“Am I happy ? Not yet, Master Demos. It is clear that your boy saw a dark shape near the stream behind this inn. Whatever it was apparently didn’t threaten him - that is much to be happy for, I do admit. If it was the hound from Hades, it’s good to know he doesn’t eat serving boys !

On the other hand, what if it was just someone trying to hide? Not very likely, but that would explain why the ‘shape’ didn’t show itself or make any sound. I did find quite a few of these hairs clinging to the underbrush by the stream. They don’t look very human to me, but I will need to examine them more closely, as well as the underbrush.

We know what good meals are served here. And all the leftover bones from mutton, lamb, pig, and so on, that you have to throw away. That would explain the picked bones that were lying not too far from where you saw the creature, boy.

One thing I would give my right hand to know : if you had not heard the rumours of Cerebus appearing a few weeks ago, would you have imagined that’s what you saw by the stream last night? But I fear we will never know the answer to that question.”