The first full day at Zebarin had cool and partly cloudy, but dry, and the Earl had decided to hunt boar, having heard from the Constable that a particularly large and dangerous one had recently plagued the area. Several of the noble retainers and guests, as well as a slew of servants, had accompanied the Earl and the Constable on the hunt, including Vulk and Ser Andro. The latter had seemed in an unusually foul mood since they had arrived at Zebarin, and he barely spoke to his companions, save for the Earl himself, and their host the Constable. Indeed, to Ser Coreth he seemed almost maniacally polite and excruciatingly proper.

Drake and Devrik were also along as beaters, which turned out to be lucky. When a group of rokiriki, the vicious harpies of popular legend, had attacked the party it had been a near thing for the Earl. When the shrieking, stinking winged creatures had dropped down on them, the Earl’s horse had reared, and his saddle straps had broken, sending him to the ground. Briefly dazed, he had been vulnerable, but Devrik had managed to divert his attackers long enough for the Earl to regain his feet and his spear.

The fight was short and bloody, but with no casualties on their side apart from cuts and abrasions, none terribly serious. The party returned to Zebarin with no boar and many questions. Why had the rokiriki attacked? No one had smelled the tell-tale stench that would have placed them near to a nesting area; the nearest cliffs were over a mile away, in any case.

Why had the Earl’s saddle strap parted? Examination was inconclusive… the leather had broke near the buckle, and looked worn rather than cut, but that was easy enough to fake. The groom who had saddled the horse swore he’d checked it, but was beaten anyway by the head ostler for his incompetence.

They had seen no sign of the boar, yet discreet questioning had revealed that several peasants had indeed reported experiencing its predations in the last tenday, although no one was quite sure who exactly it had been; it always was someone’s brother who heard, or a visitor from the next village over who told the tale, which was passed on to the Constable’s men. Was it possible they had simply missed the beast, or sought it in the wrong area?

Both Ser Kovar and Lord Clarin were impressed by the quick reactions and combat skills of Vulk, Drake and especially Devrik. The Earl actually thanked Devrik for the fierce attack that had kept the beasts off him until he could regain his feet, and Ser Kovar decided to move him up closer to the Earl in the standard marching order on the road.

Bit the next two days were to be spent with the Earl and the Constable going over the books for the fief, leaving the rest of the entourage free time to do as they would…