Chapter 3: a Wolf in the Fold

[Ismaels-Legacy]

"Master Callan, we do not have a few days. I've worked with Ignatius for quite some time and if he says we're "Low on provisions" it means we're all but out. When he says "They're all gone" it means just that. There's no food. We're a week out of town. At this point we either hunt or we start eating the pack animals, a suggestion which would slow us down even more." Carson ponders for a moment while he scans the surrounding woods, getting a bearing for his location.

"We'll send the hunters to the river. They'll hunt the opposite bank. The current is swift, but no deeper than a man's knees. It's treacherous footing for anyone attempting to cross without assistance and care. That way if there's trouble, the hunters can cross and any stray shamblers will be swept downstream, away from us. If there are dead already on our side of the river, they'll find us anyway. We can be quiet, but we can't silence the lowing of animals and the creaks of the wagons."

[Stik]

"You're the boss, Boss," Callan replies, with a hint of sarcasm. "I don't suppose you've any reason to distrust the bzugda hiara in the supply wagon, have you?" Callan throws the pejorative in intentionally, to test Carson's reaction.

[Ismaels-Legacy]

Carson stares at Callan calmly for a moment before he says, "I'd watch what I say if I were you. I've seen what Ignatius can do with knives...." His statement trails off into what appears to be a bad memory.

"At any rate, we need to get started. Perhaps we should put Carith with that big oaf, Bill." Carson ALMOST smiles when he says this. "They're like two bulls in a pottery stall, so we might as well keep them both in sight, eh?"

[Stik]

"That's no answer, Captain. Is our little friend trustworthy or not?" Callan pauses. "Nevermind. You obviously value him.

"Yes, we need to keep Inky in sight. Bill...well, Bill will get himself killed soon, one way or the other. I don't know how he's managed to keep himself alive as long as he has. I only hope his next screwup doesn't take anyone else with him, like his last one almost did. That reminds me: I need to have a word with Bill, about tactics."

[Breila]

Hedra starts thinking. Her emergency supply of grain could only provide them with a soup, and only if those who knew what to look for could find them roots and herbs to supplement them. Could the Protector be of help? Perhaps, but it's always better to help oneself first, and certainly more reliable.

Quietly, Hedra asks Torina: "Do you know which plants here are edible? I don't know them, but I could go with you and protect you while you collect them. I'm no hunter, but like that, I could be of use."

To Dorir and Carson, she says "Should I bless those of the hunters who'd like it?"

[Ismaels-Legacy]

Dorir looks to Hedra and smiles softly within his beard. "Aye, you may, but at this point, perhaps you should bless their arrows instead. I do like the idea of foraging a bit for vittles. I'll find someone who knows these woods and I'll assign a guard to you as well. Not that I don't trust your martial skill, but it would truly shake the morale of the company if we lost the first cleric we've seen in years." When Hedra looks shocked at this he replies, "Aye, you her right: years."

Torina smiles ruefully and follows the conversation, saying, "I wish I could go, but I'd be more of a liability than help. Were there trouble I couldn't keep pace enough to flee, bad knees and all. This time of year, though, there is a plant along the riverbanks and waterholes whose roots we can use. They grow as tall as a dwarf and are very slender with a thick brown knob at the end. For lack of a better description, they look like a cased sausage on a stick. If you uproot these carefully, we can boil the roots with the grain you have and it'll make something wholesome enough for a day or so. If you can, bundle some of the long leaves as well. We can always use them to weave mats. It's not much, but perhaps they can get us a bit of trade at the next town."

About this time the caravan slows to an ambling stop. Carson has mounted a cart and now stands above everyone looking grim. "My fellow travelers, we are faced with a dire situation. There is a thief among us! Nay! Do not look to your companions, for it will do no good. No, the time to place blame is past, now is the time for action!" He looks over the crowd briefly before continuing. "Our food supplies have been spirited away. We haven't enough to last the trip. We can forage the land around us, but it is a taxing burden on those who place themselves in harms way to provide for others. That is why I seek only volunteers. I need those skilled in woodcraft, rare though they be, and those skilled with the bow. With your help, we may be able to make it to Holgrim without incident."

His mood turns grim as he ends. "To those who have taken from the rest of us, your fate is dire indeed. We will not seek you, though, know this; if you are discovered, there is only one verdict: death." With those words he steps down purposefully and leans in close to Callan, whispering, "Find me my thief."

[Breila]

Hedra quietly hands her stock of grain over to Torina, then goes to look for the hunting arrows.

When the arrows are collected, Hedra lays them down carefully side by side, humming softly as she runs her fingers down their shaft. When they are all laid out, she stands up and extends her hands above them. palms turned upward.

