Larrikan leaps straight up, and demonstrates vulpine speed and dexterity by landing ten feet to the left.
The spacefarers seem to be missing some critical information, and the locals, mostly Annifred, fill them in on the dangers of the horn. The horn is evil, and corrupts whoever uses it, eventually destroying them. It also controls the Wild Hunt.
As Annifred fills in the information about the horn slowly turning the trolls to stone just for having it, Larrikan begins to worry that he is getting in over his head, and old Shy Folks habits – run! – begin to sound appealing.
That is, until Sakura takes his hand and smiles at him. He thinks, “Or… maybe not.”
Annifred confirms, firmly, “Trolls help.”
Hotspur interrupts, “Breakfast will help, too.” and shares out the oatmeal he has quietly been making. That sort of ends the conversation.
Aykuh returns, having talked with another dryad. The four visitors are slow to adjust to the speed dryads work at, but Hotspur has three days more supplies. Aykuh goes to talk to the next.
Larrikan spends the next morning trying to get to know Sakura better. Her finds her fascinating, even if the things she tells him about her human family don’t make much sense. She is clearly from a very different place.
Larrikan can tell, different as they seem to be, that Sakura’s parents were kind to her and loved her deeply, and that she loves and misses them terribly.
Larrikan wonders if there is anything he can do to help with that loneliness. He knows he’ll never replace her family – and that would be sad, for her to lose that important part of her life – but he wonders if the clans would adopt her, and if she would feel better with more family. Naturally, he has to find a clan other than his own Swift Folk, and he isn’t sure what clan he would offer a treasure like Sakura to.
Perhaps Agh’s Snow Tamers… that would give her at least one solid grandparent at hand, and Agh is really a softie when you get used to him. Why, he taught Larrikan the squirrel chants!
That afternoon, some foolish raiders approach the camp and threaten them, demanding supplies in return for the camper’s lives.
Larrikan lets out an embarrassing, rather canine yip, “K’so!” and would flee into the safety of the forest, letting the raiders have whatever they wanted.
Sakura stays where she is, looking futilely for a weapon to help her friends. Larrikan won’t leave her.
Once all five of the bandits – wolven men, wearing kilts and having strange patterns dyed into their fur, are visible, and begin moving in, Hotspur takes action.
He stands up.
He’s eight feet of heavily muscled bovine. He crosses his arms and glares at the invaders.
When the wolf leader takes a step forward, Hotspur says, “No.”
That’s when Annifred stands up, with Douglas in tow. Her manic grin is something to behold. Something frightening.