Seeing Tesfaye retreat into his shell, Hemlock moves closer to the opening to the root cave, trying to get a look in to see what was happening with Saoirse.

He will not get close enough to block her retreat, but if he sees the bear advance, he will try and calm it down by speaking to it.

"There are many, many folk on the road", he whispers to the others as he advances to the root cave.

Saoirse backs up towards the exit, keeping her eyes on the mother bear. She turns her back to crawl out, but as she does her eyes pass over one of the cubs, and her scimitar scratches a rock, shattering the tense silence. Mama bear growls and rushes across the hollow, opening her mouth as she stretches out to bite at Saoirse's legs and backside and protect from a percieved threat. Mama pauses in surprise, however, as the Firbolg's voice suddenly reaches down to her. The cadence of his speech makes its meaning clear to her - his intentions ride on his deep voice and echo the thousand ways that life communicates to other life.

The HMC group continue along their road, still blissfully unaware of your party. Let's hope nobody looks to closely, as Sha has chosen the worst spot in the thicket to stand, his black fur is hard to see, but his armor contrasts completely to the greens and browns of the bush, and some of the bush's thorns scratching annoyingly at his nose and his hands. He is hidden about as well as an adult indulging their 5 year old by taking a turn "hiding" in hide and seek. Fortunately, the metaphorical 5 year old is not seeking at all - for the moment.

Muro stops screeching while Lam speaks to him, staring wide-eyed at the bugbear. As Lam gets just slightly closer to the were-rat, however, Muro twists his neck to lunge towards Lam's face, his teeth snapping shut jist inches from Lam's nose. Muro continues to struggle against the ropes and try to wriggle free, but Lam is able to hold him steady. He screeches again.

"We could just leave him," Saffron suggests from her hiding spot in the underbrush (much more effective than Sha's). It's not that she wants to get rid of Muro, it's that she doesn't see any particular usefulness to him. Tesfaye is a little burdensome too, but at least the turtle has shown an ability to heal and a readiness to protect her and the others. "I'm not about to die for his sake." 

When Lam nearly gets his nose bitten off, a growl escapes him- a warning. “Stop.” He insists, just a bit louder and firmer than before. He shifts Muro on his shoulder so that the rat is in a bit less comfortable position, but so his own face is less within snapping distance. He continues to prioritize holding Muro firm.

When Saffron makes her suggestion, he instantly responds “No,” and then struggles to find the words, “He’s just…” As he trails off, Lam is not sure why he feels so strongly against the changeling’s proposal. After all, Lam’s most immediate wish under the current circumstances is for Muro to not be here. But would Saffron feel the same way about Lam once he lost control and became a liability too? Desperately wanting the screeching to stop, but unable to do anything to calm Muro (and closer than he’d like to admit to doing something rash), he watches his friends to see what they might do. He looks like he wants to advance toward the hiding spot, but is acutely aware of how ineffective hiding would be at the moment.

Sha-gravis not knowing what else to do goes prone and uses guidance to try and burrow down out of sight.  ‘Thorns be damned I can’t be the reason for more unwanted attention... ouch these little prickles hurt!’ 
He hopes beyond reason he can get out of sight.

"Do not fear, you are safe. Your cubs are safe. We will leave", is the message Hemlock imparts to the bear in a way that only a firbolg can, with tone and intonation more than words in truth. With his head in the roots of the skyoak he does not worry about being heard by those on the road. For Saoirse's sake it was more important to calm the situation.

"Do not worry Saoirse, she knows we mean no harm. Just come out nice and slowly", he whispers to Saoirse, before speaking once more to the bear after she is out. "May your cubs grow strong, like their mother".

When they are out, he looks about, shaking his head at Sha whose efforts at hiding left much to be desired. However, the likelihood is that was only because his vision had been enhanced by the tabaxi. Those on the road were unlikely to see this far, unless they had one of those bright lights they could direct.

Saoirse draws a long breath when she's finally able to exit the tree cave. That had really been close! She smiles appreciatively at Hemlock and says:

- That was close. If it hadn't been for you, well ... - she shakes her head - ...I would have really hated having to fight that mother bear and I'm glad it hasn't been necessary. You are truly one with Nature, Hemlock! 

She then approaches Sha and the rest and thinks for a moment of telling Tesfaye that the danger has been averted so they can come out from their shell again, but refrains from doing so when she sees how Lam is struggling with Muro, and what Saffi has to say about the were-rat. Yes, they might as well leave the Tortle out of this discussion so they can calm themselves a little more.

