Found the Forager

JP with Jiyn, Alexis, Islana and Gonyaul

After a few rounds around the closest farms the investigation group finally finds the forager they were looking for. He is sitting outside a large barn with other workers around a fire enjoying it's warmth and a bowl of hearty soup.

When the forager sees Islana and Jiyn it is obvious he immediately tenses up.

Gonyaul was observing the operations, layout, and decor of the farm. This one was different then the one he worked on in many ways. His gazing around caused his pace to fall behind the rest of the group to bring up the rear.

Islana had become more quiet on the way to the farms. She was more lost in thought but not completely shutting the world would converse if such things occured.

When they found the man they were looking for Islana noticing him tensing up upon looking at herself and Jiyn. She didn't like this. The immediate reaction from the from the forager made her stop for a moment before continuing on.

Alexis took careful note of the forager’s reaction.

Interesting.

Maybe there was more to be found here than anticipated.

Her pose shifted almost imperceptible, preparing.

Gonyaul was looking at a beautiful red bird and almost walked right into the stopped Islana. He came to a halt himself and took a few steps back. His eyes jumped from each of those he came with and then to the forager they were looking at. He was wondering why everyone suddenly got so tense?

Islana took a breath, "Should Jiyn and I stay back while, " Directing the question at Gonyaul and Alexis, "so both of you can go question him?"

Islana had an overwhelming feeling they would get nowhere with the forager if Jiyn and her were standing nearby.

Jiyn looked at Islana and nodded. "I agree. No reason to spook him any further." He said and stayed back with the young woman. In his mind it was Wim they really needed to find anyways.

Now Alexis wasn’t convinced she of all people would make the man feel more at ease. Gonyaul, maybe. But she was not going to argue that while the man was still watching them nervously.

“Very well.“

Alexis continued on and nodded to the little group in greeting.

“Good afternoon, everyone. I am terribly sorry to interrupt your break.”

She made eye contact with the forager in question.

“But might I borrow a bit of your time?”

Gonyaul foremost wanted to question Jiyn on what does spook mean; however, decided now was not the best time.

He continued on with Alexis.

It would have be interesting to peek into the farmhands thoughts to hear what they were thinking with the two of them nearing.

Gonyaul simply bowed in hello. Once to each farmhand. Which must have looked slightly odd with all the multiple bobs up and down.

The man looked at the other farmhands who all ignored the newcomers, their eyes firmly on the bottom of their soup bowls.

The man sighed in resignation. Standing up he said "I've told you and the other guards all I know." He sounded frustrated and a little scared.

Gonyaul looked to Alexis and back at Jiyn and Islana. He thought they were probably done now right? The man said he already told the other guards everything and it seemed to be upsetting him. He had no reason to think the man was lying.

Alexis made an inviting gesture to take a walk, away from his coworkers to something akin to privacy.

“I am not a guard.”
she clarified simply and truthfully.

“But I do have a personal interest in these happenings. So I would like to hear you myself.”

Islana watched what was going on. While part of her was thinking they should have never gone into the woods, a bigger part of her was just hoping that what they found out would put an end to all of it.

Jiyn looked away from the scene and turned to Islana. He looked back across the farm and into the edge of the forest.

"Have you..." He started unsure if he was going to sound paranoid. "Have felt you been watched since our encounter with Omen?"

Islana didn't know how to respond to that. She had spent years looking over her shoulder not out of paranoia but because of a very real threat. She no longer knew what it felt like to not always have the feeling, in her mind, that someone could be watching her.

A deep breath,"Yes, well more like I believe someone has been watching us since we went into the woods. I don't think we're safe."

Jiyn nodded. "But something tells me that if we want to get to the bottom of what it happening we will be spending some more time out here."

Suddenly it started to rain. In the distance a thunderclap reverberated and the afternoon sky turned grey. The young man pulled his cloak around him fighting a deep chill settling on him.

Islana looked at Jiyn, "Yes. I think we will." Normally, that idea wouldn't have bothered her but it did.

The rain seemed to come out of nowhere. Islana could see the sky turning. She assumed it would be black soon. She had a coat but was starting to get wet and she could feel herself getting chilled. A chill she could feel to her bones.

She glanced around to see what Alexis and Gonyaul were doing.