TROLLING THE AREA
Salimen gulped nervously staring up at the inverted, dead bodies. Torynth asked the ranger " Can you tell how long those bones have been there? If this is the group we followed..." he trailed off with concern.
Gulius stepped forward " We should quit wasting time here and just charge the damn cavern! We have already let enough time pass this week with nothing to show for it!" He spun his axe deftly " The starshard may be in there!"
The team stood around anxiously as the druid picked through various bones lying next to the brook. She lifted up a broken rib from the matted grasses " These all vary in age. Take this one for instance..." she showed the party the osseous markings "...this has been lying here for at least a few months."
Torynth questioned the lorist about any big animals that could be living in the area.
Gailwind recited a score of possibilities and when he mentioned the alarming word 'Dragon', the fellowship grew worried.
Nerendil gave his mind as he pointed at the cave " I don't like the fact that there may be a monster we cannot deal with up there. I feel we are off the trail. Let's return to it."
The dwarves, the archer, and the monk had made up their mind despite the words of wisdom; there was only one way to gather more definitive information and that was to approach the cave entrance. The quad received no further debate and they crept up the hillside in a semicircle with weapons ready.
"Look out!!!" cried the wizard " Run for your lives!!!" Gailwind hid behind the bard and whimpered
Teflar answered " I came to report what I found. I didn't stop to examine the bones. I will see what else may be evident, but we should be wary of that cave until then."
The ranger countered firmly " No, Gulius. I'm all for a fight, especially if we find the murderers, but we don't want to run into something unprepared. Perhaps we should wait until we are certain as to what lies ahead before entering."
Gulius glowered at the woodsman and walked away from the group mumbling oaths
" Always taking charge..."
Splendor tried allaying fears " Dragons haven't been seen in Nalmiar since the First Age." He petted Moonshade's plumes " I highly doubt that we stumbled upon anything like that."
Within a minute, they had reached the cave mouth and paused seemingly to discuss the bodies.
Suddenly, a huge humanoid creature appeared on the cave roof.
Before the quad could respond, the small giant leapt high into the air landing 100 feet down the slope right next to the pond! It stood a few feet from the pools' edge and swung a giant axe in one hand while clutching a long, femur bone in the other. The gangly, grey monster had a menacing scowl as it stared at the spread StarPoint Raven team.
" And finally...there may be trolls in the area."