- Come on, Saffi. We didn't escape Coldwater together to leave one of us behind when the first difficulty arises, right? I wouldn't want to be left behind if, for example, I had an accident and could not fend for myself and become a burden all of a sudden. Nor I would want that to happen to any of you - she looks around her for a moment and then adds - We've had difficulties, but we've been able to avert them. Come on, we can do this. And without leaving anyone behind.

After saying all this, the genasi approaches Lam and while the bugbear holds the lycan tightly, she tries to readjust the knots once again so they can hang on the rest of the journey. 

- We should continue, don't you think? And ... this will not very nice but ... should we try to cover Muro's head so he doesn't scream and bite that much? With a cloak or something like that? Not too tight so he can breathe, but enough to muffle his screams. 

As Sha lays as quietly and as comfortably as possible listening to Saoirse with Hemlock and Saffi watching her pass near Tesfaye and Lam her interaction with Muro, it is very clear that Saoirse is a good leader.  With thorns and sticks poking Sha everywhere and his throbbing injury where Grommit’s dart stuck true, he is thankful for this one silver lining.

It seems all the tales of the woodland shepards are true Hemlock pacified a mother bear nursing cubs in her own den, amazing!

Lycanthrope this is a new term to Sha it’s very interesting that such a condition associated with the moon would be elusive to him but being labeled a heretic means not getting to study and join the other acolytes and clergy.  It seems pretty intense this transformation into a wererat.  Thank the goddess for Lam, so much would’ve gone terribly different without him.

Sha looks over at Saffi so we’ll hidden and her ability to blend in wherever she goes, it’s sad to think but when we finally get out of danger, she could easily become a wisp gone without a trace if she chooses.

All in all Sha is feeling blessed to be in such wonderful company.  What a group of talent excellsior!

As she adjusts and checks Muro's bindings, the Wererat snaps at her, and in a moment of perfect instinct and luck, Saoirse is able to shove the balled-up cloak from her pack into his mouth, and quickly tie it around the back of his head, under his giant ears. Mouth full of fabric, Muro makes some muffled noises but no loud sound escapes from his snout. As an added bonus, he won't be able to bite anyone until the gag is removed. The only real negative... is that in the morning she'll have to deal with a cloak soaked in wererat saliva, and Muro might have a sore jaw. These drawbacks are most likely well worth it. 

The bear snorts an appreciation for Hemlock as a friend of plentiful fruit and natural cycles, glad to have avoided a fight so near her cubs. She trusts him and his kind on an instinctual level - although not enough to invite him or anyone else any closer to her babies.

Tesfaye sticks their head out of their shell and watches the exchange. Their brown shell blends in well with the roots and soil around them, so unless anyone was looking specifically for a retracted tortle, it's a surprisingly good hiding spot. The bright blues of their clothing are all hidden between shell and ground. If you think much about it, you may realize that tortle tailors have a challenging job - regular clothing requires significant altering to fit their anatomy. "If the bear is content to stay down there, I vote we just rest here for a while. I'm tired of running. You are truly a wonder to watch, gardener."

"Nice move, fireblood. That should keep him quiet, so if Lam has the stamina, I think we should push on towards the Village Tree. No need to spend a night in the wilderness." Saffron is not willing to argue with Lam about whether to bother with Muro, but she's clearly a little bit uncomfortable with the woods. She's unaccustomed to being out of the city. She recognizes bears from circuses and sideshows, but being in the presence of a wild one is more than a little unnerving.

The large group walking along the road continue on, and it looks like the last lantern of their group is east of you now. The forest is no less full of life, and a wolf calls somewhere in the distance, with an answering howl coming a few moments later. Both calls were far away from where you are now. A familiarity with wolves is enough to know that howls are a good sign - they are a claim of territory from other wolf packs, and are neither made nor answered while the pack is actively hunting. If you're not familiar with wolves though, the howl does remind you of bedtime stories and hungry teeth. Saffi's eyes widen noticeably, and Tesfaye pulls their head back into their shell.

“It seems for now we have respite, but we also have the gift of vision given to us by Sha”, Hemlock says slowly.

”Perhaps we should use it to get more distance between us and those likely to follow us, and then maybe we can rest for a while”.

He looks to the others, seeing a tired and scared group, just like him. And just like himself, some were injured.

”I am not sure we can make it to the village tree without a rest”, he says to Saffi, his hand reaching to his wound to emphasise his point.

