Lost Scout

[Frundette]

Strider nodded "Should we start the fire here, or keep to the original locations?" He focused on Aelfric again before scanning the area once again.

"Probably need to be closer to the camp to ensure they notice it before too long," Aelfric said. He didn't mind threatening the orc camp with a sizeable fire, but this time of year was dry and a forest fire run rampant could destroy the new settlement faster than an all out attack by the orc horde. Plus, he didn't want any orcs coming to investigate the fire to stumble upon the bodies of the three they had just killed.

"What if I circle around to the south side of their encampment to start it?" the swordsman said, trying to envision the map in his head. "When the orcs are trying to put it out, you sneak in and locate the girls. I'll join you when I can. That should leave the way north clear to make our retreat."

 

[StarrNico]

"Probably need to be closer to the camp to ensure they notice it before too long," Aelfric said. He didn't mind threatening the orc camp with a sizeable fire, but this time of year was dry and a forest fire run rampant could destroy the new settlement faster than an all out attack by the orc horde. Plus, he didn't want any orcs coming to investigate the fire to stumble upon the bodies of the three they had just killed.

"What if I circle around to the south side of their encampment to start it?" the swordsman said, trying to envision the map in his head. "When the orcs are trying to put it out, you sneak in and locate the girls. I'll join you when I can. That should leave the way north clear to make our retreat."

Strider nodded. "Right, let's get to it. I have a feeling we should hurry." He looked to Aelfric then scanned around them again before starting towards the camp to watch it. He fingered the arrow he had set to the bowstring, trying to shake off the strange feeling.

 

[Frundette]

Strider nodded. "Right, let's get to it. I have a feeling we should hurry." He looked to Aelfric then scanned around them again before starting towards the camp to watch it. He fingered the arrow he had set to the bowstring, trying to shake off the strange feeling.

"May Lady Luck watch over you until we meet again, my friend," Aelfric said, giving his friend half a smile, knowing their plan could well spell the end for either or both of them. He set off southward, making a wide circle around the camp, for if he was caught alone, he doubted he could best three or more of the orcs by himself.

 

[StarrNico]

Strider found a hidden place to watch from. He settled in to await the distraction of the fire so he could go in and try to find the girls. As he waited he took note of the goings on in the camp, the number of orcs and where the human prisoners were.

 

[Frundette]

The camp came into view, barely visible through the trees and Aelfric paused, using a large uprooted tree as cover, unwilling to get any closer lest the orcs spot him before he could build the fire. He piled together small twigs and dry leaves, then took the flint, steel, and char cloth from his pack. The process made a very distinct 'tink, tink, tink' sound as he struck the steel against the flint and he hoped the noise from the camp would be enough for it to go unnoticed. Luckily on the third strike the char cloth caught and he put it quickly to his pile of twigs and leaves. He put his face down near it, blowing gently until the small flames took hold, then started piling on more fuel.

Content that the fire would continue to grow, he took a lit branch, intending to use it to set fire to other piles of debris so that the orcs could not put it out quickly.

 

[StarrNico]

A pair of orcs were returning from a scouting trip with a deer they had managed to catch in their hands. The taller of the two cocked his head "you hear?" He asked his partner. When the other shook his hear the taller shrugged and started to move closer to the faint noise he had heard, seeing the human and the fire he growled and pulled out his whip "Humie, slave or die." he spat out in broken common

 

[Frundette]

Aelfric spun, cursing himself for not seeing the orcs approaching sooner. He'd been keeping an eye toward the camp, but not behind him and now they'd cut off his best egress. He reached his burning stick up to a dead, dry limb of an evergreen tree and it caught quickly, throwing a dark, pungent smoke. Hoping his efforts were enough to bring the orcs in the camp hustling to put out the flames, he threw the burning stick to the ground.

"Try me," he said, brandishing the mace he'd taken off the dead orc earlier and looked the picture of a calm warrior. But he was not relishing the idea of taking on two opponents at once.

