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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jon Potter" data-source="post: 1782342" data-attributes="member: 2323">[PLAIN][Realms #285] The Trees Have Ears[/PLAIN]Later, while Karak dispensed whacks from his healing stick, Vade argued that he was now even in the head count with the dwarf and Feln by virtue of the spider's great size. Karak would have none of it, however."T'were a lucky shot, wee one," the dwarf grumbled sullenly."Oh no, Karak," Vade said, his face the very picture of earnestness. "I am silver medalist at the Hamlet of Thumble stone throwing competition. Give me that sling and I can shoot a spider in the gut at 50 paces.""Oh, ye be a regular menace with that pee-shooter," Karak said shaking his wooly head. "There be no denyin' it.""I am a skilled warrior, indeed, right orcblood?" the halfling beamed, slapping Feln on the back and favoring the martial artist with a conspiratorial wink. "Even Duece would have been very pleased with that shot. If we make it back in a few weeks, I may go for the gold! Duece does not know what he is facing this time. I practiced for years..." His mood grew suddenly glum as he considered this, adding, "I had nothing better to do..."Karak and Grisham each cocked an eyebrow at him and Vade waved them off. Talking of his past (and his family in particular) seemed to have touched one of the little rogue's many over-developed heart strings and his expression was hangdog. "I miss Duece," he sniffed, "And Mama, and Papa, and Trey, and Uncle Trouble, and Mama's cookin', and-""If your blade was as quick as your tongue, halfling, our enemies would tremble before you," Grisham interrupted with a grin as he started toward the spider's corpse. Vade stopped him and hesitantly gave the man's leg a squeeze."Thank you for saving our friend," the halfling said and Grisham suffered the affection stoically. He reluctantly patted the rogue's hair."We all have a part to play, little one," the barbarian said. "Our success in the wild depends on each of us playing that part as best we are able." And then he walked off. If he cast a reproachful eye on the pale-faced Janissary no one could say in the darkness."We need to settle back down," Ledare said as she got to her feet beside the fire. Her voice was even but strained. "There's plenty of night left. We can still rest.""We are never going to get any rest here!" Vade whined, but the Janissary shrugged and began to gather her armor."If we don't rest, Ixin and Morier won't be able to regain their spells," she told him. "This latest attack depleted those resources even further. And Morier's barely able to lift his head, let alone swing his sword. I don't see how we have any choice.""I'll be fine," the albino said weakly. He was lying supine beside the fire, and although his injuries had been healed, he clearly lacked the strength to do anything more strenuous than lie on the ground."I'll take next watch," the Janissary said, plainly."I will stay on guard with you," Feln said with a meaningful look that Ledare registered. She nodded."Agreed," she said as she shrugged into her chain shirt."Ledare, a moment, please..." Feln whispered once the others had settled down into sleep, leaving the half-orc and the half-elf on watch. the Janissary turned and peered at him, but Feln's expression was impossible to discern in the dim firelight - even with her keen eyes."What is it, Feln?" she asked and the martial artist sighed as he collected his thoughts."I have been approached about your ability to lead," he said at last, "especially in the area of battle.""What?"Ledare asked, her voice a trifle louder than she intended. "Who?""I am no longer in the information business, Ledare," the half-orc replied with a tone that made it clear he found the whole business to be rather sordid. "I can speak only of my own thoughts and intentions. I do not think that you need ask that question however."Ledare squinted at her companion and then looked over at the campsite. "Grisham," she sighed."I wanted you to know that I have no intention of 'revolting' against you or questioning your authority in certain areas," Feln told her without confirming or denying her assumptions. "I just thought it important that you know.""That allegience is appreciated; I don't inspire it naturally, as good leaders do," the Janissary said simply, her eyes searching the darkness that pressed in on the meager light from the fire. "It seems that in this case the responsibility to lead has chosen me. And right now, in this place, I have failed.""I don't necessarily believe that you need to be the first into battle to lead. But there are times when troops require that... of course, we are not troops exactly," the half-orc argued. "I do think that there are others who are more aggressive during combat than you are."Ledare sighed and poked the fire with a stick, "Grisham is good with a sword," she whispered, "but he follows his own agenda. I don't know what he seeks to gain by stirring up unrest within the party but I'll certainly be keeping my eye on him even more from now on."Freeday, the 7th of Reaping, 1269 AEGrisham returned just as the others were breaking camp. "I think I found where our mysterious quarry is headed," he said, breathlessly. He beckoned with his hand axe, adding, "Kit up and I'll show you."The stone building was small - barely more than a shack, really - and nearly covered with vines. Unlike the rest of the dark and forbidding valley, the area around the building was free from spider webs. The trees, themselves, were as thick as ever and their foliage still blocked out most of the sunlight. Crouching amidst the giant trees, the building looked even smaller than it probably was. Grisham pointed at a set of barely visible tracks in the muddy soil, tracing their path toward the building."They go straight in," the man said, excitedly and started forward before anyone could stop him.Well... almost anyone.Before he'd gone more than a dozen paces, an inhuman voice boomed out in an unusual dialect of the common tongue: "Stopping you will now, unwanted visitors! None allowed be here! Return you will or made one with the earth you shall!"Grisham stopped moving at once and dropped into a defensive stance, sword and axe ready as he frantically scanned the area to find the source of the voice. All he could see from his vantage point were trees and ferns.Standing back a bit from him, however, the others could see the wizened, man-like face peering down from the bark of one of the trees near the man. Bright eyes the color of sun-warmed chestnuts stared down at Grisham as the barbarian circled beneath the branches of the angry treant.</blockquote>

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