The situation cloudens deeper

Restless, Dilah woke you from your heavy slumber, well before the sun arose. Despite having slept the same time as you, she seems far more alert, ready to take whatever the day had in store. Nudging you in your shoulder "Come on Demetria, it's time to wake up. We have a lot of ground to try and make up today. If we get a good start at it, we can make up some of it before we get caught underneath another downpour. Hopefully, we can catch the ridge by dawn. Seeing the sunrise from there is pretty special." You are slower to rise than her, but don't need a second push; the thought of her being more forceful is all the incentive you need. With a slight stretch, you slink off the bed, putting your feet on the floor. As soon as you do, Dilah sits on her knees, hands on her legs, recalling her daily morning prayer...

Mastro, watch over me as I begin this day.
Allow me to be your faithful servant, so that I may carry out your will.
Carry my feet so that I may venture to where I am most needed.
Guide my sight, so that I may clearly perceive the world and administer your justice.
I swear now and forever to defend the innocent and condemn the wicked.
I pray for your wisdom great Mastro, so that I may always know the difference...

Her prayer complete, she bowed her head to her knees and returned. Sitting up right again, she sprang to her feet in a practiced leap, letting out a slow exhalation of discomfort as she stood fully upright "That used to be a lot easier." She lamented to herself. The two of you get dressed and prepared for the days adventures in solitude, which begs a probing question.

"Do you not pray to your god, Demetria?" You turn back to look at her. Something about the tone of her question makes you wary; this could be the start of a long, ugly, needless conversation about the virtues and merits of the other's faith, and she's had much more time to understand the nature of hers. Worse, whatever notions of a 'relationship' you think you two could have depends on bridging this large gap. You try to answer as best you can,

"No, we do, it's just that w-" Your explanation is cut off by a thunderous knocking on the door that in short order brings the door itself down off it's hinges. The vagabonds from last night storm in and grab both of you, without a moment to defend or react. As you are dragged out, you try in each direction to break free, panicked. Looking back, you see Dinah with a subdued rage inside. She speaks to you rather than the brutes causing the problem. "Demetria, do not panic. Everything will be fine. Have faith"

Faith seems a hard thing to come by as you and her are pulled outside and held side by side. Face down in the blanket of dead, wet leaves is a body. Gilbert's body. A man stood behind him, in front of you and the crowd, sword in hand at the ready"What's the meaning of this!" You ask, incredulously

"Don't play dumb with us missy! You both know exactly what this is about! Now, explain yourselves!"
"There is nothing to explain" Dilah responded coldly, her calm but menacing glare reciprocating the hostility directed at her

"So! You admit it than? You think you're justified in killing a man just for having a drunken courtship?"

"I didn't say anything of that sort." She replied "I don't have to explain anything because you already know the truth. This was not our doing."

"Are you calling me a liar!?"

"I'm calling you and your crew here a bunch of disloyal mercenaries, set out on carrying out vigilante justice to pursue a whim of vindictiveness against an agent of the God of Justice" Her words went about as poorly as would be expected, a growing roar came up from behind you. The leader steps over the body and raised his sword in the air. A clanging sound filled the air as the sword dropped from his hand.
"Wow! That was a mouthful." A voice shouts from the roof of the inn. All heads turn to see it's owner, an archer, male, most of his figure hidden under a brown cloak "I'll call you a liar, if you need a more simple vocabulary" The archer already has another arrow drawn, aimed precisely for the leader's head

"Who in the Ten Hells are you?" The leader shouts

"Never mind that. Would the gentleman kindly turn the deceased over?" Understanding the implied threat, he slowly turned the body over to be face-up. It was Geralt, nearest you can tell, mauled to **** with tears and bites all around his neck, face, and hands.

"Now, if anyone would care to look, neither of your hostages happen to have fangs and claws, so they very clearly couldn't have done this. If you look, there's no blood on the ground itself, meaning you found him somewhere else and brought him here to frame them."

"What business is it of yours! Are you with these two cunts?" The arrow zinged less than an inch away from his face, and before anyone could see, yet another arrow was knocked, pulled, and aimed.

"That didn't miss, and neither will this. I was in the area, chasing a rumor of monsters in the woods. Looks like I found them. Let these two women go and bury your friend, before you have to invest in an eye patch..." The rest of the gang grumble and let you go, dispersing onto the nearby road. Lots of angry glares now face their leader, feeling betrayed. The archer nimbly ran down the roof and jumped down to meet you. Pulling his cloak back, he reveals himself to be a half-elf, possessing the strong, severe physical features of an elf, but bearing a human goatee and dark brown eyes.

