The ground sloped gently downhill as Ash and Ryke made their way Westwards, the scrub trees and brush thicker in small areas, was easy to move through, and maintain a steady direction. After almost an hour, the two were able to learn a few more things bout their foes. The halfhorses could move much faster than the rest, and there were two of them. There were also ten of them total, though it took about four miles of tracking to figure out that two of them, would stop and move on all fours for hundreds of yards at a time.

The four miles went by at a fast clip. Both of the youths were energetic and driven by a sense of excitement and adventure. They were quiet when they spoke to one another, both of them seeming to have a generous respect for their task and a love of the road that fell easily under their feet.

Ash, ever the imp, allowed Ryke's keen eye to take the lead as she busied herself with having some fun. Scampering up the occasional tree for a look out, balancing on fallen logs or tight walking fence rails, and somersaulting down the steeper inclines when they were positively too tempting to resist - which seemed to be more times than not.

"I'm glad ya came with us." She commented to him at one point when her energy was on a down swing. "What didja parents think about cha leavin'?"

Ryke was quiet for a long time, using his attention on the tracks as an excuse to gather his thoughts. "They were okay with it," he replied after a bit. "My pa, he's traveled a bit himself, so he understands. My mam...well, she wasn't as keen on it." He smiled wanly. "Made a bit of a fuss, really. Doesn't like her "baby boy" going off, and all that." He shook his head. "But me and Pa convinced her. I don't know. I just had to get away for a bit. All the stories I've heard...I just knew that I had to see some of it for myself."

Ash nodded, her curiosity satisfied for the moment. "So, yer not as big a momma's boy as Grissom is." Her tone indicated that was a good thing.

He looked up, the first time he'd made eye contact with her. "How 'bout you?"

She shrugged at that. "I ain't got no parents to speak of an I don't get 'motional about stuff. Warden and Liser will miss me, won't know what ta do with all the time they used ta spend keepin' me outta trouble." Ash grinned merrily at that. "I suspect I'll be missin' Grissom some, he's a good chum when he ain't stupid."

The youths had fallen completely quiet as the trail led on, automatically falling into an unexpected rhythm, as they communicated quietly with obvious gestures. Pointing this way or that, indicating an ear to listen, and stooping almost simultaneously to investigate a telling track mark. The further they went, the more they were a able to learn just from the tracks left behind by their quarry.

There were two halfhorses, two that could run on all fours, and six in booted feet. Heavy. Over 275 lbs easy, and they seemed to be able to run hard, for long distances without stopping. Game trails breaking round the heavier thickets carried the tracks of all but the ones who dropped to the ground. They seemed to move into the thickets …. seemingly randomly. It was almost Two pm give or take a few minutes when they found one thicket that was heavily tramped, and cut with sharp heavy blades, for some reason.

Ryke stopped, studying the thicket with furrowed brow. His eyes darted left and right, moving from detail to detail but not necessarily being able to put the pieces together. Was it a trap? Were they hunting something--or someone--else? He didn't know these creatures, not their habits, their thoughts, their tactics. There was no way to know what they were up to at any given moment. He exhaled slowly through his nose, frustration mounting.

This time, Ash pointed at a nearby tree and raised her brow in a questioning manner. He could sense that she was eager to shimmy up it to see if there was anything more to be told about the break in this thicket. At his nod, she shimmied up the trunk of the tree till she reached the lowest branch, when the challenge of it ended. She swung upwards into the thinner, younger branches of the upper tree. Finally high enough to get a clear look at the surrounding terrain, Ash saw empty game trails, but quite a bit of disturbed ground on the far side.

Taking a closer look at the ground around the thicket revealed that most of the Orcks had taken up position around it, then the ones who moved on all fours went into the thicket and flushed a family of boars from its thorny depths. A chase ensued, and several hundred yards to the west, it was ended. The remains of an adult boar, torn and chewed, lay scattered about a small clearing where it had been eaten alive.

"Looks like there might be somethin' up a bit further." Ash said in a hushed tone. "Some of the ground's all messled up. Maybe a camp, or somethin'."

"We need to be careful," Ryke said in low tones. "Boars aren't easy game. My pa and I use dogs to flush 'em out and we try and get one with a spear, but they're dangerous. Anyone or anything who can do that--" he gestured at the remains. "Smart as a man, as vicious as any beast of the forest. That's a thing to be respected." He locked eyes with Ash. "Careful, yeah?"

Ash's eyes grew wide and sober at Ryke's theory. It was obviously something she hadn't considered in her hurry to discover the beasts they were tracking. "Yeah." She repeated in an unusually sober tone. "Careful."

