At The Tipsy Capybara Tavern in Willowside, Demetrius the tavernkeep tended to a stewpot of horse-bone stew supplemented with some local weeds that had been growing inside the town's defense wall. He sighed and shook his head as he finally gave in and added finely minced leather from some old belts for added protein. "This food shortage is killing us," he lamented to himself, "literally!"
The mayor's advisors and aides hunched over one of the tables, updating maps and notes with the latest information regarding the xulgath siege. One young man looked up hopefully as the leathery smell from the stewpot filled the common room, but hope gave way to culinary despair, and he returned to his papers, clutching at his grumbling belly.
The front door opened, letting Midori inside. Her once-red fur had been drained of its color, leaving it snowy white save for the dark circles around her eyes. Her cloak and scout gear had splatters of blood and dirt but otherwise remained undamaged.
Weak shouts of "Midori!" came from the mayor's people.
Demetrius eagerly shot out, "Didja bring back any meat this time? Any food at all?"
Midori shook her head. "No, not this time, sorry. At the dino corrals, the tyrannosauruses ended up eatin' the brontosauruses, so we had to cheese it outta there amid all the chaos. An' at the gug huts...well, nobody should be eatin' ghoul meat...an' we let the gugs escape to go back underground to the Darklands."
Petunia Sunnyridge, one of the mayor's aides, snapped, "Aren't you finished out there yet? The mayor is not pleased with the speed with which you are handling your tasks!"
"Look, Petunia," Midori, her patience wearing thin, shot back at the middle-aged halfling woman, "we just need to clear out the last corral or whatever full o' demon dinosaurs an' xulgaths, then we're comin' back to rest up for the night an' replenish our spells so we'll be prepared for the assault on the massed xulgath army out there. One more day! Give us a break, gods damn it!"
The kitsune sighed and turned to the tavernkeep. "Any booze left?"
Demetrius shook his head. "Nope. I had to add the last of it into the stewpot for the calories. Our reserves are bone-dry. Can I get you a bowl of stew?"
Midori sniffed the air and grimaced. "Hard pass. Save it for the townsfolk."
The blonde halfling interrupted, "Booze? Drinking instead of fighting? Get back out there! Lives are at stake!"
Midori rounded on her, "Hakuna your tatas, lady! I'm here to talk to somebody I met who's willin' to help us all out with the siege. Cayden H. Cailean in a chicken basket! Have some patience! She should be showin' up here any minute now."