On the war, talk was vague, mentions of large numbers, clearly exaggerated, but spoken as if it were gospel. They all seemed to spit out the same bits of information, well-chewed, like an old piece of jerky. On the topic of the hunt, however, things were more concrete. There were concerns about the forests not being as safe. A man vanishing, some weeks ago, and his body hadn't been found; they had checked their usual hunting areas, but still had not found him. It was widely believed, they said, that he had simply wandered somewhere beyond their usual range in search of more game, and that his remains would be found, some day. Few seemed concerned with any real depth; accidents and injuries happened. Their concern seemed more for the game. It was mentioned that some almost agreed with the idea of ranging farther for game - They had become unusually scarce, and flighty, in the past few months. Without even needing to be asked, one mentioned the possibility that a demon roamed the woods - It was said that he knew a man, who knew a man who had seen green fires burning deeper within the woods, and another stated that he knew a man who had witnessed witches dancing naked around a fire.<br/><br/>As the topic continued, more people gathered around the table, chiming in with their own takes and tales, things they had heard from friends, or friends of friends, or men they knew in passing who also hunted the woods. They seemed excited by the prospect of a newcomer, who might have tales of places beyond this little hamlet. Finally, one began inquiring about what demons she had seen, and if she knew whether witches really lured men into the forest to sacrifice them? This rapidly became the most popular explanation for the missing hunter. Witches, clearly. Perhaps demons had some hand in it, too.<br/>