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The original was posted on /r/hfy by /u/Internal-Ad6147 on 2025-07-05 14:34:10+00:00.
Talvan woke up with a groan on the wooden board they called a bed. “I would’ve been better off sleeping on the ground,” he muttered, stretching stiffly. As he raised his arms, a series of cracks and pops echoed from his back like breaking twigs. He winced and tried to turn his head, only to find it stuck. “Great. Can’t even look left.”
Shuffling downstairs with the gait of a man twice his age, he found his Revy was hunched over the map, her finger tracing their intended route
He dropped onto the bench beside her with a grunt. “So… what’s the plan?”
“Today,” Revy said without looking up, “we cross Thornwood and head back to the Fort Thayden. If all goes well, our horses should still be there.”
Talvan took a bite of bread, chewing slowly. “If all goes well,” he repeated, eyeing the map. “We’re really banking on that?”
Revy just smirked. “Well, we already survived a dragon-spider massacre and the world’s worst-smelling field. What’s a cursed forest between friends?”
As Talvan reached for another roll, the door creaked open and Leryea stepped in, chatting with an elf beside her.
“Hey guys,” she called, “this is Vivlin. He says he found a way out of Thornwood.”
Talvan perked up mid-chew. “A way out? Seriously?”
“Yup. With most of the spiders dealt with, the path’s… kind of clear,” Leryea said, glancing at Vivlin.
“Kind of?” Talvan asked, raising a brow.
Vivlin nodded, stepping forward to spread out the map Revy had been using. “Yeah, while a large number of the spiders were cleared out by the dragon, some still remain. But there’s an old animal trail that runs from here to the outer edge of Thornwood. Should cut at least a day off your travel.”
Revy leaned in, inspecting the route. “That’s a big help. Thanks, Vivlin.”
Talvan looked up. “Why not use it yourself?”
Vivlin scratched the back of his head, looking a bit sheepish. “I… kind of like it here. Quiet. Peaceful. I figured I’d wait until the main road was fully clear before heading out myself.”
Leryea chuckled. “You and half this town.”
Talvan tilted his head. “Wait… you like it here? This place smells like old bread and damp wood.”
Vivlin gave a small chuckle. “It grows on you.”
He was taller than most elves they’d met with bark-brown traveling leathers that looked well-worn but cared for. His bow, strung and resting over one shoulder, had ivy growing along its upper limb. Leryea leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching the interaction with a smirk.
Revy raised an eyebrow. “You weren’t born here, though. Where’re you from originally?”
“Willowthorn,” Vivlin replied, his voice quiet but steady. “Big forest. Bigger politics. You learn fast that not every elf wants to live in tree palaces and write poetry.”
“So what—you’re a rebel?” Talvan asked, chewing another bite of bread.
Vivlin snorted. “Nah. I’m just a scout but I got tired of every decision needing twelve council meetings and a poetry reading. So I jonded the scout unit. I ended up here during the landslide a couple of years back. Place was a mess, but they needed hands.”
“You stayed?” Leryea asked.
“They needed hands,” Vivlin repeated. “Besides, I’m good in the woods, bad in cities. The spiders weren’t too bad at first. Then they started nesting in the wells. One even tried to eat the mayor’s goat.”
“That explains the shovel collection out back,” Talvan muttered.
Vivlin smiled faintly. “That was a dark week.”
Revy leaned forward, elbows on the table. “So you fought them off all this time?”
Vivlin shrugged. “I did what I could. Dug traps, set fire to some nests. Then a dragon showed up and did in one day what we’d been trying for two years.”
“Yeah,” Talvan said, glancing toward the window.
Vivlin looked out as well, gaze distant. “First time I saw a dragon up close and didn’t run. First time I didn’t have to.”
There was a pause. Even Talvan didn’t have a joke ready.
Leryea cleared her throat. “Well. If you ever get tired of goat spiders and compost stew, there’s always room at Fort Thayden. You’d fit in.”
Vivlin gave her a small, grateful smile. “Thanks. I’ll keep it in mind. For now, though, I’ll stick around. Someone’s gotta teach the new folks how not to get eaten.”
Revy raised her cup. “To Vivlin, Thornwood’s Spider Whisperer.”
They all raised what they had—bread, mugs, or bits of breakfast—in a quiet, respectful toast.
After the toast, the mood settled into a quiet buzz of motion. Revy rolled up the map, slipping it into her satchel, while Talvan downed the last of his lukewarm tea and stretched with a wince.
