You hear them, a faint sound not far off. Passing a few more trees, you pick up the trail once more and sprint through the forest.

The Deepwood gets darker still but it is not long before you catch up to the pack. Just as the soldiers had said, these things stand like a man but are heavier and coated in bristly fur and horns, their hot breath emanating from goatlike muzzles. Unlike anything you have ever seen before these mockeries of men wear scraps of armor and carry cruel looking weapons. The Libre Monstrum has nothing like this within its pages, yet you suppose anything could live this far into the Deepwood and have gone unrecorded in the annals.

Not wanting to lose the element of surprise, you hurl a dagger at the neck of the closest one and dive among them. A guttural braying rises in reply, and iron, muscle, fur and horns meet in combat.

Whatever the creatures are, they bleed like everything else and also feel fear. As you cleave through the first handful, the rest scatter, abandoning their stolen goods where they fell.

Your task accomplished, you leave the dead and follow the trail back to your waiting army. They are delighted to find you safe, and more so, at your success. Word quickly spreads of your heroism.

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