10 Peonu 720

Time: Beginning 1st watch - Mid 2nd watch

Barak continues to keep watch while huddled against his tree. The night air is chill and the night remains cold and some what uncomfortable. The mist has long since disappeared and the wind has died down to nothing more than a slight breeze. The night sky has cleared as well and Yael is visible more now shining its light upon the forest floor.

Barak sits his watch and in turn wakes Borygg for his turn to stand watch.

Borygg likes his companions stands his watch huddled against a tree. The forest is still with only the occassional noise of the local fauna going about their business of hunting.

None to soon the eastern sky is lit by the Nolimars light for the coming day.

Within less than a quarter watch there is enough light such that the warband can pack up their gear and go about their morning routines quickly and are ready for the new day. Hunger eats at your bellies as you are about to enter your third day with little to no food. Fatigue now eats at you, your backs and shoulders ache from carrying your packs, your legs ache from the walking with your loads and your arms tire from the weight of shields and spears.

Algared watches his weary companions and notes the drawn faces that are marked by empty stomaches and knows that he looks just the same. "Barak maybe we need to try find an easier route I doubt we'll manage terrain any rougher than this, nor this for much longer. And I agree we need food, we should forage as soon as possible it may add longer to our trek, but it would be better to have enough strength to draw a bow or raise a spear if we come to a fight. You are our hunter, when would be be best time to forage or hunt. I doubt anyof us have as much knowledge as you here similarly if there is pursuit when would we be likely to have trackers begin the hunt for the day?"

"Umm, if I want to track us, I would be starting as soon as it is light, like now. As for the best time to hunt, dawn and dusk are favoured by many. Many shy animals use this time of poor light to come out in the open to graze. Foraging is best done in the middle of the day when there is plenty of light to spot the plants you are looking for. Many fishermen believe that the afternoon is when fish are most likely to bite. So take your choice" he smiles "It may be best just to see what the day brings. If we pass a well stocked pond, we fish; if we see a bush full of edible buds, we pick"

"Hrmmm, then we should head off and forage around midday unless we come across a pond or place we can fish, I suppose" Algared responds. Kugald seems contended to leave his cousins to make the decisions nodding his approval and adding his own comments when it it is required.

"This is good training for you both." Kugald chuckles, before adding in a slightly more serious tone, "You are Daas, and should be leaders but dont worry I wont let you get us killed," says Kugald as he wearily slaps both Algared and Barak upon the back.

"That sounds like a good plan," says Borygg as he packs up his equipment and gets ready to head out. "I'll be very happy when we find some food."

As the band quickly head gather their belongings before heading off. Algared shifts his pack and says, "So if the best time to hunt is dawn or dusk then if we have have no sign of pursuit by midday, then we forage for say half a watch and then move on. Find ourselves a suitable camp early and try hunting at dusk, especially if our foraging was unsuccessful. I know we are getting close to Home and the instict is to push on, but i'd be happier pushing on if we had food and knew exactly where we were."

Turning to Barak algared continues. "I dont suppose you are familair with the hills and mountains along the south east of Dasslund do you?"

Time: Mid 2nd watch - End 3rd watch

Barak shakes his head at Algareds question.

The temperature warms slightly such that the warband still need their cloaks to keep warm but they hang unfastened across your shoulders. The cloud cover thins somewhat allowing the blue sky above to be seen, Nolomar evens shines down on you from above as it breaches the canopy of the trees above.

Hoisting packs and grabbing spears and shields the warband heads off in a westerly direction. The terrain is similiar but as you push closer to the mountains the ground becomes infested with more smaller rocky outcrops and the ground is strewn with smaller rocks.

The going is slow but you seem to be making good time despite the rough ground over which you are travelling.

The path you take leads you close to the foot of the mountain range which now lies to the south of your current position. The going becomes rougher still as the mountains now impede your movement.

You push on however, and your warband attempts to forage as you make your way westward. You are able to find little more than a few tidbits to eat, which hardly does anything to sate your appetite.