The two scouts began moving slower, following the trails left by their quarry, as the sun began to genuinely Wester they began to think of how the darkness came suddenly this close to the feet of the mountains, and thoughts of heading back to meet up with the others began creeping into both of their minds. A fresh respect had them moving from tree to tree, trying not to make much noise, and that cut down on the speed of their travel. At this speed, they would likely not catch up to their prey in time to make the sundown meeting at Gryphon Rock.

Ryke could tell that his companion wasn't ready to call it quits. She'd already dodged, quite skillfully, two conversations about when they should call it quits and head back.

Finally the young ranger pulled up short. He frowned at the trail ahead of them then turned to face Ash.

"Look here," he said without preamble. "Either we turn back now or we don't make the meet-up in time. If we keep going we might find out more, but we're also getting further away from any help we might get, and I'm not too keen on running into these things in the dark. From all the stories I've heard, Orck-kind do pretty well in the dark." He waved a hand at the trail. "There's not much we're going to learn anyway, not with them staying ahead of us." He rested one hand on the pommel of his dagger, one finger tapping absently. "I say we turn back now."

Ash looked longingly at the horizon while Ryke spoke, her stance wide with a hand on each hip. Surprisingly when she finally spoke, she didn't have an argument for him. "Fine. I'd have liked ta have seen 'em, but they're countin' on us ta make that meetin'."

Ryke blinked. He'd been expecting her to disagree. "Well...good." He nodded, once, then offered, "And I would've liked to have seen them, too." He, too, took a moment to study the horizon before taking a deep breath.

"Let's start back, then," he said. "Slow at first, so as not to lay down too many tracks. We'll pick up speed the further we get away."

"Okay." Ash said, amiably enough, after casting once last regretful look in the other direction.

The two hunters made their way back eat, towards the spine of the ridge, and the road beyond. In the North, and West the mountains rose high above them, the sun slipping inexorably behind them. They covered their tracks well at first, but the deepening shadows slowly changed their priority to covering ground instead. Within a mile of the road by Ryke's reckoning, they literally ran across more weird prints in the soft earth, but had no time to try to make sense of the mix of boots and wolf paws.

It wasn't the same group, and that was obvious. Neither of them even needed to say it, they went back to covering their noise as they approached the road.

Ryke's countenance grew steadily more stern. He couldn't help but feel they'd made a mistake in trying to find the one party. Obviously there was more than one group of Orck-kind out there. The book was important to them, that was obvious. Important enough to risk going into town? The idea of it made Ryke shudder. They had to stop thinking like adventurous kids and start thinking like adults.

What would Pa do? he thought in response. What would Nabis do?

Run like hell, came the immediate reply. Do what they set out to do and get the book as far away from the town as they could.

"Now that doesn't look too good." Ash whispered quietly as she appraised the new sets of tracks. Seeing the look on Ryke's face, she continued. "...but it don't look too bad neither."

With caution the new order of the day, the two scouts tried to find a middle ground between quiet and fast. It wasn't going so badly, but when they got to within a hundred yards of the road, they both began sticking strictly to the lengthening shadows, carefully rolling their steps to avoid noise. It seemed if the Orck-kind were watching anything, they'd likely be watching the road.

They found some concealment in a wide expanse of tall ferns that grew right tot the roads edge. Studying the far side, and up and down hill nothing moved more substantial than squirrels. They had begun looking at one another, to decide who would cross first, when they heard the oddest jingling, a very faint tinkling.

The sound brought Ash to a complete halt as she turned towards the sound, loosing the strap that held her bow on her back.

Ryke slid to a halt beside Ash, down on one knee, the other slightly forward. He quickly shifted his spear to a two-handed grip and became instantly still as he strained to pick up any sound or movement around them.

The jingling and clinking was growing louder, and plainly coming from down hill. The noise's maker must have been a lot closer than it sounded though, because a wavy black head of hair, attached to a lovely young woman came striding up the ridge, her necklaces jingling as they rattled on her wrists. A few more strides and her face became visible. Saeyll Aditi, who along with her mother sang at all the festivals and weddings.

Ash turned to Ryke and gave him an alarmed look, wanting to quietly tell the girl to hush her jewelry up, but avoid an overenthusiastic greeting. She crept up the hill a bit, sticking to the shadow of the ferns until she was nearer to her.

Saeyll felt very much the black sheep and not because of her black woolen dress. Far from Ghal and home she roamed now through unfamiliar pastures, quite literally. This was the realm of shepherds, grassy slopes where sheep usually grazed, passing like grey clouds over green seas. Now there were no shepherds, no sheep, only flocks of growing shadow beneath the encroaching forest. Saeyll was unsure whether that flock offered safety or threatened danger and she did not know whether the ignorance of what moved in the gloom was a blessing or a vulnerability. She only knew her destination lay before her, help far behind, and the frightening unknown all around - and she a lone little lamb in very real danger of being shorn. As the toothy jaws of the mountain peaks closed upon the sun and the wolf that was night began to prowl ever closer her heart quickened and with it her pace.

