Into The Woods

Before leaving the inn, Mother Goose stopped at the large bulletin board by the door. People posted things for many reasons; selling property or goods, lost pets, looking for or offering work. Which was what she was stopping for.

Mother Goose decided she could use some help.

She loved going to the market, mingling with the people in her town, meeting the new babies, general meddling and gossip. But the twice weekly trip to the inn with her wares was becoming a challenge. For a time, the innkeeper had sent someone around to her, but that person was apparently no longer available.

Mother Goose had almost hoped to engage young Robert in offering his services, but it seemed the boy was allergic to work.

It wasn't that she minded the trip. She hitched the horse up to the wagon, and off she went. But winter would be coming soon, and she had to face the fact that she was no longer young. So she scanned the board, hoping someone was looking for work. She was willing and able to pay, both in coin and in food.

It would give her an excuse to bake more. She always got fewer visitors once the snows came.

Something smelled good.

Something smelled really good.

Gin couldn't really describe the scent. It was a little bit sweet and a little bit savory. Two separate scents, maybe? The wind wasn't blowing very hard, so it had to be something nearby and he was definitely going to investigate. Hopefully it wasn't the baker in the village. His prices were ridiculous and his eye was sharp. Even a skilled thief by the likes of Gin got caught in his shop and he didn't have enough coin to even think of spending it on bread or cakes when it could be spent on ale later.

He paused, bent down and grabbed a handful of fluffy snow and tossed it in the air. The snowflakes, as expected blew away from his face toward the village proper. That meant the village and the baker were upwind from him. He wasn't a good tracker by any means, but living in the woods, surviving on his own and learning to not be seen or caught taught him a few things.

( Especially when the potential for his next home-cooked meal was on the line. )