The layer of wear and grim was pulled away beneath steady hands and cloth.  The smooth stone protrusion brightened amidst the vines.  Panning across, gardens, lamps, alcoves and other paraphernalia dotted the ledge.  While better hidden in some places, the stones formed a backbone to the aesthetic, as the wooden frames were attached too.

Either one could be safely ignored for some years, but it was simple things like these, that kept him grounded.  Errand rubbed his brow.  A dirty yellow coat glistening with equal parts sweat and morning dew.

It wasn’t gonna be long before he ran out of chores to do…

His musings faded to the sound of heavy footfalls nearby.  From the road overhead, they sharpened to a near clack, as the form of the great defender rounded the ramp.

“Barry?”

“Errand.  Just the guy I wanted to see.”

The yellow bear crouched on his perch, “It’s rare to see you off this late in the mornings.  Has something come up?”

Barry nodded, “There has.  Rainbow and I ran into a pair of mages in the northern fields.”

Errand frowned, “Has Bay caught wind of them?”

Berry paused to consider, “He hadn’t, but it can't be long now.  One is a particularly strong sorceress, and Elydias asks that a challenge be extended.  Are you free today?”

Errand shook his head, “I’d need to grab some supplies, but then I can head out at a moment's notice.  Is this gonna be an intervention though?”

“Maybe.  We’re not going to interfere if things are escalating though.  Too much mud in the water as is.”

“I hear that.”  Errand furrowed his brow, “The wildland fields… that’s pretty deep actually.”

“Not when they came down from the basin.”

“Wha- are you kidding?  That’s almost twice as dangerous!  What on-” He shook off his dismay, “Alright, so more intel there than the typical mercy mission.”

Berry smiled brightly, and jogged along, “This is why I want you along.”

With a quick affirming wave, Errand grumbled his thoughts.  Chores could certainly wait for that one.

Tracy was agitated.  It wasn’t so obvious at a glance, steady were her intentions.  After a mile of so, and experience overseeing young mages, Brenda could find it well enough.  Her controlled pace, and the way her magic clipped at potential obstacles.  There was more going on inside her mind than could be seen with an untrained eye.

The lush forest hills didn’t make it easy, and to that end, Tracy was probably better focused on their surroundings.

Brenda resolved to put that worry behind her, and extend her awareness toward the forest, and the creatures that occupied them.  Most magicians were better versed in facing mabeast.  Their holdings across the eastern foothills made them a diplomatic concern.

Those that actually held field experience… Well, it was safe to say that Brenda wasn’t one of them.  Beastkin were faster though, and often described as tricksters.  At the very least, she could keep her person warded.  It was very likely that any footpath they found was used by the beastkin though.  Less likely trapped, but all the more…

The forest quieted.  Clashing of the leaves and underbrush- so soon?

Brenda turned to the source warily, but there was no need for doubt.  Tracy’s aura kicked up directly as a platoon of anthropomorphs charged with hunger in their eyes.

Flame licked the claws of one, to Brenda’s horror.  Creatures of the wilderness that held no reservation for how much damage they could cause.  Already, wind and water were excited by her instincts.

The first to arrive launched into the frey.  A burst of speed that disarmed all else.  Brenda managed to evade the sudden approach, albeit barely.

The grey beast looked up in bewilderment, but hadn’t a moment to dwell.  Dark waves of stirred earth poured into them, sending them sprawling like a cannon shot.

Tracy recouped her magic, using leftover momentum to lay into a beast that thought a window had been made.  The subsequent vortex sank into the ground, and while the two kinsman had been fierce to arrive, the next to approach clapped in amusement.

“My, this is gonna be a lot of fun!” Just shy of laughing as the violet panther crouched low.

There was barely a breath for warning, then she pounced.  Great sweeps with her claws.  Tracy managed to raise a ward, as she rallied her magic.

Alarmingly though, it seemed the cat’s claws were gliding through the barrier, albeit languidly.  The fact that it matched her expression made it all the more terrifying.  An indulgence.

Tracy’s retaliation was no less for it.  Rather, it was her most potent sorcery yet.  A dark current, like a blade drawn from its sheath, caught the cat square in the chest.

Lifted, she oriented for a moment before springing back and latching to a nearby tree.  It didn’t take another heartbeat to reset her stance though, “You don’t visit us often enough.  I’ve gotten tired of watching self important mercs cower, and this one’s got the fire in her.”

With no less fervor than prior, Brenda watched as the cat tried to make a pass at Tracy.  A brief reprieve, before the other beastkin began to surround her.

“It’ll be a race to try and outscrap princess.  Try to put up a bit of a fight though, eh~”

The slur redoubled, as Brenda had not been idle to witness.  A seal stirred beneath the soil.  Three main nodes that kicked up dirt in a familiar pattern, before forming a barrier likened to stained glass.

Thought this was gonna be a slugfest did they?

The boar frowned, “Ah, just had to be a cheap trick.”

The wolf from earlier threw his weight against the shield to make a point.  He managed to cause parts of the barrier to yield, however Brenda took the opportunity to trace a liberal amount of magic across the surface.

The wolf flinched in realization, before screaming his defiance as the arrow of electricity wracked his side.

The charge gave out with a puff, sending the limp creature rolling through the forest.  His friend gripped for a weapon, “Oi.”  And another two crept from the treeline.

Brenda rotated her shield, covering the side that her spell consumed.  She could stand her ground all day, should they stick to ‘cheap tricks’.