-----Within the next few moments, the fleeing keelboat makes it to the riverbank. Quickly its passengers, numbering about a half-dozen disembark leaping over the edge of the boat. All of the people appear to be armed and at least a few seem to wear metal armor.
-----Without hesitation, they run up a short incline where they disappear into the trees.
-----Raven growls, "After 'em! Put your backs into it! We're so close I can smell the bastards." Raven does his best to get to shore as quick as possible. Sol does his best to oblige Raven by giving this spurt of rowing everything he's got.
-----The rowers increase their speed and soon the bottom of the keelboat softly slides on the sandy bottom of the bank. Sol and Raven practically leap from the boat with Garrison and Rinda following right after them. As Romney helps Sarah down onto the drier edge of the riverbank, Lovan stares skyward once more and then disembarks.
-----Raven quickly climbs up the bank and runs toward the treeline, easily following the tracks of the people from the previous boat. As everyone now runs to keep up, they follow a path of sorts through a thick forest. The trees tower up and over on each side of the path occasionally blocking out the building gray clouds in the sky.
-----Sarah nods gratefully to Romney as she makes her way dryly to land with his help. "My thanks, friend." She says hastily to him. It seems that when the Lord Wizard's daughter is distracted she remembers to be ladylike, unlike when her mind is free of troubles.
-----"I've been waiting for weeks to do this...I have to catch those vermin." Sarah says, she rubs the owl feathers on her necklace as she casts a spell. "If you hear an explosion, that's just me." She says as parting advice.
-----The delicate form of Sarah Night lifts into the sky, at a rate somewhere between walking and running. Then she flies off in the direction that the tracks lead.
-----Within a few yards, the trees thin out where a few more yards ahead, a large grassy field is seen across which is more trees. The party pauses here still sheltered by the trees and peering out toward the field. It is suddenly apparent that no noise is heard other than the rustle of the breeze as it passes through the trees.
-----Sol surveys the grassy area and the trees beyond, letting loose a barely audible sigh of irritation as he does. Once more, the villains play hide and seek. The Gorian glances questioningly at Raven, before returning his searching gaze and he draws his long sword slowly as well.
-----Just as Raven looks to be checking the ground at his feet, a stirring occurs to each side of the path. Instantly the air seems to be filled with crossbow bolts. One sails across from the left and strikes Sol in the left leg, the small missile drawing blood as it extends from the fresh wound.
-----Raven luckily is missed as the hunter began to stoop when a bolt passed over his head.
-----Romney grimaces as the noble guard catches a missile in his right arm while Garrison crouches and rolls to avoid being hit.
-----Lovan curses in his surprise as Rinda keeps her wits long enough to shout out, "We're surrounded!"
-----"Drop your weapons!" comes a voice behind one of the trees that sounds like the grizzled commander from the keep.
-----"No chance. In Strator's name!" Sol growls loudly as he ignores the flare of pain from the leg wound and charges straight towards where the commander's voice comes from. To Sol's companions it's a familiar ploy. Draw the attention and the fire to allow his friends to act more freely.
-----A smiling Raven puts his bow away and draws his swords. Raven yells, "Come out and die, you sorry sons of bitches." Raven pauses long enough to look back towards Sarah to see what her action will be.
-----Sol charges into the brush only to be greeted by a middle-aged man wearing chain armor and bearing a shield. The grizzled man sneers at the young warrior with a wild look in his eye as he raises his sword. The Lathanian blade stabs in as quick as lightning slicing through the armor and finding its home in the commander's gut. As Sol steps back, the older man curses, now obviously hurt, and swings twice at the Gorian missing him. Sol comes back at him but this time the magnificent sword is parried by the commander's shield. "You will die a hellish death!" the old commander says snarling through yellowed teeth.
-----Raven sprints to the opposite side just as a man wearing chain mail steps from behind a tree. Before the enemy can react, the hunter slashes once tearing into the man's shoulder. The second slash rips deeply into the man-at-arms's chest. The third slash takes the man's head sending it flying into the bush while the body drops quickly to the ground.