--

Mulush, being closest to the forest, was the first to notice the line to smoke reaching up toward the sky. He yelled a warning to the other orcs in the camp, pointing to the smoke, before rounding up the remaining prisoners and driving them back toward the cage in the middle of the camp, so that none of them could slip away during the commotion.

 

[StarrNico]

Snaga, the taller orc, flicked the whip, sending it's metal tipped ends at the human. He growled "Humie die now"
Barash set down the deer, pulling out a mace and circling to be out of the way of Snaga's whip. He paused in his circling to look at the now burning tree. He glanced to Snaga and the human, then started trying to knock down the tree to put the fire out.

~~~
Strider waited for the orcs to leave the camp then snuck in. He made his way to the cage and broke the door open for them. "Gytha? Ruby? Danielle?" He asked, looking over the cage's inhabitants even as he threw the door wide open. He didn't see Ruby, barely remembered what Gytha looked like and didn't know Danielle.

 

[Gerbil]

Orkhan stopped and stood still, waiting for Vorgak to give the order. He watched Charlemagne from a position slightly ahead of the man, and to his right. Vorgak, he knew, was still directly behind, and their other partner was situated similar to himself, but on the left side. It was a perfect setup for an ambush. From his vantage point he could see the head of the horse, and her eyes as they flickered uneasily into the brush. The horse had sensed them, and now her rider was clueing in as well.

One thing which didn't seem right, however, was that the man was... well, a man. Not a girl. It wasn't the same girl which he had initially thought they'd found. Part of him was frustrated that they hadn't found who they were looking for, but part of him was eager to leap out of the shadows and send this sorry swordsman straight to the gallows. 

Usually Vorgak preferred a party bigger than 3 to capture an armed human on horseback, but he didn't want to risk the man possibly meeting up with the escapee he thought had come this way. As [COLOR=333333]Charlemagne's [/COLOR]sword started to leave its sheath, Vorgak barked a short command at the others which was the signal to spring their ambush, hoping to catch the human before he was fully prepared.

Vorgak carried a bow and had been travelling with an arrow knocked loosely.  Now he stepped free from the trees from his position behind Charlemagne and brought the bow up quickly as he drew the string back, then released in one smooth motion.  He aimed not for the rider, but for the horse...

There was but another moment of eerie calm before the mare reared wildly and one of the creatures revealed itself behind them.
From it issued an arrow which connected to the mare's thigh with a shhhllk sound and an eruption of pained neighs. Charles was almost thrown and nearly hacked his own arm trying to right himself and swing to face the orc. It was all he could do to turn the panicked horse and point her in a direction just left of the orc, where she then proceeded at an awkward lunge to go. Sword still drawn and arm still attached, they rushed forward.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Strider waited for the orcs to leave the camp then snuck in. He made his way to the cage and broke the door open for them. "Gytha? Ruby? Danielle?" He asked, looking over the cage's inhabitants even as he threw the door wide open. He didn't see Ruby, barely remembered what Gytha looked like and didn't know Danielle.

At this time on another day the cage would normally have been empty as the slaves would still have been working on the wall. After Gytha managed to escape, however, the slaves had been returned to the cage while the orcs set out to search for the missing girl. Inside were the remaining slaves, including Milly's husband, another man and two more women. Gytha, Ruby and Danielle were not among them, and they only stared fearfully at Strider when he broke the door open, fearing a trap.

--

Inside the cookhouse, a smaller building near the center of the orc camp, Ghegari was watching through the open door at the smoke rising from the forest. She tapped her long nails on the wooden door frame, fearing that the fire would spread to the camp. Her prisoners were prepped and ready for dinner, the stew hot, ready and waiting. Suddenly, she caught an unfamiliar flicker of movement on the other side of the camp, near the slave's quarters. From her vantage point she could see Strider break the door open, but was unwilling to leave her hut and approach him. The food was more important.