A herd of over one hundred and thirty beasts accompany the Rangers as they leave behind the Earth Temple, oasis and many of their friends. Bison, Rhino, Impala, Sables and one very lucky ostrich. There's also several new dogs, running with Mordy, gifted to Salen by his aunt; Hunting dogs new to the job and looking to their master for instruction.

Overhead flies Voras' hawk, keeping watch as the group makes it's way to the old Trading post, visited not that long ago by Kobal and Greeshar as they had brought the party's loot back to the clan.

The Harpy Queen had flown with them for a while, but she had departed a few minutes earlier leaving the sky for Talon...

There's no way that the large group can hide their passage as they through up a cloud of dust visible for miles.

It would take two days to get to where they were going and the first evening would bring them close to where they'd run into both pack lizards and wyverns with Sehana's father once before.

Amara rode out on the forward left, where she'd grown accustomed to be, glad to be on the move once more. She was happier now that they were leaving the Giants finger holes. They'd accomplished much there, but it seemed as though every time they'd arrived, they started some kind of new political crisis. Now, there was the comfort of home to look forward to, though the news they'd be bringing would not be pleasant. Amara glanced back in her saddle to look at Spot, resting on one of her packs, sitting atop the copper pot which held the drought spirit, guarding it for her. She'd impressed upon Spot how important it was that the pot be guarded, but she wondered if he truly understood, or if he was just pretending he understood the significance.

Still showing bruises from loosing the butting contest to Kobal, Melock rides near the new Sun Hawks so he can get to know them, "This old trading post we're heading to, we found out about it from the Mostali tomb in Rhino Gorge. So its old and there should be lots of interesting bits and bobs to find, but if the tomb is any guide to how well protected the trading post will be, then we're going to have to be very careful. The tomb had exploding things dropping down from above a locked door, in another room the floor fell away and dumped us in the pool below," He shudders at the memory, "and it had a guardian that defended it as well. Sehana, I think you and Hoskar are going to be doing a lot of healing. If I remember correctly we have a key to a back entrance."
This message was last edited by the player at 08:37, Fri 18 Mar 2016.

Voras looks at Melock, paying close attention to anything that might help him in the days ahead.

"I'm grateful for the information, but first, I have a promise to keep."

Voras seeks out Ohanzee amid the caravan and beckons him over.

"Ohanzee, I made a promise to you in the caverns back at the Giant's Finger Holes and I must fulfill that promise." Voras produces the replica disk from his pack and hands it back to Ohanzee. "I was able to ask two questions of Sun Hawk.  My first question was 'Where can we go to learn the secrets told of on Ohanzee's disk?'  The second, 'Where have our enemies taken the disk?' To the first, Sun Hawk told me that we must seek ancient places where the Sun is revered.  While cryptic, this does narrow down our search.  Perhaps the Big Rubble?"

"As to the second question, it was revealed that the original disk has been taken to the Old Sun Dome Temple in Sun County.  As another place where the sun is worshipped, maybe Sun County is where we should begin our search for answers about the disk."

Voras has barely finished speaking when there is the wooshing sound of arrows in flight and amongst the Rangers fall a half dozen arrows, with a second flight already following.

The land the Rangers travelled through is undulating chaparral, with outcrops of rocks and patches of tough grass, boosted in growth by the not so distant Giant Finger Holes. There's a big patch of cactus to the east and further still, just visible, are the huge Wyvern spires. Closer to the west are a series of stubby mesas and a ridge that runs from north to south a bow shot in distance. It's from this ridge that the arrows come from, their firers sat atop their mounts reloading for a third volley.

Impala braves, previously well hidden, perhaps in the stand of trees just behind the ridge, enough to hide them from Talon far above.

Eight in all, the braves now sending insults with their missiles.

Henal takes one in the shield, a second sticks in Salen's armour and another ricochets off Voras' helmet, the others falling in amongst the riders.

Riding quiet, riding pensive; abashed with failure to trade for spirit-protection, coming back to himself from the sense of being outside the flow of life that the flowering of a marriage bond gives him still never felt the need...or the wish...or anything really. Wonder what that means, Hoskar rides encased in metal, but without his usual watchfulness; listening and trying to get back to the frame of mind for journeying.

Good to be back on the road. Issaries guide Condor guide Issaries protect Condor soar he mutters to himself again and again as if in prayer.

At the snap of arrows in the air, followed by the sting of insults flying, his eyes refocus. Foolish. Should pay more attention. Seeing no-one hurt, he grins briefly; almost wolfish.

See them off, perhaps? he asks as he moves from the rear; readying lance for a charge having slipped on that uncomfortable tin pot of a helmet for once no point taking chances with arrows.

...hmm. Chances. Diversion?

He checks Kor's movement and casts a hasty charm to sense other foes in the opposite direction.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:21, Fri 18 Mar 2016.

