With a yell Aranala pulled her handaxe and flung it at one of the wolves. She snarled angrily when she saw that the weapon completely bypassed the creature. Furious Aranala made her way towards the beasts, hand already fingering her battle axe. Let them come. Let them come. Annoying creatures.

(13 to hit; moved 25ft toward wolves)

The party focusing their fire on the snarling alpha, the pack's leader was barely still standing. He let out a howl before limping quickly away, the rest of the pack running away with him. More howls reverberated through the woods, a few dozen wolves echoing their leader's song.

"They may come back," Aria breathed a sigh of relief. "But for now... That was an excellent catch, Orilee." The bard began walking again, although her steps were much slower and more cautious.

For a moment Kero contemplates finishing the wolf off before it can get away. It might be better to destroy the alpha now and have the pack splintered in finding new leaders. Instead, he rests his glaive on the ground and watches his surroundings cautiously. "If they come back," Kero says, "I will not spare their lives again." He sniffs, once, then cracks his neck. It was an exhilarating first encounter and he was able to see how the others move and fight. That was good. 

Aranala stared after the wolves for the moment before she went to hunt down her handaxe from where it landed with a huff. Cowardly creatures, but smart. She put the entire encounter otherwise out of mind. There was no point in worrying over it further--at least not yet. If they returned then Aranala would worry. A returned pack meant a higher intelligence--and a possible source behind that.

Jhese bit his tongue as the hobgoblin unnecessarily attacked one of the other wolves, frustrated at how much he enjoyed inflicting pain. About to lash out at him, he held himself in proper composure, knowing that the wolves would recover. The animals retreated at the group's might, which caused him to sigh in relief. No one died.

"What are wolves doing this close to the road?" While he admitted he didn't know much on this forest, other than that it had trees–and he only recently discovered that for himself–he knew wolves usually weren't so fool-hardy unless they were pressed to do so. "Perhaps something bigger has scared them from the deeper recesses of the forest."

He played a quick tune, surprised at the magic which pulsated through the air as the notes soared with the breeze. Looks like Aejo was right after all.

Throughout the rest of their journey, Jhese continued to practice his newfound ability to cast spells, utilizing the phrases he memorized during his last visit with his mentor. He grabbed at branches of bundles of leaves, pulling them towards himself or dropping them on another's head with a grin. Aejo always taught him the incredible feats magic allowed but warned of the corrupting power it held too. The greatest villains used magic, but so did the greatest heroes and healers, he frequently counseled.

He looked down at his hands, forming a soft, soothing light in his hands. A few more words would complete the spell, giving him the power to mend even the most serious of wounds.

It was incredible.

Rummble firmly swung the beast blood off his shortsword and sheathed both his weapons. "Ehh, wild animals is wild animals. If they come back, we finish them off then. Wolf is good jerky."

As they traveled, the little lizard did ponder a more martial combat style. His natural kobold instincts of hiding and striking was very strong, and it's kept him alive through many things, but that tactic style wasn't as... honorable? Renown-able? He wanted to change the rascal, urchin outlook kobolds had, and that would be easier done if he were more.. heroic.

He walked next to Aranala and patted her shoulder. "You feelin' okay? Was a good drinkin' we did."

As the wolves ran, Broch let out a wordless, bestial roar and took a few steps after them. His blood was up and it was always hard to fight that instinct. He lets them go, reluctantly turning back to the rest of the party as he resists the urge for combat. "Cowardly creatures when they don't have the pack behind them for support, a good riddance. I doubt they'll return, knowing our strength now." He resheathes his sword with a sigh. "A good fight, if quick.  Well done my friends."

He slaps Kero on the back, and Orilee's shell as they regroup. "I like you. No fear. The sign of true warriors." He even walks over to Rummble and pats the little kobold condescendingly on the head. "Even you, little one, showing more spunk than normal. HA!"

Kero smirks at the compliment. In the mountains his tribe would have chastised him for showing mercy. A wolf that size could have fed them for quite a while. As Aria continues, Kero falls back in line. This was an interesting team. It made him wonder how they will fare in a real fight. 

As the journey through the forest continues, Kero looks at the skald as he practices his instrument. There was power in his words and notes, Kero could feel it. He'd have to watch out for that one, as they have a tendency to manipulate the minds of those around them. Right now Kero had to focus. After this mission he should have enough gold to continue his search. That was all that mattered. 

Rummble hastily swivels his head from underneath the hobgoblin's palm. "'ey, watch it, hob." A trill is made low in the lizard's throat, "or you'll see more than what you'd call spunk."

With that, Rummble turned to his similarly short compatriot, "Who's he think he is, yeh?"

Jhese watched with slight amusement at his strange acquaintances. They weren't as barbaric and uncivilized as he initially suspected... and hoped. For all of their weirdness, there was something almost charming to their characteristics.

