-----By the time the riders pass the lake and cross the next field, night has fallen about them. Stars shine out from behind the breaks in the clouds and a heavy dampness seems to cling to the air. Ahead of them the road leads through a dark patch of trees; its extent unknown in the growing darkness.
-----"Holy Redeemer!" Romney curses, before shouting to the others, "How can we see to go on? Should we slow and carry torches?"
-----"Yes, I'll not have Thunder damaged fer stumbling over a mound." Sol dismounts and begins to walk his horse along the road. As he does so, he calls over his shoulder, "Lovan, Garrison, both o' ye light torches. Gafa can't be too far away. Sarah, can ye see any sign o' th' village?"
-----Raven shakes his head, "I'd advise against the torches. We'll stand out like a sore thumb to all the nasties around here." Raven frowns, "Either we walk by moon light or we camp for the night. I'd rather not camp."
-----Raven looks ahead to the dark woods in front them, "My guess is that patch of woods is home to somebody or thing."
-----"Aren't we here t'deal wi' any nasties?" Sol asks wryly. "If there is anything this close t'Gafa, we should probably do something about it. But I certainly agree that we should not camp."
-----"The moon will not rise until the early morning," Rinda says, walking her horse alongside Raven. "The stars are partly hidden by clouds so there will be little light to track by."
-----Garrison groans before speaking. The woodsman had been searching the dark trees ahead of them where the road leads. "Do you think we can make it through these woods without losing the road? I hope it's not overgrown someplace in there."
-----Romney leaves Mirian on his horse while he dismounts. Taking the bridle in his hand, he walks with the others squinting into the dark.
-----Meanwhile with the noise of the galloping horses gone, the surroundings come almost alive with the creaking of crickets and the peeping and croaking of frogs.
-----Lovan simply stays on his horse giving little care to the challenges of the night.
-----Sol stops a moment and quietly asks Garrison for a torch. Once done, he begins walking Thunder ahead of the party at much quicker rate, explaining when he first heads off, "I'm going t'go ahead o' th' group a bit, an' light th' torch. That way I can follow th' road, ye can follow th' light, an' th' 'nasties' will be drawn t'me."
-----"Just a moment, Sol," Rinda quickly says.
-----Sarah squints into the darkness, "I don't see any lights, we must still be a ways off." She carefully reaches into her pack and draws forth the magical cage. In just a few moments, Chessie takes to the night air, circling over Sarah's head. Every once in awhile Chessie flies back down and nuzzle Sarah's cheek briefly. Sarah isn't letting him get far away, she is acting very cautious.
-----Marlexana walks softly behind her mistress, the horse's hooves seeming to barely touch the ground.
-----"How could I forget," Rinda says smacking her temple, "Chessie helps you to see in the darkness." The huntress then calmly asks the young mage, "If you can see the way this trail leads through these woods, you can guide us. Maybe Chessie could fly onto the limbs overhead and tell you if there is any change in the trail or something stalks us."
-----Sarah nods, "That was my idea." Her owl takes off into the night. "He'll keep us alert to anything suspicious, that is if he can see it. It seems too dark even for night in here."
-----They start up with Sarah walking beside Sol and Thunder. The young mage obviously has no trouble seeing in the dark and those behind the pair simply follow the ones in front of them. In the surrounding dark, Sarah's hair seems to gleam very lightly and gently.
-----"Sorry to call you back, Sol," Rinda says as she strides along with Raven, "but I think this will work out better. It may be that we don't want to give ourselves away until we find this village."
-----Fitting an arrow in her bow, she holds onto the weapon while she walks beside Raven.
-----Romney follows the two hunters, holding his horse's bridle in one hand while Mirian clings to his other arm. Finally too uneasy to ride the horse by herself, the dancer had slid down the side of the steed and clung desperately to the Oakwood guard.
-----Garrison follows them quietly, the woodsman absorbed in his own thoughts. Surprisingly, so does Lovan as the storm priest looks from side to side while keeping an eye on those he follows. Garrison pulls out a torch and hands another to Lovan. Quietly, he tells the storm priest, "We only light these if we are attacked."
-----"May we not have to wait long then," Lovan responds.