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Message: <blockquote data-quote="MarauderX" data-source="post: 1484261" data-attributes="member: 9990">2“Alright,” said Lalyer, “the magi has decided to grant us our wish, as long as we leave.”  “So when will that happen?” Argus replied shortly.“He said it would be when the moon had reached its first quarter,” responded Lalyer, sitting down against the wall.  In the small wooden home they were staying Lalyer was still tall enough to reach up and push on the straw roof while sitting.  “Well, when is that?” said Argus, his impatience and discomfort of their latest home showing.  “Three days,” answered the dwarf.  “Yes, and three more days to get to the well,” added Vance.  “Right,” said Lalyer, “and we can only hope our guides can make the trek.  How is the rest of our food supply holding up?”Amena opened her eyes.  “More than a week for each of us, or forever if we take on the eating habits of our hosts,” she said.   “It’s looking like we’ll need to make another run to that town.  I’ll go this time, as long as someone remains here in case they decide to coax us out earlier.  Vance, you up for it?” asked Lalyer.Vance, who was stooping in the doorway, nodded, trying not to bang the back of his head against the lintel above.  “I’ll go again, the baker and I are becoming rather good friends,” said Vance, and smiled inwardly.  “But I may need more money.”Lalyer sighed. “That’s also becoming a problem,” he said, “we are running a little thin on that too.  I’ll trade in my earrings if it comes down to it though.”  “When should we leave?” asked Amena.Lalyer looked over at her before replying, “Tomorrow morning.”  Vance slept again that night, and had little trouble dozing off after the fitful rest he had for most of the day.  Amena woke him in the morning, and soon they were guiding their horses out of the woods.  The three of them approached the village after dusk and decided to make camp on a rolling hill overlooking the town of Whistlebarrow instead of going in late and stirring up the village.  Lalyer rubbed a gold piece with his thumb, trying to think of another way to win over the withering old Halfling magi as they lay looking at the dark sky above.  “Get out of the trees!” Griver yelled to a group of halflings.  “Ya damned fools, there’s no where to go up there!  C’mon, get down to the grove!”  When the bugbears attacked they had managed to mow down more than twenty of the weak Halflings before facing opposition.  The Halflings were now merely following an example Argus had made; he had sprung to the trees when he saw the first bugbears, and began firing arrows at them from across the clearing.  Griver had sprinted down the hill with his axe drawn, expecting the bugbears to come straight for them.  Instead, the enemy swept into each of the Halfling huts and began throwing all of the contents out.  “What are they doing?” asked Griver.“Can’t tell exactly, but they are throwing everything that’s in the huts out to the clearing,” said Argus.  “As far as I can tell, there are a few of them just keeping watch our way now that I managed to kill one of them.  I have a pretty good vantage point here if you want me to cover you.”Griver watched as the Halflings scrambled up the hill behind him, probably to their sacred site.  The dwarf’s shoulders eased then tensed again before he replied, “Ready?  I’m going.”Argus loosed a warning arrow towards one of the bugbears, and it collided with the Halfling hut the creature stood behind.  Griver had made his way through several of the huts towards the bugbears, and they craned their necks to watch where he went.  Argus counted the heads quickly as he notched another arrow.  With more than a few handful, Argus knew the dwarf was heading into trouble.  “There are about six or seven watching you, Griver!” said Argus, “and plenty more in the huts!”Argus saw the dwarf peer around the outside of a hut and wave an acknowledgement.  Argus adjusted his foot on a branch and took aim at a new target.  The arrow sailed high, and Argus knew that he was a small distraction this far out from the village.  He would have to wait for them to get to the huts closer to him before he could be a real threat, and they knew it too.  Griver launched himself around the corner of a hut at one of the bugbears and his single-bladed axe hewed off its leg at the knee.  The dwarf then drove his shoulder into the beast’s midsection and it sprawled onto its back.  It began to sit forward, hands probing for its lost spear, when Griver’s axe dug deep into its chest.  A spear sailed through the hut’s roof over his head, and Griver withdrew around the corner of the hut.  He heard several pounding footsteps coming towards him, and decided to retreat further.  Chasing the dwarf around the next hut, the first bugbear caught an axe in its gut, and the next one had the same axe cut deep into the flesh of its thigh.  Griver grunted as the second bugbear twisted in surprise, wrenching his wrist and sending the axe to the ground.  Seeing the predicament, the bugbear swung his sword down on the dwarf, connecting solidly with his wooden shield.  Griver rolled forward, picked up the long spear from the bugbear that now lay face down and spun to face his opponent.  Argus had launched a number of arrows as to deter the bugbears from crossing through the wide-open clearing, and watched the action as they started to swarm towards Griver.  There were quite a few now, and Argus saw more coming as they ceased searching the huts.  “Get into the clearing!” Argus directed, “I can cover you there!”Griver took a step backward and was blocked by another adversary.  Another joined them, and Griver threatened them with the spear, its length awkward in his hands.  Silently he drew a knife behind his shield before tossing the spear high at one of the bugbears.  It threw up its arms, providing the opening the dwarf was hoping for, and the dwarf struck.  Griver twisted away, feeling the warmth of its blood on his hand as he scrambled to the clearing.  He turned to face any pursuers as he walked backwards.  Griver watched as first one, and then more of the bugbears walked openly towards him, their guards lowered.  Griver waited for a sniping arrow to correct their arrogance, but it didn’t come.  Griver knew before he turned what had happened.  Argus had been flanked, and they had worked out their plan as soon as he had taken to the tree.  The searching of the huts was probably a ruse to get them to attack, and then they simply out maneuvered the archer.  Griver saw three bugbears to his rear, and three more to the other side, surrounding him.  Beyond them he saw Argus’s still shape with an arrow protruding from his chest and mouth and eyes wide open.  No wonder I didn’t hear him, thought Griver, the wicked arrow got his lung.</blockquote>

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