A tangled skein - adventures in western Middle-earth using the LOTR5e system

When the party ventures into the Hildebrand will stay in the back.

Perception: 16 (Game Log)

Orin:

Unfortunately, Orin could scarcely maintain his focus on any one thing even after the group made it to the other side of the dell. Though he'd later claim his alertness at the time having naught to do with fear, his jumpiness from Gwinion briefly breaking the silence to talk about some path bespoke another story! He quickly gets his wits back about him... well, most of it, before letting off a huff and asking just above a whisper, "Well? Down the path we go then?"

Perception: 7 (originally 9 before exhaustion kicked in)

@LM: I made an assumption about the animals that Scott's post made me realize was perhaps an incorrect assumption. Can we do a quick backtrack to when everyone was down under the hill: What would I roll to identify how the animals died?

Gwinion crouches at the head of the path, scanning the ground with a ranger's eye. He sees nothing of concern and is about to rise and wave the party forward when something stops him — some quiet instinct, the kind that had kept him alive in wild places. He drops back down and looks again, properly this time.

There it is. Staring up at him from the earth as plain as day.

The unmistakable print of an orc's boot.

He stares at it for a moment, jaw tight, then shakes his head slowly — more at himself than anything else.

"I almost missed it," he mutters, the admission clearly costing him. He straightens and turns to the group, his expression grim. "We are not alone on this path. Orcs have passed this way."

As the party prepares to move down the trail Gwinion stows his bow and draws his sword and shield.

He then warily leads the party down the trail.