-----Sarah takes a deep breath. "Okay." She says in a resigned tone. "I just...wanted to help." She lowers her eyes and glances off to the side. "C'mon." She pulls softly on Marlexana's reigns and moves to where she can watch the gnolls more closely and where she will be sure to stay out of sight from over the ledge.
-----"They probably won't last until he comes back anyway." Sarah says.
-----"Let this be a lesson to you, Caranip." Sarah says to the gnome woman. "Always think carefully before you cast a spell. Make sure it will actually be useful. Don't just do it to show off." Sarah lowers her tone a bit so that only Caranip can hear. "Especially when there aren't any wizards around to appreciate it." Sarah grins at her apprentice.
-----Even more wind seems to come out of Sol's sails as Sarah moves off to the side with her new apprentice. He sighs lightly before heading over to Thunder. A few light words of encouragement are spoken to the stallion as Sol waits for the hunters to return.
-----While they wait, Rinda speaks up though she keeps her club in her hands as she glares at the gnolls. "If we could get in through that open gate Sol spoke of," she says offhandedly to Sarah, "that would have been a good time to summon these . . . gnolls to do your bidding."
-----"I don't remember you doing this before," Rinda continues. "Is this new magic for you?"
-----Suddenly, Lovan appears a bit amused. He quickly says, "Since they're here," referring to the snarling gnolls, "why not send them after a few of those orcs now?"
-----"Why yes, it is a new spell! How kind of you to notice!" Sarah says to Rinda with a bit of meaning in her voice. "And yes, I know I cast it at the worst time possible. You don't have to remind me again. I was showing off, I'm very sorry."
-----"Send them over the top to fight the orcs?" Sarah asks Lovan. "Well, I want them to be useful as much as anyone but wouldn't that just give away our position?"
-----Sarah glances at her lover. "Sol, what do you think I should do with them?" Sarah obviously regrets that she has made a big mess of things...yet again.
-----"Great Rager!" grunts the storm priest. "Why not send them around along the eastern edge and attack from there?!"
-----"For th' last time, Lovan, we don't want or need a distraction provided now. It would just put th' orcs an' whatever else is in the keep on guard." Sol grumbles, clearly beginning to lose his patience.
-----Though such moods fade at Sarah's question, and he replies affably, "Well, they're here now. Ye might as well bring them along fer when we hit th' keep."
-----Lovan grumbles lowly while looking into the partly cloudy sky. Rinda looks anxiously up the hill where Raven and Garrison are on the other side.
-----Caranip kneels down beside a single wild flower that looks trampled and dried. "Once these small hills were covered with beauty," she says sadly in her high voice. "Now they hide with these orcs about."
-----Strolum, Dilton and Pil continue to keep their uneasy watch of the snarling gnolls who seem to be growing a bit impatient.
-----"Raven seems to be taking his time." Sarah says. "You don't suppose he lost his cool again, do you?" She asks Sol, remembering the time when Raven practically went berserk over the orc prisoners.
-----"I think we'd probably hear it if he decided t'assault th' orcs." Sol answers wryly. Nonetheless, he gives another sigh and concedes, "Perhaps I'd better take a peak." Staying low, the warrior sticks his head over the top and carefully looks for Raven and Garrison.
-----"Lost his cool?" Rinda asks with concern, raising an eyebrow. She answers calmly but sternly, "Raven is a great hunter. When the enemy or the prey is close, he watches as the wolf does when stalking. I know when the Dread Pirate was with us, he never gave Raven much faith, but that was Dread being the fool."
-----"Of course." Sarah replies in a mollifying way. "But you have seen how he gets with orcs. I am just worried about him is all." She places a hand on the huntress's shoulder in an attempt to soothe her.
-----"And you must understand that is Raven's way," Rinda replies. "Orcs are an evil blight upon the world. They have no love for things in nature and their way is to destroy and conquer. We who follow the Ways of the Hunter have a love and respect for all of the Hunter's Children and the world they live in."
-----Lovan chuckles and says, "Too much worry. Let things happen as they may. The wind and rain could easily change what tomorrow brings."
-----"There is survival, Lovan," Rinda says sharply rounding on the storm priest. "Even if your storms bring change, there is always the need to survive."
-----"And what of the orcs' survival?" Lovan returns.