It took a great deal of effort for Ash not to allow the pretty girl to pass her. Her inner imp wanted nothing more than to sneak up on her and give her a proper scare, but events as they were, it simply wasn't an option. At least not a good one. So she stepped out from the shadows of the ferns, just before Saeyll passed her. A silent finger to her lips as she haled her with a quiet "Pssst."

Ash Roiden, the bane of Four Rivers, stood quietly on the path with an uncustomary look of seriousness upon her face. Her boy cut hair lay flat with sweat against her pretty face, and she held her bow loosely at her side. She'd placed in a tournament or two and Saeyll was quite certain that she knew how to use it, what she wasn't sure of is why she had it loose. Perhaps that heart of hers had a good reason for racing.

Saeyll made no cry though her earrings trembled with a startled cling as she halted sharply. For a moment she stared with astonishment at this lithe woodland sprite, certain the evening breeze had stirred her from the trees so silent and sudden her appearance. And then she saw the haunted look in eyes of hazel, mirroring the alarm in her own, and knew it was not the wind. For the first time since passing the last of the ridge tenants fleeing towards Lanburg Saeyll had more concern for another than for herself.

"Are you well?” she half whispered, half mouthed, stepping closer to the sylph. “You should not be here. Why did you not go down with the others?"

Ash gave Saeyll an impish grin.

"The question is," Ryke said quietly, rising from his spot and stepping forward. "Is why you are here at all." His eyes continued to scan the terrain around them, but there was a reproachful glint to them whenever they landed on the singer.

The copper discs dangling from Saeyll's ears jingled again as she gazed at the blue-eyed shadow that had risen from the underbrush to glare down upon her. She blinked twice, taken aback by his tone, but conceded it was a fair question.

"I'm looking for…" Saeyll trailed off thoughtfully, looking from one to the other. On her own the nymph had not been suspect, but the girl’s unusually cropped hair and the dark demeanor of her protective shade fit the descriptions she had been given, even if the tally did not. “You,” she said, the apprehension on her face slipping into the comfortable warmth of a smile. “I was sent to find you.” And then the smile was gone. She had been sent after five, but only two were before her, and they harrowed and hunted. Had tragedy already befell?

“Where are the others?” she asked with breathless unease.

Ryke's brow furrowed. "To find us?" He glanced at Ash, confused, then turned his attention back to Saeyll. "Why?" Real fear touched his features. "Is something wrong back in town?"

"Rest easy. Lanburg is as you left it this morning. They make preparations for the worse, but if we perform our task well they'll see naught. It was a mutual friend who thought I might be of some use. Young Mr. Onomang asked that I come in his stead." It was near enough to the truth to sound it and if it endeared Lucas to his friends she was glad of the small deception.

Ryke's relief was visible. He briefly closed his eyes as if in prayer.

"They should be at Gryphon rock by the river bank.  We're heading to meet 'em now.  Wanna come?" Ash kept her voice quiet as she spoke, her head swiveling and eyes watchful of their surroundings.

"That was my intention. I am to go where the book goes. To what purpose I do not myself know, but I am glad to help where I may. And I'd much prefer not to spend this night on my own," she confessed with a meek smile. "My name is Saeyll and if Lucas's account serves me you must be Miss Rhoiden and you are Mr. Blackwood," she said with courteous nod to both. "I'm prepared to follow where you lead."

"I'm not Miss nothin'."  Ash said with a sour pucker and a visible shudder.  "Call me Ash.  ...and keep up if you can!"  Here she gave the newcomer a big grin, as she sprinted back into the protective shade of the trees and headed up the hill.

"It's Ryke," the young ranger said, giving the retreating form of Ash a disapproving glance. "And...well, she's right. We need to move fast." He took a step backwards and gestured with his hand. "If you please."

Her intrinsic trust for the newly met guides notwithstanding, Saeyll hesitated on the threshold of the wild. Unlike Ash and Ryke she was not a native woodland creature and the little black lamb cast a timid look into the forest. Reluctance did not last long, however, and with a smile to Ryke more for her encouragement than his she set her pack and bounded after the fleetfooted nymph, tinkling with her own delicate step.

Ash began to lead the threesome across country, angling up and across the ridge, towards Gryphon rock. With Saeyll in the middle and Ryke in a trailing position, they began to make good time. Twice more they passed tracks in their path. Smaller groups of the Orck-Kind, the tracks becoming easier to recognize the more they were encountered. Small groups of Orcks had criss-crossed the lands south of the farmsteads of Ramhorn the night before, that much was becoming obvious.

