----- Arliss dismounts and tethers his horse to a nearby tree. He observes carefully as Rand and Raven begin their reconnaissance, hand on sword hilt. His eyes and ears are alert, prepared for any sign of disturbance.
-----Raven notices the tracks lead toward a somewhat larger building, roughly seventy by sixty feet. This building is also one-story, but made of stone. The grass around them is flattened, but not just from the weather. Clearly, the tracks lead around a corner of this building to its single door entrance.
-----As Raven and Rand carefully move around the corner of the building, they see most of the window openings boarded up. The door, however, appears to have been once boarded up, but the planks have been recently torn away. Pieces of rotting and aged wood lay scattered among the grass.
-----Next to the door is a large window opening. No boards cover this opening and the darkness within stares out to face the other buildings. The two men look all around. All seems quiet and there appears to be no movement in the remains of the village. Rand spots another stone building fully intact. It features columns on the front and appears to have once been a temple of some sort. Raven whispers to Rand to keep an eye on the other ruins. Carefully Raven shuffles through the grass toward the uncovered window. Ducking low, he still has his bow ready. Slowly, cautiously, he rises to peer in.
-----Rand hears something within emit a growling sound.
-----Inside, perhaps twenty feet from the window, Raven sees three stooped humanoid figures. The shadows cover them well, but Raven still sees a glint of jagged teeth, grayish-green skin and beady eyes. He recognizes them as orcs before he begins to smell them.
-----As he sees them, one of the orcs catches a glimpse of him. Drawing its sword, it points at Raven at the window and growls. The other two turn to follow the first one's glance.
-----Raven backs up from the open window looking into the large stone building. He then turns and starts to run toward Rand. Immediately behind Raven, a commotion takes place within the building. Growls and inhuman voices are heard. A medium-sized humanoid with grayish-green skin and wearing dirty studded leather appears at the open window. Quickly it tries to jump out, but it snags its leg on the window frame. Falling outward, it ends up sprawled face down on the ground. As it struggles to rise, the door pulls open and another humanoid storms out, sword in hand.
-----Raven quickly spins; his bow twanging as an arrow is fired at the orc in the doorway. The shot goes wide and the arrow quivers as it hits and sticks in the wood frame of the door. For a moment, the orc flinches and hesitates as a third one appears at the window. It points its sword at the two men and shouts out something in its gruff language as it squints in the bright sunshine.
-----Raven motions to Rand to start heading toward the rest of the group. The two men start running. They move back along the intact building. On their left, they pass the roofless building and as they run around its corner, they come within sight of Arliss and Thalog. Behind them, they hear orcish shouts and the sound of pursuing feet.
-----Only a few moments after Raven and Rand had disappeared among the buildings, Arliss and Thalog suddenly see them running at full sprint toward them from around the corner of the building. At about twenty to thirty feet behind them are three man-sized figures giving chase. The sun dully shines on raised swords and guttural, harsh sounds are shouted by inhuman voices. At this point, Raven and Rand are about 120 yards from Arliss and Thalog.
-----Arliss instantly bursts into a run, drawing his broad sword and calling out, "To me, comrades! Rally 'round! For Joren! For Justice!"
-----Raven stops running and drops his bow. He then draws his swords and turns to face the oncoming orcs. Raven goes into a low stance with his knees bent ready to spring at the orcs when they get closer.
-----The first orc is a shorter humanoid with broad nostrils. Its slick dark hair streams back from its jutting forehead. It yells fiercely as it approaches with its sword held aloft.
-----Raven gathers his strength and leaps; his arms held wide. With his dominate sword hand aimed at the orc's chest, Raven sees the orc shift its position. He catches himself as he lands and the orc nearly stands beside him hissing. A second thrust to the side sweeps in front of the orc's chest, but also misses its mark.
-----Raven stares deeply into the orc's eyes trying to detect its quick motions. The humanoid smiles cruelly back at him. The smile changes quickly into an inhuman yell as it jabs its sword at Raven.
-----Raven quickly parries with his dominant sword hand. He pulls the orc's sword and arm across and downward in front of the stunned humanoid. At this point, he is aware the other two orcs have run past him and he can hear a galloping horse approaching.
-----Standing nearly nose to nose, Raven sees the humanoid's expression change to one of fear. With a lightning quick straightening of his arm, Raven buries the sword practically up to the hilt in the orc's chest. Raising a booted leg, Raven kicks the dead orc off his sword.