Getting a bit more difficult to get these entries out. Having to force them a bit which might be affecting the quality of the writing but... we'll see.
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"So what do you think?" Aylix asked as they walked slowly back to the group.
"We need to find and stop whatever the Kryganites and Seraklanites have planned. We need to meet back with my brother and our friends. We need to drop our little group off... Take your pick." Gregory replied with a sigh.
The militiaman fell silent as they crossed the path to the other side where they had left their charges. Everything was quiet in the woods, at least for the moment, though a feeling of unease hung over the road. It was obvious that hundreds of people had come this way in the last couple of days, there were bits of debris dropped here and there all along the path as people had dropped or abandoned items in their escape and Gregory caught sight of a porcelain doll lying just off the road - half of its face missing and its remaining eye staring blankly directly at the Crowan. Despite himself, he shuddered and pressed on to return to their group.
"Misser Aylix!" Lucy shouted as they got close and the little girl ran over to them looking scared. "Where did you go?" Others caught up to her, asking the sasme questions.
"Sorry for leaving so suddenly, we heard fighting in the woods and went to make sure that it wasn't heading this way." Gregory said calmly with a bow of his head. "It isn't, we're safe, but we must press on to Netherthong." the group dispersed to pack up their stuff and in the distance a wolf howled, loud and long.
The militiaman exchanged an uneasy look before setting to their own belongings. Within five minutes they were back on the road again and within the hour - Netherthong was in sight.
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Crow, Addy, Grundown and Eliana - now fully armed and armoured - strode across the field where they had done battle with the undead confidently. Off to one side a pyre billowed smoke into the air as the undead that they had defeated burned. A defensive perimeter had been set up half way between the camp and the wood and small groups of militiamen patrolled the area. They were challenged briefly, but upon explaining their proposed mission the guards let them through, exchanging prayers of fortune with them.
The woodland swallowed the group quickly and Eliana strode out in front tracking the path the undead had come from, disappearing for several minutes at a time ahead of the group to return and give them new directions. After an hour and a half they stopped in a small clearing to rest, each of them still aching and bruised from the mornings fight.
"The trail isn't exactly hard to follow." Eliana explained in between mouthfuls of water from a skin. "The undead don't exactly move cautiously and the sheer number of them moving through the woods makes for a simple to follow path.
"How much further do we have to walk through this blasted wood?" Grundown growled, tearing at some dried meat.
"I don't know Grundown." Eliana replied tersely, "Funnily enough I don't exactly know how far away the undead built their secret lair."
Addy hurried turned a small giggle into a cough and Crow glanced her way - the lower half of his face covered again - mirth in his eyes and the two humans shared a brief look.
"It can't be too much further now." the Kharachian put forth, "With the speed of the zombies and how long ago they retreated, they are not exactly fast at travelling through the woods."
"What're yer plans when we find them manling?" the dwarf asked cautiously. "If it's the lair of a Vampire, as well armed as we might be, we can't storm back in there jus' the four of us. 'Specially if there's a wraith as well."
Crow frowned, nodding as if this hadn't occured to him. "We assess their strength, if we can, we reduce their strength and then we try and find the site of this ritual and see what can be found there."
"We need to be careful not to be discovered Crow. If things go bad we need to run, we don't stand much chance of a straight up fight." Eliana said, leaning forward. "We all find it abhorrant to leave undead undestroyed but sometimes we have no choice. Better to leave them to exist a few hours longer with to ensure their destruction than to try and destroy them immediately with no chance of wiping them all out."
"I know Eliana, just because I am a follower of Kharach does not mean I seek to throw my life away needlessly while their is still His work to be done." the Kharachian snapped.
Addy laid a hand on Crow's hand, as if to soothe him. "So we go in, we look around we leave." she smiled. "Sounds good to me. Let's go."
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