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By Scott Kujawa
Part 20
Date: 23rd day of the 3rd tenday of Mirtul in the year 1375 - The Year of Risen Elfkin
Time: Morning to Evening
Location:South of the Moonsea on the way to Shadowdale.
Weather: Temperate and clear.Luie left camp and returned a bit later.
"Did you find anything out there, little one?" Vin asked Luie once the hin returned to the caravan.
The halfling scratched his neck. “Bugs with big teeth, a bush that pricks your skin if you walk to close to it, and some interesting dirt when I tripped over the prickly bush. The dirt left a bad taste in my mouth.”
"I’d advise avoiding the bugs. You should only get close to the bush if you have an itch you can't reach. Also, you might want to avoid the bad tasting dirt at all costs unless you have an even worse taste in your mouth," Vin replied as he patted the hin on the hin’s back.
Luie gave a slight wince while he was being patted. "Sound advice," he wiggled his nostrils, "I do believe that it is time for some dawnfry."
Vin noticing the hin’s wince and the moon elf looked closer at Luie. "Did you find more out there then you looked for, or did that bush try to take a bite out of you to see if you tasted good?" Vin looked over to signal for one of the cleric’s but they were finishing their own dawnfry or they were elsewhere. Vin shook his head slightly at the hin's discipline. "And yes, I believe its time for dawnfry. Let’s go and eat.”
The caravan rolled ever southward after everyone prayed, studied, and ate Addoc’s soggy bread stew. Of course, the two scouts were soon on their horses and they rode out but Caerlin helped Addoc clean up the meal before she left. Vin saw to his mount and he uncomfortably took his place at the rear of the caravan while he tried to get used to riding.
After Caerlin rode in and started to report to Jelitha the caravan master glanced back at one of the back wagons with frown of concern while she listened.
The monk and priestess had their lessons after Luie practiced his forms and then he started to mend the remaining clothing while Addoc finished a well prepared meal of rabbit, pork scraps, and bread with some wild tubers that were dug up earlier in the day and like before, the scout helped him clean up. After eveningfast, Vin moved over to the edge of the firelight and sat down to quietly play his flute. As he played, he watched the rest of the group as they went about their nightly chores.
A few hours after midnight, the sounds of a large, and strong, bellow could be heard to the east and then a scream that sounded like it came from a bear could be heard before the bellows of fear, anger, and rage started.
“Easy boy,” Ragnar said in a calming voice to his horse as he got up and stood near where it was picketed. “It’s probably just two forest-animals deciding who gets to dine well tonight. Nothing to do with us.”
The giant rumbled something unrecognizable, then slowly opened one eye, first to glance at the bard, then to fix on Caerlin. "What say ye, lass? Another lost soul in the woods, or two great beasties ragin' in the moonlight?"
Caer listened to the sounds for a bit before she answered that she believes that one of them sounds like an owlbear because her and her father once watched one of those strange creatures for awhile before they returned to their home. The other she isn’t sure about but it sounds as strong as the owlbear.
"It might be that thing I saw earlier today, a gambado is what Meisker called it."
Addoc closed his eye and settled back again. "Make a mark where ye think it might be, then," he murmured sleepily. "I'll ride out with ye in the mornin' t'see what can found. Mayhap some bits and pieces what can be sold t'wizards for their spells'n such."
"Aye Addoc, that sounds fine to me," Caerlin replied as she tried to pin down the area in her mind and then returned to sleep.
"If you don’t mind, I'd like to join you on that journey. I might be able to help you pick out some of the good parts," Vin added to the conversation.
"A valid and possibly lucrative point." the gold elf murmured from where he was curled up underneath a tree, his eyes hazy and seeming to sparkle with half-Reverie. "The question is, however... are we properly defensible here in the case of surprise attack in the night?" The sun elf didn't seem to be aware that the rest of his companions were already either fast asleep or well on their way there; he had grown up primarily among Tel'Quess all of his life, and Reverie was a very different thing than sleep.
From his place under another tree that was nearby, Vin chuckled slightly when he heard the others snoring during the gold elf’s valid point. "It sounds like we should hold off from entering deep Reverie so there’s at least one witness to our unexpected demise."
"The gifts of Corellon are ever useful," the sun elf murmured back, smiling softly from where he reclined under the tree. "In order for us both to get adequate sleep to prepare whatever spells we may need, let us take shifts. I'll take the first - if that agrees with you." He added the second part almost as an after-thought. Among other Tel'Quessir, he was used to simply making commands or having his suggestions followed as if they were such; but he was not overbearing about it, and realized that outside of Culcandil Keep, he was just another mercenary.
"Aye, I'll take first Reverie if you wish to have the first walk-about." Vin shifted to get comfortable.
"Indeed. Perhaps it’s good that I have a walk in Sehanine's light, and make sure that the humans don't doze off." Raaf winked, before he stood in a fluid, practiced motion. He started to make some rounds around the exterior of the camp and the outside of the circled wagons but he made sure to never go out too far from the light of the fires, or to scout out past the other mercenaries. Vin absently waved a hand at his departing companion before he entered his Reverie.
The content of Champions of the Silver Wyrm is the property and copyright of Scott Kujawa and is not to be published or redistributed without permission.