Kent placed his hand on the southern edge of the map. His expression was serious.
"This is the path I took three days ago," he said. "I passed through Pinegrove and then Greenhill Forest."
He tapped two small dots near the bottom corner of the map.
"Pinegrove was half-empty when I arrived. People were packing their things," he said.
"Why? What happened there?" Xabi asked.
"They said bandits were spotted in the hills two nights before. Not the usual kind either. These ones had painted faces, wore black cloaks, and moved in groups. They were organized."
That made a few heads turn. Rata frowned and gripped the edge of the table tightly.
"I thought the roads were safe again," he said.
Kent shook his head slowly.
"Not anymore."
He moved his hand to the northeast from the Greenhill Forest.
"Here. Just past Greenhill Forest. A forager from a nearby village told me that he found the remains of a campsite. Torn tents, broken wagons, supplies left behind. But no bodies. Just blood."
Tessa muttered, "Doesn't sound like bandits."
"No, they don't," Kent agreed grimly. "It must be beasts."
He looked around the room before pointing further north.
"Traders from Brambleton said they saw a large shadow moving through the woods near the river. Said it was too big to be a bear. Its eyes were glowing like fireflies."
Xabi spoke softly from the back of the room. "Another beast?"
"Maybe more than one," Kent replied. "Our South Gate guards said they heard howling two nights ago. Said it didn't sound like wolves."
He paused before adding, "If our guards could hear it, I believe whatever that thing is, it is not that far from our village."
The hall went quiet.
The warriors exchanged glances. Even those who had doubts earlier were now listening with full attention.
Kent leaned forward, placing both hands firmly on the table.
"We've been living quietly for too long. Thought we were hidden well enough, small enough to be safe. But whatever is moving out there… It's getting closer. And I believe Riverwood isn't ready."
Tora, still leaning against the far wall, crossed his arms and asked, "So what's the plan?"
"We prepare," Kent said firmly. "We train. We double our guard shifts. We watch the forest. No more wandering alone outside the gates. And if anyone sees anything strange, they report it... immediately."
A few warriors exchanged looks, some with concern, others with quiet resolve. But none of them argued.
Because deep down, they all knew Kent was right. Everyone was silent for a moment.
Then, Rata was the first to speak up. "Wait a minute."
Everyone turned to look at him. Kent nodded, urging him to continue.
"We've got the stone walls now," he said, arms crossed tightly over his chest. "And the gates. Real ones. Not just sharpened logs and rope hinges."
He looked at everyone and added, "I think that kind of safety is enough to deal with the wild beasts."
Tora nodded. "He's right. For the first time, I feel like this place has a real chance. We used to rely on luck and the woods keeping us hidden. But now? We've got something solid. We should use it."
A few warriors murmured in agreement. Heads nodded. The weight of the past days had worn heavily on them, but now, they remembered what had changed.
How different Riverwood looked. How much safer it felt.
But Kent wasn't swayed.
He looked around the room slowly, letting the silence settle.
"You're all quick to trust what we don't understand," he said. "So let me ask... How sure are we that these walls, these gates, won't be taken away just as suddenly as they appeared?"
That pulled the room quiet again.
Some glanced at each other, unsure. No one answered.
Because no one truly knew.
The walls had come without warning. They had done nothing to earn them. And there had been no voice, no message, no demand in return. Just power. Just silence.
Kent leaned forward again, his hands pressing on the table.
"Don't forget that."
But near the back, Xabi stayed quiet, his arms crossed, his gaze locked not on Kent, but on the flickering lanternlight casting shadows across the floor.
His thoughts drifted.
'The walls… they came when Finn ran.'
He had seen it with his own eyes. The boy fleeing from the woods, the beast closing in behind him, and then, the stone rising from the earth like it had always been waiting beneath them.
And now, a book hut stood next to Finn's home. Not just any hut, but one that was magical, that villagers whispered about. Some said the books inside never ran out. No matter how many times they borrowed, more of the same copies would appear.
Xabi narrowed his eyes.
'This didn't feel like the work of gods.'
It felt like something else.
And for the first time, Xabi began to wonder, 'Who exactly is Finn?'
He didn't share the thought. Not yet.
But he would be watching.
Kent's gaze drifted across the room, settling on Xabi.
The young man stood near the edge of the gathering, half in shadow, arms crossed, his eyes unfocused—not watching the map, not listening to the talk. Kent noticed it immediately.
He didn't miss much.
Even though Xabi hadn't said a word against him, Kent knew the kind of man he was. He was sharp, quiet, and observant. And of course, strong.
He was one of the best fighters of the younger generation. If there was anyone in Riverwood who might quietly oppose him, it would be Xabi.
Kent chose his words carefully. "You alright, Xabi?"
The question pulled a few glances, but more than that, it pulled Xabi out of his thoughts. He blinked, shoulders straightening slightly as he looked back toward the center.
"Yeah," he said. "Just tired."
But no one really believed that.
Xabi never tired easily. He was lean, built for movement, trained in the wild. One of the few in Riverwood who could disappear into the woods and come back with enough food to feed five families.
For him to look distracted or worse, unsure, was unlike him.
Kent smiled, keeping his tone light.
"If there's anything on your mind, just let me know. I'm not Old Hann, but I'll be open to ideas. Suggestions. Even doubts."
Xabi hesitated. His eyes flicked briefly toward the direction of Finn's cottage, though no one else seemed to catch it.
What was on his mind wasn't something he could say aloud. Not here. Not now.
Because if what he suspected was true… then Finn wasn't just some strange boy raised by Old Thom.
He might be the reason the village still stood.
"I'm fine," Xabi replied eventually, voice steady. "Just thinking about Old Hann. Hoping he pulls through."
Kent nodded slowly. "We all do."
With that, the room settled again.
Some sat back down. Others stretched or began to speak in smaller groups. The tension had shifted, not gone, but thinned out like morning mist.
Kent didn't press further. He had done what he needed tonight.
He had spoken. He had warned them. And more importantly, he had listened.
Outside, the village fires still burned low. The wind had picked up slightly, rustling the trees beyond the walls. It brought with it the scent of pine, damp earth… and the faint, almost unnoticeable smell of change.
Riverwood had survived another day.
But the days ahead would demand more.
Author's Note:
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