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-----After Rinda is done eating, Raven gets up from the table. "We'd better get moving. Thanks Davan for everything. If we're ever around here again, we'll be sure to stop by." Raven looks around at the group to see if anyone isn't ready to go yet.
-----Kazel leans on the doorway squinting out into the morning light. She's ready to go if anyone is.
-----Sol gives the Dread Pirate a speculative look, before prodding the prisoners outside the inn. There he lets Kazel look after them, whilst he heads for the stables, "I'll bring the horses out...someone better go upstairs and see if Sarah's ready." He calls over his shoulder, not yet realizing the mage has already arisen.
-----Seeing that everyone is nearly ready, the Dread Pirate rises to his feet and heads for the door, he then stops as an idea occurs to him, "Arrrr, speaking o' safety in numbers, we'd best not go anywhere in groups smaller than two. We'll use the buddy system from now on. No more wanderin off by ourselves to make ourselves easy pickins fer the opposin forces. We need to start gettin organized afore we get shanghaied or keelhauled." Gimplefwick then wanders outside to saddle his pony.
-----As the Dread Pirate hurries off to get his pony, Seth calls, "Wait Dread, I shall accompany you to the stables. Did you not say we should go in pairs?"
-----A few moments later, the party begins to ride away from the Wood’s Inn. Davan stands in the doorway waving to them calling, "Fare thee well, friends! May good fortune find you on your journey!"
-----As they leave the small village in the coolness of the woodland morn, they see a few people move among the small cabins and cottages preparing for the new day. Now the trail takes a more southerly route, leading the riders on through the deep forest.
-----Sometime within the next two hours, the adventurers cross into the woods belonging to the Fief of Oakwood, although anyone would not notice. All around the riders, maple, elm and oak trees shadow their going while the birds overhead busily fly about singing and chirping. Occasionally, hurryings are heard in the underbrush from some small animal.
-----After a couple more hours’ ride, the party begins to look for a decent place on the trail to stop for a bite of lunch. Suddenly, Raven’s wolf freezes as if listening intensely at the trees off to their right. Even Seth’s crow appears to settle in a high branch to listen into the windless air.
-----As everyone quiets, they can hear a commotion way off the trail to their right. Somewhere among the tall trees, there comes the sound of excited voices and clanging weapons. Somewhere a battle rages!
-----"We'd better see what is happening." Raven glances toward the bandits. "Tie 'em to a tree. We'll get them when we return. If they want to try to escape and then wander these woods unarmed, it's their funeral." With bow in hand, Raven turns his horse toward the sounds of battle. Raven pauses for the others.
-----Sol had already turned Thunder towards the sounds of battle, but he stops his steed and looks at Raven, "If someone wants to take the time out to deal with the prisoners, well and good. But if this is a bloody repeat of what we found yesterday, then we have got to try'n stop it now." Sol spurs his horse forward, weaving Thunder between the trees.
-----Raven takes off after Sol.
-----"Sure, leave the tying to me," Kazel says as she hops off the horse. "C'mon now." She drags the men over and bundles them until they are as one with a nearby tree, while making sure they are gagged as well. She then remounts and proceeds more carefully towards the battle sounds.
-----Seeing everyone rushing towards the battle, Gimplefwick slaps his hand across his forehead, slips off his pony and commences running in a broad circle to the left flank of where the noises are coming from. While doing so, he tries to remain low to the ground and as quiet as possible, using the sound of the battle and the running horses to mask his own noise.
-----Seth cautiously brings up the rear after the gallant heroes. He looks at Albert, then readies his sling.
-----Sol charges Thunder among the trees and up a small hill. He pauses at the top of the incline where the others catch up to him. Looking down into a narrow valley on the other side, the party sees a bizarre scene unfold before them.
-----There at the bottom of the hill, they see about a dozen sylvan elves dressed in greenish studded leather. Their strong features are framed with hair of different shades looking much like the manes of great cats. They bear swords, bows and spears as they fiercely engage their opponents.
-----The ones they fight appear to be humans though what they wear identify them as woodsmen of no organized troop. Many of the men wear leather armor and fight with long swords. The elves and men battle back and forth and the air is filled with shouts, grunts and the clanging of weapons.
-----Oddly enough, most disturbing is not the battle that carries on, but what the adventurers see a few yards beyond the fighting men and elves. There among the trees on the far side of the valley is a great darkness, which covers the trees. A massive blackness perhaps some eighty feet in diameter, blots out the sunlight that shines down. It is as if a great darkness had swallowed up a part of the forest.
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