The Dark Path

You yawn and sit up. The last few days have been anything but relaxing. There were houses, barns, and hayricks to be rebuilt, fences to be repaired, and food to be gathered in from the fields.
Yesterday, Innkeeper Quarly had told you today you could spend by wandering around the village and it's outlying territories, provided that you didn't wander too far. Eager to be off, you scarf down a meal of warm oatmeal and head down one of the many roads leading out of town. All too soon, a fork in the road makes you stop in your tracks. You decide to head on the what looks to be a deserted game trail. It seemed to call you down into it's leafy depths. Your foot met the dirt trail and a shiver ran up your spine. Whatever was down there seemed to pull and push you away. As you contemplate what to do, voices could be heard farther down the trail. You couldn't discern what they were saying, but it still peaked your curiosity. As quietly as you could, you crept down the trail and deeper into the forest. Not too far in, the voices fade away. You wondered why you had even come in the first place and turned to head back the way you came, but the trail was no where to be found. A frustrated groan made its way out of your mouth. Why can't you ever have a sense of direction? Suddenly, you remember a lesson from your survival course you took last spring. The sun always travels east to west. Now, you have a compass. The blazing ball of fire was high in the sky to the west. Had time really passed that quickly? Was it afternoon already? To find the direction of the village, you scrambled up the low spreading limbs of a nearby oak. Smoke rose from the south indicating your destination. With a smile you though, This is gonna be a cinch! Just as you were about to descend, however, the voices returned right beneath you. "Well, Captain said to patrol this area. Though I doubt anything will happen. With all the attacks that are happening at the village, you would have though we would've wiped all of them out by now."
Someone grunted in response. Two dark cloaked figures passed right underneath your perch. As soon as you thought you were safe, the branch you were sitting swayed slightly up and down. You glance down to where the end of the branch met another thick limb. A person, cloaked in dark colors was crouching on the limb holding a knife in one hand. His gaze was locked on you.