightest doubt.

After a little while, I stop and look out at the creek's valley. Yes, around here should be good. I can still see the creature's drinking spot. Yet I'm already further from it too. Now I just need to find a good hiding spot to observe it and the sky. It needs to be a spot where I'm well hidden from above too, considering its habit of circling over the valley first.

In the end I drop my pack in between the roots of an old tree, facing away from the valley of course. The abundant leaves of the same tree are my first layer of cover too. I don't rely on it alone though. Instead I crawl under a much denser bush too, to hide my presence even better. Fallen leaves spread over my cloak complete my camouflage.

It's the best I can do right now, but to be honest, it is already pretty good. Considering that the waterfall and the pond at its foot are quite a distance away the monster really shouldn't notice me. Not unless I do something stupid anyway. Something stupid like using an identification skill on it, which I have of course no plan of doing.

For now all I can do is wait anyway. Even that wait isn't without benefit though. Every once in a while I can hear or even see small animals or birds stray surprisingly close to my hiding spot, apparently without much of a care. And my [Stealth] improving a little reaffirms my impression as well. I'm really hidden pretty well.

Lying still like this is still not easy though. I'm afraid that I might just fall asleep again, if the beast takes too long. Even lacking a blanket below me this is more comfortable than the night spent at the tower. The temptation to just rest my eyes for a moment or two is very, very real.

Finally, at long last, I spot what I'm waiting for. A winged terror coming in from over the hill on the other side, circling the valley first once and then twice for good measure, before it descends at the usual spot to have its drink.

While it has its drink, without any apparent hurry, it soon becomes obvious that it takes note of my presence at the spot yesterday too. It's doesn't look too alarmed though. It simply sniffs around where I looked at the base of the low cliff next to the waterfall, searching for scales. And, once it's satisfied with whatever it can glean from the traces I left, it simply rubs itself all over the cliff face once again.

It's only then that I realize what it really is doing. It's not just scratching an itch. It's marking its territory! And me leaving the same way I cam from after inspecting the site, probably was the very right course of action, even though I had no idea about that at the time.

If I had crossed over to the other side of the valley after inspecting the spot … oh, I don't even want to think about it. The scaled terror probably wouldn't have been as nonchalant about my presence in that case to say the least.

I resist the urge to shiver and groan at the realization. Instead I quietly appreciate that my [Perception] skill improves a little thanks to my careful observations. It's a good thing too that it does, I'm still aiming to keep it somewhat balanced with my [Stealth] skill after all.

Once the scaled terror is done it shakes itself and takes off again. It circles the valley once more, but then it's off again in the direction of the quarry and thus its nest. The creature certainly has its priorities. There is no doubt about that.

I wait, hidden under bushes, trees and dead leaves a little longer anyway, just to be sure it won't come back. Only once I'm moderately certain that I won't experience any surprises of that kind do I dare to crawl out of my hiding spot, backwards, away from the cliff and deeper into the cover of the woods. I don't even bother to brush off the leaves still clinging to my cloak. I just grab my pack and get going again, following the creek further downstream, at a distance atop of the cliff until it becomes level with the rest of the hills again.

I'm still not in a hurry, taking care to not leave any tracks too obvious. I try very hard to stay under the cover provided by the woods too. And it's only much later that I stop again to have a quick meal and repack my backpack so it'll be easier to carry.

Resting in the hollow of another downright ancient tree barely clinging on to life, I don't make a fire this time around. And this means I don't get to do any actual cooking either. Instead I just cut my so far unused loaf of bread open and pile the fine slices of my leftover sausage and cheese inside it. That will have to do for today. The stuffed bun really can't compare to my campfire meals of the last two days, but it fills my stomach anyway.

Once I'm done eating and licking my fingers clean of even the tiniest crumbs afterwards, I properly repack my backpack. With it's weight nicely distributed once again I take off at a good run afterwards since I should be far enough away from the nest by now. I have to reach Riverrun with time to spare so I can make my report at the guild after all. Only afterwards can I hope to rest in a nice bed.