Yehudit looked up when she heard rapid hoof beats. There was a horse- and it was dragging something.

"What is that?"

Sileas squinted in that direction, trying to make it out in the darkness. "I don't know."

"It almost looks like a person..." The horse was fast approaching and showing no signs of slowing.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:49, Sat 29 Aug 2015.

"Wulfsen! If you're not in the wagon, get in now. Hopefully we're not in the path of this out of control horse!"

"Yah!" Wulfsen shouted, but miraculously the running horse veered just enough to not hit them. When the horse was dragging got caught on one of the wagon wheels. The body was barely recognizable as a human.

Sileas grimaced and pulled Yehudit toward her so she couldn't see what hit them. "We have a...some..." Sileas searched for a word that wouldn't alarm Yehudit. "Debris against the wheel."

Yehudit stubbornly pulled herself away and looked.

"Ew, what is that? Is that a hand?" Realization struck her. "That was a person? Who is that? Is it dead?"

Sileas sighed audbily. Aunt Lia was really going to kill her. "I don't believe it could possibly be alive, but it is in the way of the wheel."

Wulfsen hopped out of the wagon and looked at the body. He did not think he could recognize the man if he knew him. His face was mostly gone. Wulfsen pulled what was left of the battered corpse away from the wheel.

"I suppose we should try to figure out who he was." Wulfsen said and began checking the man's pockets.

"Ew! Wulfsen is touching it!" Yehudit squealed, clutching Sileas's arm.

"There's not much choice unless we run over it," Sileas pointed out. "It's not like we have any tools to move them. Did you find anything Wulfsen?"

"Some coins, and he was wearing a ring, looks like gold." Wulfsen held up the ring. "It has a seal of some sort on it."

"Still gross." Yehudit said.

"I suppose we can ask around the keep tomorrow and find out if anyone recognizes it. He could have been one of the raiders though." She narrowed her gaze. "Is that candied fruit in what's left of his hair?"
This message was last edited by the player at 03:23, Sat 29 Aug 2015.

"I think he might be a raider too, might have been able to tell more if his horse hadn't gotten away." Wulfsen pocketed the ring and looked at the hair. "It does look like candied fruit... I have no idea how that could have happened."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:25, Sat 29 Aug 2015.

Sileas shrugged. "Let's go find Questa and what she amassed and get Mama up to Difyr."

Wulfsen climbed back into the wagon and began driving back to where they had left Questa.

Sileas settled back down next to her mother. "I wish she had had some water to bring with us or thought of it." Her mother appeared to be about to speak. "Shh Mama, conserve your strength."

Wulfsen smacked his forehead and took a canteen from his belt. He handed it to Sileas. "I'm a fool, how could I forget to offer this?"

Sileas managed an earnest smile. "Thank you, Wulfsen. I don't know why I didn't think about bringing some either. It's been a long day." She unscrewed the lid and slipped it in her pouch so she wouldn't lose it. Sileas gently lifted her mother and supported her with her leg. "Drink just a bit nice and slow Mama"

Wulfsen suddenly stopped the wagon. He saw a bloody body ahead. He stood at the wagon seat to get a better look.

Sileas rocked but she held her mother gently but firmly. She was confident she had taken the bulk of the jolt. James moaned softly. "What's wrong?" she asked without taking her attention from her mother.

"Another body." Wulfsen said in a hushed voice. He jumped down from the wagon, drew his sword and approached the corpse. There was candied fruit everywhere. The dead man had been stabbed repeatedly. When Wulfsen touched him the body was still warm.

Questa came out of the shop with more sweets.

"So I were violent. Hang me for it, why don't yer, eh, mate? They came after me and were gonna dip me in the bloody pond, and were probably gonna do more afterwards. So I killed the buggers." Questa said defensively.

Sileas placed her bow on her lap and pulled her quiver close. She inched closer to her mother, practically pulling Yehudit with her. "The raiders are still here and looting?" And then she heard Questa. Bless Questa. "So he was one of the raiders."