Oheah, sekkne diapfaile,
lasse fleega an treffa,
finda eer tsiel!

She chants that several times, making hand gestures like collecting some substance from above and distributing it evenly to the arrows, and ends with the familiar gesture of joined palm. fingertips to the front.

She collects the arrows and entrusts them to Carson or Dorir , whoever organizes the hunt.


Then she walks over to the women. "Torina has told me of some edible plants. Who else knows any of them? We will make collecting teams, protected by guards. I will join you."

[Ismaels-Legacy]

Carson thanks Hedra silently with a nod and leaves to distribute them to the hunters. Dorir, conversely, walks up to her, tears welling in his eyes. He takes her hands between his own and says, "Tha' was beautiful. I've not heard the Blessing of Fortune in a long, long time. It reminded me of a simpler time.... Thank you." He turns and walks away with all the dignity he can muster while tears silently stream down his face.

-----------------------------

Slade hisses at Dee from the shadow of a wagon. "Psst. Dee, we have a problem, you and I!" He gestures to the man and says conspiratorially, "They say they're not looking for the thieves, but you know people are going to start pointing fingers and you KNOW they're going to start pointing fingers at the more 'enterprising' members of our motley crew. Besides, I think there's more going on here than just missing rations. That guard went missing and there's tracks flanking the wagon train, though everyone seems to have forgotten this in the current situation!"

[Jenara]

Coming behind Hedra once all the fuss over her song has ended, Carith taps her on the shoulder with a grin. "It appears I will be guarding your little group, hunting isn't my strong suit." Giving an uncharacteristic smile she says nothing about her axe.

[Breila]

"Good" Hedra smiles back at Carith. She's a little distracted, though. Chanting had been an everyday thing in her life, it was strange this could move a veteran like Dorir so much...

Then she gathers her wits and asks the women assembled to gather the plants: "Is there anyone who knows the plant Torina spoke of, and where to find it? Then please guide us. Do we have bags to collect the roots and the leaves, separately? Thank you."

When everything is ready, they set out, looking for riverbanks and ponds. Hedra will go in front with the guides and ask Carith to cover the rear.

[Jenara]

Cairth covers as requested, keeping silent, she watches the dwarf with a smile.

[Stik]

Callan ponders Dorir's words carefully. 'Find me my thief' the dwarf said, two seconds after pronouncing a death sentence on said thief. That'll make the job easier. Why me? he wonders. Must be the surcoat. Makes me look official.
And hunting/foraging parties are out. The caravan's slow already. Now the forces are split, and there's people beating the bushes for game. Not like that will attract any unwanted attention.

He begins eyeing the horses. Which two will be the best to take with him when this caravan meets its inevitable, grisly and by all indications imminent end?

Meanwhile, he'd may as well play detective. It will keep him occupied until the trip is over or until it's time to leave all these dead people behind and move on. He knows where his first stop will be, and looks around until he sees a mop of yellow hair.

"Hey, Captain Howdy. We've got a rat in the corn, and somebody is going to have to find him. Relax. I know it is not you. Because if it were you, you'd have been smart enough not to be here anymore.
"So now I'm looking for a few good men to help me find our rat, and the soldiers are all busy stomping around out there, looking for walkers to accidentally lead back to camp, so seeing as you're here, you're now on rat patrol."

[Talyn]

Wolf wanders away from the main group and leans against a tree as he watches Callan give his speech. He mused on the subject of vanishing food, it didn't seem to make sense... yet there was no denying what was happening.

He started moving towards the grain cart, perhaps there was a not so normal explanation for what was going on. He approached the cart and let his senses roam over it, trying to find a trace of magic that might have been involved. If there was one thing he was good at, it was identifying magic. His tutor had enjoyed blasting him with random effects until he could tell him what was hurting him...

(( Not sure how to work this IL, just searching for any trace or 'scent' of magic on the cart. ))

[Ismaels-Legacy]

Wolf senses very little magic emanating from the wagon. The runes and sigils are no more powerful than writing a threatening letter to the monsters that go bump in the night. Of course there's a few that are noticeably close to being correctly structured. With a little work and a bit of a magical "push" from a spell caster they could actually provide some measure of protection.

After some moments, Wolf is able to identify a majority of the latent magic as originating from Hedra's runes. They are quite peculiar, since it's a form of supernatural energy rather than arcane energy, but detectible none the less. There's also a slight amount of magical residue that seems to lead into the wagon but not on the wagon itself. It's so faint that it almost seems like someone who was enchanted themselves, and then entered the wagon. It's much the same as if someone waded through a stream and then walked along a dry floor. They leaves wet drippings and footprints in their wake.

[Jenara]

Carith looks for the others, the thief and Bill in particular.

(TSD has not left us, he is just busy, and will return soon)