When Muro’s sounds become muffled by the cloak, some sense of reason returns to Lam’s eyes. He gives Saoirse a grateful and relieved look.

He watches his friends as they discuss what to do next: stay and rest, or continue straight on to find the Village tree. The whole group seems tired- Sha, Hemlock and Tesfaye in particular seem like they will need rest very soon. Lam realizes that he will probably not be able to rest until they get to the Village Tree no matter what, as he will need to continue carrying Muro until then. And life is still abundant in the forest, even if none of it is right here.

After a moment of thought, he says, “If we rest, I can stay up. Keep watch.” He would like to keep going to get more assured safety, but he is not afraid of the forest and would rather stand holding a were-rat for an hour than see his injured friends suffer any more. He will go along with any decision.

“I agree with Hemlock although I desperately want to rest we should push on, Captain Jonah could right now be tracking us.”  Sha looks at each of his new pride members, marveling at the group’s resilience.  “I also propose as it is getting dark, the road could be a faster path.  It is unlikely, as many HMC are human that they will travel at night. The forest has its benefits also, I just want to get away from Coldwater.”

"Judging by the group that just passed, even if we meet more of these people on the road, we will know well in advance and can just hide", Hemlock says in his slow manner of speech. "I think using the road for a while is a great idea, Sha".

Saoirse nods at Saffi's appreciative comment. She also smiles at Lam as she presses his arm a little, relieved to see him doing better after Muro's noises and bites are taken care of. The blood hunter will probably need a new cloak after this, but what is that in comparison to what Muro could have provoked?

- I gotta say I agree with keep going. I think it's best to do one last effort and try to reach Village Tree as soon as possible - Saoirse says, throwing a worried glance at Tesfaye. Though Sha and Hemlock were hurt too, it was the tortle that seemed more at his limit. But they had to think of group as a whole and, all in all, pressing on seemed like the best option for everyone - I like the idea of using the road for this last part of the journey. Great suggestion, Sha! Come on, guys, we are almost there. We'll soon be able to rest. 

Saoirse will try to be near Tesfaye for the final leg of the journey. Though she will still keep alert, she will from time to time talk to Tesfaye and ask them where they are from and their theories on lycanthropy with the objective of keeping their mind a little away from their tiredness and anxiety they've felt so far.

A shred of relief shows in Lam’s eyes as the group decides to keep going to the Village Tree- he wants at this point to just get there as soon as possible. Keeping hold of Muro, he will follow the group to the road and try to stick by Saoirse and Tesfaye, keeping an eye on the tired Tortle. He will stay on the side closer to the forest than the rest of the group, figuring that he would be one of the easiest of them to spot from a distance and that he should be ready to duck back into the woods at a moment’s notice.

He keeps his eyes out for signs of nearby life- both from the forest, and from the road ahead.

Tesfaye stands up, lifts their head out of their shell, and nods. "With all of you, I know we can make it. And even I have been able to hear those jailers coming and going from far away, well said Hemlock." They look at Muro for a while, head slightly tilted. The wererat is still struggling against his bindings, and muffled noises do keep coming from the cloak in his mouth, but he seems to be both manageable to carry, and unable to escape or injure anyone for the time being. The halfling's transformation has left him as a nearly 5'6" (167cm) rat-human hybrid, with huge, razor-sharp curved front teeth sticking out of an elongated jaw, hard pointed claws on his fingers, and a long, muscular tail which could be used as a whip or for balance, but is not prehensile. His clothes, which were ragged and tattered when you found him, are stretched to their limits, making it clear that it was this transformation more than any treatment by the guards that had ripped them before. He is much larger than in his halfling form, although still much smaller than Lam or Hemlock.

"Looks like the changes are complete at this point, there haven't been any more changes in the past few minutes," Tesfaye concludes. Then they keep talking about the transformation, but quietly and to themselves. They will happily engage in speculation and ask Saoirse for details as much as she wants to, and will also ask Hemlock for details about druidic transformation, Sha about the implications of a magic being triggered by moonlight, Saffi about changeling transformation, and Lam about whether he has seen similar creatures in his experience in the outlands, as you walk. They are very welcoming to any input, and seem equal parts genuinely curious and just seeking distraction. They do have a tendency to ramble on without stopping to check whether you're still listening, and stop to wince and take a deep breath every now and then when their injuries seem to particularly bother them.

