-----"Fer now, I believe th' best thing ye can do is support each other an' th' goodmen o' this village. Don't get me wrong, ye can all make yer own decisions in life an' I certainly believe one should fight fer what they believe in, but I stand by what I say. Don't just throw yer lives away."
-----"My companions an' I will be doing as much as we can, an' I would be gladdened to know that yer all as safe as possible." Sol nods as if to confirm his own ending statement, before again glancing around the area. They were not safe yet...
-----Silence seems to rule for a few moments, then relaxed calm. It is hard to see expressions in the dwindling moonlight, but the silhouettes that are outlined in the dark show that any tenseness brought on during the excitement is slipping away. Among the people comes the voice of an old man saying, “Thank you, Sol Herron and to your companions, for seeing us to our freedom. You shall always be our friend here, . . . if we good people survive and Lord Sintor has been overthrown.”
-----After a bit longer, the clouds have completely enveloped the sky. Lovan stands some distance off, with a few curious people gathered around him, as he chants and grumbles incoherently at the sky.
-----Hooves are suddenly heard and Garrison is seen returning. He quickly tells those at the wagon, “Our friends at the village are waiting for us. It took a while speaking with their guards on watch and then I had to speak with the village elder. We can load as many of the people up as we can and ride up the hill to them now.”
-----With that, many of the young and frail are put back on the wagons and the procession takes the dirt track up this new hill. Soon they pass small bits of vegetation on the hillside and Sol can recognize some of the places where he and Raven had ‘stationed’ their village guards when they were here last.
-----By the time they reach the summit of the hill and the center of the small village, it is early morning; perhaps one or two hours before the sun rises. The sky overhead remains totally overcast. There in the village’s center, a small group of people await the adventurers and the refugees they escort. Sol recognizes the burly blacksmith who appeared to be the leader for the people here as well as many women ready to tend the sick and ailing.
-----As Sol rides up, the blacksmith speaks up, “Greetings once again, my friend. Tell us of news and how we may help!”
-----"There's not a great deal of new news, except that there have been some large movements of troop lately. I'd be surprised if there weren't a major battle happening further north at some stage." Sol replies affably as he dismounts so that he can speak more personally.
-----"We recently took one o' th' caravans o' slaves, an' we had nowhere else close by that we considered safe. I was hoping ye could take these good people in an' look after them until a time comes when it is safer in Ravenhold. Can ye be of aid wi' this?" Removing his helm, the Gorian regarded the blacksmith gratefully.
-----“Of course!” The blacksmith says before urging the men and some of the women with him to help those in the caravan wagons. “You must forgive us,” he then tells Sol and whoever else is listening, “we have enough food, but barely enough. You mentioned before forces of Silvergard coming across the land to help?”
-----“I would guess about four days from now,” Garrison replies as he dismounts.
-----“That is good,” the blacksmith says. “We can hold out that long and it will give hope to our people. It is just I am afraid to send anyone into the surrounding fields to look for food and at night there are wolves.”
-----“Now!” the blacksmith says brightening, “You will eat and stay with us this day?”
-----Jeilin lets Sol to continue to speak to the villagers, and instead skirts the village around the summit. More than just enjoying the view, she methodically scans the landscape for what can be made out under the overcast sky. Like Lovan, the priestess is heard muttering softly to herself, as she jots down yet more notes on the regional maps.
-----Sol delays answering as he watches Jeilin wander off and Lovan continue to rant to those who would listen. Holding up an apologetic hand to the blacksmith, the young man looks to Garrison and asks, "What do ye think our chances are o' heading after th' others during th' day? Or rather our chances o' making it without being spotted by Sintor's forces? I'm loathe t'leave it longer, but if daytime travel is too risky...?"
-----Garrison considers for a moment and then says, “We stand a better chance of avoiding trouble out there now that we can ride horses and we won’t have to escort the wagons. We’ve seen armored troops so I think we could outride them if we have to. At this point, day or night would make no difference.”
-----The woodsman’s face drops as he looks around at their companions. He then adds, nodding toward Jeilin, “I don’t know if she can ride or if she is going back with us.”