A ranger reports

Fawn , a golden haired elf takes a seat and speaks to any who would listen.
She seems deeply perplexed , almost to the point of shaken , as she speaks.
" in my 128 years in the High Forest , I.. I .. Have never seen any thing like this ..."

Ava Azul places three vials of different colors near the glowing embers , and while watching them closely , she speaks in response to the elf.
" I seriously doubt that there is anything new in this land. Not much surprises anymore. You may just be a newlander , but even so , I have a bit of time here, so amuse us with your fascination."

The elf grimaces at the woman , and wonders what the vials are for, but continues the conversation.
" assuming that you are as wise and experienced as you say, perhaps you can offer explanation. There is an old mine where Kobolds live up north of town.
I assumed there would be a path where they go to the nearby river for water, but, I saw something ever so strange in my scouting. I found the path as expected , but some thing more.
There were tracks of about thirteen , as if they had been in a crowd , but here is the strangest part of it. At first the tracks had normal indentation of the soil
, but, as they approached the water, at first they appeared to dig deeper , and from there they began to hit in longer strides, with lighter indentation, as if, it seems, the closer they got to the water , the faster they ran."
Her face goes pale as she speaks the next words.
"Thirteen bodies of kobolds were half floating , dead , in the water. As if, as if they just ran there as fast as they could and drowned.
What do you make of that ?"

Ava watches the vials very closely, never actually looking at the elf, but responds.
   "Kobolds... Creatures that have not even made their own dwelling ... Yes, living vagabonds in a mine , and you think drowning is , what, some kind if sign?
   I would say a sign that they were either too lazy to swim , or maybe too stupid to remember that they  can't."
    Ava nurses each vial out of the heat the moment it starts to boil.