"Working these stretches is a toss-up really. On one hand, wild beasts are easier to deal with than bandits and the likes, with better loot too when you're done. On the other hand, sticking around too long might dull your instincts a bit, which if you usually do merc work ain't exactly desirable." - Oleg Sewraniv, retired freelance mercenary from Boroes.

It was not until the third day of their travels before Cal saw why caravans in this stretch of road always had at least ten guards per wagon. The so-called wild animal activity in the region was not exaggerated in the least, and with how long the roads stretched, it was impractical to patrol them regularly.

The caravan was beset by a large pack of large wolves with bronze-colored mane. They numbered at least a hundred, maybe more - it was hard to tell since the grass by the roadside was almost tall enough to cover the wolves entirely - and the hired adventurers quickly formed a defensive circle around the wagons.

Cal herself had not joined in, as she stood atop some of the piled crates on a wagon - the crates were more than sturdy enough to support her weight - and kept watch of the situation. Kino and Dan also stayed on the wagon, while everyone else chipped in to help with the situation.

The adventurers had not truly needed any help though. The wolves were just regular wild animals, easy enough for even the newer adventurers to fend off with the spears they carried.

Before too long, the wolves withdrew with their tails between their legs. Around thirty of the pack were dead, and the adventurers quickly gathered the bodies. The pelts were carefully removed from the dead wolves, a task left to those more skilled with their hands, while the flesh was traded for a small sum to the merchants.

After all, the mounts of the merchant's eight personal guards were carnivores, and while most adventurers wouldn't eat wolf meat - due to its unsavory taste - unless in dire straits, those mounts were far less picky.

Since the wolves died cleanly to single thrusts most of the time, the pelts were in decent shape. Fyodor had helped out with his magic, and those he killed had near pristine pelts, since he had used magic to manipulate his projectiles so that they ravaged the insides while the pelt was left nearly untouched.

None of the adventurers minded that Cal's group had not helped much against the wolves. Those were easy to deal with, and besides one look at the weapons they wielded and the adventurers would rather deal with the beasts themselves rather than have them turned to unsalvageable lumps.

The wolves were the only trouble they ran into that day. For the adventurers, it was practically extra money delivered right to their doorstep, for a bit of easy work. The pelts they gathered would fetch another small sum in Alfheim, while the flesh already turned to a handful of coins.

It was another two days before they had another encounter with the local wildlife, a more serious one that had Cal's group join in the fight properly.

The caravan had traveled near a hill when they halted after hearing shrill bird cries. One look towards the source of the cries made the adventurers' faces turn serious, as they prepared for battle.

Running down the hill towards their caravan were maybe forty or so large, flightless birds, each of which half again as tall as an adult human. Atop the hill a small flock of five even larger birds with brilliant plumes seemed to watch as the rest of the flock charged the adventurers.

Unlike with the wolves, the adventurers were forced to take these birds seriously. Each of the massive birds had fearsome talons on their powerful legs, and a kick from them could easily disembowel a man even through chainmail.

The less experienced adventurers teamed up by twos or threes against the birds, while the gold rankers handled one each. That still left nearly half of the birds unoccupied and the merchant was about to send his personal guards in as well, but Cal struck first.

Or rather, she allowed her students and nieces to go wild.

Their entrance to the battle was announced by a booming thunderclap as Elaina hurled a large bolt of lightning towards one of the oversized birds. The struck avian twitched a few times, then it collapsed with smoke rising from between its beak. Smoke that smelled of roasted poultry.

Not content to be outdone by her sister, Sidonie conjured serpents of lightning as thick as an arm and used them to harass three of the birds being held back by the adventurers. One of the gold ranked adventurers took the chance and skewered the bird he was facing through the chest.

Kyara and Fyodor helped other adventurers with lances of ash and flying shields of metal, respectively. Fheeri joined them with her sling as well. They had not joined the fighting directly since Cal asked them to leave the serious fighting to the ones who needed the practice. Ashani tackled one of the birds on her own, though, as she agilely climbed onto its back and started to slice into the bird's thick neck from behind.

Leila accurately hurled a glob of molten lava at one bird's head, which ran right into it and had its head almost entirely encased. The unfortunate beast took only two more steps before it slumped down, the grass around its encased head burning from the heat.

Then Ognar, Giselle, and Willa charged in, and some of the adventurers almost got themselves hurt as they were shocked by the sight they were seeing.

Giselle had just stepped past one of the rushing birds, and it fell over with its head neatly severed. Her arms had moved so fast the adventurers had seen nothing beyond a flash of her blades.

Ognar met the charge of another of the birds head on, as he bashed his shield against the bird's incoming beak. The impact caused the bird to withdraw in obvious pain, only for a hammer strike on the side of its neck to shatter its spine and drop it on the spot.

Willa charged in like a wild beast. One bird she bodily tackled, her shoulder against its broad chest, and left to die with a caved in chest cavity. She grabbed the thick neck of another with her two hands, and just literally tore the bird's head off its body in a brutal, bloody manner.