Lost Scout

[StarrNico]

The men had made it almost to the edge of the Greywoods and looked behind them when they heard someone hurrying to catch up. They exchanged a quick glance. Laethros furrowed his brow a bit, but Charles just shrugged, then looked again the woman suddenly tagging along.

"Well, uh, yeah, we are," Charles said, running a hand along the back of his tanned neck, seeming inexplicably nervous. He was in his mid-twenties, of average height and slim build. He might have been deemed attractive if not for the numerous pox scars visible on his face, neck, and arms. "Anna, right?" he asked, eyeing the woman's weapons, thinking he remembered seeing her chatting with Gytha a time or two.

Laethros looked old enough to be the younger man's father, though there was no family resemblance.

"Yeah, but most everyone calls me Raven" She said and smiled at them. "Mind if I come with you?"

 

[StarrNico]

(sorry creative juices not flowing.)

 

[Frundette]

(No worries! Mine go through spurts!)

"I... I suppose that'd be alright," Charles said to her.

Laethros made an irritated "hmmmph" sound, but voiced no further objection, though he looked obviously displeased by having the woman tagging along.

"You been in the Greywoods before, lass?" he asked sharply, scratching his light blond and grey beard.

 

[StarrNico]

(No worries! Mine go through spurts!)

"I... I suppose that'd be alright," Charles said to her.

Laethros made an irritated "hmmmph" sound, but voiced no further objection, though he looked obviously displeased by having the woman tagging along.

"You been in the Greywoods before, lass?" he asked sharply, scratching his light blond and grey beard.

Anna nodded. She noticed Laethros' displeasure but wouldn't let that stop her. "Yes, I have. My father was a scout and allowed me to go with him sometimes." She said. Her father was dead, leaving her and her mother alone in the new colony. Her mother didn't leave the colony, but Raven did sometimes to go hunting.

 

[Frundette]

Charles nodded, still looking uncomfortable in the woman's company.

He was a scout himself, Gytha's normal partner out on the trail, but he'd only arrived in the new settlement at the beginning of the summer and had never met Raven's father. "I've heard nothing but good things about your father," he said kindly as the trio entered the Greywoods.

Immediately it grew darker under the shadows of the trees. Laethros stayed quiet and walked a bit ahead of the others, avoiding Anna's eyes until the topic of her father seemed to have passed. "Don't have but a few hours of daylight left. Let's see how much ground we can cover."

 

[StarrNico]

Anna smiled "Yes, he was a good man." She looked to Laethros and nodded, then looked around the forest. "Yeah, It can get very dark out here at night."

 

[Frundette]

The road led them almost straight east as they followed the same path that Aelfric, Ezra, and Jasper had taken the previous morning. And aside from birds chattering and squirrels secreting away acorns for the coming winter, all was quiet. There was no hint of the chaos currently ensuing at the orc camp miles away. Yet both Charles and Laethros seemed on edge.

"How's your mother doing? She doesn't mind you spending a night camped out in the Greywoods?" Laethros suddenly asked the girl.

 

[StarrNico]

The road led them almost straight east as they followed the same path that Aelfric, Ezra, and Jasper had taken the previous morning. And aside from birds chattering and squirrels secreting away acorns for the coming winter, all was quiet. There was no hint of the chaos currently ensuing at the orc camp miles away. Yet both Charles and Laethros seemed on edge.

"How's your mother doing? She doesn't mind you spending a night camped out in the Greywoods?" Laethros suddenly asked the girl.

"Mom's fine." Raven said "She knows I have to help find Danielle. Says I'm too much like my dad." She smiled wryly and glanced around the woods again.

 

[Frundette]

"Ah, glad to hear she's doing alright," Laethros said. He exchanged another glance with Charles, giving the younger man a small nod. But then went back to looking at the road ahead.

"Hey, what do you two think of this?" he asked, pointing at something interesting on the road, perhaps some kind of track that he wanted Charles and Raven to look at.

 

[StarrNico]

"Ah, glad to hear she's doing alright," Laethros said. He exchanged another glance with Charles, giving the younger man a small nod. But then went back to looking at the road ahead.

"Hey, what do you two think of this?" he asked, pointing at something interesting on the road, perhaps some kind of track that he wanted Charles and Raven to look at.

Raven obediently moved closer to see what he was pointing to.