Chapter 6: The Rogues Reach the Town of Redmarsh!

The Fourth of Greentide, D.Y. 500

-----Finally, two hours after the wolves are first heard, everyone begins to stir. Though it is cloudy, the sky has begun to lighten with the approaching twilight. The party grabs as much of a quick breakfast as they can and moves to shake the morning chill from them.
-----Outside, a very light air moves but the day promises to be warm when the sun finally rises.
-----The Dread Pirate yawns and stretches widely, staggering out from underneath the table under which he'd spent the night. Scratching his left buttock, he says, "Well, maybe we'd best be headin on to Redmarsh. I wonder what happened to those other bandits. Maybe they ran into our former traveling companions."
-----Peering out into the courtyard, the Dread Pirate begins saddling Joren, preparing for the ride to Redmarsh.
-----Kazel rubs her eyes and shakes herself awake. "If we start now we can probably get there before noon," she says as she packs up. "We've spent enough time here I think."
-----She then runs through the keep quickly once for anything interesting, then scans the countryside from a tower before heading out for the trip.
-----Seth wakes up and heads straight for the kitchen. He shaves some of the salted beef and places it in his pocket. He then walks up and outside where he calls Albert to him and feeds him some of the beef. When everyone is ready, he grabs his pack and mounts up ready to follow.
-----Just before the sun rises behind the thick clouds, the trio and their mercenaries leave the deserted castle. Everyone travels out toward the road without saying a word; the only noise coming from the hooves of their steeds. As they once again gain the trail, they turn and follow it toward the southwest where Brandel had said they would come to the Town of Redmarsh.
-----After an hour's time, their party has covered over two miles and on their left side, they pass a large lake with two large hills just beyond it. By now, the sun is already up, although the overcast sky seems to cloak everything in dull colors. Within the next hour, their trail leads them across a barren moor which features dusty and cracked soil. Just beyond it, the next mile carries them across a grassy plain. Suddenly, the road heads more to the south across a field of scrub vegetation and then among the trees of a small wooded area.
-----As the riders move between the tall sturdy trees, the air seems to stand still. A musty, boggy smell seems to permeate the air as if coming from a nearby swamp. However, no open pools are seen and the forest floor seems lush and solid. The leaves in the combined canopy of greenery overhead are thick making it difficult to catch a glimpse of the gray sky.
-----Suddenly, Marast, who has remained mostly at the front of the riders slows and brings his horse to a stop. The elf glances around with wide eyes and then as if remembering the rest of the company with him, signals everyone to stop and be silent. It is unnerving to observe the expression on the demi-human's face. For the first time since the trio had met their curious band of mercenaries, they recognize a look of terror on Marast's face.
-----The elf seems to hunch down on the back of his horse as if trying to stay low. Training his eyes on the branches overhead, it soon becomes apparent that he is simply not looking at the trees but what may be beyond in the sky. Marast jerks his head about in all directions as if straining with all his senses at what may have his attention. All the while, his eyes remain wide if not bulging.
-----Everyone seems to keep their eyes likewise trained overhead occasionally glancing down at the alerted elf. Finally Marast freezes in his position although the terrorized wide-eyed look never leaves. He raises one hand pointing aloft somewhere behind their position.
-----As everyone follows his line of sight, a huge black shape swoops just above the canopy of trees. The leaves rustle strongly with its passing. Just as some of the leaves part, some of the riders catch a glimpse at a large dark scaled wing. The huge shape rushes off like some huge shadow flying directly over the riders' position and toward the direction they are heading.
-----Just as everyone watches the black shape leave, Marast whispers a single word. It is the word, dragon.
-----The Dread Pirate watches, mouth gaping wide as the tremendous dragon flies overhead. For a moment he remains completely silent, then he nudges Seth with an elbow and mutters softly, "Do ye think it's edible?"
-----Seth dismounts from his horse and thinks about discarding some of his unwanted equipment for a quick get away. He breathes a sigh of relief as the dragon continues flying overhead. He then turns to Dread... "I ...stole a dragon statue from Sol's apartment....Do you think that could be Sol's Dragon?"

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