[WSUCougar]

The dwarf’s magical blessing washed over the group, an odd but indeed encouraging sensation. Puli, who was not used to such things, gasped a bit in spite of himself. Things were happening quickly…the wemic and the paladin moving forward in support of the mounted dwarf, the wizard striding behind them with a look of concentrated purpose, and the bard chatting away. As was his custom, the monk began to twirl the quarterstaff from hand to hand, and noted somewhat absently that the massive ranger carried one as well.

Calm them? Puli repeated the wemic’s words to himself. Whatever was moving towards them sounded very urgent in its movements…

Through the low brush, a flash of brown marked the presence of one beast. If it was indeed a feral pig, Puli thought, it was much larger than the eastern variety he was familiar with – this animal was at least the size of a Draxonian ram or even a small bull. Its impressive tusks flashed ivory in the sunlight, and as it caught wind of the group’s presence, it emitted a fearsome high-pitched shriek.

Kevan stepped slightly forward and began his efforts to calm the beast. However, despite his skills in such methods, it was soon clear that the feral pig would have none of it. With two violent tosses of its head and rampant snorting, the animal prepared to charge, as another smaller pig – perhaps an adolescent – appeared behind the first…