Larrikan backs slowly away from the bogle advancing towards him, but is glaring at the one who stays behind, the one holding Aedaith. It leers at him.
Larrikan smiles a vulpine grin, rather a more feral one than the bogles are used to. He looks at the one who is stalking him, and says, “Leave us alone.”
The bogle dives at him, but Larrikan dodges. Picking itself back up, the bogle growls, “Not very shy for a Shy Folk, are you?”
The bogle holding Aedaith coughs, and looks a little distressed. Larrikan talks to keep the loose one distracted, saying, “Maybe I’m tired of running from fools like you.”
“I’m not the one who brought useless new people to a rade,” counters the talkative one, “and you without your pixie protectors.”
Larrikan keeps moving, letting the bogle follow him. The other bogle begins to cough. Larrikan says, “I don’t need them. They’re friends, and I like them, but I don’t need them to be safe from the likes of you.”
The bogle holding Aedaith drops her, and she darts off into the trees. That bogle falls to his knees, hands at his throat.
The first bogle laughs, and says, “Friends! They must not have been hungry, is all.”
“Shows what you know,” replies Larrikan. He waits for the fallen bogle to stop moving. Then he says, “Your friend is dead, and your lunch is getting away. Run while you can.”
“Haw haw haw!” laughs the bogle. “Bravado doesn’t suit you, little snack.” It adds, “Right, mate?” and looks to its partner for confirmation.
The partner lies face down, a trickle of water dribbling out of its mouth. The vixen is nowhere in sight.
“Shit! You did kill him!” the bogle says, “You murderer!”
“Are you going, or is it your turn next?” Larrikan asks.
“Gonna eat you, fox!” the bogle cries, and lunges at Larrikan.
Larrikan dodges again, and points at the bogle. A ball of flame shoots from his hands, and engulfs the monster.
Coarse laughter fills the little glen as the bogle ignores the fire. It does not seem to bother it. “I heard you were a wizard, fox! I have a charm to keep your magic off me. You can’t hurt me!”
Larrikan dodges around a little more, keeping the bogle distracted while Aed slips up behind the tree and cuts Bandé free. Larrikan tells the bogle, “You just made it more interesting, that’s all.” He is relieved when he sees his two friends slip away.
“Last chance,” Larrikan tells it.
“Die, you!” replies the bogle, grabbing at Larrikan and only barely missing.
“So you shall,” replies Larrikan and drops the dead bogle he had lifted high into the sky.
The bogle’s, “You little…” is interrupted by a heavy thud, and crunch.
Aedaith and Bandé peer out of the wood, staring at Larrikan in awe and horror.