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Manuk smiles at Ylen’s confidence that he’s found a trail and soon enough they came across the entrance to a cave. It seemed this was the likely lair of the animals that Manuk now knew to be leopards. Following Ingmar, she nods at his plan but also sees the benefit in gaining any information she can from the surroundings, so doesn’t hang back as much as the others – but doesn’t stand in what must be plain view either. ”I hope you’re right about the middle tunnel being the one with the cats,” she offers to the dwarf.
Manuk was quietly pleased to have been part of the solution this time around and even more delighted that the goblins had been saved...at least for now. "I concur with Ingmar, we need to take the fight to them. Let us be on the front foot and see how they like to be attacked - as opposed to doing the attacking!" Of course, she was never going to find the tracks herself, but she was going to show willing.
Manuk nods at Ingmar's logic. "If we can't find them then we'll have to wait for them to find us again. But this time, maybe we'll have better tracks to follow." "Oh, and this time," she says to the group at large, "I'll jump into the fray a little quicker!" And she finishes the sentence with a rueful smile - and prepares to take up the same vantage point as before.
Manuk did not consider herself the sort of Pathfinder that would wade into battle and slay every creature and enemy single-handed. But then, nor did she imagine her input thus far was to let loose two arrows - both of which went wide of the mark. She sauntered over to the group - and the dead leopards - with an almost apologetic look on her face. "Good work, you guys. You OK there Manny?"
Manuk holds her nerve and waits patiently for the creatures to come close enough to have a reasonable chance of hitting them – given she would give her position away the moment her first arrow leaves the bow. And given her last attempt was so wayward, she feels she has something to prove to the party as to her combat prowess.
Manuk felt a little out of the conversation with all this talk of wild creatures and what they may or may not be capable of. So, she simply went along with the chat, nodding every now and then, before rolling her sleeves up and offering her services. "I'm game to build or dig whatever is needed - just point me in the right direction. As for taking these things on at night, I have limited knowledge of animals - but I do of urban predators, especially the two-legged variety. It's always best to face them away from their natural environment. If they hunt at night, it is because they are at their strongest then. Maybe taking the fight to them in the daylight isn't such a bad idea?" She nodded towards Ingmar and shrugged her shoulders.
Manuk traipsed past the dead wolves and finally found her arrow. As she returned, she straightened out the flight and returned it to her quiver. “Waste not want not,” she said out loud as she returned to the group. “Figured I might be running low if this sort of action keeps up.” She looked over at Ingmar, “Sorry, I could have a go, but I think you’d prefer someone who actually knows what they’re doing to lend a hand. But I can go take a look at that statue.” So, she duly walks over and takes a good, long look at the effigy and close attention to the stairs.
Clearly, damage to any of her comrades was never going to be a good thing, but Manuk was invariably a pragmatist and saw the fact that Ingmar went down as her opportunity to strike. So, the moment the wolves attacked and he fell to the ground – she released the arrow she’d nocked, aiming for the closer of the wolves.
Manuk readies her bow at the presence of wolves. She spots two away to her right and stands in the wagon she was sitting in, so as to get a better view of the attackers. But as she lines up a shot, she realises Ingmar is directly in her line of sight and so holds back on a shot – not trusting her aim enough to pass by her fellow Pathfinder and hit one of the creatures.
Manuk took in the sights. There was so much to see - especially for a city-dweller like her. The desert was a first for her, as was the huge statue. And before she knew what was happening, they were stopping at what appeared to be a lake. What one was doing in the middle of the desert she had no idea - and so she was intrigued and wandered over to it - peering into the water.
Manuk wonders to herself why Muckmuck is even on this journey, given his apparent nerves. Maybe he is braver than he seems, or perhaps he has a sense of duty? Regardless, she decides this is not the time to find this out and decides instead to follow Ingmar’s lead and show that the group are not the pushover he seems to think they are. Unfortunately, Ingmar’s prowess actually intimidates Manuk slightly – as she doesn’t want to undo all of his good work. But she takes a deep breath and begins to tumble around the caravan.
Bolstered by her success, she mimics holding a lute and recites an old ballad she remembers from her past in a voice she hopes sounds a lot like Muckmuck.
Even to her own ears, it was OK, but you would not believe it was an impression of Muckmuck, so she decides instead to share a slightly lewd limerick in his voice instead.
Smiling at her success, she says to the goblin. "If you let me borrow the lute, I can knock out a song or two on the way to the bridge if you'd like."
Manuk follows in turn - her head now contemplating the prospect of fighting all manner of beasts. Unlike people, you can't reason with them and she'd have no chance of smooth-talking her way out of trouble if faced with a dire wolf. "So long," she says to Yigrig as she leaves before saying to Manny, "You really think we'll face those animals?"
Manuk listened and digested. One things she’d learned as she received her training was that you had one mouth and two ears for a very good reason. And given knowledge may not necessarily be power, it was at least something to give you an edge. And as others spoke, she mentally ticked off any questions she had for herself. She was very much an urban girl. Her entire life had been spent in one city or another and so her first formal assignment being in the wilderness was something of a shock to the system. Animals? Bandits? In the city, she was very much at home and felt this gave her the advantage but out in the wild, creatures and even bandits would have the upper hand, so she spent half of the time wondering what she knew that could leverage something to balance out the equation. She came up with nothing. And for the first time would be relying on others – something she knew would take some getting used to. She cast her eye over the assembled group. The Pathfinders must have chosen them for a reason and so she found herself nodding agreement with what was said and her coalescing thoughts. And finally, she spoke, “So, unless anyone has any more questions, I suggest there is no better time to head off than now. Maybe our presence alone will be enough? If not, I’m sure whatever information Zig has will stand us in good stead.”
Manuk stood in her customary position – at the back of the group and slightly to the side. Her leather armour was not visible, given she wore a dark robe – albeit with the hood down, revealing her short dark hair. She listened intently to the goblin merchant, many questions buzzing around her head. But she held her counsel, wanting to see if others would ask them and therefore allow her to remain as inconspicuous as possible. It was not an act of shyness, but rather she preferred anonymity as it often worked in her favour. The figure in black that you can’t really remember – let alone describer her face. And as for a name? No chance of recollection. On the face of it, a routine assignment – but Manuk head learned already these were often the most challenging. And as the story unfolded, she realised her initial assumption was correct. Abductions and robbery. But to what end? But for now, she stood silently, allowing others to hopefully ask the burning questions she had. In terms of helping, there was never a question on that score. She was already committed to being on the caravan. |
