Dawn volunteers, "I speak Draconic. One of the priests where I was raised was a Dragonborn, and she taught me to speak it." She doesn't  bother to explain that it was so they could have private conversations that their superiors couldn't follow, in other words girl talk.

Suddenly, a high-pitched scream echoes throughout the forest, coming from the cave's direction.

[You guys are around 70ft away from the cave entrance.

I assume Dawn casted Light, causing 20ft radius of Bright light, and an additional 20ft radius of Dim light to emanate from her.]

"I couldn't quite make out what they were saying," Surina says apologetically before a scream cuts through the night air. "It sounds like the little one is in trouble!"

Without waiting to see if anyone else is following, the dragonborn rushes toward the cave entrance, carrying her spear tightly in one hand.

Leftenant dashes away after the Monk, stowing his bow and grabbing the hand axes from his belt.  With the call to action, he figures it's going to be tight quarters and prefers to have his options with shorter ranged and melee weapons rather than the distance the bow allows.

"In for a penny...in for a pound."

He moves to just outside the light radius unless Dawn follows suite as the Human can't see well in the dark.

Dawn dashes toward the cave  as well. The time for careful approaches is over!

Ulf grabs a fisherman's hurricane lamp from his pack, lights it with his flint and steel.   He then hurries after the others.  

(OOC The light is for the human in the party, the lamp casts Bright Light in a 15-foot radius and Dim Light for an additional 30 feet. Ulf will be wielding his staff one handed.)

{Dawn already had bright light on her shield, 20 foot bright, additional 20 feet dim. So now we have two sources of light...}

The party rushes toward the cave, their footsteps striking against the forest floor, giving away their approach.

The guttural voices grow louder, and more anxious.

[In Draconic]

Soon, the party comes within 20 feet of the cave entrance. Now, illuminated by their light, they finally see the source of the voices. Two small reptilian creatures, each barely three feet tall, standing guard next to the entrance, pointing sharp daggers at the party. Various shades of red scales cover their body, and their small yellow eyes flicker nervously between the party.

"B-Back off!" One hisses in broken Common. "Thiss isss kobold plaess!"

"Y-Yes!" The other adds, also in broken Common. "No plashe for you!"

Dawn talks to them in Draconic, to be easier for them to understand (hoping her draconic is better than their common). "You have taken a boy captive, return him and we can avoid a fight."

In a whisper to the others, she translates, "I'm asking for the boy to avoid a fight."

Surina nods and steps forward to help. She also speaks to the kobolds in Draconic. "We seek only the boy. Let him go, and we'll leave."

Leftenant moves to the left, stepping forward just a bit.  His arms are at his sides as the ladies speak in a language he doesn't understand.  While his arms are at his side however, his hands are not empty as they each hold a hand ax.  He is patient and with Dawn's explanation in Common, he waits quietly giving a nod of approval to the clergy member. 

Hearing Dawn speak in Draconic, the kobolds look at her with surprise and curiosity, lowering their daggers just slightly. Then, they respond in the same guttural tongue.

[In Draconic]

When Surina speaks in Draconic, the kobolds stop, eyes widening as they finally notice her.

[In Draconic]

Surina blinks at the kobolds for a moment, taking in this strange new information. Not particularly good with words, she looks to Dawn for assistance. Turning back to the kobolds, she fixes a stern expression on her face. Then she decides to lie (in Draconic).

"Yes. Smokulon the Great sent us. Do you think he would be pleased with such a small and puny sacrifice? Do not insult Smokulon! Release the puny one to us or face Smokulon's wrath."

Deception - 12

To the others, Dawn says, "Looks like we need to fight all the kobolds and soon. They're going to sacrifice the boy."

Ulf mutters a mild oath and readies himself.

The kobolds suddenly flinch, eyes widening at Surina's words. They quickly respond back, their voices shaking and nervous.

[In Draconic]

Leftenant is as much at home giving orders as well as taking them. He lived his whole adult life in the rank and file structure of the land forces military. So when the ladies took the lead in speaking to others he couldn’t understand, he naturally fell into the role of support personnel.

Perhaps he puts it together that small scaly kobolds speak draconic. Maybe he’s heard enough in his years to identify the tongue if not understand the specifics. Maybe he’s heard enough also deduces that if the party’s Dragonborn is speaking, it might be draconic as well.

None-the-less, he continues to play the support role as best as he can, understanding from Dawn’s translation that time is of the essence to save little Tim. He crosses his arms, axes still in hands, trying to look as intimidating as possible. 

Leftenant's attempt at intimidation has easily worked. The kobolds, who've been eyeing at him and Ulf strangely, now look at him with fear and caution in their eyes. Their nervous eyes, trying their best to avoid looking at Leftenant's axes, turn to Surina and Dawn as they speak hurriedly, still in the same strange language

[In Draconic]

Surina glowers at the kobolds, already tiring of her ruse. "Do not question me," she says in Draconic. "Release the boy to us now or prepare to defend yourselves."

Intimidation - 18