Lost Scout

[Frundette]

"Humie trouble," Mulush answered angrily as he reached down and ripped off a section of Aelfric's green cloak. He sat down on the rock and used the fabric to bandage up the wound on his leg.

Aelfric looked up at Barash, forcing a bloody smile, though it looked lopsided since the right side of his face was bloody and swelling. "Not before you're rotting in Hell."

Mulush frowned, a thought troubling him and he spoke in the orc tongue. "Take human to Gomez. Find what human knows."

 

[StarrNico]

"Humie trouble," Mulush answered angrily as he reached down and ripped off a section of Aelfric's green cloak. He sat down on the rock and used the fabric to bandage up the wound on his leg.

Aelfric looked up at Barash, forcing a bloody smile, though it looked lopsided since the right side of his face was bloody and swelling. "Not before you're rotting in Hell."

Mulush frowned, a thought troubling him and he spoke in the orc tongue. "Take human to Gomez. Find what human knows."

Barash nodded and put his club back on it's loop on his belt. He debated about the sword a moment then put it down to pick up the cut whip, using it to tie Aelfric's hands together. He changed his grip to the man's arm and started walking back to the orc camp.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Taking his warning to heart, Gytha kept her mouth shut and her eyes and ears open as she followed him downstream, being careful not to slip on the moss-covered rocks. She wondered what the "best kept secret" could be, but could not fathom. And would she be able to keep it a secret? If telling the secret to Lord Ragnar would help the settlement defend against the orcs, she could not imagine keeping it from him.

Aside from wondering about where Gomez was leading her, another thought keep creeping in, unbidden. Up until now, she had been so thirsty that she hadn't felt hungry. But now that she'd had a drink, she couldn't help but think about how this was the time of day the orcs had fed the slaves. Even the unappetizing mystery stew they'd received each night would be welcome right now.

Gomez continued downstream at a much slower pace to avoid slipping on the moss covered rocks. He was purposely taking a longer and more difficult route to the cave to make Gytha think that he was deliberately trying to fool the orcs as he had told her. In reality, of course, the orcs knew exactly where the cave was. Conveniently, Gomez actually knew more about the girl scout then most of the people at the settlement as she was Charles' scouting partner. It couldn't have worked out any better. Knowing that she wasn't an idiot, and was probably still looking for a reason to distrust him, he diligently kept up the act of secrecy. The rocks would have made their scent trail harder to follow, and the noise created by the water would mask the sound of their footsteps. He hoped that she noticed this, otherwise the sore feet he would have from walking across the rocks would be all for not.

Since the orcs treated him reasonably well, he wasn't feeling the same hunger that she was. Not particularly concerned about her well-being, he didn't stop and offer her the chance to find food.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Meanwhile...

"There they are!" Jasper said to Ezra, pointing at the horses just where they had left them. The surgeon's apprentice had been having visions of the horses being stolen by the orcs. He hurried forward and starting unknotting Duke's reins from the tree, before it occurred to him that he'd better ask. "Mind if I ride Duke again? I think he'll get us home faster."

"Go ahead," Ezra invited, knowing that they would be able to shave at least a couple of hours off their trip by taking Duke instead. For a moment he debated what to do with Strider and Aelfric's horses, but decided to leave them in the ravine. He wasn't aware that Aelfric had been caught, and still believed that both men would be following them to the settlement in a few hours. He swung his leg over Panago's back and climbed the brief incline to get out of the ravine. From here they would follow the orc tracks back to the road, and then head north to the settlement as quickly as the horses could manage.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Ruby nodded and glanced to Strider. "Then let's get out of here." She said and stood to retrieve the daggerbefore making her way to the door.

Strider glanced to Danielle "Stay close to me, both of you. If we move quickly we can catch up to the others. If not we can just go to the horses and get to the colony." He took his sword from Ruby and sheathed it then took his dagger and slipped it back into his boot. "Your things are on Rosa." He told Ruby

Danielle nodded bleakly, barely catching his instructions. She followed Ruby to the door and waited behind the other girl for Strider.

 

[StarrNico]

Danielle nodded bleakly, barely catching his instructions. She followed Ruby to the door and waited behind the other girl for Strider.

Strider glanced to the two girls then looked back outside, checking for orcs before leading them out and away from the camp.He glanced to them constantly, keeping his speed to one they could both keep up with.
Ruby waited for Danielle to go before her, following the other girl closely, ready to help her if she needed it, though she was tired and sore from the last few days herself.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Danielle stepped ahead of Ruby and stayed close to Strider. She had no idea who either of them were outside of the orc camp, but hoped that somehow they would figure out how to get her back to the settlement. The bright light outside hurt her eyes initially and forced her to squint for the first few minutes, she could see the edges of the forest and wondered why the orc camp was so strangely deserted.

 

[StarrNico]

Danielle stepped ahead of Ruby and stayed close to Strider. She had no idea who either of them were outside of the orc camp, but hoped that somehow they would figure out how to get her back to the settlement. The bright light outside hurt her eyes initially and forced her to squint for the first few minutes, she could see the edges of the forest and wondered why the orc camp was so strangely deserted.

Strider kept the girls moving, heading for the horses. He hoped to catch up to the other humans that he had set free earlier and get them back to the horses, then the colony. He didn't know Aelfric had been captured and thought the other scout would meet him on the way.

 

[Frundette]

Barash nodded and put his club back on it's loop on his belt. He debated about the sword a moment then put it down to pick up the cut whip, using it to tie Aelfric's hands together. He changed his grip to the man's arm and started walking back to the orc camp.

Aelfric did not resist having his wrists bound, knowing it would earn him nothing more than another blow that he could ill afford, but he did form his hands into fists, attempting to give himself some small amount of wiggle room in the bonds.

Limping slightly from the wounded leg, Mulush snatched up the sword that Barash had set back down, then wrapped a hand tightly around Aelfric's other arm and together they half led, half dragged their prisoner back toward the camp.

Mulush:

 

[Frundette]

Raven frowned at Laethros again then looked to her feet at Charles comment. She didn't want to fall on the stones.

The trail continued down the gentle slope and the sun sank lower toward the horizon, making it harder to see on the treacherous footing. Once, in spite of being careful, Charles slipped on the loose stone he had warned Raven about and slid forward a few feet, almost knocking the girl over, but managed to catch himself before he sent them both tumbling down the rocky path.

They broke free of the trees and the path seemed to end abruptly at the bottom of the gentle slope at a cliff overlooking a river. Laethros walked straight ahead and it seemed he was destined to walk straight off the edge of the cliff and fall to his death. But the path did continue, down an extremely narrow and treacherous trail that hugged the cliff face.

Laethros disappeared from view and Charles and Raven paused at the top of the cliff. "You first," he said, gesturing to the path Laethros had just gone.