Stonefist Academy - The Beginning

[Herobizkit]

Leilani feigns light-headedness as she says, "My WORD, I love it when a man takes charge! My heart is all a-flutter!"

She dutifully takes her position along the trail, holding her crossbow menacingly.

 

[ahayford]

Daelyn

Daeyln chuckles under his breath and adjusts his wide brimmed hat to appear more menacing.

 

[Fangor the Fierce]

The boy seems relieved, as he calls out

			Come here boy, they aren't here to hurt us

The dog looks back at Rollen with a confused look, sees the fear leave his master and obeys. As soon as the dog obeys, you hear it whimper, limping back to Rollen; it's injuries now taking a toll on it. It would seem that the primal instincts of the beast allow it to ignore it's wounds and suffering when it is protecting that which it loves.

Allowing the healer close, Rollen waves off the healing, instead motioning to his dog.

			I will live. Save my dog instead. I don't think he will make it with those wounds not being cared for.

Rollen looks down again at the body of his other dog. He bows his head, moves his hands towards the pond and washes the blood from them. You see that the bloodied boy had carried the body here, attempting to clean the wounds. The dead canine did not have a chance, as you see broken bones protruding from it's body. You also realize that most of the blood washes away, as it was not all Rollen's.

As he washes the blood, he speaks slowly, as if recalling something painful.

			It set a trap for us, ambushing us unawares. It happened so fast. Goren here was in the lead. Sheila there was next to me. It jumped out from behind a tree as Goren stopped to sniff the air and growl. It was dark, red eyes, long hair. I thought it was a wolf, but it was larger and nastier than any I had seen before. It tore into Goren, but not without a fight. Goren was able to sink his teeth into the beast's neck. I heard it howl with pain. Sheila didn't hesitate, as she caught it in the side. I dove at it with my sword. It rolled, not letting Goren go and claws were everywhere. It threw Goren to the side and went after me. Sheila jumped into the path of it and they tumbled into a scuffle. Goren came back, jumped in as well. It was too strong for them. It could have killed us all, but when it killed Goren, Sheila caught it again in the neck. It howled once more, getting weak, and took off. Sheila tried to go after it, but I called her off. We came here to see if I could clean his wounds, but it was too late. Then you showed up. I don't know why it ran off, but it did. It went east.

 

[ahayford]

Daelyn

Daelyn maintained his vigil over the creek, but grew concerned as he heard the boy recount his story.


Lune, if you can stabilize the boy and his dog...we best be after the beast. If it is wounded it will be easier to take it down now then if we wait and let it lick its wounds. Hopefully Silvas can track it to whereever it has gone to ground.

 

[Sphyh]

Silvas pulls out his water skin and drinks rather liberally being parched from the hunt as he listens to the boys story. He dips his canteen into the flowing creek to refill it for the remainder of the journey.


"Lune if you can get the boy and his dog strong enough travel that will suffice. The beast is injured and on the run. He will flee until he feels safe he can recover. We shall pursue it while we have the advantage. Rollen, are you strong enough to make it back to your father?"


After the conversation Silvas moves over to where the boy said the beast fled and tries to pick up the trail again.

 

[Graybeard]

Miranda

Miranda nodded to Olek and took her assigned position to the north. She was not very good watching for things outdoors. Most of her life had been spent indoors working at her family's inn. The only things she had to watch for there were drunk patrons and lecherous men.

As she took her position near the woods, she listened to the boy tell his tale. It sounded odd to her. What type of creature had red eyes, long hair, and was intelligent enough to set a trap? Her first day at the academy and she was already learning new things. Hopefully, this learning experience won't be her last.

 

[Dragonwriter]

Ararion shrugs and takes his spot. He didn't understand why a gentleman would take the opposite side of the watch area... If it was the more-dangerous location, that he understood as being the gentleman's place, but simply opposite made little sense to him. In any case, the keen-eyed elf stay attentive to the woods while the young human gives his story.

"Sounds like quite the beast we are hunting."

 

[jackslate45]

With a nod, Lune reaches out to the dog in an attempt to scratch his ears. While he does so, he finishes praying, and his hand glows quickly, and fades away. Along with the scars and sores on the dog.

 

[Axel]

Olek

Olek was worried by what he heard. This beast sounded magical, or unnatural. "The wizard is right," he said, not taking his eyes from the forest for an instant. "We should push on while it is wounded, for it sounds unnaturally intelligent and agressive. Rollen, if you are well enough to travel you should come with us to see your task through. Boys make foolish mistakes and run. Men learn from them and get the job done. Are you a boy or a man?"

 

[Fangor the Fierce]

Rollen sighs a sigh of relief when his dogs wounds close up at Lune's touch. The gruff words of the dwarf bring his attention back to the reason why he was out here. Without flinching, the boy answers,

			I'm out here, remember?

He stands, looking east before turning to his dog. He then looks down to the carcass of the other one before making a decision.

			I can't leave him. He needs to be buried. We have to come back for him when we are done.

Moving to the east side of the clearing, he leads the way with Sheila, moving through the treeline with Silvas in the lead. The tracks become easier to follow, as the beast is wounded and still carrying the missing sheep. Tufts of wool are left on branches, along with blood and stumbling prints. The beast is close, as the tracks are still fresh. The quietness of the forest is deafening.

Moving swiftly, wanting to not grant the beast a chance to recuperate, you all follow as quickly as the tracks allow. Silvas moves quickly, easily able to move at a normal pace without losing the tracks. It does not take long before you start seeing the ground change. It becomes harder, firmer as the forest seems to start giving away to the mountains. You have traveled quite a ways, as you see the foot of the mountains ahead.

The incline begins, with rock structures now dotting the area. A large boulder is ahead, with the blood stains showing that the beast was slowing down here. Silvas stops, inspecting the area carefully.

OOC: Spot Checks and Listen Checks being rolled for the group.