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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Whitey" data-source="post: 1410315" data-attributes="member: 15994">The sun was setting quickly, shafts of amber threaded between the mountain peaks, and the three travelers needed to make haste.  Evander had chosen a semicircular thicket to stable the horses, and had swabbed Cole's brand new tent with mud and set dried branches through the ropes to better conceal it."Tell us of the .."  Here Norece paused, looking up from his labors setting tent-pegs, his braided hair also flecked with leaves.  ".. the wisdom of setting camp so far from the road.  The rest of our group may well press ahead, and pass us in the night."Evander pursed his lips, and glanced down to consult the tattoo on the inside of his right forearm.  Though few others could make sense of it, the series of black bars and circles made a remarkably accurate calender and map.  As soon as Norece rose up for a look as well, Evander's archery guard slipped back into place."They'll take the road.  So will the manbeasts.  If they press on, like you say, the manbeasts will take them."Cole returned then with a sparse handful of dry bark, useful in starting their fire.  He'd used his dagger conspicuously in hewing at the fallen tree, expert sweeps and elaborate changes of grip. The woodsman hadn't seemed suitably impressed.Cole continued the argument.  "As it stands, we can't even see the road, or anything taking it. If these bugbears would steal up on us from the dark, as you say, wouldn't we be better off seeing them coming?"Evander snorted.  Bugbears.  Only old wives or cheeky children called them that.  Neither old wives nor children would make it through the wilds."If they do come, you won't see them coming."Cole's ire continued to mount as evening wore on into night.  Luckily it was clear, well lit by Wolt's great moon and two lesser moons.  Cole wondered what they signified to the mystic and the dour tracker - to him, they provided welcome light to complement the pitiful fire Evander had raised.  Light but little warmth, he thought, as the breeze began to pick up.  According to their guide, too large a campfire would only attract attention, and using the larger logs Cole had found in abundance would make smoke and cracklings that would make keeping watch impossible.  Over Cole's strenuous objections they'd disassembled Norece's crossbow in order to use the fine metal cable in making a bow drill - this while the cleric had flint and steel in hand!Evander again consulted his extensive tattoos, his inscrutable grey eyes turned to the stars, his thumb and fingers tapping together keeping tally."We're a full day ahead of those others now. Another day will bring us to Enley, where we can meet up with 'em.  Rest up tonight.  Norece says he wants first watch, so he's south by that crooked maple tree."Cole already had his bedroll and pack in hand.  "Thank you so much.  After a day on the trail, there's nothing more refreshing than a night on the trail.  Followed, of course, by a day on the trail."Before the tracker could make any retort, Cole had pushed past the thicket heading northwest.  He was sore of riding cross country, sore of pushing through briars and bugs, and mostly sore of that ranger's grim prattle. All those orchestrated pluckings at leaves and peering at mud - especially those times when Evander would order the group to halt and suddenly knock an arrow, were just for show.  Cole was not suitably impressed."Wouldn't do that if I was you."Here Cole turned abruptly.  Somehow Evander had moved past the horses, through the brambles, and beside Cole with hardly a sound.  Cole stemmed his  urge to draw the heirloom short sword kept secreted in his pack.  That would not be used for hewing firewood, though it certainly could hew this woodsman.  "Your bugbears.  They can see you well past the firelight.  Smell you, too.  They come with longspears first, so your sword's no good."Cole purposefully set down his pack, scowling up at Evander.  Had his pack been rummaged through?  Had this ranger been eyeing his possessions the whole time?  Here in the wilds, only Norece would know if Cole ended up buried under a pile of branches - and Norece would only know what Evander chose to tell."I'll take my chances. At least I'll know who I'm taking my chances with."Evander simply took a handful of arrows from his horse's saddlebag."We move out at dawn, if you're still alive.  Try and keep an eye on the horses.  We need them."His blanket draped over his arm, concealing his sword in hand, Cole made himself comfortable - if not entirely at ease.  He well understood the effectiveness of a stab in the back, and so had seated himself against the nearby rise with his pack across his knees.  The curious dried vines around would have to rustle when disturbed, and he could just make out Norece's spindly figure by that tree.  Or was that the right tree?  Cole's attention was focused more on spotting Evander, who had apparently taken to the tent.  The tent he'd commandeered, Cole thought. The tent would billow in the breeze, and the flickering fire made it hard to discern any shadows within.  If he was to call out, Norece could hear, and would come right away.  Or he could dash to his horse and make for the trail - It was southwest, right?  It was getting too dark, too quickly, to be entirely sure.  But Cole felt ready for any attack that would come.Sure enough, the attack came.</blockquote>

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