The tree is gone. Moved away to calmer pastures where it can devour unsuspecting deer and what have you like a proper predator, and not prey upon humans. We fought a long, hard battle with it, and I hope that it has learned some degree of respect for humans.
It appears to have been let loose by a female ranger, a vile creature who will strike my comrades from behind without qualm, hide up a tree rather than face us in honest combat, and flee rather than face a noble defeat. It will be no surprise if she tries to kill us again, having been defeated this time.
We fought well, though our chances were slim and the wise told us we should leave this evil alone. For three days I have not slept, and I have nothing to say of my comrades but that they held the line as well as they could, given the nature of the battle.
To fight a battle at night against superior enemies who have flanked you is a dangerous thing. It is a miracle that we made it out alive.
I can't help but think that we might have done better, though, if we had but had a leader among us. Of course, it seems natural that this should be myself, as in every instance my fellows have discovered (often later, rather than sooner) that my path is the wise one, the most just. But if they would follow any among us, it would likely be better than our current path, where many of us shuffle about in uncertainty while others nearly die.
I am not certain that I myself could swear obedience to such a leader, though it might be necessary. I have written to my superiors to ask their advice. But if it is allowable, I think I must follow any that we choose. To die in battle is a glorious thing, but to die a disorderly, shuffling mess simply because no one is man enough to make a decision is a fate too awful to consider.
After the trials of the last several days, I believe I might be willing to follow almost any paladin of our party. Any except Hrogar.
Alone among my comrades, he showed himself to possess not only indecision, but cowardice. While we battled, he shouted over us to make a pact with an enemy that had assaulted his brethren, and from behind, no less. He spent a battle hiding in a tree rather than face the enemy with his comrades, and then had the gall to declare that it was for the greater good.
But cowardice alone would be merely despicable, and he is beyond that.
He claimed that the will of the gods is merely "luck," and that their will is unimportant. What, then, is the point of being a paladin at all, if not to enforce the gods' will? What purpose is there, even, of living if all of existence is merely randomness, and the gods can be mocked openly?
I believe that we must choose a leader, but it must not be Hrogar. And if he will not be a man and follow whoever we choose into battle, I will not weep to see him left behind.
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