-----Within an hour's time, the guards have their small fire going and the two hunters return with a couple of rabbits.
-----As Sol finishes up with the piles of gold coins, Romney asks him, "How would you like the watch organized this night?"
-----"Romney, you an' Shema can take first. Abram an' I will take second. Garrison, you can join Raven fer third." Sol replies without hesitation. The warrior then stands up and stretches, getting rid of the few kinks he received from counting the money.
-----Then one pile after another is scooped up by Sol and deposited at the feet or in the laps of both the four Oakwood guards, as well as Raven, Rinda and Sarah. After a few moments more Sol grabs the last pile, somewhat smaller than the others, and gives it to Garrison. He offers an explanation, "Though ye were'nt with us when we trashed th' Dark priestess' plans, ye've already shown yerself t'be willing t'throw yer lot in wi' us. An' I can't stand th' idea o' someone missing out."
-----Sol then seats himself near the fire, eagerly awaiting dinner to finish cooking.
-----Raven takes the coins and drops them into his money pouch without even looking at them. "Thank you Sol. Aye, I agree that Garrison should get a cut of our findings. It's only fair."
-----Garrison raises his hand. "No, my friends, thank you for thinking of me, but I get by better without the burden of too many coins in my pouch."
-----Quickly changing the subject, the woodsman places his axe in front of him on the ground as he sits. He then asks as he stares into the fire, "So it is dark cults and thieves that we hunt?"
-----"Thieves this time. And yes we are hunting." Sarah almost snarls up from the book she was reading.
-----"They'll probably run to the dark cults for protection though, so I'm thinking we'll end up having to fight a lot of people to get to them." With that she turns back to her book, where she is scribbling notes while flipping back and forth.
-----The four guards thank Sol as he hands the coins to them. Romney and Shema then prepare to take up points at opposite ends of the open camp for their watch.
-----"Hopefully we will see no more of those gems that make the Dark like the one close to Visp," says Bradley quietly.
-----Rinda skins the rabbits and soon a fine smell rises on the air from the toasting meat.
-----"Thieves for th' moment." Sol answers Garrison as he replaces the coins that Garrison waived off into his back pack, "After that we're going against a former ally o' th' Dark forces we recently fought against. Th' man we're hunting is responsible fer th' murder of a couple o' people close an' personal t' Raven an' Rinda."
-----Also now staring into the fire, the warrior speaks his reply to Bradley softly, "I don't think that th' Dark influence has spread down here. At least in th' form o' Devlin's forces. This is something different I believe."
-----Once dinner has cooked to a satisfactory degree, Sol uses his knife to remove two portions from the rabbits. He takes them over to Sarah and sits down next to the mage as he hands her one of the portions.
-----Sarah, already into her book doesn't notice Sol coming over at first. "Hmmm?" She asks as Sol gives her the food. "Oh! Thanks, Sol." She sits near him and leans against his shoulder while she eats and reads. "You know what?" She says up to him. "I think I can make my own spells now...if I just combine a few things and gestures...yeah I think I can!!"
-----At the mention of Raven's dead comrades, Raven chimes in, "By the Hunter I'll see Krondor die for the people he's killed." His hunger now a distance memory, Raven feeds the rest of his meal to the wolf.
-----Raven stands up and grabs his bow, "I need to clear my head. I won't be far." Raven looks over to Sol and gives him a small smile, "I'm fine...just need to think a few things out." Raven motions for the wolf to follow. Raven then heads into the dark woods and seems to disappear into the forest.
-----Sol nods his understanding to Raven and watches the hunter leave the camp. A small smile flits across Sol's face as he turns to regard Sarah, "Ye can, can ye? Well ye know my understanding o' magic is limited, but I can certainly appreciate th' implications...As long as yer happy wi' yer learning."
-----Sol finishes his meal and then prepares to settle down for the night, hoping to catch as much rest before the mid shift of the watch starts. Before he lies down he kisses Sarah on the cheek softly so as not to disturb her reading and bids everyone a good nights rest.
-----"An' I'll see you in a few hours." Sol grins at Abram before his eyes finally close.
-----Soon everyone settles down for the night while in the sky a waning gibbous moon begins to rise. All goes quiet on the first watch. Romney and Shema circle the camp but nothing seems to disturb the stillness out on the plains.