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Leader tucked the granary job posting into their cloak, making the decision with a resigned sigh. It seemed like the most pressing task, and the promise of quick coin was too tempting to ignore. They turned back toward the tavern door, taking a last moment to inhale the warm, comforting scent of stew and fresh bread before stepping out into the cold again.
Outside, the team had regrouped near the edge of the square. Youngest had already secured a room at the inn, Healer was brooding as Youngest shook the rusty keys in front of them, and Right Hand was leaning against a wall, arms crossed, watching with a smirk.
Leader approached as they took out the granary job posting, their face unreadable so they don't give away anything. They took a moment to meet Right Hand’s gaze before speaking. "Got us something to do."
Right Hand straightened, not looking very enthusiasted. "You found something already?"
"Yeah. Someone has been stealing from the granary, but there’s no sign of forced entry. They’re offering a good payment for whoever can figure it out." Leader glanced around with a strange feeling but dismissed it, continuing. "I think it’ll be a quick in and out."
Youngest, eager for something to break up the monotony, leaned forward. "That doesn’t sound too bad."
Healer raised an eyebrow. "Could be trouble, too. If there’s something in there and not someone."
Leader nodded, folding the paper in half. "Exactly. Which is why we are just going to take a quick look and see what if we want. We’ll decide from there."
Healer still seemed unsure but gave a shrug. "You’re the one in charge."
"Alright then," Leader said, turning back toward the village center.
The team followed, the air between them tense, each lost in their own thoughts. The granary wasn’t far, just behind a few houses. It was a simple wooden structure, small but looking strong, with a thick door secured by an iron latch. The scent of dry grain took over the cold air, but something about the place felt... off.
The granary keeper was waiting outside, an old man with a weathered face and sharp, nervous eyes. He seemed relieved when he saw the group approach, but there was an unease in his stance.
Leader walked up to him, the others falling into step behind. They came to stop one step away from the door, but the man smiled. Leader took that as permission. "Granary keeper." They began. "We came to look if we can do anything for theproblem."
The keeper nodded quickly, his eyes flicking nervously to the others before returning to Leader. "Yes, yes, thank you. I’ve been losing goods for weeks, but I can’t figure out how they’re getting in. No tracks, no nothing... it’s as if they vanish right into thin air." He rubbed his hands together, desperately trying not to scare them. Leader guessed if they looked only a little friendly, the man would be clinging onto them. "I need someone who can watch over it tonight. Please. I can’t afford to lose any more."
Leader hesitated, a frown forming involuntarily. "I was thinking a quick investigation would suffice. We’ll have a look inside and see what we’re dealing with."
"No," the granary keeper said, his voice bleeding urgency. "You don’t understand. It happens at night. I’ve tried watching myself, but... I don’t have the strength to stay awake long enough. You’ll have to stay overnight, or you won’t catch whatever it is."
Leader’s eyes narrowed, their patience wearing thin. They had hoped for a quick, simple task, they needed to get some rest before eventually heading back out. They glanced over their shoulder at the team, but saw no immediate objections. They could still leave, could tell the keeper they weren’t up for a long shift.
But the granary keeper’s pleading look made them pause. "You’ll be paid for the full night," the man added, almost as if reading their hesitation. "Just... please."
A moment passed, tension rising in the air. Leader eyed their team and breathed out slowly. "Fine. We’ll do a full night watch."
The keeper sighed in relief, muttering thanks as he unlocked the door to the granary. Leader turned to the team, who were now looking at them with varying degrees of resignation and curiosity.
"We’ll get set up inside," Leader said, trying to maintain their calm and went in.
The interior of the granary was dimly lit by a few flickering oil lamps, the smell of dried grain hanging in the air. The walls were lined with large sacks stacked high, with only narrow paths through the middle for walking.
Leader set their pack down, rubbing their sore arm as they surveyed the surroundings. Their body protested the movement, but they forced themselves to remain upright, determined to keep a strong front. This was just a quick job, after all.
"Right," Leader said, breaking the silence. "We’ll take shifts. Keep your eyes on the sacks and doors. If you see anything strange, report it immediately."
Right Hand was the first to speak up. "You look like you need some rest."
Leader shook their head quickly. They always did watches in groups for safety. "I’m fine. I can keep watch."
Right Hand studied them for a moment, then shrugged. "Suit yourself."
But before anyone could settle into the long hours ahead, Youngest let out a quiet groan. "I don’t know, Leader. The bed at the inn is looking a lot more tempting now," they said with a half-smile, stretching their arms above their head. "I've— we paid for a bed."
Leader shot them a sharp look, but Youngest was already turning away. "I’ll be at the inn if anything happens," they added lightly, almost as if it was a joke, but Leader knew if they asked theyd be chased away..
Healer, who had been silently adjusting their satchel, didn’t even look up at first. But then they let out a long sigh, rubbing the back of their neck. "You know, if I go back to the inn and rest for a bit, I might be in better shape if something happens later. Just to—well, you know, be able to help more," they said, sounding unconvinced even to themselves. "I’m sure you’ll be fine here. But we can't leave Youngest on their own."
Leader’s jaw clenched as they simply stared. Healer avoided their gaze. "You’re serious? All of you?"
Healer offered an apologetic shrug. "We all need rest."
Leader looked around— Right Hand wasn't meeting their eye and Youngest had already headed for the door. They clenched their fists, and then released. This was their fault. They were supposed to know their team couldn't keep a pace. They couldn’t keep the team there, not if they didn’t want to stay. A long silence passed, only broken by the rustling of sacks and the sound of footsteps fading away.
