Stranger in the Dark - and a Cat, too!
The sun lowers in the sky, though it does not yet set. Even so, the amount of light entering the forest through the trees lessens considerably, darkening everything. Your ability to see is unaffected, however - there is still no need to break out torches or other light sources.
A small path leads through the forest, though it is not well-worn, and is overgrown with foliage. The horses traverse the path with no problems, despite the dense plantlife.
Suddenly, you find yourselves in a clearing. There was no previous warning of this - the roughly 50-foot circle of treeless ground came out of nowhere. In it's center, a small goblin is seated, facing away from you. Though you can hardly make him out in the darkness, you can see that his skin has a slightly blue tint - the same kind of skin tone that Syld has.
A panther is lying on the ground next to the goblin, though it rises as you approach. It makes no threatening movements, though it does regard you with primitive interest.
"Greetings, travelers," The goblin says, not turning to face you. "What business do you have here?"