The needs of the many out way the needs of the few

You would rather rescue more people than leave them to their fate and it would make sense that the Manticore is likely to be closer to where the most food is. You trot down the branch that has more muffled voices coming from it. After a few minutes, you come into a big cave with a natural pillar in the centre. Water drips from the ceiling creating stalagmites and stalactites that are hard to move around From your torchlight you see 6 humans bound to the pillar by thick rope 4 of which are conscious and moaning into a piece of rope that goes across their mouths. When the conscious humans see you they start mumbling louder into their bonds there are two children one of which is crying and the other seams to be trying to scream something at you.

You carefully work your way through to them and start to untie their bonds.

"Thank the Gods."An elderly man says as the bonds come loose.

The crying child rushes over to one of the **** men. "Daddy, Daddy wake up." He pleads the man looks badly injured. The old man goes over to help him.

The other conscious human is a young man who looks pretty strong but you ignore him for now as the screaming kid is released from her gag.

"Mother, it took my mother, I heard her screaming, please save her, when..." The child began to beg then a bloodcurdling scream from the other way echoed through the cave.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" a female voice screamed!

"Mother!" The child yelled.

"Go, I can look after and free these people." The old man said.

"Take me with you, I can fight, I am great with a bow and can ride a horse." the young man requested.

"I am no horse, but fine quick, get up, mind the torch." You told the man. You crouched for a sec as he mounted you. You would normally feel humiliated letting a human ride you like this but **** times and adrenaline override those feeling.

You hand him the bow and draw your spear. This frees up a hand to hold the torch giving the man more room and reducing the shadow.