Five of them moved through the undergrowth, clad in mismatched armor and carrying spears, bows, and broad knives. They spoke in hushed tones, but excitement shimmered in their eyes.
"Information guild says it's a stone‑back crawler," whispered one, a man with a scar across his cheek."A crawler? In this forest?" another replied, eyes wide."They say its meat's so soft it falls apart in your mouth. Can feed a whole village—or make you rich if you sell it in the black markets."
They laughed quietly, the sound nervous but eager.
"Cave's about two hours east of here," said their leader, a tall man with a hawk‑feather charm on his shoulder. "Keep your eyes sharp. The guild doesn't lie, but this forest… it's not like the others."
They didn't notice the figure trailing them, far enough behind that his footsteps blended with the rustle of leaves. Talon walked hands in his pockets, whistling tunelessly. Every now and then he muttered to himself:
"Stone‑back crawler… soft meat… mhm…"