"Don't know about you, but their beasts will outrun my rhino." Ohanzee replies as he readies his own bow to return the favour.

"Lets see them out run our return volley." Melock mutters a charm to enhance his ability with his sling and using one of his special sling stones, launches it at the biggest Impala brave he can see.

Waiting for the return on his charm, Hoskar nods. Get a grip, Hoskar - can't afford this distraction out here. Of course they'll outrun us.

Dropping the lance, he fumbles for his sling and stones.

Hoskar's charm goes out to it's forty meter range and comes back negative, just as the second wave of arrows slam into their targets...One of them being his left arm, the arrow just piercing his armour for a minor wound.
Bubbles, who'd been riding next to him, takes an arrow in the throat and drops to the ground with a gurgle, choking up a thick stream of blood.

Stinky takes a wound to his back, the arrow narrowly missing Melock, whose own shot slams into an Impala, sending the beast to it's knees and causing it's rider to leap off, just as a disruption erupts in the mount to it's left, a spurt of blood bursting from it's damaged chest, causing it too buck and kick in all directions.

A third volley arcs over head, several of theses flaming bright, joined by a counterattack of spells that slam into the nearest rangers and Talon.

The hawk swoops down behind it's master, suddenly terrified of the battle, a demoralising spell having broken through the creature's spiritual strength. Voras fares better shaking off another charm, just as a green cloud envelopes Ohanzee in a fug of befuddlement.

Zzziiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiippppp.....*Smack* *Smack*  Two arrows hit, whilst the others are artfully dodged and Melock can only stare at the shaft of an arrow that has impaled his left leg, pinning him to his blanket and Bison. The other hits Henal in the chest, his armour doing it's job perfectly.

At that the Impalas turn tail and ride down the other side of the ridge and out of sight...Leaving one mount lying on it's back, all four legs kicking spasmodically.

"Damn impalas, running off when we could have had a proper fight up close. Not going to be able to catch them on our mounts so better just heal our wounds and keep a lookout that they don't follow us". Henal says plucking the arrow out of his shield.

He rides over to the wounded impala to see if he can help it's rider with his healing magic and herbs.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:13, Fri 18 Mar 2016.

Damn they're decent shots...wha?

Ignoring his own small hurt for the moment, Hoskar also hastens for healing, to see if his armlet is needed to help the stricken Bubbles.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:48, Fri 18 Mar 2016.

Pushing his way through the large herd of Bisons Henal finds Hoskar bent over Bubbles. Even from atop his Bison the Thunderbird can see that she's dead, a blood-soaked Hoskar closing her unseeing eyes, unable to help in any way. No divine intervention by the looks of it either...

Her sisters in arms gallop over, each brave leaping down to crouch by their fallen friend, their lamentations soon rising up above he bellows of the startled herd beasts.

On the other side Ohanzee comes out of his magical cloud, as does Talon the Hawk, the three braves there joined by Sehana and Whispers who between them heal all injuries.

The ridge is quiet, the injured Impala having died and of the impala braves there is no sign.

Flying back in to the sky the hawk circles the Rangers, reporting that he can see nothing amiss, though the Impalas seem to have vanished into thin air.

"I do not wish to investigate closer" he adds to Voras "Nor do I want to be targeted if they are still there."
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:10, Sun 20 Mar 2016.

Melock is just starting to react to Stinky getting hit, when he gets hit by another arrow. He gingerly touches the shaft and winces from the pain the slight movement causes. He gently pats Stinky and mumbles soft calming words to him and decides that Stinky should be healed first, so he carefully pulls the arrow out of his back and heals the wound. By the time he's finished, Sehana and Whispers have arrived and his leg wound is dealt with by them. Its then that he hears the Vingans mourning Bubbles death, "We should head up to the ridge to see if we can figure out where they went." He unslings his shield and slowly makes his way towards the ridge, all the time alert for any more arrows.

An attack by impala riders!  As the arrows fall, Kobal looks right, and is torn between charging off after the impalas, and looking after his new wife and their herd.  For now, he stays where he is.

Seeing Melock head towards the ridge, he calls out after him, "Make sure they stay away from the herd.  But keep out of bowshot yourself!"

In reply to Kobal (msg # 16):

Melock raises his right arm to show that he's heard Kobal and then lowers it to explore the hole in his leg armour. Less than a day out and already we're under attack. Bloody Impalas, though their women aren't too harsh on the eyes.

Ohanzee heads for the ridge with Melock "Careful they didn't attack just to draw us into an ambush." and following his own advice he is on the lookout.

"Well at least we get a meal out of their attack!" he adds looking at the downed impala.

"Do the feathers on the arrows show which clan they came from?" Henal asks as he moves away from Bubbles' body to let the Vingans perform their own rites.