Aleria comes over, her fuming mostly done as she falls in behind the others. She stares at Matrim as he explains and the others point things out.
She takes a few moments, trying to spy out a place to watch from but doesn't seem to be able to really find anywhere ideal. She looks at Mattrim and sighs. "If we don't find someplace that we can settle in to watch them from, this whole idea is going to be a bit moot."
"Well, if don't start a fire, it's unlikely they will spot us, I doubt they would be actively looking about for others. We only spotted them because of their fire. Perhaps we could wake up early enough to leave before they do, or keep our position until we are sure they have a good lead on us and then try to follow their tracks from there. Perhaps we will hit better terrain to come up onto them on if we are patient."
Anton opens and closes his mouth several times. With his hollow cheeks and bright eyes, unfortunate comparisons could be drawn to a surprised goldfish. "Oh, fine," he snaps finally, clearly flustered. "If we're camping without a fire, I'll need alternative measures to ensure your friend doesn't go pawing through my bags again."
Without fire there is little to be done so most of the group turns in quickly thereafter. Protections are made and watches set and the night passes uneventfully though the fires fade through the night and their owners off to wherever they might be going...
The party awakens refreshed and ready.
@Anton
"I'm sure Saber remembers the unpleasantness of last time he tried to "investigate" your possessions. He was eating grass for hours afterword."
Mattrim gives Saber a hard stare for good measure and draws the Tiger to him for the night.
Ra'hl listens quietly to Mattrim's watch order and has no objection to it. When mention of the camps across the river are given he will remark, "I know we planned to make our way to the Stag Lord, but it may be wise to find those camp sites tomorrow once we have daylight again. I'm sure our skilled trackers could find their owners. I for one would like to know if we have potential allies out here. It is more likely they're bandits, but even still, thinning the Stag Lord's forces in a smaller altercation could aid us."
:
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the group comes to the thinner river crossing that Matt, Cuddles and Anton discovered before. Despite there being no supernatural talking drowned man it is clear that the water worn rope and decaying signage indicate that this is the place.
The group spends about an hour gingerly crossing everyone and everything over the river, taking time to be careful and navigate the swift moving water with appropriate care.
Once on the other side many in the group are certain that based on the lights from last night at least one of the camps was nearby, it is the nosy tiger that finds the only real tracks. Much like the birds described. Hoof prints and boot prints mark the area near the crossing though none get closer than about 20 yards of the shore. It would appear that it was two camps but they met up nearby before splitting up again. One group went along the river south, the other north.
"So, south or north? Which way puts us closer to the Stag Lord?" Ra'hl asks, hoping to pursue one of the groups quickly.
"I say we go south. Let's continue to track them and see what they are up to."
The group follows the tracks and it becomes clear very soon that these are bandits on patrol. 3 men, armed with longsowrds and shortbows on horseback. These type look healthy and hale in comparison to the more worn down types that you found near Oleg's. Despite their apparent skill, Mattrim and Aleria are able to keep the group moving overland and through the brush in cover to be able to put sights on the patrol.
Without a word, Ra'hl lets his hand fall to the hilt of his bastard sword, his crimson eyes passing over each of his allies as though he posed a question. Wordlessly asking if they intend to ambush the bandits.
Cuddles stretches a bit, ready for a fight.
Anton shrugs, not wanting to be the one to break the silence, though he does tighten his grip on his staff.
Mattrim eyes the bandits, crouched slightly, with Saber at his heels. Turning to everyone else, meeting Rahl's eyes, with a look that marked them for swift death.
He starts talking silently.
"I say that we try and attack them from two different angles."
Mattrim points out a clump of grass, bringing the fingers of his hand together from two different angles. Converging on the grass.
"We could send Aleria and Duska apart, along with Cuddles, and have them side swipe them while Rah'l, myself, and Saber come at them from this angle. With Anton safely behind us. I could use magic to cut help cut off their retreat path, forcing them to either eat arrows or face us.
If we focus on one or two of them, we could bring them quickly down before they retaliate much. Taking them out would be beneficial, among other things, they might know more about current 'happenings' in the area."
While Mattrim waits to see the others thoughts, whether they agree with his plan, or even attacking, he slowly draws his Falchion from its sheath.
"So?"
Aleria looks at Mattrim, thinking for a moment. "Saber seems to be at home in the woods, and can move quick and light. Why not send him around their front, and have him spook the horses? If we can make their footing unsure, and scare the horses, that would give us enough time to fire several shots, and give you, Rah'l and Cuddles the chance to close on them."
"Cuddles and I are fast enough, if we could close in just a bit closer, we could likely charge them before they ever spotted us. I think it would be wise to keep one alive. A leader if we can. I like the idea of flanking them, but I'd hate to lose the element of surprise trying to set up a flank." Ra'hl speaks in a whisper noticeably anxious, hoping to end this discussion soon before the bandits moved any further away from them.
Duška raises an eyebrow at Ra'hl's strategim;
"Speed is not all Drakblood. Stealth yes? Remember stealth and the soft foot..."
