In reply to to tou (msg # 59):

Brie motioned for the man to get up.  "You have a new boss," she said firmly. " Me. You will walk along with our group and arrive in Tou.  You'll take me to the person who hired you.  You will tell them that I took charge of the group because your leader fell on my sword."

She looked over her shoulder at the group as they started moving on.  "If there are more of you, I'll kill them in front of you.  If you attempt to harm any of the arrows your head will hang from a limb on this trail."

She jerked the man up by his collar and brought him to her level.

"Am I clear?"

 he looks at  Brie, his Brow is wrinkled in confusion, his  eyes  full of fear,...what do you not understand?...... You killed my boss.... it was he, who set the deal... not of us know who it is?

Brie grimaced as she had nearly turned to make her way back to the marching line.  Her scowl apparent across her softly lit skin.

You, apparently, don't keep tabs on your boss and his dealings and associates, she said firmly.  Eh?  If that is the case, the I'll end your life here and now, as it is quite obvious that you are of no use to me and mine.

  The Guy looked at5 her, he was  still scared and hurt,but his voice  had  some stoic  sadness,..you can kill me, right  enough..ain't gonna change nothin' though..our boss didn't  trust no one with information, 'cept himself!

She grimaced a bit more.  She looked back to Lucy for some sort of notion on what would be a good idea.  With that, she waved her fingers at him.

Fine, she said.  Lucy, he's your toy.  Do with him as you want.  He's no use to us.

In reply to Brestine Darksbane (msg # 64):

Lucy smiled a fangy, smile.

She stepped towards the man, slowly, unleashing each of her claws, one claw at a time.

"You know, I really love to hear the likes of you scream." She hissed.

She brought her claws to just under his chin, putting just enough pressure not to draw blood, but just enough to create a great deal of miscomfort.

"Since you are worthless, I guess the only question is slowly, with you screaming like a pig, or quick and painless." She hissed in his ear.

  The   fellow  squirmed, sweat was  heavy on his  grimy forehead, the  smell of his fear was as thick as the smell of his breath.

 ...Look..I told ya both... i don't know  nothing, just a guy trying to make some coin....boss , he didn't  trust nobody...

Brie a few feet away yells back.

"Bring him with you, I have a feeling he can be a handy manservant."

Brie was making her way back to the others.

   when Brie, luck and their 'companion' retune to the  road, fromn the  chest high grasses.

  They can see the  wagons  going up a  slight rise of the  rolling plain, dots of their  comrades on either  side of the wagons,  and the  larger dot of Rolf , trailing the wagons.

 the  sun is  getting close to the High peaks and  shadows  are getting longer.

Rolf watches as he continues to follow the wagons.  Moving at a slow walk, the wagons didn't stir up enough dust to trouble him.  He notes that the sun is slipping on towards evening and he looks about for a good place for them to camp for the night.

  Catching up to the others, Brie and L:ucy  bring/drag the wounded  fellow  along.

  Kree notes their  arrival with a Bit of a Nod,  up ahead, Ivy signals  to the right of the road.

  There is a clearing, where  controls fire was used  to push the  grasses back  50 or so yards from a waist high rock  wall, added to the  wall were  Broken spears or  Pikes to help keep the rocks  from toppling , since no mortar was used to hold them fast.

 the road  was opend, the wagons, themselves  would be used for the 4th wall.

 Kree looks  at the  Three  fire pits  , dug into the  ground there are a few  small piles of Fire  wood,

  tie the fellow  to one of the wagon wheels... The merchant and his people  can start the fires... the rest of  us,... expand out ward, try and  find  Branches  and such to use  for  fire..bring  as much as you can carry, so we have  some to leave for the next group... you see anything, and they are trying to hid?  Kill them...we have no friends out here...

 Kree moves to the   left side of the  road where some scrub trees are a good  100 yards  away, and makes his way through the  chest high ( for him)  grass.

