Val smiles at Thurston's understanding and acceptance. "Thank you, my friend. These are strange times, ancient devil kings and the dead walk with us." She glances back at Vark briefly as she says the former before turning back to the road ahead. "He was the bravest of us all." A melancholy smile lifts the corners of her lips and she feels the tightness of the fresh scar across her face. '...Not bravest...' She hears his voice as a faint, ghostly whisper like it always was when Larkin was within her, not the proud strong voice he had when the rage was upon her. "We loved each other very much. I am glad he is with me." She pounds her chest with her left fist. "And I am glad that he is with us now in battle. He was the best warrior of the tribe... until..." She stops short as she feels the rage rising inside her once again as the faces of the dead swirl unbidden before her waking eyes, the village destroyed... bodies pierced by arrow, spear, crushed by giant hammers... She turns at his words. "Yes, we are indeed."

During the rest.

Val looks from from the dried fruit pieces she holds within her massive hands. "Aye, we have traveled far and fought hard this day. A rest will do us all good. Especially Vark, he was sorely assailed by those goblins." She looks over at the young half-orc sorcerer. "You did well today, Vark, but next time please be more careful!"

Jex nods. Deadly serious this time. "We have the invitation to visit a very talented breeder. I should very much like to visit him before we return to the town. We would be much better not to have to go at such a slow pace when we make these journeys. For now though, Thurston is right, we should rest and set watch. Use the light to properly fortify the camp, maybe I can even hide it, prevent a repeat of before." 

 The group continue after a brief rest, but it isn't long before Tomasz starts to pant heavily under the weight of the wagon, Vark, too, looks tired and Jex insists on a stop to allow his tired Mule some water and a rub down to prevent the harness cutting into his hide.

As the group rests to tend to their thirst, Jex stretches. "I've been on the wagon a while, perhaps I'll take another turn looking ahead, see if I can't find somewhere safe and comfortable for us to bed down. "

Looking at the other dwarf out of breath, and struggling with his own, "Agreed. We shoudl get some horses, or at least another wagon for us to ride in. I don't mind takin the first watch." The dwarf settles down next to the fire. The calm of the night prepares him to figure out what to do when he encounters his parents.

Val watches as several of the trope look exceptionally tired on the last leg of their journey and Jex offers to find them all a suitable location to hole-up for the night. "Jex, wait! I'll come as well, none of us should be alone at the moment as the ambush. Even a slippery one like you!" She walks over and slaps the half-elf hard upon the back as she hefts Rook over her shoulder with a wink. "Come. I wager I could find us a better spot faster! First one back wins bragging rights!" When he agrees, the pair rush off up the path and into the wild lands beyond.

Val climbs, jumps, and runs about for a period before she finally comes struggling back onto the path looking utterly spent and frustrated after finding not one single, suitable camping location for the night. She spots Jex as he reappears and it is easy to tell she feels she has lost the wager. "This wasteland leads to a fruitless search. It seems we will be sleeping on the path this eve!"

Hurrig turns to the group, "I think I will go gather us some food. I'll return in a few hours, and by Moradin's will, it won't be empty handed." Hurrig sets out with his crossbow in hand. 

After walking a little while, Hurrig finds a good perch. The clanky armor probably scaring off more game than he had hoped, but with a subtle hideout, Hurrig figures something may return if he sits still in one spot. Hurrig, as a dwarf, was never one for hunting, and left it for others to do. Hurrig found himself a decent cook and others seemed to enjoy it as well, but someone else had to catch it. This time Hurrig was set on feeding his friends, and catching the food too!. A few rabbit and grouse passed by Hurrig's nook but the dwarf was persistent on getting something bigger. After waiting for what felt like forever, something moved over the rocks. A rather large Mountain Goat leaped into, view grazing on the little grass poked through the mountain pass. Hurrig slowly aimed his crossbow, muttering quietly under his breath a dwarven prayer. When the prayer was finished, Hurrig let loose the bolt. The adrenaline pumping through his veins, made everything feel like it was moving in slow motion. Suddenly, a thwoop, a bleat followed by a deep thud. The snow white mountain goat lay lifeless on the ground in front of the dwarf. A smug smile grows upon the dwarfs face. He begins to laugh, "I coulda hunt with tha best of em! This'll certainly be a story for ma and pa." 

Hurrig grabs the animal and begins dragging the heavy goat back to camp, and with help from Val and Thurston is able dress it and skin it. Saving the hide to turn into a cloak, Hurrig removes the horns from the head of the animal, "Val, why don't ya hollow these and make a drinking horn for yaself and me." Hurrig takes the legs of the goat and roasts them over the camp fire, salting the breast meat to turn into jerky, Hurrig saves the ribs, loins, and shoulders for a later night or a feast upon arriving at Khaz a Grungon. The smell fills the air and the dwraf begins checking if the meat is done cooking, he begins carving portions for everyone. "Ahh well that was quite the find!" Hurrig excited at his kill, scarfs down the food and finishes it off with a good helping of the elven mead. 

Jex grins at Val. "Oh really? I mean you can sleep on the path if you like. But I thought I would head up that little tributary there"

He points up the path a little further. The river meanders away from the path hiding the fact that another small stream flows into it beneath the ground. It reemerges a little further into the trees though. 

