-----"Maybe it's jest that," Pil grumbles. "Ain't a damned thing out 'ere. It's like that village in th' woods. People are gone."
-----Lovan watches the exchange and smiles. The storm priest then looks at Sol before casting a glance at Whisper. "We should keep riding," he says to no one in particular. "Keep moving as the wind."
-----Sol watches the hunters ride off, only a little surprised. At Lovan's words, he nods and sets Thunder off after the three that have already left.
-----Whisper cast his gaze around, looking for some sign of cover that might be usable until the scouts returned from their search, not yet willing to ride on in their wake.
-----The Storm Priest grunts almost in exasperation as the young warrior rides off after the hunters. For a moment, everything is silent except for the diminishing sound of Sol's horse climbing the far hill.
-----Meanwhile Whisper sees nothing to seek cover within or behind in the open field.
-----"Well, Elf," Whisper suddenly hears Lovan say to him, "what brings you to this forsaken land? Already we have met at least two armies of orcs and hobgoblins, but you are the first elf I have seen here."
-----Whisper suddenly realizes the three other warriors are still present, silently watching his reaction.
-----Whisper pivoted on the horse's harness, deliberately turning to face the human priest. For a long moment he simply stared at the man, mulling over his eventual answer.
-----Thinking of no clear way to easily sign what he wished to say, he said two words in a distinct, but quiet voice. "Hunting." A pause. "Punishment."
-----He let his gaze flicker over the armsmen, before settling it back over the priest.
-----An impressed expression passes over the storm priest's face. "Punishment!" he exclaims. "I sense a storm within you! A rage that waits for release."
-----The trio of warriors remains quiet, but their eyes widen.
-----"It is good you have found us," Lovan declares. "You should follow the ways of the Rager."
-----Whisper frowned. This human seemed the ...eager sort. With a slow shake of his head, the elf whispered, "Your God... is... not my God."
-----For a moment it seemed that the sealed quiver felt heavier, and weighed down upon him. It was in no way tangible, just the feeling of pressure that comes with some dreams... before he dreamt only one dream. He cleared his throat by swallowing a few times, and turned around to seek out the rest of the group, riding south, with his eyes.
-----Off in the distance, Whisper sees Sol ride up the hill to join Raven and the other two hunters. There, they move about the dwellings, which even at this distance, show little promise of finding those who lived atop the hill.
-----"The rage still dwells within you," Lovan says, interrupting the quiet. "When the storm finally breaks, perhaps you shall change your mind."
-----The red-headed warrior named Strolum frowns and looks over to the southern hill. With an angry croak, the warrior named Dilton exclaims, "Makes no sense a'stayin' here."
-----Pil, the bronze-skinned man, adds, "Never know when Sol n' th' others might need an extra sword o' two."
-----Seeing no further need for discourse, or even waiting, Whisper spurred his mount forward gingerly. Although he found the ride to have been pleasant so far, his posterior was beginning to ache in discomfort.
-----Shifting his meager equipment more comfortably with a shrug of his shoulders, the Elf bleakly rode on, wrapping solitude about himself, hoping to discourage further probing questions.
-----Just then motion is seen upon the hill as Whisper notices Raven leading the others back to rejoin him, the storm priest and the three warriors. The Hunter soon rides up with a determined look on his face. Sol follows right after him, silent but stoic in his plate armor. Rinda rides quietly, catching up to Raven as the Hunter stops.
-----"Another deserted village," Garrison says as he rides up last. "We're thinking it might be wise to ride further west and see if we meet up with the river."
-----With that, the entire party rides off to the west, first descending into a long valley. To the north, Garrison grimaces at the stronghold that is a mile in the distance. "Damned if they don't have castles and forts all over this area!" the woodsman says warily.
-----Raven then turns and leads the riders to the southwest coming out onto another flat grassy plain. After about an hour's ride they stop nearby a single stone structure. Made of a light colored stone, the party quickly recognizes it as a monumental tomb of recent age. The structure stands at a height of ten feet and is cubic in shape. Carven into the stone above the sealed door is an emblem of a bird, its wings spread before a quartered coat of arms.