Niala was frustrated.

  She was frustratingly cleaning Jasmund's old shop, throwing away rubbish, rubbing out stains and storing her new household goods as best she could.

  She was frustrated because... it was complicated.

  Frustrated at David for not bringing her with him. It was an adventure! Intrepid explorers out and about solving a mystery in the exciting wilderness! That she was missing!

  Frustrated at herself for being frustrated at David. She wasn't a worldly person. In fact, she had to admit she'd been mostly sheltered most of her life. Never really having ventured far out from civilization, she didn't belong out in the wilderness...

  Frustrated at not being there to help David, who was risking his life for her sake. He didn't owe her anything, and yet there he was, traipsing in a place called the Hungerwoods because of how many people disappeared within its hungry vegetation, trying to find a dead man's corpse so she could buy a small dilapidated shop at the far end of the world.

  Frustrated that she was trying to buy a dilapidated shop at the far end of the world. As far from her family and incumbent responsibilities as she could. At being too weak-willed to be the daughter her father had wanted her to be.

  Frustrated at being excited about the prospect of having her own shop away from her family. Something she could build of her own, wholly of her own efforts.

  Maybe with a little help from David.

  Frustrated at how often he invaded her thoughts unbidden.

  I hope he's alright...

  She stopped, blinked a few times.

  “Aaargh!” She shouted.

  It was complicated.

  By mid-afternoon, unable to endure her own company any longer and starting to get worried about David, Niala was at the north gate. She busied herself by exploring the grounds just outside the gate, picking up herb and plant samples, and noting down their locations.

  She would experiment on them later, figuring out which ones were better. People often assumed that any one ingredient was as fine as another, maybe with its freshness being the only factor. After all, one life sprig was as good as any other life sprig, right?

  People were wrong. As her father had taught her and her sister, the same two plants growing within the same garden could have a quantifiable difference in potency and thus impact on a brew.

  A formula is only as good as its ingredients, and ingredients are only as good as an alchemist's sight, smell, and taste can discern. She mentally recalled her father's teachings on the topic.

  So she occupied her mind and hands with cataloguing the various plants and herbs, hoping to collect the best ones for transplanting into her future garden.

  And finally, near the end of the afternoon, she spotted David walking out of the forest. She hurriedly put away her notebook and dusted her hands on her dress as she not-quite-skipped to meet him halfway, forcing herself to calm down as he approached.

  Then she saw that the left side of his face looked scraped, with red, welted lines all along. Concern flashed on her features, but he was walking without any list or limp, so he didn't seem overly injured...

  He gently waved at her, and she returned the gesture. As he came within hearing distance, she spoke up.

  “Are you alright? What happened to your face?”

  “I hugged a bear.”

  “You what?! Are you serious?! Are you hurt anywhere?” She blurted out, quickly giving him another once-over, looking for any other injuries.

  He held his hands up, “I'm fine, don't worry. Grumble bear fur is like razor wire, that's all.”

  She looked unconvinced. “What's a Grumble bear?”

  “Hmm. The worst-named bear in existence. Stay away from them.” He sagely advised. He took a look at her and her slightly dirtied dress.

  “Were you waiting for me?”

  She stopped trying to spot any hidden injuries on his person as her brain seized up, ears frozen in place.

  “I... huh... I was cataloguing plants! And herbs!”

  “Out here? Nothing to do with this being the first place I'd be on my return?”

  “Nope!” She lied as she spun around to hide her face. “Let's go!” She pointed at the gate as she started marching.

  He smiled. “Right behind you.” He said, his tone solemn as he continued. “Let's go to the town hall and see if the mayor is available. I need to talk with him.”

  She glanced over her shoulder. “Did something happen?” She asked, a mix of concern and curiosity.

  “Yes, but I just don't know what happened exactly.”

  He offered no further explanation. She sighed, letting him be his cryptic, mysterious self that he enjoyed being so much, as she angled towards the town hall.

  A half bell later found them, Erick the clerk, and Mayor Caleb in one of the meeting halls.

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Mayor Caleb, a middle-aged, spindly dogkin man with well-trimmed, greying hair and beard, clasped his hands as he deliberately observed David and Niala before speaking.

  “Mr. David, my good Erick here tells me you sought me out on official Free Courier business? Did my office make a posting that I am not aware of?”

  David shook his head. “No. I went into the Hungerwoods on an unrelated affair, which would not concern you. However, as I investigated, I came upon a situation which might require your attention.” He explained as he unfurled the two cargo cloths he had stored the remains he'd found in the forest.

  Caleb, Erick and Niala observed the stored images with interest.

  Caleb asked as he tried to make out the details. “I believe I spot several humanoid remains. Is that the case?”

  He squinted and frowned. “While I thank you for returning these to be properly interred, the Hungerwoods are known to be rife with the unfortunates. What am I missing here that would warrant my attention?”

  David nodded. “These,” he pointed at the cloth on the left, with the 7 skeletons he had found in the area directly around the bear's den, “Were all found within 100 meters of each other, more or less, while those,” He pointed at the cloth on the right, with the dozen plus skeletons mixed with the animal remains, “Were all found within one individual bear den, also within that 100 meters.”

  Caleb slowly let his gaze wander over the pointed remains as he thought. “Erick, do you think this many people expiring within such a small radius, even within the Hungerwoods, feels natural?”

