Surina nods. "I think that's the best course of action," she says. "I have experience leading others through the wilderness. I'm familiar with tracking. We should be able to stay on the trail. These tracks are pretty fresh."

Survival - Nat 1 :( (Seriously?? lol)

Surina heads near the messy bed, looking out the open window toward the fresh tracks. She's inexperienced with kobolds, and the tracks are too muddled. She'll need help tracking the kobold tracks.

As she heads back to the party, she finds herself stepping on a soft doll. It's crudely made doll of what looks to be an owlbear. One of its legs is hanging by thread, revealing the cotton inside it. 

Ulf lifts his left arm and waves his staff over it.  A small barn owl appears and the dwarf sends it flying into the air circling the party.  He the turns to the party, "I have sent my familiar to circle above us to keep an eye out.  Surina, may I assist you with your tracking?"

(OOC: The owl will fly silently, hooting if it sees anything unusual within 120' in the dark (depending on what time of day it is, if still day light, depends on how thick the forest is)

(OOC: using help action, by being a second pair of eyes for Surina if she accepts. I can stay out of her way but use minor illusion to mark any signs of passage that I would notice, freshly broken trigs, etc.)   (I don't have Survival but I do have investigation +5, so small detail oriented)

The tiefling leaves the village, departing on his mule.

"Please bring my little boy back home. I wish I could go with you, but I'll only slow you down. I've got a bad leg, and I'm practically deaf in one ear." Tim says with a sorry tone. "I'll be waiting here. Good luck." 

The party, now three, exits Tim's house and heads for the woods. Ulf and Surina try their best to follow the tracks, while Dawn follows behind. Above them, Ulf's familiar owl soars above the party, keeping watch.

Soon, the sun finally sets, causing the unfamiliar woods to be shrouded in darkness. Those without dark vision will find themselves blind without a light source. 

With Ulf and Surina both tracking, the kobolds prints aren't hard to follow. After what feels like a dozen minutes or so, the party hears hooting above them. It's Ulf's owl, signalling to his master.

Ulf stops and says "One moment, let me find out what Ghallahand is trying to signal us about. I'll be blind for a few moments"  

The dwarf will see through the owls eyes, using the familiar connection. 

Surina nods her assent to Ulf's help, and soon they are setting out following the tracks. The dragonborn stops when she hears the sound of hooting coming from above. She watches with curiosity as Ulf's eyes cloud over a bit while he sees through his familiar's eyes. She waits to hear what the owl has discovered.

As Ulf shifts his vision, he sees himself soaring high above the forest in the cold night sky. The cool air rushes past his wings as he silently hovers above. Looking down, he sees his own body standing absolutely still. Beside him, are his newfound companions.

Then he spots movement. Four small shapes, prowling toward their locations. He focuses his gaze, trying to make out the details. Wild dogs. Their ribcages press tight against their skin, saliva drooping from their fanged mouths. They're starving, looking for a meal.

He figures that they only have a few minutes until the starving beasts reach their location.

"4 wild dogs approaching us, we might have a few minutes before they arrive. They look hungry and I don't know if we have enough rations to appease them."  says the dwarf as his readies his staff.  (OOC: Nature roll : 8 to determine how much food that they would need, do we chance it or fight?)

"Even if we had more food, they may be too hungry to simply take our scraps," Surina says. "Prepare to defend yourselves just in case."

The dragonborn reaches for her spear and holds it before her in a defensive stance.

Dawn raises her shield, and readies her mace. Though she's more likely to use spells, she doesn't need a hand free for the shield itself is her holy symbol, painted with an emblem of the Dawnfather. Another holy symbol of the Dawnfather is held on her neck by a choker.

Ulf observes the pack of starving dogs from high above, trying to judge how much food it would take to pacify them. But it's hard to tell from afar. 

Down below, the party waits, tense and ready. Weapons drawn, eyes scanning the darkness.

Then, they hear footsteps. Rapid. Leaves crunching, twigs snapping, heavy breathing. Someone, or something, is rushing towards them.

Suddenly, an old man bursts out of a nearby bush, facing the party.

