-----As the group rides on, Dread states, "Ye know, I just thought of a way fer us to avoid the entire horse thief reputation. We baldfaced lie about it. When we next encounter Sol and his group, we just claim that he showed up at our inn in the middle of the night, with all these horses. And that he insisted that we ride out immediately, that Sarah and Raven would join up with us out on the trail. So we just rode out. Then after we were well out of town, Sol just vanished. Or he led us into an ambush. Somethin along those lines anyway. We can claim to be duped by evil magic. Since the guard back at Sir Greene's keep can vouchsafe our tale that there were two Sols, it should be readily believed. Then we just claim that we weren't really sure what was going on, so we decided to ride on to Redmarsh rather than backtrack fer half a day. Those boneheads are stupid enough to fall fer it. So maybe we should just ride straight fer Krondor right now, rather than trading the horses at Grute. We can trade the horses afterwards, or sell 'em and use the proceeds to pay off our mercenary friends. It's not a bad plan, we all need to be on the same sheet o' music though and have the same story fer Sol."
-----Dread prepares to follow Marast and Brandel to Krondor's keep, if the others are amenable to his plan.
-----Kazel agrees. "Let them blame it on evil forces again. We were ambushed and now the fake Sol is headed towards Redmarsh or wherever, and we are chasing him down in a spirit of hunting and justice, and that's why we hadn't headed back. They love that kind of story. Anyway, if they were right about Greene and he really couldn't spare four measly horses like Sol was telling us, they should be delayed for a bit so let's take advantage of that."
-----She smiles as Dread waves at his pony. "So it's not doggy anymore?"
-----So it is that for the rest of the day, the trio and their bodyguards ride on and follow the trail road to the southwest. The clouds in the sky remain keeping the gray color overhead while a gentle breeze continues to ease through the trees making the warm day comfortable.
-----Occasionally the company takes short breaks but always with one of the guards, usually Marast, keeping a sharp eye for anyone following behind them. Fortunately their trip is uninterrupted, but it does seem odd that they meet no one on the road at all.
-----Finally in the late afternoon, they come upon the beginnings of a small settlement built among the trees. In the distance beyond the village, it looks as though the trees thin out exposing wide-open plains.
-----Brandel looks at his employers and tells them, "We have long since now passed into Redmarsh. We are now coming into the village of Navlot."
-----Runik bobbing along on Joren says to the Dread Pirate, "Ey, Cap'n, me thinks I kin give ye back yer pony. I be willin' to take me chances with a horse."
-----The Dread Pirate grins and says, "Aye, it probably wouldn't hurt to spend a few hours here. We can rest up, then head on, since it's been quite awhile since we've had any sleep. I'd prefer to get to Krondor's keep when it's dark though, if we can. Though I think werewolves come out at night. I'm sure we can fight off a couple of werewolves though. At least we can get an update on what's going on here in Navlot."
-----As everyone rides into the village they pass a large section of land that has been cleared of trees. Away from the trail road there appears to be a large house and barn. This appears to be the home of a farmer of some wealth. The farm is surrounded by a fence made of split logs.
-----Passing the farm, they approach more small buildings. One home has a large work building beside it and the sign over the door identifies it as an armorer's shop. Across from it, a smaller home has a wooden sign with a lute instrument painted on it.
-----Finally beside the armorer's shop, they see a small but comfortable looking tavern. The building is made of a light colored wood and over the door is a sign featuring a drinking mug with foam rising over it.
-----Around the scattered homes, people are seen but none seem to pay much attention to the new visitors to their village.
-----The Dread Pirate points to the tavern, indicating that they should check it out first, "Perhaps we can stop here fer a few hours. If anybody has gathered any news or gossip, it'd be the tavern keeper. Let's say, we have five hours to rest up and gather news. Then we move out again."
-----Kazel peeks in the window of the house with the lute before heading off into the tavern.
-----The Dread Pirate ties Joren up to the hitching post and enters the tavern. When he sees the tavern keeper, he queries, "Hail there, good man. Perhaps ye can tip us a mug o' rum and tell us the news o' these parts. I've heard all sorts o' fanciful tales o' werewolves and dragons and all manners o' dark creatures. Yet yer village seems peaceful, quiet, and undisturbed. I'd like to know what the real story is, afore me and me friends travel into danger."
-----Kazel listens to what the barkeep has to say and orders a mug of water and whatever the dwarf wants.
-----"Ale!" Runik chimes in gladly with Kazel's prompting.
-----The person behind the bar is a husky looking half elf whose ears seem to hug too closely to his head. His brown hair is brushed straight back and hangs limply down the back of his head. He quietly takes the drink orders from everyone and begins to serve the trio and the guards.