  Ivey goes left as well , but  50 or so yards, down the  left hand  side.

Brie ties the man to the wheel and then wanders off in a diagonal direction from Kree and begins look for some brush to start up the fire and some good kindling to hold it for the night.  Her dagger in hand ready in case of a sneak attack.

  after a good  40 minutes or  so, the wood gathering folks  come  back with bundles of  wood, Kree nods in satisfaction that the  fire has been started and the Merchant  is  working on a stew. One of his guards sits  atop the wagon and looks about.

  The beggar is  busy setting  some  rocks   on the wall with great effort, as if one or two more rocks  would make a difference in  , an attack.

  None of the   folks outside the   camp site have seen sign of passage, or trails  of  those  who might  be  following the   wagons.

  ..Your    people  will  watch  for the first  4  hours, Then my people will take over   2  of  us at 2 hour  shifts...


 I will take the Deep watch,  the  2  hour s before  we wake..then rest of you  choose your  shifts...

   The Food is ready,  Kree and Ivy make sure  the beggar and   the  3  wagoneers get thiers  and   he  gives a bowl to the wounded fellow  as  wel, before  getting a bowl for himself.

Brie returns with a small handful of brush and flopped it near the fire to be used when needed.  She listened to the plans for the night shifts and nodded.

I'll take the first round of ours.

She looked to make sure that was okay with everyone.

I can be the second on first shift unless someone else seems to have a stronger opinion about it. Lafisual looks around to see if anyone needs help with anything.

Rolf speaks his piece, "I'll take number two on the deep watch as well."  Rolf makes it a habit to be up well before the sun regardless, so deep watch wouldn't impact him all that much.

In reply to Rolf Liefsen (msg # 75):

"I guess that leaves me and Diana to take mid watch." Lucy says.

 Kree  nods   and looks at Ivy,..You watch over our  2  friends..... if either  of them appears to  be doing somehting i would  rather, not have them do?....stop them from doing it....ever again.

 Ivy  Grins  at the   tied up wounded guy and then Beggar.. the beggar looks a wee bit unsettled  as they both eat.

  the  Food  his  hot  , and not bad, the merchant seems to like  to use a lot of  spices from the Sand  peoples..

  The watches    start to take over as the merchant and his   wagoneers stetlle s down by the wagons  with   thin blankets.

  People on watch... stay within the   stone wall...  and move about  at random times.

"I will assist wherever I am needed."

But it doesn't appear the Knight is needed anywhere, for now...

  Kree  sat down by Luthian as they ate,see to the wounded fellow..just enough to keep him from getting infected... If they do not hang him, he can seek further healing on his own...

Luthien nodded.

"Very well."

Luthien would see to the wounds, then. He knew his field medicine, most Knights did.

   The camp was  quiet, some low conversations  between the wagoneers  and the merchant,  the  Begger as   a bit away from the   bandit. he  ate  his  food   quickly,  Kree   gave  him a second  bowl, much to the  disgust  of the merchant and his men. The  poor   fellow  took his  time with the second  Bowl.


 The watches  were  quiet as  well, Laf thought he saw a group of something moving off to the  west.. whether it was animals, or a group of humanoids, he could not  tell.

  Some time Before  Morning, the  Camp could  smell the   aroma of Hot Caffee being   made, as well as the smell of  toasted  bread, Kree was holding over the fire.

  He whistled  for everyone to wake up... as the other s  came over to the cook fire, the Elf took some of the  toasted bread  with some honey  over to thebeggar and the prisoner., as well as   some  clay cups with the Caffee,I do not have  milk  and such to put in the caffee..   there is   a heavy blob of honey on your bread,  you can drop  some honey in, to sweeten the drink...

  walking back over, he picks up his own  silver Cup. The Cup is battered and  has  an elvish rune on it. The cup ha d sat on the rocks of the fire to help keep the   caffee hot...Relax... take  your  Morningfest. Once we are finished, we are goign to  push hard, to reach  Tou... We have made  very good time, despite the attack.... if we do not stop   for midday  meal we should be  close  enough to Tou,  to continue  after  night fall..

