Shadow of Hope 37
Cheskith raised his voice then, albeit just enough to carry to those discussing things at the fore. “Another route, I wonder? Go back a short while, then circle around? To travel in the dark is preferable to being eaten in the dark, I think.”
All the same, he still keeps alert for any signs or sounds of approach.
The barbarian replied to Kurn, “I was too far from the bodies, and they are too far rotted to see what sort of wounds they have.”
Kurn nodded. Given Borlak’s expressed preference, and Zulian’s, and Rôhn’s absence of objection, Kurn spoke up, “If we’re to camp soon and near, if this predator or predators can be found, let’s deal with it now. Backtracking to an alternate route may still find us in its domain when we must rest.”
Tracking and hunting being outside Kurn’s immediate areas of expertise, he looked toward Borlak and Zulian, silently asking each if they believed they could locate the creature. Magical means of location were not to be ruled out, but as far as tracking was outside Kurn’s experience, much more so were such things arcane and divine.
“That it is better to chase it down, you think?” Cheskith spoke up again, his tone even and showing neither approval or disapproval. “It can be found before darkness, yes? Else the advantage may turn into something else, I fear.”
A pause, and then he directed another question to Borlak. “The bodies, they were shrouded or surrounded with webs, or nothing of the kind was present? Tell us whether we are dealing with spiders, it might.”
“Little could I tell of their fate,” Borlak replied, “I saw a body from the trail, went to look and saw several others. When the wind abated, the nest scent came to me clearly. I thought it better to alert the group rather than proceed. We will need to look more closely to determine more.”
“As little as I like these circumstances,” Erellia began, “We had best deal with this as quickly as possible. Traveling during the night endangers the horses and gives any Trolls a distinct advantage should we begin crossing into the lowlands.”
“I will circle this nest and look for tracks then,” Zulian said, dismounting and drawing a shortspear from her saddle. She then made her way into the underbrush, working her way widdershins around the general location of the nest.”
“Katarina, Haron and I will remain slightly removed to protect the mounts,” Erellia said, “Kurn, Rôhn, Borlak, approach as best you see fit. Marcus, Cheskith, give them what support you may.”
“A moment if you will,” Katarina asked of the group, dismounting and withdrawing an item from her saddlebag. Moving fluidly to the center of the group, she stood quietly for a moment. “The fated luck of the lady and Tymora’s blessings be with you,” the sweet sound of her voice issued forth as she spun gracefully, bracelets jingling. She released a fine, glittering powder which dispersed over a wide area, born upon a sudden, playful gust of wind, and each found it difficult not to smile at the purity and joy of the display.
Fortified by the will of Trymeya, the party set to the task at hand.
Zulian had made her way around roughly half the circumference of her intended route as the group prepared to move out. She pauses as she saw the movement in the group, and catching the eye of any she may, she shook her head firmly to indicate that she had not come across any track sign thus far.
Erellia, Katarina and Haron began gathering the leads to all of the mounts and positioning themselves along the narrow trail so that they may respond quickly should the need arise. Haron awaited at the most distant point with the horses, while Katarina placed herself closest to the advancing party.
“At your lead,” Kurn nodded to Borlak.
Borlak nodded and raised his face to the skies, feeling the sweep of the wind. “I will approach from the north, downwind,” he said, “The rest of you stay to the trail where the footing is safest, then move due west toward the nest. I will get as close as I can to learn as much as possible before engaging. Wait for my signal.”
Rôhn nodded, furrowed his brow, and studied the path of the trail. He readied his hammer and shield and looked to those companions who would accompany him before pressing forward.
With that, the large Sunari moved into the underbrush, following the path taken by Zulian for a short time before turning southward toward the nest.
Marcus gave Haron a nod before joining Kurn and the others. His shield uncased, he followed Kurn as he took the path suggested, hands ready to cast. As he did so, he muttered a prayer to Denevor under his breath.
Cheskith’s first order of business was to disentangle himself from the horse and get down from it, a feat made all the more difficult by one of the more common curses of novice riders; his legs had grown all but numb from the trek.
Somehow he managed regardless, though his descent and subsequent steps were rather unsteady given the lack of sensation. Tottering up to where Marcus and Kurn were still gathered, he gave the other two a quick look-over. “In a row we go, yes? Kurn in the front, Marcus at the back, and me in the middle, I think?”
“Agreed,” Kurn replied.
With only three of them to hold this flank, and one of them being a mage, the stand-off approach didn’t seem like the best one to take. Cheskith readied his sword rather than his whip, despite his preference for the techniques of the latter.
Relying upon Borlak’s scouting skills, Kurn lead the three along the trail, then positioned with the area of the nest in sight, waiting for Borlak’s examination and signal to close.
The Lizardman continued his watching and listening, albeit focusing more on the latter. Still, the shadows cast by the growth around him were perhaps less of an impediment than to many of the others here.