Having donated his portion of the mystery ore to King Aleyn (less what would be needed for the fashioning of a few items) Budokai purposes to leave Collonia and return to Menea and his wife. Lu Chen and Mai agree to go with him, at least as far as the Pass at Oromir.
Their travel is smooth with Budokai's retinue scaring off any would-be ruffians or wild things that might waylay them. But a party of such a size, even one keeping to the roads and staying out under the stars, is sure to attract attention. They are just a day from the Pass at Oromir when they meet riders from Duke Hoel of House Havenar who invite them rather pointedly to dinner and to spend the night.
Once guests of the Duke, Mai declines to bathe or to join his company. She remains tucked into guest quarters, cementing her reputation as the Savage Baroness. Lord Budokai and Lu Chen dine with the Duke and endure his borderline rude questionings and barbs. During the course of which, the Duke informs Budokai that he has great respect for any lord who was so recently lounging in the mud as a commoner and wonders if the party might be willing to do him a favor, as their fame as sellswords precedes them.
The Province of Solofia, Duke Hoel explains, has a small wood which for years was used as a short cut by the little people of certain towns to get to the High King's Highway. That wood has always been considered haunted, but more recently, strange tales of a savage cat have been heard. Travelers have even gone missing. The Duke says that he would consider it a great favor if Budokai and his friends would slay the cat and free up travel in Solofia.
The party agrees and Budokai leaves his retinue behind as guests of the Duke while adventuring in the nearby wood with his companions Lu-Chen and Mai, plus the Reeve of the Duke. Once there, the four of them find that the wood is haunted by a small spritely creature of a man who taunts them with minor illusions and makes reference to a cat of some ferocity. The small creature continues to mock and even steals the turban from mai's head before vanishing into the wood. The three party members then give chase, but it is Lu-Chen who comes across him first and vents her anger with a mighty sword stroke. The leprechaun falls dead and a chill wind blows through the empty wood.
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