".... curious, he said the transformation is complete on nights like this, which implies that this hybrid form is the complete version... Sha, what do you think it implies about these transformations that they're triggered by the moon?... It could be that the beast's nature taking over is more what he means, and that does make sense if we consider... as Xanathar theorised, form as a magical/physical imposition of will, and the beast has a will of its own, it would naturally impose the most powerful halfway form, rather than the most ratlike. But that would mean that druidic transformation, where the caster's humanoid mind stays in control, impose form without regard to maximised efficacy...."

Saffi is very glad to be heading towards a more established path, even walking towards the front of your group to scout ahead.

You follow the road for a ways, until you reach a divergence. The larger road, with lots of marks from horse-and-wagon traffic in recent months, curves to the left (and to the south). Yet another path is veers off, heading north. This path has no recent wagon marks, and is not particularly hard-packed. The path is mostly made visible by the fact that there are various herbs and fruit-bearing plants on both sides of the trail, with the center line clear from underbrush. Every now and then the trail winds slightly and naturally around an old tree. Hemlock recognizes this trail as the sort of generations-long slow agriculture practiced by those who keep the old ways, but for those of you who are more familiar with roads as being wagon roads and agriculture meaning farms and fields, the effect appears almost magical.

Hemlock is happy to speak to Tesfaye a little about druidic transformation, although he largely just tells him it isn't something he has not been able to do as yet. He tells him that his understanding is that it is more linked to a feeling of oneness with the natural world rather than something he can explain in a way Tesfaye seems to want him to explain it. He ignores any further questions.

When they reach the divergence, he stops and looks to the others.

"This will be the path to the Village Tree. This is a trail made by those who live in harmony with the forest", he says, satisfaction showing on his face and in the way he speaks.

"We must also walk in harmony with the forest here. We must also try and make sure our tracks cannot easily be seen. We must try not to lead those people to the Village tree", he says and waits for the others to head down the trail before him so he can attempt to mask their passage.

Survival: 10+5=15

Lam answers any question that Tesfaye has about his experiences with lycans in the outlands, though his answers are short and contain little information. He had only ever seen werewolves, and even then he had never really interacted with one. He had always avoided them, as they never tended to be too kind to him when transformed. He had no idea before that lycans could transform into anything except a wolf. He occasionally tries to offer Tesfaye his free arm in case they need to grab on for support as they walk, though he does also sometimes have to use it to adjust hs grip on Muro. It’s become much harder, but still possible, to carry him with just one arm.

As Hemlock speaks, Lam listens with interest. Hemlock’s understanding of and connection to nature is something Lam could only dream of having. He admires the firbolg for it. Making an effort to follow Hemlock’s instructions, he starts gently down the forest path, looking around in awe.

Sha, what do you think it implies about these transformations that they're triggered by the moon?

As Tesfaye addresses Sha by name and references his goddesses most prominent iconological physical manifestation the moon, it triggers Sha in a way he was not expecting.  “Tesfaye, I worship the dual Goddess Shar & Selune not separately but as one.  My observation so far regarding our friend Muro is that like ourselves he has a dual nature.  Most in my Goddess’s following separately worship one or the other of her nature, I however have a greater calling to acknowledge and present the truth.  Muro like Shar/Selune is powerful and learning how to control his nature, Saoirse presents a personal experience of interacting with others like him who are in control.  It is my belief that as the dual nature of Muro can be mastered, so to can the united faith in Shar/Selune bring about a power never before known.  I hope that you my very smart friend can see the truth which I hope to share with all creation.”

Sha stands a little taller and walks a little more easily sharing this truth has greatly improved his self confidence.  This is the basic truth which led to his attempted murder charge and imprisonment.  He looks to the moon with a tear in his eye, “Eu te amo e te seguirei todos os meus dias.” Spoken in sylvan

Saoirse stays silent for a moment listening to Tesfaye's theories and questions, and what the rest answer in return. She doubts for a moment whether to answer or to just stay silent, as she doesn't feel so comfortable speaking about her order with people not belonging to it. But taking into account that she has already mentioned some of it and that they all seem to trust each other enough at this point, she decides to speak.

