The faerie dragon responds to Tristan in his little cheerful chirping voice, "That sounds wonderful and should be plenty of time to talk with most of our friends."
The nixie corrects Tristan, "The Hunter is someone else, Gru... Gr... Something. Bearik is just strange, almost not human but not fey. I wonder what he really is and what his plans are for this area." She sounds rather serious but comical coming from such a small thing.
"Thank you friends. Stay enjoy the meal and the company. We will depart at first light and investigate this hunger."
Tristan continues his food before kicking back to get some rest.
Kevros laughs, "We know what is on Tristan's mind!" ... Kevros continues laughs ... "What he meant to say is we will look for the hunter at first light but we or Katrina will satisfy his belly now and before departing with her great cooking skills. And yes please, enjoy the meal and company!"
Then Kevros checks in with Katrina with his signature smile, "Katrina do you need any help and how are you doing? So many distractions lately, I wanted to make sure you are doing well?"
Angeus nods at the decision to invesigate this hunter, "Yes, the bears looking into."
She then smiles at the fey emissaries, "I am glad we could talk. We seek to gain the friendship of all peaceloving peoples in these lands." she says earnestly.
Quince smiles awkwardly nodding along. The fey know there is something not human about Bearik do they see something about me.
Katrina keeps to her pot and keeps everyone fed.
She smiles as Kevros checks in on her, with warmth she responds, "Thank you Kevros, if you would've mind to cut up some of the potatoes and onions that would be helpful. I am doing good, nature always keeps me happy about the present and many good memories of the past. Yes I am well." Katrina's attitude seems to be a bit more cheerful and warm after Kevros checked in on her.
The two fey are very happy with your group and after finishing the meal head off into the night slowly on full bellies.
Angeus takes the initiative and canters out to lead the group northwards, occasionally darting off to catch some game....
Tristan rides up front with Angeus helping guide the way.
Along the way his horse steps in a bear trap though as apparently Tristan is a horrible ranger.
Quince stops and dismounts when Tristan's hors catches the trap. He moves forward and tries to help calm the creature. Speaking to it soothingly in what from what he has told you before is the language of horses.
He works to convince the creature to lay down, "Tristan give me a hand opening this trap up. Two hands specially beefy ones will help.
Quince looks up, "Kevros you are keeping look out right? Not the time to meet our hunter.
Watching the ground, Kevros avoids any pile of leaves or divot that could hide a bear trap. At the same time as he wipes the sweat from brow, he hears the infamous sound of a bear trap's jaws shut on its unsuspecting victim, and a horse whinnies in pain, "Woah Hala!"
He looks at Tristan than Quince, "I have you covered! Everyone else form a protective perimeter around Tristan's horse but give them some room to work and the horse to move in pain. Keep your heads on a swivel look for both traps and aggressors."
The horse in pain seems to be distracting Kevros a bit.
"It doesn't appear to have broken the leg, Quince if you and Katrina could heal the wound I think he can progress fine."
Angeus brings her horse around at the sound of the beartrap snapping closed followed quickly by the anguished noises from Tristan's horse.
Her hawklike gaze softens as she watches Tristan tend to the horse so tenderly, but Kevros' warning brings her back to the present.
Wheeling her horse, she scans the surrounding countryside, "Only a coward 'hunts' with these kind of traps..." she comments.
While watching the perimeter, Kevros responds without taking his eyes off his viewing area, "That is good to hear Tristan and I agree Angeus, regardless of the reason for the bear traps, it was a lazy or cowardly action!"
Once the trap is free Quince mutters a prayer of healing.
Tristan uses the two metal rods from the last bear traps to help release the trap, then forces the trap open.
Katrina helps out as well healing the horse as well as needed to get it back to normal.
Kevros looks at the group keeping in mind of his fellow wardens, "Shall we clear the area of bear traps now or later, and proceed to find the hunter?"
Quince looks toward Kevros, "That might take forever."
Kevros nods, "Let's find the hunter first then come back with or without the hunter later to remove traps."
The group moves on...
The group eventually find another trap but this one has already been sprung. Logs have rolled down a hill.
Upon closer inspection you can easily smell before seeing the remains of the man who likely was creating the trap. He was pinned under three of the logs as his axe is stuck in a stump no more than 4 feet out of his reach. His gear is spread out but appears to not have been rifled through.
Katrina waits with the horses until the all clear is given. Coming up to check on the man she shakes her head, then murmurs to herself before saying, "He has passed on, little we can do for him besides burying his body."
Quince says something in celestial (can you curse in celestial?).
He speaks in strange sounds and tries to calm Scram. He dismounts and examines the wound. "This is getting old fast. Tristan can we do what we did before." With help he comforts and frees Scram. He prays.
Later when the body is found.
"Are you sure . . . oh yeah that will do it."
Angeus regards the scene impassively for a moment before jumping down and approaching the log-fall.
"Got what her deserved..." she mutters, before crouching before the unlucky hunters' pouch.
Taking a dagger, she gently prys the pouch open, trying to reveal what glows within.
Kevros instantly responds when he barely sees a trap in the vegetation causing Hala to jump but nearly and safely avoid the bear trap, "Phew that was close for Hala's cannons or ankles. Sorry about everyone else's horses." When Quinces horse gets caught, he has everyone set up the standard perimeter and those that can take care of the horse, do.
Later, Kevros looks at Angeus and smiles, "He sure did! He got his becomings."
