Aria pats Crush on the shoulder..  You sure gave them hell, big guy. You're hurt pretty bad though, one of them got a lucky hit on you. If you can move just a lil onto this stretcher, we'll get you all better right away.

((he's at 1hp... should be able to stand easily enough...))

Usul is still focused on the one Mastiff he'd been talking with. After having sent the kid home.

Sen takes the boy who was with him, and tries to catch the other kid before he runs off home.  If he can get both kids together, he kneels down and asks:  Okay guys, you're safe now, and you can go home in  a minute, but first, I want to ask you to tell me what happened.  Don't worry, you're not in trouble, I just want to know the facts.

Aria starts to unfurl her bedroll to create a makeshift stretcher for Crush, but when Crush shows signs of life, finds herself stuck in a sort of tug of war with one of the mastiff's she was trying to recruit for this operation. The other mastiff is starting to warm up to Usul, though very, very slowly. 

The boys huddle together to make sure the other is right. Seeing the dead birds and thugs, and definitely afraid of the dogs, their emotions take over and they both start to cry. What Sen is able to get from them is that they were walking together to a nearby market to buy something special for their mother's birthday dinner when they were mugged, that the muggers threatened to hurt them and their family if they didn't give over their coin purse and help them steal things for other people, and they are REALLY scared and upset right now. 

Sen considers whether these small, terrified and cowering children are lying liars who lie:  Insight 15

They are telling the truth. 

Sen feels bad about thinking that small children might be lying, and does his best to use his current guard-like appearance to reassure the two kids.  Did you manage to buy your momma's present?  If not, I can take you to the market, and then take you home.  I'm a guard - no-one's going to bother you when you're with a guardsman, right?

He tries to call Aria over to join them.  I think we should take these guys where they want; home, or maybe the market and then home.

Aria is still tying to wrestle the bedroll away from the mastiff... when she produces another piece of jerky from her rations, so that the dog can let go of it. She feeds it to him, packs up the bedroll and makes her way over to Sen and the boys. Well if the market is where they were heading, I don't see why we cant escort them. I could never refuse to help a child. Besides, maybe we'll find something to help Crush and I to take care of our wounds. 

Then almost realizing what she just said she turns to the boys...  Have you boys ever heard of a young girl named Anna Kelver?

Usul is pretty single mindedly focused on the mastiff in front of him. After giving him some food and water, and attempting to talk to him to calm him down, and once he is sure that the dog is no longer ravenously hungry, Usul will reach into his cloak and pull out a small white mouse. Speaking to it, and then letting the dog sniff it, explaining that they are all friends (though being very watchful to ensure the dog doesn't reach out to bite at the mouse) now, hoping that the animals may be able to communicate peace with each other.

Crush would stand up, trying his best to hide the fact that he feels as though he could die at any moment. With black blood dripping from the corners of his mouth, his nose, and his ears, he would scoop up his hand axes and attach them to his belt before limping towards the two children. "You pups ok? Crush not hurt, Crush Pretending, no be afraid... you be strong" The orc would say giving them a black blood stained toothy smile.

Aria looks back up to Crush and makes the universal motion for him to wipe his mouth. These children have been through enough.. let's not ignite any more nightmares.

Waiting to find out if the children have heard of Anna, Veryes would pat Crush on his leg. "You did very well!" She would pull out her book and make some notes on the encounter and get ready to record any pertinent information the children might have to say.

Crush would nod to his companions with a grunt  before wiping his face with  an old animal pelt from his belt.

The boys are equally grossed out, scared of, and impressed by Crush's blood. Their mood change immediately at the mention of Anna's name. One of them laughs and punches his brother in the shoulder.

"Haha, that's his GIRLFRIEND!"
"Shut up, Byron! She is not!" He starts blushing 

You would know that Anna is older than these boys so obviously he just has a harmless crush.

"Anna's pretty, uh, gre- shes OK I guess. What - uh, what's it to you guys? Is she ok?" Byron asks. He has a big sniffle and wipes the tears from his eyes. 

((good job whoever asked the kids about Anna!~~))

Aria smiles at the two boys. Well Byron, she's gone missing and we're hoping to find her. There are people who miss her and really want her back. Have you seen her? She might be in danger... and as you can see, we try to help anyone who might be in danger.      

She then proceeds to wipe another tear from the boy's other eye and hands him a cloth from her pocket.

"She's MISSING?!?" The freakout is now back on in a big way, and the boys start peppering the party and each other with questions about where she is, who took her, what happened to her, when did she go missing, she might be in this place, no she couldn't be there, that's stupid, what about this place, where could she be, who did this, we have to go help her now! We have to go help her now!

They are going to charge off looking for her (remember, scared, panicking kids) if the party doesn't intervene at all. 

((what's happened with the dogs? Usul was focused on the smallest/weakest of the two.))

Usul will now be watching the kids while next to the dog he's trying to adopt (as a mount/friend). Though being young himself doesn't really know how to handle kids like that...

The dogs are pretty content now, they've been fed and gotten water for the first time in a long time. It's going to be awhile before either of them lets Usul use them as a mount, but for now, they're starting to warm up to the party. They're kind of skittish, not super friendly yet, but getting there. 

((no problem~ I like the story of finding and taming it more than buying one~))