Upon approaching the town, they found a handful of humans and Monsters standing guard along the road. The monsters in question mostly seemed to be Human-like animals.
"Commander Jaden has returned," one of them called out. The line split, and an elder-looking Lion Man approached them. His mane was nearly all gray, and he wore simple maroon robes with a dark brown sash wrapped around his chest vertically and around his waist. He held a wooden walking stick and walked with a noticeable left leg limp.
"Heavy casualties, I see," he sighed as he looked at the three returning members of a twelve-man feral hunting team. Has the Feral Giant at least been taken care of?" Orion stepped forward in response. Many of the guards drew their weapons as he walked up the Lion. Orion flung the head of the Giant over his shoulders and onto the ground.
"Orion delivers best of all," He declared proudly before turning away, flopping back onto all fours, and taking his place behind Bree.
"Wonderful," The Lion said, "And you brought company, passing visitors I hope; I doubt even we can care for a cat that big,"
"Visiting settlers," Jaden replied, "We believe they have set up camp not too far from here.
"About three hours away," Bree said as she looked up at the sky, "maybe less since we stopped to fight that Giant,"
"I thank you," The Lion said with a half bow that looked like it hurt, even if only a little; Bree returned his polite gesture with her own, "I am Gregory Belin,"
"And I am Bree," Upon giving her name, she heard a scoff and looked at Doren irritably, her patience with him wearing thinner by the moment.
"How can we trust this chick if she won't even give us her last name,"
"I have no First, last, or middle name," Bree replied, "Where I come from, we have a single name, and the name that belongs to me is Bree,"
"Yeah, right," Doren said as he pointed at her in accusation, "This bug-eyed lady controls four stronger monsters, two of them strong enough to fight a Giant, one of unknown strength, and another that could easily have killed it in one blow!"
Belin looked at Bree in thought, "One blow?" he asked, "I would love to meet the fellow with that strength,"
"Oh, that was Boris," Bree said as Boris walked forward and stood before Belin in silence.
"A Liger?" he asked with a shine in his eye. I've never seen one in person before; what a rare treat. Do tell Mr.Boris, since you have the might to back your words up, do you vouch for Ms.Bree?"
"Mistress Bree is my master," Boris said firmly, "I only attacked the Giant because she asked me to dispose of it; my might is her might,"
"Well then, I fail to see the problem," Belin decided, "From the sounds of it if Ms.Bree here wanted to, she would just have her friends end us," Belin looked like he wanted to bow but after a side glance at him left leg chose to speak politely, "Allow me to welcome you all to Greenwater formally,"
"Why thank you," Bree said, bowing to him, her followers following suit.
"Any creature who shows Mistress Bree the respect she is due is a creature of taste," Winnie gave Doren a side glace of disgust as she spoke, fully convinced not being allowed to kill him was nothing more than her Mistress testing her patience, she just had to wait.
"Oh, how rude," Bree said after a moment. I should introduce everyone." Doren walked away from them in irritation as she began doing just that and disappeared into the town.
"That boy is trouble," Olu said once Doren was gone.
"I thought you said he had great promise," Bree questioned with a sly smile.
"He does," Jaden confirmed. "But skill doesn't excuse a life motto of 'I'm justified in being a jerk if I don't like them,' and since he doesn't like any non-human races..."
"That's pathetic," Bree responded blandly, "Olu, would you be willing to show Boris around your town? I couldn't help but notice you overheard why we were out and about in the woods to begin with,"
"Happily," Olu smiled, "Come, Sir Boris. I'll show you the meat, see if we can't get the location of some hunting grounds, and maybe look into getting a trade route going." Boris bowed to Bree before leaving with Olu, smiling at being promoted from Mr. to Sir.
"Winnie, I know you are none too fond of other people, so feel free to continue your aerial sweep and finish making that map,"
"Thank you, my lady," Winnie replied before opening her wings and taking flight.
"Daisy, you and Orion will be with me," Bree said happily.
"Orion, best companion of all," Orion said proudly.
"My actions will be my praise," Daisy replied as she and Orion took their places on either side of their Mistress. Belin and Jaden motioned the guards away, and the two led Bree and her two companions into the town to show them around.
Just as Bree entered the town, Doren went to a building near the lake and knocked twice, counting to three and knocking four more times. The door opened, and he walked into an empty room.
"That fool Belin had just let several powerful monsters into our town," He snarled as he stormed across the empty room. "I warned them all this day would come; this is exactly why King Odren sent us here! This town is a disease that must be culled from the land before it can allowed to spread,"
Doren looked at a lone flag resting in front of a makeshift throne: the Insignia for Odren's Kingdom, a black flag with a white triangle. Inside the triangle, a human hand was crushing a bone. "Monsters are only fit to serve; anyone who thinks otherwise must be purged along with any monster too weak to serve a purpose,"
Doren grinned. "I shall give that Bree woman an opportunity; when she answers me, the attack begins," He wrote something down on a scroll and crushed it; the scroll turned to ash in his hand, and the message was sent out to his men undercover in the town. "they will aim several enslavement spells at the Liger. Should Bree decline to bow before me and give me command of her servants, as I know she will, I'll just kill her. And then take that Liger as my servant,"
Doren's grin grew wide as he imagined Boris bowing to him, "With him, we will take this town with ease, and all these worthless creatures will finally be serving their purpose; once the monsters are in our control, we can move on and kill the humans, their weak ideals are a poison and must be culled,"
Doren laughed as he sat on the throne. "This town will be mine before the day ends,"