Swamped

"Don't know who's screaming, but I think it's best if two of us go investigate that. Arlene, see if you can catch that burglar who just left the council hall."

Arlene doesn't even say anything. She just bounds off. You and Minnie start running towards the Grove.

Going in, you find it's thick with trees. You can't immediately see what's going on.

Minnie seems to have some kind of idea, though, as she's rushing ahead of you. May as well follow her.

She rushes around some trees, and you find yourself in a fairly clear spot. You see a woman collapsed on the ground, but there's no sign of anyone else.

You know a little bit of first aid, thanks to Doc. Not a lot, but enough to tell that the woman is alive.

"Can't see a wound on her," you tell Minnie. "Maybe she fainted from shock?"

"In that case, who or what shocked her?" Minnie asks. "Could have been Mortimer, or whoever he was chasing after..."

You take a glance.

"I think it's an animal," you say. "I see tracks in the dirt, but they don't look especially human, or grebling for that matter. Can't really identify 'em, though... looks like paws, and I'd guess about the size of a wolf, but the tracks are totally different. Don't think it's a woodcat or a greatrat, either."

"Setrus," Minnie mutters.

"Pardon me?"

"Rumor I've heard. There's a fellow by the name of Setrus who's fairly high-up in the guild. He has a strange pet that's about the right size. Heard stories that it's real fearsome when it bares its fangs. Don't know exactly what it looks like, but it could be Mortimer's chasing him."

You glance down at the unconscious woman.

"Well. We might be able to follow the creature's trail and find its master. But I think we've got to do something for her first. She doesn't seem seriously injured, so we probably just need to wake her up."