Chapter 5: The Second Day of Hunting!
The Third of Greentide, D.Y. 500
-----The watches that night proceed quietly and uneventfully. The small campsite at the side of the trail road seems secure with the lit torches and a small campfire that chases away the shadows. The sound of crickets chirping and the usual forest noises help to ease everyone that is not on watch to sleep.
-----Raven's wolf stays close to his master and Rinda, occasionally looking up if some hurrying occurs in the underbrush from some small noctural animal. Chessie maintains his own vigil perched on a branch over his mistress lovingly watching her sleep. The horses, long since calmed by the hunters, stand quietly together relieved of their fright at the werebeasts. Marlexana, Sarah's beautiful but somewhat strange steed, looks skyward at the dark cloud cover and then relaxes into its own state of slumber.
-----The next morning, Raven, Rinda and Shema rouse everyone up to prepare for the day's journey. As the sun begins to rise on the unseen eastern horizon, everyone can see an exposed clear blue-sky overhead through the leaf filled branches. No leaves stir this day with the absence of wind and the air feels brisk with a chill although the day promises to be warm.
-----As Raven prepares, Rinda walks into the forest a bit to pay homage to the Great Hunter. Likewise, Sarah, after putting her own sleepy familiar back into his protective cage, opens her spellbooks and begins to study. As a few of the guards prepare a small breakfast, Shema stretches and looks oddly at her still bandaged arm.
-----Feeling the need to do something, Sol takes himself through a series of sword drills up until the time breakfast is served. He then returns to the exercises afterwards, only stopping when Raven says it's time to leave.
-----Grabbing a bite to eat, Raven takes one of the horses and rides off down the trail toward the place where the werewolves were killed. Soon Rinda returns and Sarah finishes her studies so that everyone takes part in the scant breakfast. Finally after over an hour's time, Raven rides back on one horse while leading the last lost steed.
-----"We're one horse down. It's too tiring for most horses t'have someone ride double for a long length o'time, so I'll just run alongside." Sol offers as he stops his drills and resheathes his sword.
-----Raven walks up to the group, "Well I found their tracks. We should leave as soon as possible before the tracks get any older." Raven starts to get ready to leave.
-----As they head out Sarah rides next to Shema for a few moments. "May I see your wound, Shema?" She asks. "I have never treated a werewolf injury before but I am certain the bandages must be changed quite often for the herbs to have a better effect."
-----"I agree with that," Rinda adds as Sarah checks with the female guard. Shema flattens her lips as if considering the request. She then shrugs and surrenders her arm for the mage to examine.
-----Turning, Rinda sees Sol running alongside of the riders. With a look of disbelief, the huntress says, "By the Great Hunter, Sol! You are not going to run all the way to Redmarsh! What if we are attacked or need to suddenly ride faster? Could you not ride with Sarah? I think there is more to Sarah's horse than we know. After all, there may be a reason her horse was not taken!"
-----"Yer right, Rinda...I wasn't going to run all th' way t'Redmarsh. Just until I get my own horse back. An' if we were attacked I wouldn't be heading away from the enemy." Sol answers easily.
-----He eyes the huntress out of the corner of his eye for a moment, shakes his head and says, "Though t'calm yer concern, I'll ride double if Sarah's willing...Though, first sign o' Marlexana tiring, I'll hop down an' carry my own weight."
-----Sol then looks to Sarah. Without question, Sarah lets the young warrior up behind her.
-----With that, everyone rides down the trail road toward where the were-battle took place. In the morning light, the warming rays have begun to filter in through the thick trees overhead. In a few minutes, they see the three naked bodies that lie still on the forest floor where the evil were-beasts fell. Although all three bodies lie facedown it is apparent that the last werewolf killed was female.
-----The riders grimly pass this point keeping alert as if the dead bodies might attract the wrong kind of attention. On down the trail they come to a place where a small muddy patch on the ground reveals some hoof prints. Raven indicates to keep moving forward.
-----To one side everyone sees a grotesque sight! There lies the ravaged and torn body of the horse that was mauled by one of the werewolves.
-----For the next two hours, the adventurers and the guards ride on and follow the trail road to the southwest. The sky remains clear and the absence of any chill to the air makes the warm morning comfortable. Fortunately their trip is uninterrupted, but it does seem odd that they meet no one on the road at all.