- I'm not that experienced regarding Lycanthropy, or at least not to the point of being able to answer the questions of one as knowledgeable as Tesfaye. All members of my order - the Blood of the True King - have a fair amount of knowledge about it, yes, and some of them are Lycan that have learned to master their nature even to the point of being able to choose when to transform, instead of their transformations being triggered uncontrollably depending on the moon phase. But you have to understand that there is a price to be able to achieve that. And the price is called the Hunter's Bane. Those of us who ... survive it ... are changed. Our blood is just not the same anymore, but we are granted the ability to use it to fuel or combat capabilies, specially against fey, fiend and undead. Besides this, those who then follow the path of the Lycan can, as I've mentioned, even decide when to transform. In my case, I have not yet chosen a path, but I'm no Lycan nor have the wish to be turned into one by one of my seniors, so unfortunately this is where my expertise on the topic ends.

As you continue down the path, night continues to fall. At this point, it is well dark, and you can feel Sha-Gravis' gift of night vision wearing off. The light of the moon, and the feeling of soil under your boots, is enough to let you continue on the path, but it is still dim. Lam and Saoirse feel the penetrating, detailed night vision ebb back to their accustomed 60,' and Hemlock feels the night vision go almost completely. A dark forest is not a scary thing to Hemlock though, rather it is the comforting cradle he has fallen asleep in and wandered through almost every night of his life. While he can see little, he can hear well and walk confidently on the forest floor. Still, he may be less well-equipped to lead the way.

The conversation is doing wonders for Tesfaye's mood, and although they still winces every now and then, they seem distracted enough by intellectual things to mostly ignore their physical pain. They are holding Lam's offered arm, partly for physical support, but also in a gesture to show their emotional and social appreciation for him. They are also not particularly paying attention to the road around them, a far-off, distracted look in their eyes while they discuss magical and religious theory.

"My people speak of the rising and the ebbing tide as two parts of a whole - one ocean moving around the whole world, driven by the power of the moon. All things follow the same magical and physical laws, which my guild attempts to understand. I think you are very wise to see that two opposite natures are part of one truth. I too believe in acknowledging truth even when others don't like it, and this is also part of how I found myself in chains. Though in my case, it was their baseless restrictions on access to magic, which should belong to all living beings. However... while your analogy does give a clear ontological reason for the lycanthropic condition to mirror one of nature's obvious dichotomies, I still want to figure our the actual magical mechanism of triggering the effect. Saoirse, if you don't mind me saying so, it sounds like your order might use an extra magical ritual as a patch in order to impose control over the lycanthropic magic. So I'm not sure that your friends' path to balance with their beasts comes from the acceptance of it that Muro talked about. Blood of the True King... Tesfaye seems to be trying to choose their words very carefully, not wanting to offend their new friend and protector.

My people used to be afraid of traveling to this part of the world, because someone who called himself the True King ruled here, and they did not want to be conquered by him. I have to admit I've never been so interested in History as a subject though, so I don't no much more about him. Just that my people didn't necessarily all think he was such a great guy. That's not a critisism of you or your order at all, of course!

Saffi chimes in: "I don't know about your order, but I can criticize that true king blighter. It was during his rule that changelings were required to all be registered or exteminated, and it's that law's fault that I grew up as a freak and a circus side show." She then immediately shuts her mouth and looks away, as though she feels like she's said to much. Her skin is thinner now, in the dark woods, than in a place where she feels more confident. As  she says it, her face momentarily looks a little more monstrous, as she bulges her eyes and sharpens her teeth before relaxing into her human visage, to emphasize the point that people thought of changelings as monsters. It's only for a second, and subtle, but the point is clear if you're paying attention. 

Tesfaye tries to shift the conversation away from this sensitive topic. "I'd be facinated to hear more about this "hunter's bane" and "blood magic." It's not something I'm familiar with, and I love learning something new, no matter how dangerous you make it sound. I hope that Muro's humanoid side is knowledgable enough to give some clues about his experience! He did say that he enjoys many aspects of his relationship with the inner beast, after all."

Muro gives another squirm, whipping his tail back and forth to try to shake off of Lam's shoulder, and more muffled screeches die against the soaked cloak in his mouth. He does not seem to be enjoying being a beast right now. (DC 13 strength check to keep him on your shoulder).

You have all heard of the True King, to one degree or another. A ruler using that title was emperor of the entire continent up until about 100 years ago, and during his reign all other lords and kings swore fealty to him, and true war between nations never actually broke out. Which isn't to say that there were no conflicts or that everyone was treated absolutely fairly. When the True King died, the peace between nations fell apart almost immediately. That much, anyone in your world would know.  You would also all have heard some version of the legend that the True King rose to power when he saved the world from a threat to all life, but there are so many different versions of that story that most people think of it as just myth, or at least don't know which story to believe.