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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Plane Sailing" data-source="post: 293738" data-attributes="member: 114">Lots of nice sunshine, lots of nice people, visted interesting places on the French Riviera <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Back to the story...It is far too late to attempt an entrance to the barrow tonight, and Anne-Marie is still feeling somewhat battered from the trap she sprung, so they decided to set off back to the girdled oak tree and camp there for the night. Trajan takes great care to minimise the local damage to make a camp fire, collecting only dead wood and occasionally speaking into the night words of reassurance, just in case some leaf-fletched arrows are aimed in their direction.A couple of hours after dusk, Anne-Marie’s attention is drawn by a cute little animal face peering at her from the branches of a nearby bush. “Prickit?” it says, evidently curious. Anne-Marie checks her bags for some little bits of food to tempt the creatures with. As she holds it out there is rustling from more of the bushes, and several more cute little faces appear - something like a cross between a cat and a squirrel. “hobyah, hobyah, hobyah” they chorus together. Trajan watches in amusement as Anne-Marie continues to attempt to entice them. “It’s nice food” she says.“Food, food, food” they repeat. Then the little voices get harsher“Food, Food, FOOD they screech and an unnerving wave of fear emanates from the creatures as they leap and tumble into the attack!Trajan is unaffected by fear because of his close connection with Asura; his steadfast presence bolsters Anne-Marie and she holds her ground too. The creatures leap in, grab and bite; Anne-Maries first blow literally bounces off the creatures fur - her rapier is unable to penetrate its enchanted hide! Trajan fares somewhat better, and cuts at the neck of one of the creatures, but a blow that would have cleaved a man in two only slightly wounds the “hobyah”.Three of the evil little creatures attack each of the heroes. Anne-Marie fights defensively, tumbling back and forth while the creatures tumble around attempting to grab hold and start biting. She has an idea and grapples one of them, easily holding its tiny form and thrusting it into the campfire. “Burn you little bastard” she hisses through gritted teeth - but while her own arm is scorched, the creature laughs at her from within the flames...</blockquote>

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