As Salem begins to cast their spell, the horse snorts in displeasure then rears up on its hind legs. The form of the horse begins to melt away and in its place stands an ebon-skinned dwarf in tattered patchwork clothes of greens, purples and browns, holding a quarterstaff. Her hair, now looking halfway presentable from the spell. "Excuse me..! You don't just go casting things like that without getting permission. Quiet presumptuous!" She musses her hair as she addresses Salem. Then the dwarf turns and glares at the goliath. "And you! 'Fella'?!I figured someone of your kind would be able to tell a lady-horse from a boy easily enough!"

Salem drops her arms to her sides and looks visibly irritated. "Really? Parading as a horse? Thats just not a nice thing to do."  Upon seeing the Boy, Salem will take off in a full sprint towards him. Quickly pulling her waterskin from the pouch at her side. "Child, what happened? are you Alright?"

The boy startles, so tired that he didn’t notice your group until Salem ran forward.

He can’t hide his relief at the sight of a friendly face. The boy shakes his head no when you ask if he is alright. “My village… there were raiders in the night. Dozens of little dragon men… Trollkin too. One of them cut down my Pa.” The boy starts to weep. “My Pa… he ran out at them with his ax and told me to run.”

Salem will try to calm the boy, handing him the waterskin and try to get him under the cloak. "Shh shh its alright, everythings going to be fine. What's your name? My name is Salem."

Persuasion if necessary: 6

When the dwarf turns into her true form the goliath raises an eyebrown surprised. And when she talsk to him he feels a little bit embarrashed. " Yeah, sorry... I.. guess" he says before going to the tree line and keep an eye on it as suggested by the cleric. 

When Salem starts to talk with the boy he doesn't approach them, for he doesn't want to frighten the child. But he keeps an eye out in search of anyone following the boy. 

"I'll check" he says to the rest and darts into the woods trying to go forward and discover if there any pursuers. 

( Stealth: 21 Perception: 12 )

In his hurry, he crushes against some low branches and some splinters seems to stick in his eyes, and grunting and hitting another tree in his way he continues making noises as he advances... 

Missy, a bit overwhelmed by the appearance of both a transforming horse and traumatized boy, needs a moment to gather herself.

The boy will wipe his eyes. "My name's Sigvaldi." He'll accept the waterskin and drink deeply. He'll also let you put the cloak around him. He clearly left in a hurry and while his clothes are well made they aren't quite enough for this weather.

Kraerd: Your eyes sting a bit but you look off down the road and don't see any pursuers.

Kraerd goes back to the party, appearing trough the tree line and says

"No pursuers" 

he still gives a grim stare to the trees... 

"How far's your village, Sigvaldi?" Missy wants to know from the boy. "Maybe we should see if we can help someone there?"

     "Humph... What is it with people. Never seen - heard of - a druid before...," the dwarf trails off muttering to herself. "By the way, I'm Daisy Holderhek. Though some call me 'Mama Bear'," she announces to the group. "I guess you didn't get the message I was coming... or you forgot." She chuckles to herself as the goliath not-so-quietly darts off to the trees. 

     Approaching behind Salem, she plucks a dormant flower from the side of the road. "There there, lad. It'll be okay." She speaks a few words in druidic and holds out both her hands, offering the boy a now fully bloomed flower (druidcraft). As she reaches out, the sleeves of her robe creep up to her elbow revealing various tattoos of animals in a tribal styling. 

Quote from Saute_Monkey >>

     "Humph... What is it with people. Never seen - heard of - a druid before...," the dwarf trails off muttering to herself. "By the way, I'm Daisy Holderhek. Though some call me 'Mama Bear'," she announces to the group. "I guess you didn't get the message I was coming... or you forgot." She chuckles to herself as the goliath not-so-quietly darts off to the trees. 

 

 "I didn't know horses could be druids too! That's so cool."

      "Well of course, silly," Daisy replies in a motherly tone. "All animals could be druids. Some of us prefer to stay that way... some so long that they've forgotten about what it was like in their 'human' form." 

"Well we may not have the element of surprise but he'll certainly have scared anyone hiding in those trees" Egil says to himself. 

Sigvaldi, eyes wide, will take the flower. It's clearly the first time he's seen druidic magic. When Missy asks her question he says, "I don't know exactly how far. I've been running since the attack last night- was too scared to stop." There's a glimmer of hope in his eyes when you mention helping.

Miz grins at the boy and tells the group, “What better day can there be when you are asked to help save the lives of those who could know you? I say we go.”

Salem rubs the boys shoulder and hand him one of her Rations. "Eat Sigvaldi, you need your strength." She looks up to the group who has convened around her and the boy. "Oh we're going, and we're going to make them pay for this." Now this is something you havent seen in Salem, Her eyes are on fire with anger. She looks angrier then Kraed does when he's in a rage.

"Dont you worry Sigvaldi, We're gonna take care of this and get you back home."  She stands and holds her hand towards Sigvaldi, A soft smile on her face. "Will you show us the way?" 

Kraerd stops Salem when they starts walking, putting a big hand on her shoulder. 

"Are you sure it's a good idea to bring back the cub? To put him right in the middle of the fight when he just escaped one? And even if the attackers are gone. He is going to see his home destroyed and his loved ones butchered. That's no proper way to become a man." 

Salem takes the boys hand and Continues her soft smile in his presence. Looking over her shoulder to respond to her Goliath companion. "We cant just leave him in the middle of the road Kraerd, At least with us he will be protected." Her eyes will glaze over for just a moment at the mention of A Home being destroyed before she snaps back to reality. "I wont leave him by himself, I just wont."   

This would actually be the most serious any of you have seen Salem in the time you have known her.

      Daisy holds her hands over the boy's ears as Salem and Kraerd discuss his future in front him. "Here. Let's leave these two to discuss some things," she ushers Sigvaldi past the pair. "Lad, were you heading anywhere in particular? Some family nearby where you'd be safe?"

"I was just following the road. I wasn't thinkin' much about where I was going besides away."