"Not every night," Aelric says. He furrows his brow in thought. "A couple nights a week usually. It's odd though. One night it will come and kill a single animal. Then the next time it returns it kills three or four. Some nights it attacks this farm. Other nights the next farm over. And on some nights it will attack both farms."
He raises a hand and waves it about indicating the surrounding farmland. "We believe it burrows underground. We've found holes in the earth. Sometimes just one or two. Other times more."
The old farmer looks back to the three companions. "No, we refrain from being outside after dark as much as we can. I'm not certain what Larz was doing outside. Perhaps he heard something." Aelric shakes his head slowly. "I'm just not sure." He points a long boney finger at the boy Gemlia is tending to. "That's his son. Maybe he can tell us. If he lives..."
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"Barth!" Someone calls as Gemlia tends to the boy. "The boys name is Barth!"
The crowd parts and a woman emerges from it's midst. "I can take it from here," she says to the dwarf. She then turns and orders some of the men to get the boy inside the farmhouse.
As Barth is picked up and carried away the woman turns to face Gemlia. "Thank you," she says before turning and hurrying off.