Hairy and his group had ventured out to locate a saltpeter mine. An entire day had slipped by without a trace of their return, which only deepened Anthony's unease.
"Do you think something might have happened?"
Anthony was starting to regret sending the three of them out on their own. Their numbers were already limited, and losing the only three men in the group would be disastrous.
As Anthony's anxiety grew, Hairy and his companions remained missing through the night.
The next morning, just as Anthony was about to set out in search of them, Hairy and the others finally returned. However, they weren't alone; they were accompanied by a group of men clad in animal skins.
These men were fully armed, carrying an array of weapons. In their hands, they held ropes, the other ends of which we
