Why Not.

“No harm in having a little look.” I shrugged. I was sure I would regret those words probably. If I saw the first hint of goblin tracks I was going to the gate house and tell the gate guards and let them handle it.

“Thank you.” She smiled and gave me a kiss on the cheek. It didn't take us to long to reach her house.

“Hey mom.” She let go of my arm and waved to her mother. It wasn't hard to see the family resemblance. Her mom even more well endowed then her daughter and from what Astrid said she was a dairy cow to boot.

“Hey Daisy. Who is your friend?” She looked at me.

“Sigurd and his friends where harassing me, he drove them off.” Daisy smiled.

“Your father will have to have a talk with those boys when he gets home.” Betsy shook her head. I imagined this wasn't the first time some one had messed with Daisy. If anything she was to tender hearted and people would take advantage of that. “Thank you.”

“No problem Ma'am. Daisy says you have been having a pest problem.”

“Yes. I scared it away last night.” Betsy shook her head.

“It still might come back. I can have a look for you.”

“How much will that cost me.” Betsy put her hands on her hip.

“No charge ma'am. Though I wouldn't mind some water from your well for my horse.”

“Sorry I didn't mean to be rude. Its just most humans don't treat us half humans very kind but you did stand up for my Daisy so you have my deepest apologies.” She shook her head. She had a little fire in her. Nothing like her daughter it would seem.

“It's fine Ma'am.” I nodded.

“So where do you keep the food?”

“I will show you.” Daisy said and grabbed my arm leading to a little shack behind the house and pointed at the bag. “It got into that bag.”

“Hmm.” I said looking at the bag. There was a hole of course where what every had torn it open. Smaller scratches as well. Claw marks so not a goblin thankfully.

“See something?” Betsy asked.

“These scratch marks. Three fingers and its bigger then any rodent I am familiar with.” I shook my head. I croched down and looked at the ground where the bag had been before. Some of the feed still on the ground. I picked it up and smelt it but nothing popped out at me. I saw a small trail running toward the wall and scratch marks leading upward.

“It jumped up here and climbed up.” I frowned and reached over and grabbed one of the sticks they used to heard sheep. I poked at the thatching and found the hole where it had got in. “And went through that loss thatching.”

“I will have to get Brutus to repair that.” Betsy shook her head.

“Where did your sheep get attacked?” I asked putting the stick back.

“This way.” Betsy shrugged with her head.

“That is my girl.” She pointed at one of the sheep who looked like it had got in a fight with something.

“Same scratch marks.” I nodded. “This thing is an omnivore. Plant or animal. It doesn't matter what it eats. Where you see it last?”

“Over there. I shot at it but I missed and it ran off.” She pointed. I hoped the fence and walked through the field. Grass is to high for foot prints. The sheep hadn't gotten to this spot yet it seemed. The critter wouldn't have gone this way otherwise. I bent down and picked up the crossbow bolt.

“Find something?” Betsy asked as they both stayed behind the sheep pin.

“You winged it with the crossbow so it must be hurt.” I raised up the bolt for her to see. Crossbows were good for war. They were simple and anyone would fire them with some degree of accuracy. Problem was they were a bitch to reload and lacked the range of a longbow.

“Think it will come back?” Betsy yelled.

“Hard to say but it could also see other in the area as easy pickings. I better hunt it down. Keep an eye on my horse for me. It be best if I go on foot.” I said.

“I can do it. Thank you.”

“Good luck.” Daisy waved.

The blood trail was faint. A few drops here and there but only enough to let me know I was heading in the right direction. Though their was blood there were no tracks. I lost the blood trail but picked up the trail of something in the forest as I found animal fur and blood. Squirrel from the looks of it though there was no body the fur and blood told me something had killed it and then ran off with the body. Recently to. The blood on the leaves were still fresh. Whatever it was had left another trail for me to follow. Some actual prints this time and not just blood. Small prints but noticeable. Four toes but not goblin. It had clawed feet. That explained the scratch marks I saw in the barn. From the spacing of the footprints were bipedal.

“Fuck.” I said under my breath. It walked on two legs which meant I might be chasing something intelligent. It was likely to return to the farm again but would change up it's tactics. Maybe just go for the grain or try something new to get at the sheep. “Where are you?” I round another spot where an animal was killed. A rabbit this time. Not as fresh and no body. Just blood and fur. It had dragged this kill which would point me in the right direction. It would want to bring it's kill back to it's home to not attract other predators and most likely as quickly as possible. I finally found a small burrow ahead of me in a clearing.

“There you are.” I smiled. I drew and arrow and nocked it and held it in place with my left hand. I looked around and saw a few rocks and picked one up and tossed it near the burrow into some bushes trying to make it seem like a critter was nearby. Nothing. I tried again and something peeked it's head out. It glanced around and then came out. It was a small humanoid creature that was completely naked with wings and horns. Fuck. An Imp. Fucking things were even worst then goblins but only because they were sneakier and had wings. Most people who suffered the misfortune of dealing with one often thought they saw an animal. Truthfully I had never seen one but dad had told me about them. In the wild they would climb up trees and move from tree to tree and wait on their prey. Near towns they would steal what they could but never the same place twice so Daisy and Betsy didn't need to worry but their neighbors might. Once it got a few paces from it's hole I popped up and drew my bow. It saw me and went to fly off and up into the nearest tree. I fired and hit it through the wing. My arrow sticking into the wood and pinned it to the tree.

“Got you.” I smiled.

“Fucking human. You shot me. Why asshole. I do nothing to you fucking bastard.” It yelled as I came closer. Had quit a mouth on it.

“No but you did attack a farm nearby.” I shook my head.

“Imp must eat. Cow bitches leave food out. I take bitches food. I eat. You no fucking kill Imp.” She said as she wrapped her hands around the arrow and put her feet on the tree and began to try to pull herself free though was just making her tiny tits bounce as she did.