-----The dark line of distant riders soon fades off into the northern distance bringing a feeling of relief to all those on watch. All of the people hidden among the scrub bushes keep quiet during the day as word of the large troop filters through. Even though most use the time to sleep through the afternoon, the temperature becomes quite warm and a few begin moving about in search of water. A swampy area is found just to the east of their location.
-----Garrison warns many of them not to stray out beyond their cover, but it is all he can do to not leave his post as Lovan proves to be unreliable as far as his watch. The storm priest seems to have lapsed into one of his moods while staring angrily at the sky.
-----The goings on around the camp passed unnoticed by Sol Herron, whose sleep would not break until the sun went down, or roused by one of the others. It had been a long previous day and sleep was ever so rare these days.
-----As the evening comes on, most of the people are quiet though restlessness seems to stow over the entire hidden camp. Garrison reports this as Sol rises from his rest and Jeilin begins seeing a hint of stars peeking through the clouds.
-----“I think I know what it is,” the woodsman says lowly. “All this past day the countryside has been empty.” Gesturing to the far fields that surround them, Garrison adds, “We only saw that large troop leave East Bend. Other than that, nothing else has been sighted out there. It is if a great hush has fallen before the battle to the north start.”
-----"When large armies are on th' move, most folk'll hide away. Just safer that way." Sol mumbles back to the huntsman as he slowly stands. Ruefully he realizes that he could've done with a far longer sleep than time would allow, but such thoughts are quickly cast away as pointless wistful thinking.
-----Casting his gaze about the camp, he waves Dilton and Jeilin over. Once the pair come on over, the Gorian asks the Dilton, "Can ye help me get my armour back on? It'll be quicker if I have a hand. So Garrison, get the people back an' ready t'head out. Also Jeilin, can ye an' Garrison also make sure that everyone is still here - we don't want anyone left behind."
-----By the time Sol is armored once more, all of the people that they escort appear to be accounted for. Under the cover of the massive field brush and the dwindling twilight, the wagons are slowly loaded up again. Quietly Garrison leads the caravan train from the field heading toward the east where open plains lie.
-----The going seems easy and within a half hour, they happen across a trail road leading east while back behind them, the way turns to the southwest . . . toward East Bend.
-----Garrison quickly rides back to where Sol rides. “Do we take the road?” the woodsman asks him. “I believe I remember that road leading from the village we’re trying to make for.” After a momentary pause, he asks, “Or do we stay off the road?”
-----"After what we've seen, we'll stay off th' roads. May be a lot more difficult, but less chance o' unwelcome surprises." Sol answers firmly as he glances back in East Bend's direction.
-----Jeilin continues to ride on the wagon besides Dilton, and is seen to be surveying the surrounding lands and making notes on the maps. At Sol's reply to Garrison, she absently nods her agreement as she scribbles along.
-----Garrison then leads the wagon from the road, moving in a northeasterly direction across the plain. The going here is slow as the night begins dark as the moon has yet to rise. The air continues to be warm and muggy for the most part.
-----After nearly an hour an orange gibbous moon rises over a distant hill. The celestial orb seems to glare across the land like an angry eye.
-----Suddenly the entire wagon caravan jolts to an abrupt halt. The horses whinny and Dilton, sensing something wrong, pulls the reins to quiet them. A few of the occupants in the wagons cry out in alarm, but are soon quieted as they see Garrison and Sol ride along the wagons.
-----The very last wagon in the caravan slumps back to one side and upon inspecting it, it is apparent that the right back wheel had broken. Thankfully, none of the people in this last wagon were injured and they were quickly helped from the carriage.
-----Garrison quickly says, “We’ll need to unhitch this one from the rest of the wagons.” Staring off toward the distant hill the moon rises above, he adds, “We’re probably more than a couple of miles from that hill and what I remember I think the thorp we’re heading to is two or three miles after that.”
-----Sol frowns from where he squats, inspecting the wheel's damage. At Garrison's words he stands and nods, "Alright, let's get this off an' get moving again. I guess we should be thankful we got this far without this happening earlier than it did." As Sol gets to work unhitching the last wagon, he suggests to those who now have to walk, "Fer now ye'll need t'go on foot, but we can swap ye round after a mile or two. If ye absolutely cannot walk any further, let one o' us know an' we'll see what we can arrange. Whatever happens, stay wi' th' group."