"We need to gather our breath, and then plot a course north to find shelter and water. I suggest we take stock of our supplies - I'm not sure how long they will need to last."
Calla leans against her captured spear, surveying the terrain to the north.
Arakan, comforted by having at least a real blade, one of obsidian instead of shrub, decides that there's no harm in taking a few thorns for good measure. He cuts a few from the brush, three to be exact, and tucks them away. "Why north?" he asks sardonically, "What's up that way that we want to find? I think the key to our survival, at this point, is to find some place we can hole up until they give us up for gone. If we head out too soon we are left with nothing but sandy expanses seperating us from their sight. I say we take a day to hunker down somewhere with cover, probably move only at night. We need to take the path of least discovery. We will be living by what we can scavenge, so we need to take it slow and cautious. Otherwise, we will run ourselves into the ground, and they will just come and scoop us up with us begging them for it, if it means we get a drop of water. I say we get ourselves right, for right now, then we can discuss the importance of north." He moves carefully among the rocks, looking for a roomy burrow or eroded opening he can steal from some local critter's family.
To Arakan, Call replies, "Closest civilisation is north. Gramma told me that the caravan site was just a few days south of a fortified oasis called Grak's Pool. We'll need to get past the canyon lands between here and there - and you're right we should move at night. We need to conserve water, and scavenge more if we can, but at least the canyons will disguise our passing."
"Can we have this conversation somewhere less exposed."
Irivis sounds a little tense as she looks around for somewhere to hide.
Irivis shares her thoughts.
"I'm not suited to climbing walls. It may be slower, but I'd prefer to stay at ground level."
"I would have to agree with no equipment, I think climbing will be a last option."
"Let's head into the canyons and discuss as we move. If everyone is recovered from that last fight, I suggest we start putting some distance between us and the raiders."
Calla uses her spear for support and starts moving north - barely moving faster than Irivis.
Irivis navigates, her inherent sense of direction helping as the group heads into the maze of canyons. Gorad trudges along stoically, assisting others over the tricky sections. The going is tough, many of the ravines being choked with boulders and thorny shrubs. The walls have been carved into rounded shapes by wind-blown sand, with colourful red and yellow bands in the rock showing clearly in the afternoon desert sun.
Arakan will linger behind the rest, using what he knows of staying out of sight to cover the marks made by the group's passing.
Jareen uses his small knowledge of nature, to work out which gullies flow in the best direction to head North.
Arakan lurks behind the main group, scuffing over tracks to hinder pursuit. But Jareen argues with Irivis as to the correct way to go at the point where two gullies split, causing unneccesary delay.
"I keep telling you, THAT is north."
Irivis grumbles as she takes care to conserve her energy as best she can.
"Moving, not arguing! We're still within minutes of being caught and killed. And I will not have my family's sacrifice wasted by bicking."
Calla admonishes Jareen and Irivis and urges the group to make tracks.
Calla provides "words of encouragement" to get the party moving again.
Irivis prevails and marches steadily on under the gruelling heat.
Now that Jareen and Irivis are both heading in the same direction, and at a good speed, Calla drops back to help Arakan obscure the trail.
She bends her head and speaks to Arakan in a low voice,
Calla checks over the trail and tries to hide some evidence of the party's passing. But her efforts are more more obvious than the tracks in the sand.
nature
"That looks like a bad patch of sand, best avoided."
Gorad navigates the party round an area of knee-deep sand that would slow them down, instead sticking to the higher, rockier ground.
@ Aubrey
When Calla "motivates" the group, Arakan just shakes his head and decides that fear works better as a motivator when it has more bite than a irritated merchant. He looks back the way they came, squinting as he looks along the path, before his eyes flash wide and he turns to the group. "Uh oh, we need to move, and NOW. I see a small group of them headed this way. It looks like they've ditched the mounts, but there's five of them and they've found our trail. All we can do is pick up the pace or they'll be on us in no time."
Irivis shoots a filthy look at Arakan as she stumbles onwards.
Infuriating idiot.
"Yes, well, doing what I can in my own small way."
Turning her attention to the tracks behind her, Irivis attempts to wipe the sands clear with her staff, hiding their passage with a series of carefully placed drifts.
No one it too sure if Arakan is kidding or not, but the mention of possible pursuers helps the pace pick up.
Silently fuming at Arkan's curt reply, and distrustful of his sudden supposed sighting of pursuit, Calla nevertheless picks up her pace and rejoins Jareen and Irivis near the front. She tries to remember what she's heard about navigating in the wilderness from family and employees over the years.
"Just up there, one more short sprint and we'll be clear."
Irivis chivvies the group along. But Calla can't remember any great wilderness lore for the moment.
Jareen smooths things over with Irivis, and the team is more coherent and purposeful as a result .
Gorad soothes sunburnt skins with the thick juice of a particular desert cactus he found along the way.
Arakan goes back to trying and making it look like they weren't there, but decides it may be easier to make it look more like something they would rather not follow. He searches his memory for what the tracks of some of the more hostile wildlife looks like.
Arakan disguises the tracks to resemble a single giant cylops instead of a group of travellers. He glances around at the dark mouths caves in the canyon wall - and decides to hurry and catch up with the rest of the team.
"Nice."
Irivis notes her approval of Arakan's tactics and turns her own attention to keeping the group on course.
Irivis ignores (politely this time) Jareen and the party heads in the right direction.