Snatching some companions

I've managed to secure a large wagon from a nice old lady near, dare I say, a rather creepy forest. The wooden cart creaks with every movement and frankly looks unsettling at night. But that won't deter me from baking and selling my goods! Nor does it keep my customers from buying, for that matter.
I think I'll be heading off towards Jafone. I heard there's a peculiar forest with unique edible specimens near there.
 
[...]
 
Disaster has struck! The wheel of my poor old wagon broke off while traversing the streets of Jafone. I am too old and weak to repair it on my own. Lucky for me, two kind gentlemen passed by and offered to help. We made quick work of that nasty wheel and as thanks, I made them some nutritious potato soup and a plate of beef sashimi for their tiny flying lizard child.
We talked a bit and they happened to be heading towards the Glowing forest as well. Since I find it terribly confusing to travel the roads instead of flying and also heard the forest is a bit dangerous at the moment, I was more than happy to accept their offer for travelling together. They boarded my wagon and I spurred Dar and Din on our way.
 
I arrived at the Lodges near the edge of the forest with my new companions, it was much quieter and less crowded than I had expected. There was nearly a soul outside and the few people staying at the biggest cabin all had gloomy faces. When asked about the happenings in the forest, what we got were incoherent and panicked accounts of some ghostly thing. Since they were so clearly stressed I offered them some of my homemade chocolate cookies. There's nothing like good food to calm down a nervous mind. Once calmed, I asked them to slowly explain again about what is going on.
It seems some hungry beasty has been stalking the woods and hunting any people who travel through it. It is too fast and silent for them to have actually seen it, but that is perhaps part of why they are so scared. They also informed me that all the people who know the edible species in the forest were the first to leave when things went bad. It seems I have no other choice than to enter the forest myself and learn what I can. Then again, I've missed a good adventure.
 
While the two gentlemen, they are named Maca-nee and Grimdalf by the way, went to question the ten or so surviving victims of the beasty in the infirmary, I borrowed the barkeep's kitchen to make delightful wonton soup. Patients need to eat well to recover quickly. He happened to have some small glowing insects from the forest which I used for filling. They turned out fairly well for a first-time execution.
The wounded perked right up after having eaten something and both the healer and barkeep were impressed by my soup. And rightfully so if I might say it myself. It seems I need to search through my simpler recipes to teach these two when I return from the forest. Perhaps braised pork belly and tomato-eggdrop soup?
For now, I'm going to bed though. It is late and I and the gentlemen will be heading out tomorrow. I've given Din and Dar their food and I should ask the residents of the Lodge to look after them while I'm away. I dare not take them with me for fear that they might become food.