Keteria raises a wry eyebrow and replies, "Markus, you have my sword and shield at your service through whatever may come."

"I for one would not have left even when we went through the mist. You had your chance to leave Markus and returned so do not take your regret out on anyone else. If what Stanamir thinks is true then we will need to work together." Malkador says as he turns to look at the rest of the travelers.

Malkador’s word cut deep for Markus as he hangs his head low. He looks back to the others “He’s right I have many regrets about my home, but I won’t let that stop me. I’ll save her and the people of this land, I won’t fail again. Now let’s keep moving.”

Well said, we are all in this together...

Van Saer carefully noted to himself the lack of animals, just the seemingly endless forest of pine trees, dark green and grey with the mist

"I s'pose we are, like it or not..."

"This one agrees with the small dragon. We are strangers in what, so far, is a hostile land, and have no means of a safe way back. This one thinks our best way to survive is working together." ST4-B13 says, and it reaches into a side pocket on its backpack pulling out a gold coin and sliding the coin between its visor slots.

While the caravans continue onwards, Van Saer walks up to a pine tree, and using his mace, scores an arrow into it's trunk.  After which he hustles forwards until he is back in front of the caravans, still keeping a lookout for danger.

"An what was the purpose of that, if I may ask?"

Van Saer smiles, trying to be cheerful - Sir, if we never see mark again we will know we are heading in the proper direction.  On the other hand, if we see this mark again at any point then we will know we have come around in a circle.

Malkador nods even though he bristles at being referred to as a small dragon. His thoughts seem to turn inward once more as he focuses ahead.

Keteria holds her longsword ready, caressing its hilt absentmindedly. Under her breath she repeats the litany of duty, the litany of sacrifice and the litany of mercy.

ST4-B13 just stares straight ahead keeping an eye out for any more danger. 

Perception: 10. 

...the road goes ever on and on, down from the road where it began...

Still walking in front of the caravans Van Saer notices that the branches of most of the pine trees spiral around their respective trunks in one direction, and the others spiral in the opposite direction...

ST4-B13, in its hollow monotone voice, starts to quietly sings very badly and with no tune, "This is the road that never ends. It just goes on and on, my friends. Some people started walking it, not knowing where it leads. And, they’ll continue walking it forever, just because This is the road that never ends…"

It just goes on and on, my friends. Some people started walking it not knowing where it leads.  And, they'll continue walking it forever, just because This is the road that never ends...

I loved that song so much, and I can't believe I'm doing this this early in the campaign, but you both get Inspiration.

I even changed the formatting into a poem:

The road goes ever on an on,

Down from the road where it began.

This is the road that never ends.

It just goes on and on, my friends.

Some people started walking it, not knowing where it leads.

And they'll continue walking it forever, just because,

This is he road that never ends.

It just goes on and on, my friends.

Some people started walking it not knowing where it leads.

And they'll continue walking it forever, just because,

This is the road that never ends...

• Keteria smirks hearing the two singing, "I knew a halfling that used to sing something like that... he wound up eaten by a tree. Van Saer, you might want to stay away from those pines"

Trees that eat halflings?  Good thing I am a half elf, then, yes?  Just kidding....

Van Saer moves into the road, still singing...pushing back against the gloom.

Keteria chuckles.

Malkador will continue bis watch, keeping his eyes focused on the road.

Perception: 8