  But, Good Captain?  We need Midday meal, and the horses  need  watered.....we cannot  drive them in such a away...


  The elf  Nods  slowly  , looking at the   light of the  Sun , raise to the south east, the ragged horizen of the far off  Black Timber, Let me  ask you this, MAster Merchant?.. What is  a caravan's  normal stopping times?

 3 or more wagons? plus  guards?..  the campsites  are set to stop at least three times, ebfore  Tou... a 3 and 1/2 day trip....

  The elf waved his  hand  at his people,..and  2 wagons  with a small group of guards?

 you may be able to cut off  one day?... 2 1/2 days....

  Ivy  speaks  up from his  seta by the  fire, holding    his  pewter cup in his hands to warm them.So... we passed the first stop... and were  abushed..... we are at the second stop.... if  we continue on, we can beat, whomever  is trying stop you....Tou's  outriders  will not  come to greet us, Until the sun is on  behind the High Peaks....

 Right now? Getting  the wagons to Tou, is more important that   some tired horses... they will get a well deserved rest in Tou...

 the lead  wagooneer speaks up,..Easy fer  ye ta say, ELF.... ain't yer horses....

  Talking a  sip of his   caffee, he points to the wagoneer  with a grin,You'er  right..not my horse..not my problem... we get the wagons  there as soon, as safe as wel are able... if you lose  a horse or two?.. that is the way of it...

 ..and ..won't that slow us  down then, ye  Pointed year tree runner.?

  Ivy lowered his  cup and looked from Kree to the wagoneer...

 Kree just smiled , a bit more darkly,Then,  Good fellow.. you will have to help Push... If you do not  wish to follow my direction..stay here.. I will have the beggar  drive your wagon...

 The fellow stands  and looks around,..are you mad?

 Ivy  holds up one  finger,angry.....not mad.... I would not push it, master wagoneer...

 The Merchant looked  worried, but did not say anything.

 ....See to your  horses, after your   repast .... my contract calls for me to get the wagons to Tou..it says nothing of the horses...or the drivers....

  The  fellow    downs the rest of   his Caffee and storms  past   Kree to water the horses and see how much feed they have taken.

 The merchant looked up at Kree who stood  there  looking off towards the west....he's a good man, Captain? He cares  for his horses, he's one of the ebst, if not the best driver in out company...

 Kree points to the west with his  cup, without looking at the merchant,..if yuou have the time... and the people... you could  go out in these lands,  dig a bit, and  find   the bones of 'good men'....It is for us, to make sure you and your  cargo reach  the town..... barring that? we will take the cargo in..ourselves.

 The Merchant looked around, a bit worried  again , at this choice of words.

"As much as I would hate to lose the horses and all, moving along as fast as possible is probably the right way to go about it.  We aren't alone out here, that is for sure.  Something was moving about outside the camp during my watch.  Whether it was raiders or animals or pink fairies though is anyone's guess."  Lafisual continues his morning routine and makes ready to move on.

In a rare show of disagreement, Rolf speaks up.  "If we push the horses to their death now, the wagons will move along a damn sight slower pace with us pushing them along and whatever's out there will have a much easier time catching up to us."

Rolf stands, anger flickering in his eye, "There is honor, as well as benefit, to faithfully tending the horses upon which we depend.  The driver speaks wisely, and truthfully.  If we keep the horses healthy and well treated, we'll more quickly deliver the wagons."

Brie looked up over her bread at the wagon master and Kree.

If there is a set attack, they'll do it again at dusk if we hold back, she said somberly.  I'd suggest taking extra water with you and we've got the extra food for the horses.  If need be, have them walk slower, no need to actually stop.

She gave a shoulder shrug.