Into a trap!

The halfling went down a steep embankment near the creek, and Morgala followed. She was really looking forward to getting her hands on this little thief!

But, unlike the road or the slope of the hill, the low ground was soft, and Morgala lost a shoe as her feet sank into the mud. The hem of her dress was also getting wet and dirty, but she pressed on. This wasn't about a few eggs in the face and all over her house. It was about honor! And serving her mistress.

But the each step in the squelchy mud was getting more difficult. Being much lighter, the halfling wasn't sinking in as much with each step. Morgala, panting, started to slow down.

"Hey fatty! I knew you couldn't catch me!" the girl yelled, in a surprisingly husky voice for her small body. That was all the inspiration the maid needed--she was back on the heels of her quarry. Not too far down along the riverbank, she stopped in front of some large bushes, and set the chicken cage down. Had she given up?

Morgala noticed the orc with the mace emerge from the bush too late to keep from almost tackling her. She lost her balance as the Orc dodged, and landed face-down in the muck. Climbing too her feet as quickly as she could, she froze. The halfling had a dagger at her back. Then, she heard a light thud. Looking up, she saw an elf with a bow had just jumped from the tree above. She was tall and thin, with purple eyes and jet black hair--almost a fairytale stereotype of an elf, especially in the presence of Morgala, who was so far removed from that ideal. "Let her up," she commanded, and the halfling pulled the dagger away.

"Who are you?" the frightened servant asked. "Ah-ah-ah, I'm the one asking the questions here," the tall elf responded. Leaning her bow against a tree, she snapped off a piece of grass and chewed the end of it. "Thanks for the chicken."

Morgala, wiping mud from her face, bristled at that. "That chicken isn't mine, it belongs to my mistress--"

"There it is. You disgust me," the tall elf interrupted. "What kind of elf are you, fatter and dumpier than most humans. And of course, you're a SERVANT of a human. If you were any other elf, I'd tell you to get some self-respect. But, you're not any elf, you're...you. Whatever that is."

"Want me to get rid of her, boss?" the Orc asked, speaking for the first time. "No, Umaki. We need her."

"I wish I could say I was relieved to hear that," Morgala said, pouting. "She's a funny one in more ways than one!" the halfling laughed. "You'd best keep that sense of humor," the tall elf said, "since you'll always be the butt of all the jokes." Snickering, the halfling slapped her backside on the word "butt."