-----"Once we've finished up checking th' tangles, we'll get ye working on something wi' ye riding, an' ye can tell me about Shack...lee." Sol grins as he passes Jeilin, the Gorian seemingly glad to be back in the saddle.
-----"Why, it's only..." Jeilin looks at Sol curiously for a moment, then apparently remembering their present situation, simply smiles and nods. "Alright then, we shall do that." A determined look returns to her face as she once again nudges the horse towards the tangles, this time intentionally.
-----“Don’ be a’forgitten,” Dilton gently reminds her, “When ye wants t’be a’stoppin’, pull back on both straps n’ tell yer horse, ‘Whoa!’”
-----Lovan heaves a heavy sigh and casts his gaze skyward. Obviously, the storm priest would rather be elsewhere, but for now, he remains quiet as if silently reading the clouds.
-----For a moment, Jeilin’s horse appears to cooperate with her intentions. The black steed strides over toward the edge of the rough field and pauses beside a large thorn bush.
-----“Ye be doin’ good there,” Dilton says to her, although the frown on his face reveals concern.
-----Garrison smiles and chuckles at the exchange, as the woodsman dismounts and heads for the briars. He turns toward everyone and places a finger to his lips, signaling for quiet. “Not that it matters after all this noise,” he says in a whisper before he vanishes between the brambles.
-----The others sit still atop their horses for a few moments and soon the woodsman returns, this time his expression alert and cautious.
-----Gathering everyone together so he can talk in a low tone, he tells them, “I thought I saw movement here in this field early this morning.” Pointing back to the heavy brush, he continues, “I’ve found a lot of small humanoid tracks, probably goblins. They don’t like the sun, so they’re either hiding farther in the field or they may be hiding out in those village ruins.”
-----Sol's genial manner evaporates as Garrison gives his report, and soon the Gorian is dismounting alongside the axe-wielder. Irritation, with a touch of anger, now colours Sol's mood, and he decides, "Whether th' rotten sods are a part o' Sintor's miserable force or a local bunch out t'cause mischief an' harm, we can't very well leave them behind. Especially not wi' th' village so close. Let's tie yer horses somewhere safe, an' let's try those ruins first." His following grimace turns decidedly eager as he adds, "It's about time I warmed up a'fore tackling whate'er else we find in Sintor's care."
-----Jeilin looks pensive at the mention of Sintor, as she slowly dismounts after the others. She takes a moment leading the horse around by the straps until she finds a good hitching spot. "Stay now, Shakalee," she mutters as she ties up the straps and pats the horse on the neck.
-----The priestess then walks over to the woodsman and tugs on his sleeve. "Garrison, how many is a lot of goblins?"
-----“A little over a dozen, I’d say,” Garrison replies, “although those may only be scouts.” Turning toward the ruins situated on the hill across the field of briars, he adds, “If they’ve taken up in there, they could have a much bigger band waiting on us.”
-----“A dozen?” Lovan growls, coming out of his reverie and looking down from his saddle with a scowl. “That’s hardly worth getting off my horse.”
-----“S’okay,” Dilton says, “we be a’needin’ someone t’be a’watchin’ th’ horses.” Looking at Garrison and continuing as if elaborating, he adds, “Ye know, once when Pil was a’scared o’ searchin’ out a cave we found, we left ‘em t’care o’ th’beasts.”
-----“SCARED?” Lovan suddenly erupts and quickly dismounts with his warhammer in hand. The Storm Priest then angrily makes his way to the edge of the tall weeds of the field.
-----Dilton shoots Garrison a mischievous grin and the woodsman whispers with a laugh, “You learned how to light his fire.” Garrison then turns toward the Storm Priest and says, “Wait up, Lovan. Let me lead everyone going in. Goblins sometime set up traps and ambushes.”
-----Garrison then looks at Sol and says, “We’ll need to go quietly in a straight line behind me. Some of these weeds we can chop through and some of the thicker brambles we’ll have to avoid. What order do you want everybody?”
-----Sol smirks at Dilton's rousing of the Storm Priest's ire, though such good humour is short lived as he darkly replies to Garrison's question, "You leading us, then myself, Lovan, Jeilin, wi' Dilton keeping our backs covered. Dilton, make sure ye keep an eye behind us. Lovan, keep yer trap shut till after we start culling th' bastards. Then ye can yell fer th' Great Rager himself t'join th' fun, fer all I care." The Gorian takes a step forward, resting his hand on the pommel of his sword and looks pointedly at the woodsman to start the proceedings.
-----Thunder is left with the other horses, though notably unhitched.