With a sigh, you break your loaf of bread in half and hold it out to him. The dwarf smiles and takes it, then pulls a rock close to your fire and sits on it.

"That's better," he says, as he washes it down with some water from his own flask. "Are ye from around here?" he asks you.

"About half a day's travel," you reply, holding out some cheese for him. He accepts it with a grin. "What about you?" you ask.

"Well, not as close as you, but not too far either," he answers. "I live just the other side of the monastery, about a day's travel to the west."

The two of you eat quietly, and though you worry about going hungry tomorrow, you figure that you'll reach the monastery by evening the next day if your companion is right about how far it is. The monks will put you up and feed you; they are renowned for their hospitality.

Night falls completely, and the dwarf offers you a blanket. It is lightweight but feels soft and warm. You accept it gratefully, and the two of you go to sleep, one on either side of the fire.

You awake some time later, hearing music in the distance. The dwarf and his blanket are gone, but you still have the one he gave to you. The fire has died down to a pile of glowing coals. Wondering where the music is coming from, you rub your eyes and sit up. You can see little moving pinpoints of light off in the forest.

Throwing off your blanket, you get up and, stretching, turn toward the lights. Just then you hear a twig snap behind you, and you turn to see a huge wild cat, crouched and ready to pounce on you. Heart pounding, you leap aside just as it hurtles toward you, and manage to grab and unsheathe your sword. It turns swiftly and pounces again, this time catching you in the shoulder and knocking you sprawling. You cry out in anger and pain, and roll away from its outstretched claws.

The next time it attacks, you manage to hit it with your sword, but it claws you across the chest, slashing easily through your tunic and chainse, leaving you bleeding profusely. An unnatural silence hangs in the air as you realise that you are no match for it, and you're soon going to die.

As you prepare for the next onslaught, however, you hear shouting, and a huge group of people stream out of the woods toward you, led by the dwarf you shared your food with earlier. He goes after the cat with his axe, and it is soon surrounded by other dwarves, some swinging axes, some with hammers, and some with huge picks.

A much slimmer and more fragile-looking creature approaches you. She has long red hair and gossamer wings, like a huge dragonfly. She washes your wounds and bandages them, stopping the bleeding. Your skin feels warm and soothed by her touch, and the pain quickly subsides.

The dwarf, after cleaning his axe, stomps over and grins at you widely. "Why don't ye join us in our dancing?" he bellows cheerfully. "No more wildcats will get you, and ye'll have the time of your life."

You feel completely better, and you happily agree to go dancing with the fae folk.