  Erick the clerk pondered the question for a few seconds. “I would say it depends on the period of time over which these deaths occurred.”

  “Hmm, quite so...” Caleb agreed, turning to David. “Do you have reason to believe these deaths to be recent affairs?”

  David shrugged. “I'm not an expert on skeletons, but none of the bones that I found outside were brittle. It couldn't have been a very long period of time. I didn't really have the time to inspect the bones that I found inside the den, so I can't speak for them.”

  He moved to the cloth with the bones from the den. “Do you mind if I extract its content? We can give them a better look.”

  Caleb assented after a moment. “As long as no mess is left within the room afterwards.”

  David nodded before looking at Erick. “I also think one of those remains is Jasmund's, which is why I was there in the first place.”

  Erick's eyes widened slightly. “Ah, yes, the long-term absentee you inquired about yesterday.” He remembered.

  David nodded, pulling out the stupid music box. “From what Mr. Hodge told me, this stupid music box was signed with Jasmund's mana. This should be proof enough to identify his remains?”

  Erick pushed back his glasses. “We will need Mr. Hodge's official testimony on the matter, but yes, that would be probably acceptable.”

  David dipped his head before approaching the cargo cloth from the bear den and extracting its contents. A slightly earthy and musky scent wafted from the remains.

  David put on the leather gloves that were tucked into his belt as he began sorting out the animal and humanoid bones into two piles as best he could, while every cloth and leather scraps, pouches and other objects went into a third.

  Niala started pointing out some of the bones that David had sorted. “Those, those and those are from animals. While these,” She pointed to a few others, “Are from humanoids. The one you're holding is a human's.”

  Everyone, David especially, looked at her.

  “... what? Bones are very common alchemical ingredients, and mixing them up can make a healing brew turn into a stomach-voiding one. Any self-respecting alchemist must know how to recognize them.” She stated matter-of-factly, the tip of her tail swishing.

  David looked down at the bones, back up to her. “Point them out for me, please.”

  She smiled and proceeded to do just that. As the piles grew and Niala had a chance to observe the bones, she spoke up.

  “You might want to ask an actual healer or chirurgeon, but these all look to be relatively recent as far as bones go. Maybe 20 to 30 years? Less?”

  Caleb and Erick, who had been observing the process, shared a glance. Caleb spoke. “I see. That is a rather short period of time, relatively speaking. Is that what you were afraid of, Mr. David?”

  David stopped his sorting and stood up, dusting his gloves on his pants.

  “Pretty much. I'd say either that bear learned how to hunt humanoids and dragged them all back to his territory, or something or someone has been dragging your citizens and visitors into that part of the woods to kill them or dump their corpses, the bear just being happy that he was getting food delivery.”

  Caleb stood still before slowly dipping his head, ears pointing up. “Erick, could you go fetch guard captain Ma-Ke-Lo, healer Cassandra and Mr. Joshua, please?”

  Erick nodded and left, as Caleb turned to David and Niala.

  “There does indeed appear to be something of concern here. Thank you both for your time and effort on the matter. Could I ask that the remains be left here for further examination?”

  David shrugged. “Doesn't matter to me, but we'll have to move them off of my cargo cloths. Also, before I forget...”

  He grabbed the stupid music box and bent down, touching it to all of the humanoid skulls he'd found one after another.

  Eventually, the stupid music box opened and started playing a sad little tune.

  “Hello, Mr. Jasmund,” David said as he picked up Jasmund's skull and smiled at Niala, holding a grinning skull and a music box plonking out a sad tune in one hand each.

  “Don't do that, it's creepy...” She said, a shiver going up her tail.

  He made his smile extra creepy.

  David and Niala walked out of the town hall as afternoon became evening.

  Niala was almost prancing ahead of him, holding a freshly signed ownership contract in her hands as she stared at it as if it was going to disappear if she didn't, a giant smile on her face, ears twitching furiously.

  She glanced back at David, who was placidly following her, before returning her gaze to the contract.

  “My own place!” She exclaimed.

  She jumped and turned on the spot, facing David.

  “My own place!” She repeated proudly, beaming him a smile.

  “Hmm. Do you have a name in mind for it?” David asked.

  Her smile evaporated as she brought a finger to the corner of her mouth, staring up at the sky, deep in thought, before smiling and giving him a thumbs up.

  “Panacea Potions!”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Potions that cure all? A bold claim.”

  She let her thumbs up falter. “Do you think it's too arrogant?” She asked with some concern.

  He shrugged. “Are you confident you can cure anything with your potions?”

  She spread her feet apart and rested her fists on her hips. “Everything that can be.” She said, resolute.

  He smiled, “Then it's a good name, right? Your father always said there was no shame in knowing your strengths and letting people know.”

  She crossed her arms, slightly leaning in his direction. “Stop using my father's saying as if you were there! It's verbal thievery!” She said, pouting.

  He chuckled and resumed walking towards the newly minted Panacea Potions shop. As he passed Niala, who stood in place and kept glaring at him, he reflexively patted her head. By the time his brain caught up to what he was doing, it was too late. He kept walking, subtly increasing his pace.

  Niala was frozen, shock on her face.

  Then she turned tomato red.

  Then her face scrunched up.

  She took off running after him, fists ready to deliver punches.

  He accelerated.

  “WAAAAAIIT!!! COME BACK HEEERREE!!!”

  They ran all the way to Niala's shop.