"... and therein lies the problem," the elder finished, rubbing his reddened nose and then glancing at her with his blue-gray eyes. In a way the bandits new their blight fairly well, the villagers were too superstious to use the forest to the south, there were too many paths there, it was easy to get lost, and oh yes, it was haunted. At least they thought so. But if someone could prove it wasn't and the bandits were forced to prey on them there at least they would not be so certain as to where the merchants would be traveling and thus their ambushes would be tougher to set up.

Jorge was due back in two weeks time and would deal with the bandits then though until then they could get no new supplies and thus anything heading out of the village for the most part was in danger of being seized. But the forest to the south was large and there were paths exiting it to the very south, along the east and west in numerous spots so anyone going there could confuse ambushers, hopefully, at least until Jorge got back from his holy pilgrammage.

In any case, it seemed like easy money. No one was asking her to deal with the bandits just to check out this ancient forest for a few days, and by doing so teaching some skittish farmers that it was safe there or at least safer then the roads heading to the west where the bandits often dwelled. There was nothing close to the east, not for a few days anyway and thus going that way wasn't too practical and with the mountains to the direct north the village was fairly isolated. Nothing could get in from the west, or out in that direction though they could pop out to the south and give the problem areas a wide birth.

The bandits could always pull back and set up their ambushes there but the first few villagers should get through alright and Jorge would be back soon, hopefully before the bandits figured this little trick out.

The headmaster of the village gazed at her, he studied her for a moment and spoke, raising to his feet and making a few paces towards the open window where he looked out at the forest in the distance. "Unfortunately, the village does not have much at this time to pay you with, save for our graditude and hospitality whenever you venture into these parts and this ..."

He took off an amulet he wore, a jade token with an inscription resided on it to ward off evil spirits the amulet might be worth a bit of money to a collector and it was this that he now presented her with.

Delia had been surprised, she had arrived at this new world, having hidden her ship thankful for stealth tech and was looking around for some work to do, when she found this village in trouble, she thanks to her cute looks was no bandit and she was easily accepted inside, she had talked to the Elder and was informed of things, such as the Bandits, she even offered her services as a Mercenary, and now listened to the Elder's words about the forest, that needed to be quelled of rumours so the farmers could use it to get around better as she smiled softly and stood up gently she did look like a dashing young maiden with her Red hair flowing till it rested on her cute rump she wore a tubetop and tight short shorts, which where hidden by an almost skirt and jacket, though the jacket only covered half of her form as she smiles.

"Your reward is more than enough Elder...besides, it's no in my nature to not help out someone who needs it, I'll set out right away," She said gently cupping her hands to take the amulet and carefully put it on her and smiled and bowed her head, "I'll return as soon as I can," She said as she turned and headed out of the door passing by some of the villagers with smiles and nods to them all as she headed to what she said was her 'caravan' which was her ship, having it in stealth mode kept anyone from finding it as she got a light travel pack with some food and also if needed camping supplies, as she headed on her way...heading towards the 'Haunted' Forest that the Farmers where scared of...

"Thank you," the elder responded with a smile of his own. He watched her depart as he remained at the window following her movements until she dipped out of sight. At her ship she gathered up the supplies that she assumed that she would need while out at the forest though she soon found out why the place was avoided by the villagers as she got there.

The trees were ancient towering things, their canopies allowing little light to filter down to the forest floor generating a perpetual gloom. That was the smallest concern as she made her way on seeing several lizards and snakes along the way though these she deemed where harmless, they didn't cause her any trouble any way.

So the place was a little dark and a bit creepy but nothing that told Delia it was haunt -

There came a shrill wail in the distance that disturbed a few roosting birds from their lofty perches. While she could see nothing initially with the gloom her that didn't mean there was nothing her. Whatever the case, the fear of the villagers seemed warranted.

Delia looked in awe at the trees where ancient and towering high up as she gulped and looked around gulping a little as she walked through seeing some lizards and snakes but shrugged off the fact they lived in here, before she suddenly heard a wail like noise causing some birds to fly up as she looked around, while it was scary, there wasn't anything here worth worrying about as she sighed and kept moving forward looking left and right and upward for any signs of trouble, while it was scary there wasn't anything dangerous.

"I'll admit the rumours are justified, but nothing here seems dangerous," She said as she continued walking ahead trying to find a possible camp site just incase she needed one, she looked around at each towering tree..but something inside her told her to go where that wail came from as she carefully moved forward.

Gathering her nerve she pressed on, eyes scrolling through the gloom as she searched out a suitable campsite should one be needed. It was only a few minutes later that she found one set atop a portion of hilly terrain there was an ancient tree that rest atop of it, some of the roots of the ancient tree where above ground at least partially, making a natural cave at it's base.

A quick look inside and she didn't see any snakes or insects immediately so if it rained the place would suite her well. As she thought to herself whether or not to check out whatever was making the wailing sound she felt the rush of air pass by her face, more appropriately her cheek.

The thunk of a crude arrow could be heard sinking into the bark of a nearby tree catching her attention at once as her gaze swung immediately in the direction of the attack though with the gloom she could not see anything, then thunk! Something fired at her again from behind that cluster of trees in the near distance.

Delia smiles as she finds the tree with it hollowed out inside, she could use it as a place to cover, but before she set down her bag she heard a noise and an arrow imbedded into the bark, as she widened her eyes as she heard a noise and moved to the side narrowly avoiding another shot, "Who's there!?" She called out looking around and made sure her back was to the tree so nothing attacked her from behind.

