Ereworn Under The Shadow

Quote from Kol_Drake >>

Ardwynn's voice quivers - NOT being smashed like a bug can do that to a being!  

"Yes, these others are 'mine'. 
   They are helping me escort the girl child back to her home.   
     We wish you no harm. Once the girl is save; we hope to return and help you and Macha."

She finishes with a pleading tone. 
The sense she is one heartbeat away from being split in twain forefront in her mind.

 

Nuada glowers, body taught with unreleased violence......his head swings sharply around toward his home when she mentions Macha.

" Not allowed hurt you.....allowed hurt them...but belong....", he reached up furiously scratching the side of his head with spade like nails tearing away chunks of skin and hair...

" Go. Now."

" NOW!!"

Smiling Jack slaps Barn's upper back saying "let's go!" Grabbing the arm Jack continues, ..."he is allowing us to retreat with honor....for both sides"

Smiling Jack is helping Reg when they catch up to him.

Jack runs.

Ardwynn gives a bow to Nuada and turns to run after her companions.  "Find Clotha before she gets lost in the woods and darkness!"

Barn trusts the others to chase after Clotha.  He dashes but modulates his speed to stay even with the slower Reg, glancing behind him.

"That was amazing, Wynn," he calls as soon as they put some distance between them and the monster of a man.  "I will never forget that!"

The big man''s stutter seems momentarily forgotten.  He continues to concentrate on Wrathful Smite for up to a minute in case Nuada changes his mind.

Per the chat 2xsurvival in game rolls

14 & then 15

Barn's Survival to track down Clotha:  15
Barn's Survival to find a suitable northward game trail:  14

 Reg never looked back after releasing the Grease wax ball, he never saw Ardwynn's display of power.  He could hear Barn on his heels and continued to move as rapidly as he could.  It would be only later (that evening, later in life, hard to say) that he might discover how close he was to Nuada's mighty axe.

After clearing the immediate area, he tried to follow Clotha, but he was no tracker.  The traps he set for small game were always on known trails.  He was lost outside in unfamiliar and forbidden woods such as the Gallows. He knew the light was fading fast and as he hurried, he commented to the Big man, "Once we find the child, we should find a place for the night.  Better in my opinion to be settled then to continue to stumble around in the dark.  Speak to Caelan and see what he thinks though, okay?"

Survival to find Clotha:  3
Survival to find a trail heading north:  10
d100 roll (since I don't see one yet):  22

Stalking through the dark shadowy woods it takes well over an hour to locate Clotha hiding terrified in the branches of an elm tree, the group determined to orientate themselves and were able to see their way to what seemed a game trail of some sort but it was already pitch black at this point the moon and stars barely visible through the thick canopy.

At Regs suggestion camp was set for the night, and watches held but the night past peacefully if a little cold and uncomfortable with the sparse flat ground available.

Dawn came with scattered bird song, but little early light came through the foliage, the mist was extremely thick ......

Smiling Jack had the last watch, and as the early light came through, Jack grabbed a bowl, and pulled his water that was close to his body to keep it the water warm was splashed on his face to clean up.  Rinsing the bowl, and noticing others stirring and rising, brought the clean bowl to their guest, gently woke her up and poured water then left her.

Barn arises and stretches like a big cat, accustomed from his time in Duke Darian's levy to bedding down outside on the cold, hard ground, and glad for once to have the cover of trees at least.  He takes time to put on his chain mail, noting the gashes and scrapes on the armor from recent battles.

"We n-need to stay close together or we might get s-separated in this mist," the big man mumbles.  Then something occurs to him.

"I c-can't remember.  Was there s-something we wanted to d-do with the chalice and Clotha?"

Before the group settled in for the night, determining who was on watch with whom and how long the shifts would be, the Recluse asked Barn for the Chalice, placed it in a safe place among the group and filled it with water for the over-night ritual.  In the morning when Barn inquires about the cup and Clotha, Reg gently reminds the big-man.

"What is that Barn...the chalice?  Yes, you must have been really warn-out to forget that I asked you for it last night.  Let's see if it works any wonders."

The trapper looks over the chalice and water trying to discern if they are tainted in any knowable way.  Being skilled with brewer's supplies, herbalist kit, and poisoner's kit Reg goes through all the routine steps he knows to check for worthiness of the water before taking a sip himself. "Perhaps one of us should try it before letting Clotha try.  Better for an ill to befall us rather than the innocent girl."  

The water appears perfectly safe as far as Reg can tell, Smiling Jacks keen eyes note that Clothas tapered ears are much less 'fuzzy' at the tips this morning and her fingernails...while still longer than normal have lost the slight hook that was forming at the ends.

 Clotha finishes washing up and moves to join the others, " What do you need me to do?"

Caelan moves a little way north on the deer path to keep watch.