-----Garrison then rides off up ahead to scout the best route beyond the abandoned home. The wagon continues to jostle a bit, but the way seems mostly smooth across the open field.
-----The woodsman then leads past the house on its north side and encounters a trail road leading north. The way ahead of them to the east seems open and the moon now behind them casts long shadows. As they journey on for the next couple of hours, they pass a swamp with what looks like ruins of buildings in its center. As time goes on, Garrison leads them in a northerly direction to move around another swamp that lies in their way.
-----Just as the day begins to break, the caravan moves around the north end of the swamp and toward a hill just to the east. Just to the south of the hill, a very large field of brush is found. It is here that the wagons are unloaded of people to rest for the day. Besides the brush, a large hill to the east of East Bend provides enough cover. Some in the party watch the location of the village to the southwest, but little activity is seen. Garrison makes one last ride this time toward the west to scout. When he returns, he reports that there are small troops that are starting to move northward out of East Bend.
-----After making sure that the villagers are as comfortable as they're likely to get, Sol approaches his companions and lays out his plans for the watch, "Jeilin and Lovan, th' two o' ye should get some rest fer now. Dilton an' I will take first watch, an' at midday, Garrison and Lovan will take over. One person will stay wi' th' people t'keep guard whilst th' other watches towards East Bend from cover."
-----Sol then turns and walks over to where his saddlebags rest near where Thunder lightly grazes. There he detaches a rolled up horse blanket, quipping to the horse before he returns to the others, "I'll return it soon, ye beast." Instead of stopping, the Gorian walks past Dilton, Jeilin and Lovan, saying to the huntsman as he passes westwards, "Garrison, show me a decent covered spot where I can keep an eye on th' troop movements, then ye can get some sleep a'fore I wake ye fer yer shift."
-----Jeilin looks up from the book she is reading at Sol, or perhaps through him. "Oh yes, I think that I should. Today is the day. And tonight is the night." Smiling, the priestess puts her things back into her pack and absent-mindedly searches for a place for resting, eventually settling under the shade of a nearby brush.
-----The First Day of Solentide dawns with numerous clouds in the sky. Still blue color is seen above in patches and the air hangs heavy with warmth and humidity. People slap and scratch at insects and the bites they leave behind among the heavy brush.
-----Garrison had found an almost perfect place for the watch behind a nearly straight line of bushes almost resembling a wall. Throughout the morning hours, the Gorian’s eyes and those of Dilton were scanning mostly the area to the southwest where East Bend was located. Occasionally Dilton would stroll back among the peasant people sequestered among the brush. Of the people, the adventurers couldn’t have asked for a more cooperative collection to rescue. Most remained hidden and actually slept while just a few made makeshift weapons out of the thin branches belonging to the native vegetation.
-----About midday, Dilton went to fetch Garrison and Lovan. Just as the three men met Sol at the hedge wall, all four saw a sight that froze them momentarily in place. From the north end of East Bend, which was about two miles off, a long line of riders rode forth. The sun glinted down upon raised spears, lances and helms. Dark standards flew in the breeze and their mounts appeared heavy. A large troop of perhaps close to one hundred and fifty knights was taking the north road out of East Bend. If the army stayed on the road hopefully it would pass three miles from them and not detect the people the adventurers were protecting.
-----“After we get these people to safety,” Garrison said with a slack jaw, “let’s hope we don’t meet a troop like that!”
-----Garrison's words break the warrior from his thoughts. His hand had been twitching near the hilt of the Lathanian blade, but even he understood that an attack on such a troop would be his last, unless the Great Rager personally guided his way. Still, it was still a temptation. The sight of that many knights, men who claim honour, serving Sintor's dark ways, still fueled Sol with anger.
-----Letting out a frustrated breath, Sol says to Dilton, "Head down t'th' camp an' make sure all are still keeping th' noise down. I'll take my rest when I know that none o' these bastards will spy our position."
-----Somewhere else under the shade of a brush, Jeilin is peacefully asleep, cradling her backpack like a pillow. The book she was reading is still kept half-open by her thumb at the page where she apparently fell asleep. Fortunately, the grey hair tumbling carelessly over her face keeps it from being burnt by the sun, while she dreams on about other stars much farther away.