He walked at a quicker pace in order to catch up to Aria. There were dozens of wolves all around them. Why was such a big pack all together? What was driving them out from the deeper parts of the wood? "Aria..." he began cautiously, "Have there been any rumors of strange creatures being sighted in these woods? Something big enough or fierce enough to bring the wolves so close to the road?"

He made a mental note to ask Aejo as well when he got the chance.

"These woods have always been home to a menagerie of strange and terrifying creatures," Aria explained to Jhese and anyone else who was listening. "You know what they say, Civilization stops at the edge of the forest. I wouldn't worry too much about the big beasties, like you alluded to, the fact that we were able to scare those wolves away means we are the scariest creatures in this particular section of wood. There aren't many travelers who come this way, so it isn't uncommon for wolves to come this close to the path. They were probably just hungry."

The forest very much sounds alive, and the more jumpy of you flinch with some of the louder passing sounds of animals. There is movement almost everywhere, but there doesn't appear to be any danger lurking nearby... For now, at least.

Curious, Kero asks, "What kind of creatures?"  

He's had his own encounters of creatures from the mountains and he knows that others would find them strange. Perhaps these creatures of the forest are considered normal here rather than strange. It's not every day someone sees a Yeti... but he's seen quite a few. 

 Broch merely smiles at the kobold's "threat", choosing to ignore it. As the group continues their trek through the woods, he remains alert for further danger. "Indeed, Aria. What other dangers might these woods hold for us? Known enemies allow us to plan for them, if they aren't mere fantasy and superstition by the local farmers."

As he walks, Broch ponders the nature of the challenges ahead and this strange castle, mulling over what Aria had said about the magic of the area being disturbed and unpredictable. He hadn't re-summoned his familiar since arriving here on Ledrith either, and looking at the terrain, considered that it might be best to bring it back in a form more suited to the habitat, different enough as it was from home. When next they rested, he'd undertake the ritual to bring Jachin back in a more suitable shape, Broch decided. He did miss it's presence.

Everyone else asked too many questions. Of course there's animals in the woods! Animals kill when they want to eat, and animals run when they don't want to be eaten. Rummble picks his left ear and flicks some residue off into the distance, wiping it off on his pant sleeve. Why am I going on this again? Oh yeah, drunk. I always agree to crap when I'm drunk.. He looks to Aranala. Eh.. not so bad, I guess.

"I have seen with my own eyes groups of centaurs, wolves, and owlbears. An old friend once told me that he knew of a Unicorn that lives in these woods, but I have never actually laid eyes on it. I'm sure if we caused too much trouble, a tribe of orcs may come our way, but they are far enough north that we do not need to worry about them," Aria explains as they walk.

After several more hours of walking, Aria suggests that you make camp. The reds and yellows of dusk color the forest as you locate a suitable clearing and ready yourselves for rest. The night is uneventful, although the howling of wolves and the cooing of owls in the distance keeps things from being too restful. Morning comes without any incidents, and you set out on the road again.

As the dusk began to shimmer through the leaves, basking the group in reds and yellows, Jhese smiles. While it was foreign and far away, this was a sight he was nostalgic for. Breathing it in, he helped set up camp, making sure to find as nice and comfortable of a place as he could for himself. With his things set up and himself settled in, he pulled out a black book, and after thinking for a few moments quickly wrote something within it before closing the book once again.

He rose with the rest of the group, grateful for the uneventful rest and sound of cooing owls. He peeked inside his book briefly once morning rose, and then put it away, gathering his belongings and setting out on the road again with the rest of the group.

While not meaning to avoid Kero per se, he realized that he hadn't spent really much time at all getting to know him. In fact, he didn't really know most of the group, for better or for worse. Looking around at each of them, he spoke up while they walked, "So.... anyone have a funny story they want to share? Or share the craziest thing that's happened to them?"

Kero spent most of the night away from the fire. The cold of the night felt much better to him than the warmth of the fire did. It wasn't that he didn't have any interest in the others, it was just that he wasn't accustomed to socializing like they were. There was no goal to it, no reason to talk to the others. Eventually as things settled, Kero took a watch in the middle of the night. The cool air was nice as moonlight fought to enter the forest. His watch went by uneventful and he woke the next person. 

The morning was quiet as well. They nibbled on rations and packed up the camp in silence. When they started to walk, the one that calls himself Jhese spoke up. Stories? Aren't the two skalds supposed to tell stories?  Kero lifts his glaive, letting its blade slice through a small branch. As it lands, he catches it in a hand and turns to the others in the group.

"I grow up... big and tall. But I lose my clothes in the fall." It was a silly children's riddle. One that Auril would ask him as a child. He held the answer in his hand, but it would make for an interesting travelling game nonetheless. He tosses the branch aside and kicks a small stone in the path. The stone goes skittering past the line of adventurers.

"Bury deep... pile on stones. My mind will always dig up them bones." The answer to this one was more personal.