-----Raven says to the group, "I checked the area and I don't see any sign of 'em. I think they didn't leave by this gate. Let's try another gate."
-----Raven mounts up and heads towards the next gate.
-----Everyone follows the hunter as he charges around the town wall on its south side. They ride in the grassy part to avoid the road that circles the town just in case there might be some tracks to follow later. Stopping before the South Gate, Raven quickly dismounts and studies the ground.
-----Romney peers out into their surroundings and, though the occasional hill and clump of forest can be seen in the distance, there doesn't appear to be any sign of people.
-----Still close to Sarah, Sol mentions to her, "Ye may still get th' chance t'visit th' lair o' the dragon. Undisturbed, one hopes."
-----Sarah's eyes light up as Sol mentions the dragon's lair. "Maybe we'll catch them there!" She theorizes. "Then we could beat them and get the dragon's treasure too!" She smiles at the thought.
-----Raven looks around the area for a while. Frowning Raven says, "No sign of 'em. Let's try the next gate."
-----The party then makes for the west side of the town. As they round the corner of a tower, they see more hills and land features off in the distance. A road also leaves the town by its west gate and angles off toward the northwest. Just two miles to the west there appears to be a lake surrounded by high weeds.
-----As Raven dismounts in front of the gate to check the ground, some of the guards comment on the absence of soldiers in the town wall towers. Sure enough, looking up, there appears to be no sign of activity on the walls and the portcullis on this side is lowered making an entrance or exit into the town impossible.
-----A frustrated Raven says, "No sign of them. Next gate then?"
-----Sol nods, "Last gate. Let's make this quick."
-----Raven remounts and then says, "Aye, Last gate it is." Raven takes off with great haste towards the last gate.
-----In a little while, the riders round the corner of the northwest tower and head along the road shirting the town wall on its north side. They then ride the three hundred yards to the North Gate.
-----As they approach the North Gate, a bit of the dust looks unsettled and a small cloud of dust hovers over the trail. Way ahead on the road toward the opposite end of the town wall, they see a bit of action taking place. Just rounding the northeast tower heading away from town in an eastern direction, a lone figure rides one horse while leading two others.
-----Raven turns to Sol, "I'd like to see who needs two spare horses. Maybe someone looking to loot a dragon's lair?" Raven looks towards the action taking place towards the east, "Although I'm curious about what that is all about." Raven turns to Sarah, "Can you tell what the hell is going on over there or see who the rider is?" Raven frees his bow from his back and lays it across his lap.
-----"I'm interested, whoever it is. Let's have a look." Not waiting for Sarah's go ahead, Sol pushes Thunder into a fast run. The warrior's eyes furrow as he rides easterly after the lone horseman.
-----Raven takes off to backup Sol.
-----"Umm....I...." Sarah squints at the distant rider and then Sol suddenly takes off. "...I'm coming I guess." Sarah says, following the other two wondering why they ask questions they don't give her time to answer.
-----"And this you were not expecting?" Garrison says to Sarah with a smile just before he calls his horse to bolt after Sol and Raven.
-----Sarah shrugs. "You never know, he COULD have waited!" Sarah points out.
-----The rest of the party races across the expanse toward the charging Sol, Raven and the other rider.
-----Sol and Thunder race across the expanse toward the other rider. The mostly still air does little to impede their momentum and the horse under the young warrior seems to thrive on this as it flares its nostrils. In the distance, the rider with the three horses appears to be the only thing that moves under the cloudy sky.
-----Sol and Thunder clear the corner tower getting a much better view of the eastern countryside. Sol sees his target urge his horses away from the road in front of the town across a grassy expanse to meet the road that heads back to the northeast. At this point, it is apparent from the turning motion of the rider, that whoever rides ahead is now aware of Sol. Thunder's hooves now practically roar as they thump the ground rivaling the steed's name with his namesake.
-----Still Sol's target does not slow although the young warrior and his steed are catching up. As Sol pulls within sixty yards of the rider, he still can't make out who it is though he can determine the rider wears leather armor.