“Alright,” he muttered, rubbing his neck. “Time to face Thornwood and hope we don’t end up spider snacks.”
Leryea stood and dusted off her coat. “Vivlin, you sure this trail is passable?”
He nodded. “I walked it two days ago. Some webs still hanging, but nothing fresh. If you stay on the path and don’t go poking into hollows, you’ll be fine.”
“Define ‘fine,’” Talvan said, buckling his belt.
“Alive,” Vivlin answered simply.
With a final check of packs and gear, the group made their way out of the inn’s creaky front door. The cool morning air smelled faintly of pine and ash—lingering remnants of the past spider battles. Some locals nodded politely; others kept their distance, eyeing the weapons at their sides
Near the gate, a child handed Revy a small bundle—dried herbs tied with twine.
“For luck,” the child mumbled, then darted away.
Revy blinked. “Huh. Looks like someone’s glad we’re cleaning house.”
Vivlin met them at the town’s edge, his bow slung and a walking stick in hand. “Trail entrance is about ten minutes north of here. Keep left at the split log, and you’ll see the animal prints. After that, it’s one long walk.”
They shook hands—firm and brief—and Leryea gave him a nod. “Thanks, Vivlin. For everything.”
“Safe travels,” he said. “And if you see that dragon… tell her thanks from the town.”
With that, they turned and started toward Thornwood, their shadows stretching behind them as the morning sun climbed. The forest loomed in the distance, silent and deep.
But this time, they didn’t walk into it alone. They walked in knowing the path.
As they made their way deeper into Thornwood, the morning light filtered in through the trees in long, golden shafts. For a while, the group walked in silence, boots crunching softly on the undergrowth, until Talvan finally spoke.
“You know… we were sent out to hunt a monster,” he said, glancing at the path ahead. “But it ended up saving the town.”
Revy didn’t answer. It was Leryea who noticed her silence and turned slightly, offering a copper coin with a half-smile. “Copper for your thoughts, Revy?”
Revy looked down, thoughtful. “From what I saw… those spiders didn’t stand a chance. And it looked like the dragon wasn’t just fighting them—it was eating them.”
“Eating them?” Talvan wrinkled his nose. “Gross. But… you think it wasn’t just defending itself?”
“I’m wondering,” Revy said, “if dragons are the spiders’ natural predators. Like… maybe they were what kept the population in check.”
Talvan frowned. “Okay, but dragons were driven off before any of us were born. If they were part of some… balance, then why is one just showing up now?”
That’s when Revy stopped walking. “Wait. Talvan… listen.”
The others paused. The forest was quiet.
Too quiet.
Leryea tilted her head. “No birds.”
“No animals either,” Revy added, voice low. “This deep in, we should hear something. But it’s silent.”
Talvan’s hand drifted to his weapon. “That’s not good.”
Revy’s brow furrowed. “And think about what your grandfather sent in that message spell—he said the spiders were way farther north than they should’ve been.”
Talvan nodded slowly. “Without dragons… maybe nothing was left to keep them from overbreeding. They ate all the small game, then spread. Took this long for the wave to reach people.”
“So…” Leryea said softly, “the monster we feared might’ve been the only reason we’re not all wrapped in webs right now.”
They didn’t have an answer to that. Just the silent woods around them and the road ahead.
It was midday when they saw it.
A great gash in the earth, cutting through the roots of the forest like a scar. Trees were splintered and pushed aside, the path unnaturally cleared. The smell of damp and decay clung to the air like a warning.
They all knew what it meant.
“A den,” Revy muttered, narrowing her eyes. “And a big one.”
She stepped forward, gripping her staff tightly, then nodded once. “This’ll take some time.”
Talvan and Leryea moved into position without a word. They’d done this before. Revy began chanting, low and steady, drawing glowing runes into the air. A spark of fire began to build at the tip of her staff.
“Movement,” Talvan warned, sword sliding free.
Leryea crouched low, spear ready. “They’ve noticed us.”
“Good,” Talvan smirked. “Let’s hope they’re waiting for us to stumble in. Thing about ambush predators—doesn’t work if the prey sees it coming.”
Revy’s voice rose slightly, the ball of flame growing in her palm. “Ready when you are.”
“If they’re underground…” Leryea began.
“I got it,” Talvan said, grabbing a rock. He hefted it once, then hurled it into the middle of the clearing. It landed with a solid thud.
The ground twitched.
Then, from shadowed roots and crack…
Content cut off. Read original on https://old.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/1lsb9od/dragon_delivery_service_ch_20_drifting_toward/
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