"Ooh, what do you got in the pouch Angeus?"
"So this must be the hunter. Looks like he was done in by one of his own traps. Seems the beast were tired of being hunted, but this shows intelligence beyond a normal animal."
As Angeus opens the pouch the light from within grows in intensity easily seen by all.
"Do we leave him as is or bury the cor...?" She begins to say then trails off seeing the glow and leans towards Angeus if she pulls out the shining object. She seems to be slightly mesmerized by the object and does not say anything or move until someone gets her attention.
Equally mesmerized as Kevros slowly replies then questions, "We should bury ... what do you have there Angeus?"
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"Well since the hunter is dead and has been for a few days we should right back and speak with our fey friends. I hope these few days have given them time enough to talk among their people and get a lead on where the Stag Lord may be hiding. Every day he draws breath is a day I have failed the memory of my parents."
Tristan's hand closed to a clenched fist as he speaks. He turns away as tears come to his eyes for a moment. He drops to his knees and punches into the ground.
"Ragathiel. I have never prayed to you. I have no tongue for it. Vengeance fills my heart, but I have failed myself and those wronged. I pray to you for help. No one will remember my parents or how they lived. Let me the one to carry their memory and be the avenger for all those taken by this man. If you do not hear me then to hell with you, I will do it myself."
Tristan raises from the ground and wipes away the tears. He climbs on his horse.
"So back to the fey to the south then?"
As the others begin to speak of what to be done with the corpse.
"I say leave him The animals will take care of his corpse. He trapped for sport. There is no honor for that. Those that take more then they need from the land are scum. Not as bad as bandits but another low people all together. If you wish to honor him in some way then do so. I will keep watch as you do."
Quince notices Tristan and quietly joins him in prayer. His eyes go wide with the ending. He looks up toward the heavens subtlety shakes his hand and waves his hand as if to smooth things over.
When he passes near Tristan he puts a hand on his shoulder, "We will get him. We will get him."
While waiting for Angeus to respond, Kevros nods at Quince's statement, "Yes we will, he is an enemy of the Stolen Lands. He is not only an enemy of the people, he is an enemy of Old Deadeye and of the land. I pray next time, we take him down and not escape our grasp." He then turns to Warden Tristan, "I personally believe all men should be buried but we do not have to say a prayer for him. But on second thought, he would feed the animals of the forest and for cheating, the hunter will become hunted. I agree not to bury him, let us depart after Angeus tells us what is glowing in the pouch?"
Angeus upends the pouch into her waiting palm, some coins falling to the ground, but there sitting atop a lock of hair, a silver leaf pendant.
She brings her hand closer to her face, murmuring, "Hmmm, pretty.... it glows, so it may be enchanted..."
She really didn't take too much notice of all of the praying and oath taking, but nodded when Quince and Kevros reiterated all of their desire to take down the Stag Lord.
"Yeah, he's an obstacle to what we're trying to do out here."
Looking at the pendant Quince mutters a prayer. He puts his hand under Angelus' hand looking at it in her palm he looks up at her a moment a gives a quick wink and continues to study the pendant.
There does not appear to be anything else of note in the area.
Katrina shakes herself and stands. She leaves the body and slowly walks towards the horses. If nothing else she mounts up and waits for the group to move out again.
"I think that is a handy thing. Makes your skin tougher. Harder to cut."
Kevros looks over to Angeus and smiles, "That is a nice find Angeus and good for you since you can not wear heavier armor!"
"Yes put the amulet on. If everyone is ready follow me."
Tristan turns his horse and begins the journey back to find the fey.
"Should we try to find the rest of the snares."
Kevros nods, "Yes, let us trip the snares in this area before we move out. This way, Erastil will be pleased with us defeating the mechanisms of poaching or lazy hunting. As a ranger, I am sure you can find some pleasure in that Warden Tristan?"
Kevros looks for traps off Hala.
While searching, "Warden Angeus any chance we can reuse these later for the Stag Lord and his brain washed minions?
"Yes good thinking Quince. I was focused on other things. I would hate to think of animals getting trapped here in these things for no purpose."
Quince looks to Tristan, "I imagine if we follow the game trail and his tracks nearby we should be able to come close to hitting his circuit and get most of the traps."
Angeus grins widely , holding the amulet up to view it more closely. She slips it over her head and tucks in into her tunic.
She looks up at Kevros' question, her head cocked to one side as she thought about it, "Should be able to, if we're careful when we disable them. He-he, nice little surprise for him I think!"
The group spends the rest of the day searching for traps. As you think there are no more Kevros' keen eye catches more metal glinting from the sun hitting it.
Everyone wakes up to a small fire but you smell Katrina's cooking more than anything else. Coney soup with vegetables and mush (oatmeal).
Previous Day
Kevros smiles, "I have a couple of scars that would like to see the Stag Lord squeal like a pig when he steps into a bear trap." Kevros laughs a little at the thought, "It will surely piss him off."
Today
Kevros growling stomach is the first thing anyone hears, "Smells great like usual Katrina! You continue to spoil us with your great cooking. Need any help before I sit down and quiet my stomach with your good food?" Kev looks to see if Quince is awake.
Tristan follows his morning routine of grooming then feeding his horse before sitting and enjoying breakfast. Soon after he mounts up.
"Let's go. We have a bit of a ride ahead of us. Is everyone ready?"