By high Nolomar you are situated on high hill near the foot of the mountains near the south eastern edge of a clearing that slopes downhill to the north. The clearing is not more than about a hundred yards across and slopes downhill for several hundred yards. From your vantage point you can see a trail that runs east-west at the base of the hills with the southern edge of the road being the northern edge of the clearing the forest continues on the northern side of the road.

Several kilometres away you can see the rooftops and gatehouse of what must be a thran.

The forest appears normal as you take in the view from your vantage point - the noises of the forest continue with the usual bird calls and the sounds of insects and the like going about their hunt for food.

> The going becomes rougher still as the mountains now impede your movement. <

Barak will lead the party further down slope (north-west?) to avoid having to get in too too rough and slow terrain.

> By high Nolomar you are s[...] near the [...] edge of a clearing <

I presume there is nothing grazing (deer, goats, sheep, cows) in the clearing otherwise you would have mentioned it...

> at the base of the hills with the southern edge of the road being the northern edge of the clearing the forest continues on the northern side of the road. <

Barak discusses the route quickly with the rest of the party, and then leads accross (east->west) the clearing, then follows the westerm edge of clearing (ready to dart in to the trees if anything becomes visible on the road) until with 25m of the road then follows parallel to the road (~20-25m from the edge) within the forest. Since we know where the thran is, Barak attempts to stop short of the it - preferably in the woods at the edge of the thran's cleared agricultural land.

There Barak asks Algarad "Well leader Algarad what next? Do you want to head in to the forest and up hill looking for hunting and fishing, or do you want to go to the thran, or maybe we should just skirt around it?"

Time: End 3rd watch - Beginning 4th watch

No there is nothing grazing in the clearing

Crossing the clearing you make your way down the hill towards the road. Nearing the road you turn westward again and try to parallel the road at about 25 yards distance.

Along the way you do not see any sign of travellers or patrols using the road.

Moving through the forest for about a kilometre you reckon you are about half way between the clearing and the thran. Although the thran is still not visible through the forest. When Barak halts the warband and turns to Algared and asks his question.

"It is high sun, and while we are possibly now in Daaslund, I dont know what Thran that would be. Abderhiem is the first of the thrans along the Liem but I would have expected to come across another river as a natural boundary. So I think we should skirt the thran then forage, hunt or fish as the situation allows." Algared looks to his friends and company, and adds. "Unless of course anyone believes there is a better course of action." Algared waits giving Jurri and Borryg a chance to add their thoughts.

"Maybe I or Barak could sneak a bit closer to the thran and see if we can hear someone speaking and figure out if we are in friendly territory. I know that didn't go so well last time but maybe it is worth trying."

Jurri's walked the road between Daaslund and Storzarlund numerous times, but has probably never seen it from this perspective.

"I do not think we are in Daaslund yet. In Daaslund, the road follows the river and runs more north-south. No, my guess is this is the road from Bergastad to Froyaheim. I remember there are some thrans north of it, but I do not know their names."

He points along the road towards the west. "If I am right, and that way leads to Bergastad, then we are not far from where the bulk of the Ibanvaaler force has probably gone. Abderheim lies south of Bergastad, just inside Daaslund. That is where the Daas sent part of his force to guard."

"Then on you Knowledge Jurri, we would be best to skirt this thran and head into the woods. We can forage in the woods, we know from our first encounter that the Ibanvaal patrols have been in these hills hunting Nirien's folk. Lead on Barak we'll enter the woods and forage we want to find a campsite early as well so we have time to hunt or fish." Algared says in response to Jurri's comments.

"The less contact we risk with the those under the Ibanvaal yoke this close to home the better I think especially as we don't want them working out that the attacker on their patrol may have headed this way. If we have managed to dodge the arrow thus far lets try not to tempt fate."

