"Hmm, Twillies not a moglinberry farmer, but I doesn't think they go bad very fast. Maybe a few days or a week? If we picks lots and takes them to Falconreach with us, later today or tomorrow, they's definitely still be good when we gets there, and we can give them to Alina for potions. Or Spruce, to make juice! Oooo, and we can keep some for snacks!" 

Spruce makes juice!!!

"Yay, that sounds great!"

Elan goes through his stuff until he finds a little bag that he can put berries in.

"Is there other stuff that grows wild in the forest and is good to eat?"

"Uhuh!"

Twilly can help pick berries until Elan's bag is full, and pass on what he knows about the edible plants and mushrooms that grow in the woods around here.

"I'll look out for things on the ways back to Oaklore Keep! Maybes we can find more tasty berries to snack on." 

"Good idea!"

And Elan can keep an eye out for random encounters.

"So it sounded like the sneevils who got the box are pretty far away. Do you think they heard about it and came to Boxopolis 'cause they wanted it for themselves?"

"Hmm...Twillies not sure they'd have times to hear about it? It was only stolen yesterday, so a sneevil messenger would haves to go straight to Surewould Forest, and then they'd haves to hear about the box and come straight back...maybes if they walked overnight? Oh, only they wouldn't even be able to go through town, and the bridge is blocked at the moment...I thinks they must have been here visiting already!" 

"Huh, yeah, good point. Hopefully there's not another group of sneevils from a fort even farther away visiting the ones in the Surewould Forest…"

This sure is a lot of walking around! At least Elan gets to see a whole lot of new places.

"I don't wanna stop in Oaklore Keep for too long, because that'll make more time for box shenanigans to happen. Maybe long enough to have lunch and give Alina and Spruce some of the moglinberries we picked?"

Twilly giggles. "Alina and Spruce both lives in Falconreach! We's can stop for lunch in Oaklore Keep, though. And find out if anybody's slayed the hydra yet!"

"Oh cool! And we can probably find a place there to spend the night, if there isn't enough time to come back. I hope their inns aren't super pricy…"

He pulls out the map he got from Sir Valance. He doesn't see the word "Falconreach" on there…

"I think Maya said the library has big maps. Probably I should look at one of those."

Twilly nods. "I keeps forgetting you doesn't know things like where Falconreach is, so looking at a map that shows more of Greenguard than just Oaklore Forest is a great idea! We'll probably spend the night in Falconreach and then go on to Surewould Forest in the morning, unless we makes really good time. There's a really good inn, though, and rooms aren't expensive at all! Oh, and I can introduce you to my friend Ash, and we's can go to Yulgar's and gets you some more weapons, and maybes you can buy a cape and a better ring from the markets..." 

Twilly can continue telling Elan about all the things there are to do in Falconreach until they get back to the keep. 

Elan's looking forward to meeting all of Twilly's friends!

Back at the keep, Rolith seems slightly less rushed off his feet than yesterday, but still pretty busy.

"Elan! Twilly! Did you find the box?" 

"Hi Captain Rolith! We met King Splurt and he told us he traded the box this morning to some other sneevils in the south of Surewould Forest. So we're stopping here for lunch and to look at a map and then… see about the bridge hydra, I think? So we can get to Falconreach. And hope that the box didn't get traded to someone else by the time we get to Ulp's fort."

"If you can deal with the hydra, that would be fantastic! Wonder how the sneevils got past it... Oh, Elan, before I forget, Maya has your pay for your help in the infirmary yesterday. Make sure you see her before you leave." 

"Huh, yeah! Maybe sneevils are really good swimmers? Or maybe there's a sneevil shortcut. A swimming sneevil shortcut?"

Elan's alliterative musings are interrupted by a shout of alarm from the guards up on the walls. 

"DRAGON!" 

A massive, winged shape descends from the sky. Silhouetted against the midday sun, its colour is difficult to make out, but its trajectory towards the keep is clear. 

Oh no! Elan hopes that it isn't connected to the Black Dragon Box and mad at him for goofing up the search!

Well...it does appear to be a black dragon, once it gets low enough to be seen clearly without the sun's glare. 

"That's Glumbert!" someone shouts from the walls. "Sir Baumbard's here for a visit!" The knights cheer, as much in relief as in joy, and everyone relaxes. 

Rolith barks a "STAND DOWN!" at the last few nervous holdouts, then turns back to Elan.

"It's alright, Glumbert is a tame dragon. He belongs to Sir Baumbard, a DragonLord who used to be a Pactagonal Knight. They visit all the time." He starts heading towards the front gate to meet the dragon as it lands. "I hope this is just a social visit, I don't need any more problems on my plate..." 

Elan relaxes too, deciding to tag along out of curiosity.

"Even if there is a problem, at least it'll probably be easier to handle than a mean dragon showing up out of nowhere!"

Because that would have definitely been a really big problem.

Outside, an armoured man with a long beard is climbing carefully down from a saddle on the dragon's back. 

"Ah, there's no place like Oaklore," he declares once both feet are safely on solid ground. "It's good to be back—although I wish it was for a better reason!" 

Rolith pinches the bridge of his nose. "Jinxed it." 

Louder, he says, "You're always welcome here, Baumbard, no matter the reason. What's the situation?" 

"How about I fill you in over lunch? And you can introduce me to your companion," he adds, spotting Elan. 

"I know the feeling."

"Hi Sir Baumbard! Hi Glumbert! I'm Elan and I'm here to have adventures!"

"Pleased to meet you, Elan!"

(Glumbert rumbles something that sounds like words, but not in a language Elan knows.)

"Glumbert says hello as well. Not many people think to greet him separately, outside of DragonLord circles, and we both appreciate it. Unfortunately, he'll have to stay out here while we have lunch, since there's nowhere inside the keep big enough for him, but I can translate for you if you want to talk to him later."