Leader exhaled slowly, forcing their voice to stay steady. "Alright. Fine. Go. Just don’t be far if something goes wrong."
They couldn’t deny the cold emptiness in their chest as they watched the last of their team leave, one by one, seeking warmth or rest. The granary suddenly felt much colder than it had when they first entered.
For a long moment, Leader stood there alone, their back against the rough wooden wall of the granary. The shadows stretched long and eerie in the dim light. Their exhaustion crept in with the stillness, but they wouldn’t let it take them. Not yet.
"Just a few hours," they whispered to themselves. "Then I’ll get them back. I just need to give them a few hours."
They sank down against the wall, the silence of the empty granary pressing in on all sides, making the air feel heavier. The creak of the wooden beams overhead was the only sound that broke the stillness.
Still, Leader knew they couldn’t back down and go to the inn now.
Not when they had promised to finish it.
Hours didn't pass, and Leader found themselves picking up their own bandages. They were damp. Not with blood, but with something colder. Dark veins spreaded out from beneath the healing claw wound, the bruising strange—wrong. The skin around it pulsed faintly with a dull ache that echoed with every heartbeat, slow and reluctant.
Leader swallowed thickly and peeled the old wraps off, fingers trembling slightly from cold or fatigue, they didn't know. The wound wasn’t open, not exactly, but it looked like something was trying to bloom beneath the skin. They grit their teeth and doused it with water from their flask, the icy sting waking up every nerve in their arm.
They rewrapped it tight and yanked their sleeve back down, standing with a wince. No rest for the restless. They needed movement. Fresh air. Or at least, a patrol around the building to make sure they weren’t missing anything.
They stepped out into the night, boots crunching softly on frost-laced dirt. The cold bit through their clothes almost instantly, sharper than it had been earlier. The sky was clouded now, hiding the stars. Leader kept to the perimeter of the granary, eyes scanning the tree line, the buildings, the rooftops. No motion. No threat.
But the feeling didn’t leave.
Their breath fogged in front of them, and the wound throbbed again—harder this time, like it knew.
*You’re alone again.*
Leader froze. The voice wasn’t real, it couldn’t be. It floated through the air like smoke, soft and intimate. Close.
*They left you. Again. Just like before. Wasn’t one betrayal enough?*
They spun, eyes searching the darkness, but there was no one there.
*You always push them away, and they always leave you when you don't. That’s why you end up like this. Lonely and afraid. I can taste if even. You're afraid. I like it better when you’re afraid.*
“Shut up,” Leader muttered, jaw clenched so tight it ached. “You’re not real.”
But the voice didn’t argue. It only laughed, low and amused, slipping into the wind like it had never been there at all.
Leader cursed under their breath and began to walk faster, circling around the building, checking doors and windows. Their heart was pounding now, their injured arm starting to throb in rhythm with it. They couldn’t let it get to them. Couldn’t drift too far. Not like last time.
They were just coming back toward the front when they saw movement near the entrance.
Someone.
Their muscles reacted before their mind did. A figure moved, slipping through the granary door, quiet and deliberate. Leader broke into a run, closing the distance in seconds. The door creaked open and they surged through it, shoulder hitting the figure square in the ribs, driving them down to the ground.
They straddled the intruder, one hand gripping the front of their cloak, the other already half-reaching for their knife. "Who are you?!"
The figure groaned, blinking up at them in confusion. "Wh—what…?"
It was the granary keeper.
He stared at them, dazed, eyes glassy and unfocused. “What’s… what’s going on?”
Leader blinked. “You broke in your own stocks.”
“I—” He looked around, visibly shivering. “I don’t remember coming here. I was asleep. I was—my bed—"
Leader slowly let go, pushing themselves up, still on edge. "You were feeding something. There are sacks open. Food missing."
The keeper sat up, eyes wide and distant, as if only just registering the sacks nearby, the torn bags spilling dried grain like entrails. "I… I don’t remember doing any of this. Why would I…?"
Leader crouched beside him, still wary. “Did you eat before bed? Drink anything odd?”
“No.” His hands trembled. “I’ve been tired lately, but… this doesn’t make any sense.”
Outside, a low whine echoed in the quiet.
Leader stood, moving toward the door. A few shapes lingered just at the edge of the streetlamp’s light—lean dogs, too thin to be anything but strays. They watched silently, tails low, ears back, like they were waiting.
Leader turned slowly toward the keeper. “You've been feeding them.”
He shook his head. “What? How? I wouldn't, I can barely make it myself!”
"We’ll figure it out. But I’m not letting you be alone tonight."
The keeper didn’t argue. He looked hollow now, ashamed. Leader turned back toward the door, locking it behind them with one final glance at the dogs still watching in the dark.
Something about this wasn’t right. Leader could feel it deep in their bones—this was more than sleepwalking. More than hunger. And it wasn’t over.
Not that they had many solutions. They had a sleep walker. The obvious was to take them to the village healer, who would soothe the old man's nerves and explain the sleep walking, sleep feeding.
Which happened exactly. Except the village healer kept looking at their arm while tending. Leader felt like they were being scolded even, though there were no words. Only after the granary keeper fell asleep the village healer turned to them.
"You reek."
"Of what?" Leader asked, caught off guard after a very long silence.
"Of misfortune."
Leader chuckled. One way to put it.
"Will you let yourself ve cared for, or has your path already cursed you with loneliness?"
Leader...
stayed silent
dismissed the concern
left without a word