Kugald nod's and shifts his pack as he follows barak's march. His shield slung so it will be easy to prepare. His bow unstrung, to relieve the pressure and strain upon bith the wood and the string, he keeps a watchful eye. "Barak and Borryg you have our sharpest eyes I think, so keep watch for any trouble ahead, Algared you keep watch to north, Jurri keep watch to the south and I'll keep and eye to our rear."

Barak leads off once more. They continue along through the woods until the meet the edges of the thran's lands, and then skirt round them to the south, staying in the tree cover. Barak dosn't start looking for camp sites until the they are well past the thran.

Time: Beginning 4th watch

With Barak leading the warband parallel the road as far away as possible while still keeping the road in sight. The warband have moved several hundred yards and are walking more cautiously as they near the than.

Nolomar beams through the trees as the flick from shadow to sunlight, the day remains cool however, despite Nolomars best efforts.

From behind the warband a boy not more than 14 years of age catches the warband initially unawares but Borygg soon hears him and brings the rest of the warband to alert as he runs west along the road. The warband stop and looking at him he is dressed in no more than grey woollen leggings and a faded blue woollen tunic. The look of fear is evident upon his face.

The boy continues to run down the centre of the trail, each warrior scurries for some cover and quickly stops and crouches facing towards the youth and the direction he came from.

Borygg and Barak both nock arrows while Borygg is the first to draw his bow before casting a quick gaze towards Algared and Kugald. Algared shrugs his shoulders as he watches the youth continue west along the road.

Jurri watches from behind the trunck of a birch tree.

Kugald signals to the warband to halt there action for the moment....

Algared prepares his staff sling keeping his spear and shield near ready to take up once his has fired a volley. His pack he removes and sets on the ground at the base of a tree hopefully out of sight.

Kugald having stayed the parties hand now speaks, "The lad does not seem to have seen us and is running from something else. Jurri, as a skald you could move to the path as the pursuit shows and challenge them, though I leave the decision to you. Either way friend we may need to call upon your skill at arms should it come to a fight. the rest of us stay hidden and when the pursuit shows we engage them unless jurri challenges them upon which we engage if they turn on him. After a couple of volleys wewill charge if required." Kugald chuckles to himself and then says "lets pray he boy isn't merely a poacher fleeing the forresters eh?" Then in a more serious tone Kugald asks. "Are we agreed?"

"Sounds good to me," says Borygg as he strings his bow and places his club and shield close at hand.

Jurri nods and begins quietly moving to position himself on the trail so that he can do as Kugald suggests. He'll leave his spear and shield out of sight.

Barak does his best to shrug from wherever he is crouched down. He eases his knapsack off his shoulder and places it and his sack on the ground. He rests his spear and shield against the tree where he can easily pick them up. He then nocks his bow and shifts to a concealed kneeling position. Finally he draws and aims his bow in the direction the boy came from.

[OoC: since this was to be a hiking rather than fightind day, Barak's armour is in the sack]

As the warband whisper their plans and then go about preparing their position the young boy continues to run west along the road, so he has disappeared from view behind the surrounding trees.

With the young lad footfalls gone, and the warband nestled into their positions the forest returns to its silence.

And so you wait... it has been about the time to drink a tankard of mead and there is no sign of any pursuers.

"Is it just me or have we been waiting for too long for the lads pursuers to burst forth. Somehow I think he may have seen us and believed the worst. Shall we move or wait for the inevitable group of men who will be arriving shortly?"

[OoC: I don't think we would have waited a quarter of a watch before acting... if the boy were being chased his persuers would have appeared in a matter of minutes. Barak would have given up waiting long ago]

"I agree Algarad. The boy was not being pursued. If we wait here any longer we'll just be sitting ducks if the thran send out a party to find us. It all depends on whether or not the boy saw us. What do you think Borygg, you saw him first, do you think he saw is?"

"I don't think he saw us. And I don't think anyone is coming after him. Let's get moving."

Algared regathers his pack and checks that nothing has fallen free. As soon as it is clear the boy was not being chased and once all are ready the band move off following Barak as he leads them.