-----The party begins to enter a valley sheltered by the thick trunks of the trees. Everything seems quiet around them as the riders pass by some thick brush.
-----Suddenly two large forms appear from behind the brush on each side of the party. They thrust out polearms striking Raven and Sol who are in the lead. Raven is hit so hard it knocks him from his saddle. Sol bleeds from his arm as he remains mounted.
-----The creatures resemble tall humans with dark greenish gray skin while their heads look canine with short reddish gray manes. They growl angrily but a sneer of triumph seems to cross their animal-like faces.
-----Howls are heard as at least two more of the creatures run up on the party from the rear.
-----Rinda dismounts to quickly cover Raven while the wolf barks and growls at the offending opponents.
-----Romney and Abram quickly move up to flank Sarah where she is on Marlexana while all four guards draw their weapons.
-----Sol whirls his horse around, drawing his Lathanian blade as his mount turns to face the closest creature. Muttering under his breath, Sol brings the sword down towards the attacker.
-----As Raven gathers his wits, he waves at Rinda, "I'm fine, love. Watch for more of 'em." Raven then leaps to his feet and draws both weapons. Raven then attacks the nearest foe.
-----The hunter savagely wades into the dog-faced humanoid that dismounted him. Amid shrieking howls of pain, Raven carves into the creature before it can lift its polearm against him. Effectively disemboweling it, Raven stands over its dying body as it falls back from him.
-----Sol brings his sword down on the other humanoid facing the front of the party. Its long arms bring its weapon up so that Sol's sword is parried. Quickly Sol brings his sword out away from the blocking weapon and slices downward at an angle. The edge of his blade catches the creature's collarbone and continues on slicing through the top part of its chest. The humanoid then collapses dead in front of him.
-----Bradley and Shema have already dismounted and face the two humanoids advancing from the rear. Bradley swings heartily with his long sword but the weapon is parried. With a quick move, the humanoid stabs in with its polearm jabbing Bradley painfully in his shoulder.
-----The humanoid that Shema faces is armed with a large battleaxe. The warrior woman steps up and swings only to have her attack blocked by the creature's weapon. She jumps back in time to avoid a quick return move by her opponent. The battleaxe swoops as it cuts the air in front of her.
-----Sol smoothly dismounts and runs past Sarah and her two defenders in order to attack Bradley's foe.
-----Raven runs over to help take out the rest of their foes.
-----Sarah grabs Bradley and pulls him back slightly as Sol takes over. She removes his shoulder armor as quickly as possible bandaging the wounds, hushing his protests. "Don't worry Bradley, it happens to everyone. Don't be like Sol and resist my healing, believe it or not it's for your own good." Sarah says as she bandages his wound.
-----Bradley is surprised but grateful in his pain at Sarah's assistance.
-----Meanwhile Raven meets one of the humanoids with another polearm. The creature lowers its point at the ranger but Raven reaches up with his right sword and pulls the long weapon out of the way gaining a closer reach. With his off hand, Raven plants his sword deeply into the creature's chest; drawing it out again as the humanoid falls dead.
-----Sol rushes up to the other humanoid with the battleaxe. With a mighty clang, he hefts the sword over his head only to have it stopped by the creature's weapon. Shema stands by Sol's side and misses a stab at the creature's side. The humanoid growls and swings his axe at Sol missing a slice across his chest.
-----With a very determined look, Sol launches back at the creature, this time finding its abdomen with his Lathanian blade. With this final foe defeated, Sol and everyone looks around but no other humanoids appear to menace them.
-----Sol quickly looks Raven and Bradley over, then quietly returns to his horse. There he remounts and waits for the hunter to once more take the lead.
-----Raven nods and then remounts his horse too. Raven then continues the hunt.
-----After about three hours going through the forest, the adventurers and their guards come out onto a trail road. The sun has sunk beneath the trees over an hour ago and twilight begins to take the sky. The pathway extends from the northeast and leads to the southwest. Raven immediately dismounts and searches around checking the ground.
-----While he does, the four guards confer with each other. Finally Romney speaks up indicating that heading on the path and following it toward the northeast leads back to the villages of Noth and Visp. Noth is only about two miles away from where they are. Following the path and heading to the southwest for about fifteen miles leads to the village of Navlot in the Fief of Redmarsh.