A Warning?

The water was cold but might not be clean. She had heard tales of parasites that lived in the waters of the jungle. For now she decided to use her water skin to clean up her wounds as best she could.

Tears welled in her eyes as she rinsed the open wounds that seethed with pain. It made her have to pee. She had to be quick. It was getting dark and it would not do to be caught in such a vulnerable position. She took out the torn breeches from her pack and used a dagger to tear them into strips which she then used to wrap the wounds of her thigh, shoulder, and face. She had to cover one of her eyes to fully bandage the slash on the side of her head. She then found a spot away from the stream to dig a small hole.

Moments later, squatting in the brush, the Arbiter did her business when the exact thing she hoped wouldn’t happen, happened. From about 6 yards in front of her came the snuffling of an animal rooting around the undergrowth. She saw the large swine as it pushed through the leaves and raised its head looking directly at her.

Must have smelled her blood. The creature began to bellow a low growl and butt its tusked head up and down. Without taking her eyes off the beast she reached for her sword which lay unsheathed on the earth beside her. She held it close and waited, staring the wild boar down. It didn’t charge her, instead it lowered it snout, meeting her gaze and let out a final snorting growl. Finally, it gave up and backed out of sight. Did it know better than to attack her? Was it afraid of her? Perhaps... but something told her that wasn’t all. Some primal fear inside her told her that it was giving her a warning to leave its domain. Another message from the Gods?

She finished her business and kept near the stream until she came across a sign carved into a fallen tree that she recognized as one used by the soldiers. Alexis or one of the others was still alive and had made it through the area so she moved with purpose now as the light would soon begin to fade.