"So you know that this wasn't an accident?" Larann asked.
"I think we knew that the moment we saw Urse feeding them." Sawa told her. She looked off into the forest where the creatures had disappeared.
"Do you think they'll be back?" she asked.
"Not unless someone brings them here. They are not suited to the forests." Shuiss chimed in.
"It was Ganne, wasn't it." Mura asked. "Urse would only do something like this at her behest." Sawa and Shuiss nodded in agreement.
"But why?" he wondered.
"Likely because she didn't want anyone leaving Relai. Power only exists when you have people to control." Larann sat on the ground and thought. "But why did she insist on moving? This is a safe and secure place, just as much as Relai." She shook her head. Larann didn't think she would find her answer to this question.
"So is it time to go back now?" she asked.
Her three husbands looked at each other.
"What?"
"If we were to go back now, they might suspect that we were the ones to release the creatures from their prison." Sawa told her.
"Ah, you are right. So, what do you suggest?"
"We should take you to a meadow opposite of here and hunt some game to bring back to the city. They may suspect something, but they won't be able to prove anything."
"Not that they really could do anything. That would be admitting that they tampered with the old village."
"Then we should go do that and arrive back to the city in a few days. That way no one will suspect." A thought occurred to Larran.
"Are there safe places to stay close to the meadow?" The three looked at each other and laughed.
"The meadow is secluded. No big meat eaters can get in because the entrance is too small. And the sides are to sharp to climb. And there are… other things that would keep people out." Larann frowned at them.
And how was I supposed to know what the place is like? She wondered, annoyed at what seemed like an inside joke. They gathered up the remainder of their things and Larann hopped on Mura's back.
They made sure to leave as few traces of their presence as possible, going so far as to spread a specially scented needle leaf that they said would blow everywhere and mask anyone's scent.
The trees flew by almost as fast as a car and she squeezed her eyes shut. Her breath fell on the back of Mura's neck and she could see it flush redder as she went.
The entrance was hidden in the side of a cliff. The intimidating maw looked like a dragon coming out of the wall with sharp stalagmites at first. Ready to chomp down if you were caught in them at the wrong time.
You wouldn't have even seen the entrance unless you were looking for it. But the beastmen swept by before she could even see much more than the afterimage.
They descended into the tunnel, insects and creatures skittering away in the dark.
It wasn't long before they reached the meadow and Larann stared at it in amazement.
It was actually a cavern under the bed of the forest. She could see up into the trees above. The opening didn't let much light in, but it didn't really matter. Near the fissure were tiny little dots that together glowed as bright as a full moon.
It was like a dream in the meadow. Dozens of colorful insects that reminded her of butterflies floated by. There was two small pools of water in the center that glowed from the bottom.
A tree nearby hung over the water. Someone had strung up a place to sit, like a swing.
"This is beautiful!" She said, her voice a whisper as if she were in a sacred place.
"We thought you would like it. We'll stay here for a few days. We'll take turns hunting, but one of us will always be with you." Sawa took her back to a small hut that had been built some time ago."
"Will anyone come?" Shuiss shook his head.
"This is our secret. The entrance is well hidden. We imagined bringing our wife here one day and didn't want anyone to ruin it before we did."
"This is perfect. I love it." It was like a dream from a fantasy. She walked to the lower pool of water and could see steam rising from it.
"Is this warm?" she asked.
"It is," Sawa said. "The bottom is filled with those tiny glowing things, but they are not dangerous."
She looked at the pool again, a new look in her eyes. Dipping her hand into the water, it was the prefect temperature. Her hands came back cleaner than they had been for a while. The freezing shower was no comparison.
"Is the upper pool the same?" she climbed the hill to take a look.
"That is actually cold for some reason. They don't seem to be supplied by the same water source." Mura said.
She dipped her hand in the top pool, and it was chilled water. She cupped her fingers and gathered some in her hands to drink.
It was crisp and clean. Pure spring water.
"Why didn't you just live here! It is amazing," she exclaimed. She could see that there was fruit trees and she went up to try and take one, but Mura grabbed her hand before she could touch it.
"It is beautiful, but deadly." At that, Mura picked up a small stone and threw it at the tree. When it hit, it trembled and shook and the leaves smashed down where the fruit had been with enough force that it would have killed or at least knocked out anyone standing in front of it.
Larann's jaw dropped and she looked at her husbands.
"I can see why you wouldn't want to live here full time. Are there other dangerous things I should avoid?" Shuiss took her hand and led her on a tour of the dangers in the small cavern.