17. Neutral NPC

As the river takes a sharp bend, Malene nearly runs into a pair of woodsmen working on a thick oak. Immediately she’s on alert, drawing her longsword and pulling her shield up. The men look almost as startled as she is to see another living creature.

“Hey, woah, hey. Not here to hurt you.” One of the men drops his axe and puts his hands up.

“How do I know that?” Malene readies her stance, wanting to trust the man but also wanting to make the first move.

“I mean… I guess you don’t, but we aren’t here to hurt you.”

Malene looks the man in his piercing blue eyes and sees a softness. She stands down, still holding her sword and ready to draw it again if need be.

“OK… You’re pretty deep in the forest, aren’t you?”

“My brother and I live near here. We’re not big on people.” The other man leans against the tree and smiles at Malene.

“What’s a lady like you doing this deep?” The first man asks, seemingly genuinely curious.

Malene pauses, not sure how much to divulge. “I’m just on my way home.”

“Oh. Well don’t let us stop you.” The second man picks up his axe again and begins to swing it against the tree.

Malene nods and begins to walk again, not letting her eyes leave the men until she’s far down the river. She won’t attack, but she doesn’t fully trust either. As she looks up at the sky, she realizes it’s already time to find a place to bed down.