Who is he?

They don't know it yet, but he's about to become their newest companion.

Roughly a dozen or so minutes ago, he had just entered the village, crossing paths with a tiefling riding a mule. The tiefling told him everything. How a boy named Timmy was kidnapped by kobolds, dragged into the dangerous woods. How a group of three had gone after them to save the boy.

And at that moment, he knew he had to help them.

He ran as fast as he could, following the kobold's trail through the forest, straight to the party.

And now, he's here, facing them.

The old man holds up an open hand indicating he is not armed for now as he bends over holding his chest, breathing heavily, he is trying to catch his breath enough to speak.  Through gasps he says,

"Heard there was boy in trouble (breath) From a Tiefling on the road (breath) Followed the tracks to you (breath) Call me Leftenant." 

The old man's breathing has gotten under control at the last, as he straightens up and offers a salute to the group.  His mannerisms begin to betray years of military service and discipline.

"I'd like to help, if you will allow it?  I may be old, but I prefer to think of it as experienced.  I am still pretty handy, if you give me a chance."

The veteran wears studded leather armor of muted woodland colors, carrying more arrows than any one person needs and a long bow slung on his shoulder.  Around his waist are several pouches with a couple of hand axes.  On his back, a standard adventurer's pack.  His face lined with age and a small greying beard on his chin.  The man's hair in blond but greying as well.  The crow's feet wrinkles around his eyes only draw the looker's attention to his steel grey iris's.

"Talk about picking a strange time to join the team! Heads up and get those axes and bow ready, soldier.  We got starving dogs incoming!" comments the dwarf as he readies a spell for when the dogs appear."

OOC: Ulf will be watching through the owl's eyes as it circles until about a round before the dogs arrive to see if anything is following them.
 

Dawn answers, "Glad to have the help, and the experience! For now we have some hungry wolves to deal with."

The party, now four once more, hold their positions in the dark forest. Above, Ulf keeps watch through his familiar's eyes, his body below standing absolutely still, eyes closed. Then, it snaps open. He looks at the others, signalling that the pack is near.

Moments later, numerous growls emanate around them as four large dogs emerge from the shadows. Their ribcages press tight against their skin as thick saliva droops from their snarling jaws. They take slow steps as they begin to circle the party.

They don't strike yet. They're waiting. Watching. Examining their prey.

Nature roll (+5): 24

"I think I have a solution! I just remembered that these animals have a predator they fear, the black bear!"  he points nearby brushes and the LOUD ROAR of an angry ursine is heard!

(Minor Illusion for the angry black bear sounds as my action before initiative,  Initiative roll (+2): 16

OOC : Hopefully they'll clear the area.

The old man's gaze shifts quickly between the three, taking in their orders and information.  He rummages in his pack and quickly pulls a ration out holding it in one hand as he holds his bow in the other in preparation for either possibility (satiate or attack).  He slowly drops to one knee and spreads out the contents of the ration before him as the dogs circle around.  He tries to ensure at least one other party member has his back.

"Easy there ol' (y)feller, we aren't looking to do you any harm.  Are you hungry? I can offer you this and one for each of your pack.  Better to accept the easy handout then deal with that bear over there."  Leftenant plays up Ulf's spell while also trying to quell the hungry beasts.  His voice is smooth and gentle, almost meditative.  (OOC: If you'd like a roll of any sort, let me know.)

"You have excellent timing," Surina says wryly as the man emerges from the bushes. "We are just about to be set upon by hungry dogs."

Surina continues to hold her spear in a defensive posture as the ravenous dogs arrive, slowly circling the party. Curiously they do not attack right away, which gives Ulf the opportunity to use his magic to try and trick the hungry dogs. Then the newcomer approaches slowly with rations, attempting to satiate their appetite. Afraid that the old man is about to get one of his hands bitten off, Surina slowly lowers her spear and approaches with slow, measured steps. She removes a ration from her own pack and offers it to one of the dogs while also speaking in a calming voice.

"Take this and go in peace," she says in her deep, gravelly voice.

Animal Handling - 23