She looked at the Cluster of trees with narrowed eyes looking around for any sign of danger as she was ready to move, the girl didn't like this...but how could the Bandits...if this was one of them already be trying the forest too...this complicated things for her no doubt as she tried to find her unknown attacker.

Thoughts streamed through her head, was this an attack by the bandits? Who other than the elder knew she was here? It made no sense as she called out, her answer had been another arrow closer than the last two as the target honed in on her though it seemed they, or it, or whatever had been affected by the gloom as well but given those near shots had been fairly adapt at his or her craft.

She could not hear anything, though she swore she saw something dart out from behind one tree to another, getting closer to her position attempting to see her better. A heart beat went by, then two before another arrow was launched in her general direction though the aim was off this time as an arrow connected with a tree about two away of her position.

She once again saw a shadowy shape dart out from behind a tree to take up cover behind another. It leaned out quickly as if to take a shot but no shot came and it soon darted to a large rock set into the ground a bit closer to her position. It appeared to be a shadowy humanoid shape, one from what she could tell given the frequency of the shots though there could have been more further back holding their position. She had not gathered up much more information than this, whoever. There was one or more humanoid hostiles out there and they were closing in on her.

One thing she could be certain of was that ghosts didn't have a need for corpreal weapons.

Delia reached into her bag and got one of her weapons a simple rifle she had just incase as she looked around franticly before she began moving away from the tree watching the shadows, "Listen I'm not here to cause trouble, I just wanted to check if this forest was safe for passing through farmers, I mean no harm to anyone!" She called out moving around to avoid any more arrows.

She was worried now she had no idea how many where around, or what they were at all, and that scared her, she could be facing a pack of hunters or something strange, something she wasn't a fan off as she looked around again for the figure or figures.

The scope on the rifle allowed her to see better, but when she focused on the last area that she saw the figure she realized fairly quickly it wasn't there. Nor was anyone responding to her words. Silence prevailed so it was either not out there or bidding it's time. Another thought occurred to her that it was closing in on her, ever so slowly creeping forward while remaining hidden from her.

A scary though that she had to push aside given her cirumstances she could not afford to loose her cool now. Then she saw it, it was nearly too late but she was able to bring the muzzle of the rifle up in time to deflect the metal object she barely gleaned, a knife or blade of sorts accompanied by a stark grunt as a wild eyed humanoid clad in thick hides leapt at her from the darkness.

Slung over it's back was a bow and quiver, so this may have been the individual firing at her, or so seemed likely.

Delia gasped as she just blocked the knife with the gun of hers and looked at the strange humanoid, "Why're you attacking me!?" She said in fear as she tried to push him away so she could get the gun pointing at him, but the poor girl was terrified now as she looked at the humanoid...struggling to keep him back.

Her body was sweating a little from the excitement of this attack and also fear as she kept trying to fighting the humanoid off wondering why he tried to attack her.

At this close range she was quick to realize that the "humanoid" was human, he had a wild look about him and in the darkness it had been hard to image that he was something other than a simple man wearing animal skins.

As she tried to back up the two fold combination of stumbling on a root from the tree and the figure dropping low to get beneath her gun and slam into her chest following her back towards the ground.

Delia could hear him breathing in a raspy manner though he did not move to address her, remaining solely on attacking her for whatever reason as he fought to contain her on the ground her grasp on his right forearm the only thing stopping him from bringing his blade up to her throat.

Delia gasped as she tripped on a rooft and hit the ground hard as the man laid ontop of her raspy for breath as she held onto the arm holding the blade to keep him from stabbing her with it as she tried to use her legs to try and kick him away.

"Get off me!" She glared as she pushed back against him trying hard to turn the knife on him if she had too. All she could think about was survival.

She was scared that was for sure but she kept fighting back against his grip grunting.

He was strong, that was for sure and it was taking all she had to grip his forearm to keep the blade at bay. What's worse was that the rifle's barrel at this range was too long for her to angle it and shoot at him. He was simply too close now for that, his hand on the barrel trying to press it aside, struggling against her grip as she struggled beneath him.

Able to wrench the gun from her grasp it landed a few feet away from her at her side, his weapon hand still struggling to move against her grasp when he hauled off and struck her on the cheek with a slap from the empty hand, using the sting pain to his advantage as he managed to slam her right hand down upon the ground pinning it there as he wrestled against the other.

"Hold still, damn you!"

Delia gasped as her gun was knocked out of her grip and her left hand pinned to the ground her right one keeping the blade away from her throat as she grunted as she heard him finally speak and glared at him.

"No! I'm not going to let you kill me!" She yelled as she kept holding his weapon back with all the strenght she could into her right hand while fighting his grip, scared for her life now as she glared heatedly.

"Have it your way," he retorted as their two bodies continued to struggle on the ground, his arm straining as he struggled against her grip he stradled her, pulling her pinned arm down to her side then pinning it beneath his knee to free up his hand.

Once that is done he brings the other arm to bare against her own using it to assist his other as he pulled her arm away, pinning it at her side, then beneath his other knee. He remained motionless for a moment, raspy breathing falling from his mouth before he collected himself well enough to begin moving again this time a hand skimming down her side, cradling a breast as then gave it a squeeze.

"Nice ..."