Carts and wagons lay on their sides. Bodies strewn here and there. The coppery smell of blood think on the air. Even the horses lay dead still attached to their wagons. What ever did it, was fast enough to get the job done without spoknig them. From the looks its a small merchants caravan, though only seven wagons are counted. Creates lay about broken into their contense lay about. There is a light stirring. Someone was left alive. A young woman with amber hair, and what looks like cat ears. Rubble shifts from her as she sits up.

         Walking up to the wreckage is a man with silver-white hair in a white leather coat, strange black designs covering the coat that are almost like tattoos. His eyes are a deep red like blood and on his back is a large scythe that is slightly tinted red from constant use. He surveys the area for a few moments, looking for survivors to whatever happened here. He almost leaves but the stirring catches his attention and he moves over to the woman that emerges there. "A survivor! Are you alright?" The man asks as he offers the woman a hand. "What happened?"

          "Were? er I think I'm ok..." the woman blinks, a look of confusion on her face at what is about her. Your body blocks her view of the carnage, eyes on you for a moment takes your hand to help pull herself up. The kimono she wears is tarred they appear to be more like a sword than claws from the way its done. A large amber tail flicks from behind her. "Who are-" she stop as she sees the bodies and smells the blood. "By the Gods..." a hand is placed over her mouth and her eyes spot your stained scythe. Taking a few steps back and tripping over the wreckage.

         The man, Isslund, blinks at the woman as she spots his scythe. "Eh? Oh, sorry. Haven't cleaned this old thing in a bit." He coughs a little bit and shakes his head. "I was out collecting a bounty on some hobgoblins that were running amok when I stumbled upon this wreckage. My name is Isslund, the monster hunter." He catches Clan before she falls though, quite quick on his feet and with good reflexes.

          "Clan Clan" she blushes lightly as she is caught half fallen over, looking rather like your dipping her for a kiss. Righting herself and wiggling free she stops to look at all the death, back to you. "All I did was fall asleep ... and this ..." voice quivering for a moment. "Did ... you see who or what did this Monster Hunter Isslund?" tail subdued and hardly moving at all ears drooped a bit. From behind you see, though hard to make out against amber of her tail, that the fur is stained with blood, and the little bits of blood splatter on her back. Turning Clan looks to you. "We should barry them or make a pier flame for them or something." her voice full of sorrow.

         Isslund shakes his head. "Alas, I did not see what did this. I assume it must have been within a few hours, judging by the blood's freshness and the lack of decay setting in." He then gives a small nod, looking at the bodies and wreckage. "Yes. I think a pier would be best. Too much work to bury them and judging by their deaths, they might rise as angry spirits. Burning their bodies will put that worry at ease." HE begins to gather the wood from the wreckage and make a mat of kindling for burning the bodies.

          Clan Clan then gets to the grim work of gathering the bodies. Even for her small size she seems fairly strong, able to drag them (be it with the most respect she can) near to were your starting the fire. All of them seem to have been stabbed with the same weapon. No slashes on them, only punctuator wounds, most of which would not have been fatal. Most of their faces locked in death grimaces. It has poison written all over it. "Thieves I think." Clan says quietly "All of the boxes are open though most of the stuff is been left, guess they were looking for something specific."

         Isslund pauses his work for a mere moment, but it is one that keen eyes can see means the word thieves has caught something. "Thieves, eh? More like a bunch of thugs. Thief implies one who steals without notice. A thug, or bandit, is one who kills to do so." He looks back at Clan, offering a little smile. "Common misconception. Although, in essence, I think you might be right. Puncture wounds. Most non-fatal. It implies a poison was used on them. Best that we stand far back when burning the bodies."

          Not one body that doesn't have puncture wounds though, meaning not even a tug died in the fry. Swords were drawn, and there were fifteen guards at least, perhaps they took their dead with them, perhaps they didn't loose a single man. Clan Clan just nods, too sad to really argue about it. "C-can I travel with you? I mean I'm no push over in a fight ... just safer in numbers..."

         "Something odd, though. Everyone seems to be... locked in horror. And there are no bodies of the thugs. Perhaps it was a single, powerful being." Isslund says quietly as he starts the pier, pouring some oil on the wood to get it all started and then lighting it with flint and tinder. "You can travel with me, yes. It might be safer that way."

          Clan's ears perk "One thing? Against this many men? Even on the drop ... he would have to be like a dragonblooded or a Demon." getting a bit closer to you and looking to the fire. With a solum look she mumbles words in Old Ream, a prayer to the gods to watch over the souls of these people. The tacks are even more confusing. They are fairly mixed together, but there is about twenty, roughly the number of dead, and there is nothing large besides the horses. More alarming yet what ever it is has yet to leave tacks leaving.

         "That would be correct, although I doubt any dragonblooded could strike this kind of fear into people, locking their faces like this. A demon is more likely... Or something worse." Isslund looks over his shoulder as the fire burns. He stands up and grabs his scythe, slinging it over his shoulder. "Alright, we best get out of here. The thing could still be near and might come looking with this fire going. Best to get as much distance as we can. And to keep our eyes out, too. Thing might fly or something. No tracks."

          "You said they used poison? That could do it, some of these look like they were in pain not fear so much." the little cat girl points out. Moving quickly to catch up with you, fearing to be left behind. Eyes to the sky. "A flying demon?" still very nervous, the scythe not giving her much more confidence. The girls stomach suddenly growls loudly. She blushes from the 'rude' noise. "Sorry just feels like I haven't eaten in days..."

         Isslund nods to Clan and smirks a little bit. "Well, I have some jerky with me you can have." He hands Clan some of the dried meat and continues to move away from the place, but at a slow pace so Clan can keep up. "Best to forget that place, then. No use worrying since we cannot help it."

          Eyes lighting up as they set upon the offered food. Quickly snatching it up and scarfing it down rather quickly, a "Thank you!" muffled by the food. Odd, some people have an appetite at the weirdest times. Walking down the path with you keeping an eye to the sky