"I understand the intention. I fear the execution. These bandits know these lands far better than we. If they escape, we are unlikely to catch them. I would like to snap the trap quickly than chase the fox through the woods."
"I think Ra'hl is right here, we might very well lose the element of surprise trying to move around too much.
Perhaps Rah'l and Cuddles could move throughout the brush to close a little bit. Then let out a whistle when ready and we spring the ambush?
Saber and I could move on them then from here, everyone else should be properly situated at that point, right? My spell should be able to hit them from this angle, it will cause the grass and plantage on the ground to spring up and grasp at them, slowing and possibly entangling them for the front runners to close."
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As Rah'l and Cuddles rumble off into the undergrowth, Duška scowls, then utters a quiet word invoking innate magicks...
... before readying her bow and shifting through the terrain with slow but purposeful intent;
Ai Maminka. They talk of losing the element of surprise!? Those two bulls will have us all wearing arrows...
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Trying to keep low and move through the brush, Ra'hl lets his hand rest on a low hanging tree limb, using it to hold his weight he presses down on it, only to have the branch weak with rot come crashing down. Not waiting to see if the bandits notice, Ra'hl tries to act quickly hoping the others can guess his plan. Ra'hl rushes towards the bandits moving away from the others, hoping to not reveal their position yelling to the bandits. "Thank the gods! You have to help me. There's a giant cat chasing me. He already crushed my bow! Please you have to help me!"
Ra'hl hopes the panic in his voice from blowing their attempts at stealth is enough to convince the bandits of his fear for his life. He is trying to draw as much attention to himself as he can. Leading the bandits eyes from the others.
Matt crouches, watching everything, his mouth slightly agape.
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Cuddles is pretty sure that's not how surprise worked. Then again, everyone seemed surprised. Maybe that's how ie worked in his home? Maybe.
Cuddles success at his hiding place and waits to see what the bandits do.
"What is he doing?" Anton asks in amazement, before realizing that Mattrim is on his other side, and that he's just posed his question to a rather confused tiger. He corrects himself and repeats the question, but it isn't the same.
Ra'hl begins to move with Cuddles and manages to do everything in his power to sound like an Andoran Pride Day parade. The bloodrager thinks fast though and charges into the clearing yelling in feigned panic about a large cat.
The gambit appears to work in that the bandits seem wholly focused on the nobleman, pulling sowrds as soon as the sound emerges from the brush but the tps are slowly brought low as they listen.
Cuddles position behind Ra'hl seems to go completely unnoticed and Duska melts into the brush with Aleria following a little less ably behind her, setting up a mild flank.
Anton, Matt and Saber stare agog from their starting position.
One of the bandits, sword in hand, gives a look of incredulity to his friends, No large cats in these parts. Either he's a liar or a lunatic...
The innate majicks summoned by Duška cause her and the ranger's equipment to assume the colourations of her surroundings.
As Ra'hl bumbles first with actions, then with words,Duška scowls as she skulks closer, bow readied;
:
Cuddles creeps forward and around, hoping to get out of the men's line of sight. He also hopes that Kitty hears and proves Ra'hl right. Silly men. Of course there were big kitty around here!
Matt looks at Anton, and... has no words. He just shakes his head.
[ooc]Uhhhh, Mattrim is just going to wait for a moment. See what's going to happen, make sure people get as far as they can.[ooc]
Matt looks at Saber (especially during the large cat comments) and motions the Tiger to his feet.
Otherwise he will prepare to cast an Entangle at the Bandits, waiting for the opportune moment.
Saber in turns raises ever so slightly off the ground, no longer laying but instead poised to spring into action, his muscles taught as he prepares to release them.
"Here, kitty. Good kitty," Anton mutters nervously, clenching one hand into a fist as he scratches Saber behind the ears with another.
Ra'hl is nervous, hoping that the bandits don't skewer him before his allies get into position. "I don't know where it went. I swear there was a cat. It chased me all the way here!"
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Of all the insane, moronic, air brained..., GWAAHHH! I swear on Deadeye's antlers if we make it out of this alive I will turn that boy over my knee and paddle him myself. I've half a mind to put an arrow through his buttocks, as much of a pain in the hindquarters that he is...
Aleria continues to fume in her own mind as she stalks forward, not nearly so quietly as Duska, who appears to have somehow transformed into tall grass. She tries as she can to match her speed, and has an arrow knocked, ready to loose in case it is needed.
She also prepares to say a quick prayer, to receive Deadeye's blessing to help her aim should she needed it. Hopefully she has enough time to get into position first.
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Saber stares slightly curiously at Anton, not approving of the stop in scratching, before feeling the magical energies surge through him.
Helpful two legs.
Turning his attention back to the noisy Two-Legs Fight but not hunt well. Saber watches intently, waiting for his Pack-Brother for the command to charge.
It almost seems that Ra'hl himself is actually convinced that he was chased by a tiger and so the bandits continue to give the bloodrager their attention. Meanwhile Aleria does her best to keep pace with Duska...
A forest hued Duška pauses and maintains her camouflage...
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... as she draws a bead on one of the bandits
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Will let fly if/when things go south with Ra'hl's blustering diplomacy.