-----"I think Marlexana and myself would be happier if we both went." Sarah says neutrally.
-----With that Sarah turns her white horse towards the large form in the distance. Sol hangs on as Marlexana effortlessly bounds across the plain.
-----Rinda sits quietly atop her horse and cringes when the pair rides across a patch of ground that Raven has yet to look at. She then turns her attention back to the hunter and smiles as she admires his intensity.
-----Raven looks up, "Damn it! They're getting ahead of us. They're at least nine hours ahead of us. We need to pickup our pace."
-----Raven looks over to Sol and yells, "What did they kill?"
-----Sol returns Raven's yell, "It's a stag. Butchered, an' not fer food. Could be th' werebeasts, but considering what we've heard o' th' place, it could damn well be anything. Right, if we're that far behind, let's get going. Lead on, Raven."
-----Raven lunges into his saddle and bolts away leading the riders toward the south. Within the next hour, the adventurers pass a few hills, which feature rocks exposed from weathering and little vegetation covering them. Birds fly about in the clear blue sky and the air seems fresh and calm with no wind save for what is felt charging southward.
-----Finally after two hours have passed, the riders move across a wide, open plain. Raven leads everyone momentarily to a spot at the side of the trail road. There he dismounts once again and he and the wolf go about examining the area.
-----This time, the guards dismount and stand about and stretch while sipping a bit of water from their waterskins. "Have you noticed," Abram speaks up, "we have not passed a single soul on this road. Surely we are to come upon a village soon."
-----"We heard that th' area was in strife." Sol surmises, "Th' lack o' travelers seems t'be a strong indication o' that. Or maybe they've been speaking to th' pirate, and ended up fleeing in th' other direction." The warrior then turns his attention to the hunter's tracking.
-----Raven looks around the area and then crouches to inspect some tracks. Raven smiles, "Looks like they had a hard night. I can tell some of them took a nap here. We're within five or six hours of them. That half-orc is still with 'em. Hard to miss his big boot." Raven looks over to Sol, "They still have Thunder."
-----Raven quickly returns to his horse and returns to the hunt.
-----Sol nods curtly at the hunter and nudges Marlexana to follow Raven's horse.
-----Everyone mounts up and heads once again in a southern direction. The clear blue continues to dominate the sky and the air moving past them in their advance cools everyone. As they close the distance between them and the village of Grute, the land here is mostly flat with occasional clumps of trees and small ponds.
-----In just two hours, the adventurers and their guards see the small wooden homes and farms of a fairly large village. Another road branches onto the trail that they follow and where the two roads come together is a small tavern establishment. Across from it is a residence with a sign over the door featuring a barrel. Just beyond the tavern a farm is located with horses milling about the inside of a fenced area.
-----First thing Sol does is take note of all the horses in the pen. At first, the same expressionless look sets on his face that momentarily hints at another sign of defeat. Most of the horses appear as regular riding horses and beasts of burden.
-----Then a familiar neighing carries through the air. Prancing around the fenced in yard is a stallion with a golden coat and a light silver mane and tail. A thick band of white is down the length of its nose. There is also white below its hocks and knees. It shakes its mane and lifts its head in a spirited way. The other horses give it a respectable amount of room.
-----If this is not Thunder, the gods are playing a cruel trick.
-----Suddenly Sol pushes Marlexana into a gallop.
-----"Go," Sarah whispers to Marlexana, and the horse and its two riders take off toward Thunder arriving at the side of the fence in mere seconds.
-----Sol ensures that Sarah is secure as they race on the mage's steed past the tavern, stopping as they reach the fenced yard.
-----"Looks like he misses you, Sol." Sarah says, grinning at the Gorian warrior behind her.
-----In a series of quick motions, Sol dismounts, hands the reins back to Sarah, then vaults the yard fence. Without pause, he heads towards a golden coated, silver-maned stallion. Once Sol nears, he holds out his hand in the creature's direction and says firmly, "Thunder!"
-----Raven rides up as Sol is looking at Thunder. Raven keeps a lookout for Dread or his gang. Raven says to Sol, "How does he look?"
-----Raven then scans the rest of the horses to see if his and Rinda's horses are present.