"Beyond those two rocks is a little cave, sheltered from view from the path and a little tricky to climb into. If you and Thurston could help me lift the wagon over again like we did outside of Sheecleft that would be appreciated, but then you can feel free to sleep back down on the path if that is what you prefer." He gives a cheeky wink followed by a joyful grin. Come, lets show the others. I think everyone needs some food and some rest. I might even tell them we found it together." He gives her a playful poke in the ribs as they walk, jumping away from and retaliation and running back in to put a hand on her shoulder as they walk.

About an hour after the eclipse has begun, Val hears noises from down on the road. Snippets of garbled conversation, and the soft pitter-patter of light footsteps on stone. When she calls for silence, Hurrig hears it too. Fortunately, hidden as they are behind the rocks, the camp site is invisible from the road.

As Val and Hurrig settle in for their watch, Val smiles to Hurrig and gratefully accepts the horns and begins working on hollowing them out during their short watch. "Look how far we have come from the last time you and I sat on a watch together, Hurrig." She runs a finger down the wicked scar that mars one half of her face. "It is good to have you with us again. You were sorely missed during our foray into the---" she stops with a frown. "Do you hear that?" She goes quiet suddenly and cocks her head to one side to aim her ear better towards the opening. "Sounds like a lot of small feet moving on the road, quickly." She and Hurrig listen very carefully for several moments as whatever is moving on the road moves beyond and away from their camping spot. "We need to pass it along to the others that there was movement tonight, keep their ears and eyes open." The rest of the watch is tense and quiet, the drinking horns set aside and forgotten about for now as Val absently rubs the scar on her abdomen...

The rest of the night passes without incident, until in the small hours of the next morning the first rays of sunlight begin to peek out from around the edge of the moon. Time to be back on the road.

Jex shakes his head as he bites into a dried biscuit. He didn't like that others were on the road, heading the same way as them. Only goblins had business here right now coming from the direction of Sheercleft.

"I should scout ahead, make sure they aren't laying another trap." He kicks some dirt down on the path. "I can't see any sign of where they went though. Anybody see something, otherwise I can just look at the path further along. Assuming they kept to it."

Vark wakes in the early morning light, stretches out his sore body, then joins the others for breakfast. When they talk of the travelers in the night and Jex suggests scouting ahead, Vark tags along with the rogue and Bründir. He is quite accustomed to searching for danger in this mountainous terrain, and of course he is always eager to prove his abilities. Today he is successful. Only a minute or so after the trio gets back down to the path, Vark is the first to point out the telltale signs of a goblin troupe. “I’m so sick of that stench.” He adds, holding a shred of dingy fabric aloft on the tip of his spear for emphasis.

"So do we cleanse this stench from the valley?" Jex plays with a dagger as they consider the signs of goblins passing. "How many were there? I would not mind the sport of clearing them from this place, protect the trade lines. What say you?"  He grins. "Or do we leave it to lesser men?" He glances at Val with a wink "Or women."

"I swear," Bründir can only stare at the signs laid before him, "When we get back, I won't need fancy talk an' politics. Jus' need a shitload o' posters: 'Goblins in th' Mountains, join th' fight!'. Swear if I don' get an' army from that, I'm leavin' Sheercleft fer elves."

Thurston pats Bründir on the shoulder

"Hahaha not to worry. The Naked Guard will surely be happy to go goblin hunting when we return. I don't like the idea to leave this ones behind us though... but I was on the understanding that we were on some kind of a hurry..." 

The paladin is obvious happy with anything the party decides as he finish the breakfast and gather his things. 

"Might be worth a look. Sheercleft can wait a day; what if this group's headin' back to a bigger camp? Suppose we could break'em up?" The dwarf kicks a few spiteful pebbles at the area goblins once traversed, "Least we could take a look an' send a patrol."

"I think it would be best if we went after the goblins. The last thing we need is another warband plotting revenge on us for killing Krug." The red haired dwarf pipes up. "Even if we don't dispatch of them directly, we need to at least know what is going on. The traders and resources we are trying to bring to Sheercleft along this path don't stand a chance against them."

“Well...” Vark starts, pensively. “They are a threat to the region and- and if we want to open up trade lines then it makes sense to deal with them now, make the road safe. B-but... I don’t like the idea of leaving the dragonborn sisters to their own devices for any longer than we have to. They could also be plotting against us right now.” He runs his hands through his hair, clearly conflicted. “I don’t know... whatever you guys think is best. I guess it probably is a good idea to gather information, see how many of these goblins are around.”

"Then it is decided" Jex gives Vark a pat on the back with a broad grin. "Don't worry about the sisters, I would much rather not go and knock on their door. Best to wait for them to move into the open." He picks up his blade with a spin before re-sheathing it. "Now, where you pointed them out to me, I think I can see where they went. Come." He silently follows the tracks of broken branches and trampled earth, vanishing into the mountainside beneath his shimmering cloak.

Val rolls her eyes at Jex's antics, but chuckles in spite of herself. "Yes, there was a large group of them, but look here Jex." She kneels down next to a set of tracks overlooked by the other members of them party. "Tracking through the mountains isn't like tracking through the forests where you leave tracks with every step and disrupt the plants around you. Here you must look for the subtleties. Notice the way the dust and rock here is disturbed? How that small rock is moved slightly out of the natural setting? Now, follow it up and you'll see some marks in the dust up there. If you look closely, you can see the outline of a foot." She grins. "Now, let us hunt."

The trail leads north along the High Road and Valaith leads the wagon up the path for another six miles before it stops for their first break close to nine in the morning.