She follows the outgoing patrol

Lux remains still to let the patrol get further into the woods, the dense foliage quickly hiding them. “We’re going after them,” she whispers to Minn. “Need you hidden.”

“Oooh!” Minn perks up. “You mean – ?”

“Ssshhh!” Lux hisses, pressing a finger to her lips and nods. “Yes, fine, get in.”

The familiar scramble as Minn delightedly clambers inside her top. Ugh. Lux manages to avoid grumbling too loudly herself as Minn’s sharp knees and elbows dig into sensitive flesh in search of a comfortable spot. Once the squirming has stopped and she can get her tits settled, she cautiously begins to move after the patrol, hoping she’ll be able to pick up their trail.

She needn’t have worried. The villagers’ steps are clumsy and their breathing heavy as they make their laborious way through the dense forest. Soon she’s able to get a view of them from the side of the path, to suss out exactly what she’s dealing with.

She counts five cloaked villagers, all men, moving in an awkward fashion as they negotiate the rocks and roots that tangle about their feet. All except for one – he seems to take the lead with a little more ease, more aware of his surroundings. As he glances around, Lux gets a better look at his face, and is struck by a sudden sense of recognition. Who…?

His gaze moves closer to Lux’s hiding place, and she ducks aside before he can spot her. Casting her mind back, she remembers the man who first confronted her on her arrival in Hollowstone – the one who seemed to have his wits about him more than most. Gill – that was his name, or something like it. If she can capture him, find a way to break the spell he’s under, he might be able to give her the information that Sylvia and the others need.

It takes a few minutes of tense following before the opening she’s looking for presents itself. As she’d hoped, the villagers’ mental and physical sluggishness works against them in this environment. While the others begin to lag behind, stumbling and snagging on roots and branches, their more focused leader gets further ahead.

“All right,” she whispers to Minn, “get out there and give the main group a glimpse of you. I’ll go get the one who’s up front.”

“Sure, sure.” With a sigh, Minn scrambles up out of Lux’s cleavage and glides away between the trees.

Staying crouched down, Lux murmurs an incantation to cast an invisibility spell. For once, she’s fairly confident that her quarry won’t just see through the magic. Still, she has to be careful how she treads, with dry branches and twigs constantly underfoot, threatening to give her away. Drawing the fairy lance, she waits for the sound of her distraction.

There – a sudden grunt of surprise from behind her, muffled by the trees. The unsteady thump of boots as the men try to pursue their half-seen quarry. Even Gill hears it – he turns, hesitating a moment. This is Lux’s chance…