Jack shook the young man's hand, and halfway through had a realization and froze.

"Wait, how do you know all of those things about us?" He said, finding himself uneasy all over again. He pulled back slightly, and asked "Just who are you?"

The young man grinned at Jack's reaction.

"Magic!" He said, spreading his hands wide before dropping them and continuing on a moment later. "I suppose you could say we're a group of mercenaries that keep an eye on the surrounding lands and keeping out goblins and other unsavory things. We've actually been hunting the tribe of gnolls you say you've been hunting for some time, but thus far they've managed to keep the location of their home hidden from us. We were actually tracking the shaman and his warband for nearly a week from the Red Ford, but he got to the town before we could. By the time we got there, the whole place was already ablaze. When we came in, we laid low, trying to get a sense of their numbers. That's when we saw you three, and how you handled the war party. Truth be told, we've been shadowing you ever since, partly out of our own interest, but partly because you seemed to be making a beeline for the middle of nowhere, and thought you might know something we don't."

"But why not just come out and greet us? Why ambush us in the middle of the night like this? Seems really suspicious to me." Jack said.

The young man laughed.

"I can see that. Sorry about that. Truth is, we weren't sure if you could be trusted, and I find men and monsters tend to be most honest when the odds aren't in their favor." He said. He seemed to think for a moment, then glanced past Jack's shoulder. "I tell you what- how about I tell my men to stand down, and you tell your two lovely ladies creeping up through the ferns behind you that we mean no harm?"

Jack turned around to look behind him just as he saw Rose's eyes dip back into the greenery behind him. He buried his face into his hand for a moment, before calling out to the ferns.

"Rose, Maddy, it's fine. You can come out. There's no reason to hide anymore. I don't think they're enemies." Jack said, really hoping he wasn't wrong about that as he said it.

There was a faint sound that sounded very distinctly to Jack's ears like Rose cursing under her breath, before the ferns rustled and the two girls stood up, Rose with her hand on her sword hilt, Madeleine with her new dagger clutched in both hands, blade drawn and pointed out towards the mercenaries. After they stepped out, they looked from Jack to the group and back to Jack, the uncertainly plain on their faces.

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The young man waved to the two of them.

"Evening, ladies. Sorry to disturb your sleep." He said.

"Who are you? And what do you want with us?" Rose said, her voice hard. If Jack hadn't known her as well as he did, it would have been almost impossible for him to catch the edge of terror hidden in her words.

"From what your man here tells me, it sounds like we're at the very least allies against a common enemy. Now, as for being friends, well, I will leave that for you fine people to decide." The young man said.

"Now, since I now have all of you together, allow me to finally introduce ourselves. My name is Farien Darrow, and we are the Green Company. It is my absolute pleasure to make your acquaintances." He said, bowing elaborately.