As the forest traded its greens for reds, yellows and browns, game grew bold and numerous, and the branches of the trees were heavy with fruit, so Autumn’s hunts were quick and easy to a one. Even with the days growing shorter, she found she didn’t want for time to herself and her own fun, so she spent her days exploring the parts of the forest that were new to her, or rarely visited. By mid-autumn she had discovered two new lakes and traced a dozen rivers that flowed into and out of them, and even discovered an enticingly dark and mysterious cave system she made a note of for further study.
On her way back to the rosewood she took a detour, and stumbled upon a glade where a band of a half-dozen hunters were setting up tables and benches made from rough-hewn logs.
“Hallo!” Autumn halloed as she walked into the clearing, and each of them waved in greeting, save for the two women balancing a log bench between them, who simply nodded instead.
“Are you here for the harvest feast?” one of the hunters asked as she drew up to the fire pit he was setting up at the head of the table.