"Glad I caught up in time. Sorry the two of you ladies had to deal with that."

"Your timing was impeccable, thank you." Dinah responds. You abruptly ask a probing question that throws the archer off his game "You said something about monsters?"

"Uhhh, yes I did. There were some rumors of having seen monsters leaving the city. The rumors turned out to be nothing, which I expected, but I found something much more interesting."

"The wolves?" The half-elf responds affirmatively with a nod "I've never known them to travel in numbers like this. But they aren't travelling in packs. Even stranger, they almost seem to have a sentience about them. I swear, once they suspected I was on to them, they tried to evade me, mask their tracks. No wolf is smart enough to do that."

"That is very odd" Dilah agrees "Do you think they were being directed? Controlled somehow?"

"I've heard of druids taming and summoning beasts to them, but not like this. Something different about what's going on here. Was never able to get close enough to see them with my own eyes, or I might have saved your friend there."

"He's no friend of ours" You snap back

"Ya, I kinda guessed at that. Still, bad for anyone to go I suppose." A sudden flash hit the archer "Oh! Terribly sorry, where are my manners?" as he extends his hand for a formal greeting "Xandria Colton"

"Colonel Dilancia Fornance, of the Watch of the Eternal Flame, and this Demetria, Sister of the Phoenician church"

"Wow" Xandria tips an imaginary hat to the both of you "Your graces. I guess you didn't really need my help than"

Dilah smiles politely "You kept the body count to a minimum, which is more than we could have done without you. That's more than would ever be expected."

"You're very kind Colonel. What are the two of you doing in these parts, if you don't mind entertaining a ranger's curiosity?"

"We are looking for my master, the Archdeacon, he was taken two days ago by monsters"

Dilah immediately corrects you "Someone thought they saw monsters leaving her church when he was discovered missing."

"Huh, that's very interesting. Well, like I said, I haven't seen any monsters hereabouts, and no human looking tracks off the road, save two pairs that hunkered under a tree a ways back"

"That was us" You chime in "trying to wait out the storm" Dilah adds in further "I have reason to think he's heading to the House of the Forlorn. What do you know about it?"

"That's a long ways from here. Have to cross a few borders en route, but you're heading the right way. That place does have monsters, so I've been told. The monks who live there can make it in and out alive, but anyone who tries is never seen or heard from ever again."

"There could be a connection than" You add in "But, if nobody's allowed to leave but the monks, than how did Fergus ever leave?"

"That's a really good question." Xandria adds in "And if you don't mind an unwashed pagan in your midst, I'd like to help you find the answer." Dilah looks at you and forms a curious smile "If you don't mind a little verbal sparring than you are free to join us Mr. Colton"

"With pleasure" As he takes an exaggerated bow "If things get too preachy I can always scout ahead, I'll get a start on that while the two of you get your things"

Outside of earshot, Dilah makes an offhand remark "He did come right in the nick of time. He's kind of cute with that goatee, don't you think?" Her face and mannerisms play straight, but a hint in her tone suggests there's a double meaning. You reply with an innuendo of your own "I don't know about that Dilah. The river of my heart flows in a different direction..." You smile at her as you run inside to grab your packs. Handing hers over, she practically beams smiling at you. "Let's hurry. There's still enough time to reach the top of the ridge"

The two of you take a light jog up the steep incline, making it to the top just to see the sun creep over the horizon. The exertion was certainly worth it, seeing the light fill the valley below and paint the clouds above in dark reds and purples.

"We never know what comes with the dawn of a new day. All we can ever do is walk towards it, our eyes ever on the horizon" Dilah states with a content smile
"Is that another prayer?" You ask
"No, at least not intentionally. Just a reminder to myself, to not be afraid."
"Afraid? What could Colonel Dilancia ever be afraid of?"

"This" she holds your hands in hers and leans towards you for a kiss. It's warm, and soft. Unexpected, but far from unwelcome. It's slow, and guarded, much like her "I haven't done this in a long time Demetria. Just....so wrapped up in my duties." She says quietly as she leans her head against yours, not minding your large horns. "Well, I haven't done this in ever Dilancia, so we'll just have to figure this out together" The colonel smiles and nods quietly, squeezing your hand as you continue your journey, side by side.