With a quick and silent motion, Ash would bend at each set of tracks and point them out to Saeyll.  Figuring that it was never too soon to start familiarizing her with the tracks of their pursuers.  Ryke would wait patiently but it was clear he wasn't in the mood to stop and train anyone. He kept his eyes on the surrounding countryside, his spear in his hand, during each stop.

The three had closed to within an hour of the rock, and an hour till nightfall proper, when Ash's keen eye noticed something out of place along the edge of a small copse of trees. just to the left of her intended path. It looked like something had torn branches from trees, and leaned them up against a trunk of another, in an approximation of a thicket, but it was obviously a blind that wouldn't have fooled the most oblivious deer.

Ash came to an abrupt halt and motioned for her companions to do the same, as she hurried back to join them.  Her first order of business, was to still Saeyll jingling necklaces by lying a soft hand upon her neck.

Saeyll clasped her own hands about her earrings to keep them from betrayal and nodded her understanding. What had been a source of comfort to her in the eerie silence of the day’s trek were become dangerous liabilities. Something had spooked Ash and Saeyll did not intend to provoke whatever lay ahead by mere vanity. Slowly and with care she began to doff her trinkets, holding them tight to still their clamor. They would still pose a threat tucked away together in the pouch about her waist so stooping she obliged the dark bole of tree to be their eternal keeper. It was not without a twinge of regret. Only recently had she been so bold as to wear the decorations secreted to her by Cahlan years before, outward signs of her growing independence. A single bracelet she slipped carefully into the folds of her pouch with the notion it might yet serve a useful purpose.

Seeing Ash come to an abrupt halt (and trying to still the jingling-jangling Saeyll), Ryke came to a stop in his traditional pose, sliding to one knee, spear in hand as he strained eyes and ears to see what she might have found. Hearing nothing of immediate concern he crept forward slowly until he grew close, coming up next to the others and trying to see what might have spooked Ash.

"Up ahead and on the left."  Ash whispered with great care.  "Someone or somethin' has set up a blind ta try and hide themselves."  The shadow from the shade helped hide the worried look that flitted across her features.  "I'm not sure if'n we can get by 'em unless we go way around."

Ryke studied the spot, chewing on his lip. "Doesn't look like much of a blind," he allowed. "Have you seen any movement?"

"Nope."  Ash admitted.  "I can shoot an arrow in and see if'n it moves."

The young ranger considered that for several long moments, staring at the blind. "No," he finally said. "That's not...no." He studied the blind and the approach carefully, then said, "I'll work my way towards it at an angle, then come up on it. You keep your bow read and her," he nodded toward Saeyll, "quiet. I don't know why anyone would even bother with something like that--I can't imagine it working very well--but we should find out, just in case."

Saeyll nodded her silent agreement and settled herself beside Ash. She was tense, but for reasons different than her companions. The blind seemed too obvious to be a trap and if their pursuers knew they were coming with enough advance to prepare the diversion they knew too that they had the majority and the trio the disadvantage. A ruse was unnecessary.

It was this reasoning that gave her discomfort. Most of the locals had fled, yet it was possible some unfortunate had lagged behind and wound up far from the beaten path through fear or misfortune. An injured person might have a difficult time constructing a proper shelter and with that realization Saeyll did not know which she feared finding most within the blind: enemy or friend. There was little help to be had for the wounded, an especially poignant concern as Ryke put himself at risk.

Sensing her new companions discomfort, Ash sent a roguish wink in her direction.  Her bow still loosed and at the ready.  Even though Saeyll didn't know her, it seemed as though she had some experience with intense situations.

Taking his time and keeping his spear at the ready, Ryke moved off at an angle, heading away from Ash but not necessarily closer to the blind. He stepped carefully, used what cover was available, and hoped he was quiet enough. Every step seemed loud to him, every heartbeat resounding in his ears--even his own breathing--but he persevered, eventually reaching a position where he could turn back toward the blind. At that angle he would approach from the front corner, giving him ample room to maneuver without compromising Ash's shot with the bow, should it come to that.

Lengthening shadows helped the approach, staying low in the standing fodder of last years long grasses, and moving from the depths of the shadow of one tree to the next, confidence began to grow. No movement or noise came from the ridiculous blind. Closer and closer he crept until finally, on hands and knees, his shoulders level with the fuzzy tops of the grasses, a noise reached his ears. A very inhuman grunting. Slow, and steady. He had heard enough cows and pigs and even bears sleeping to know an animal snoring when he heard it. An animal sleeping behind a blind that blocked it's view out just as well as it blocked the young woodsman's view in.

In the brush that Ryke had left, Ash remained still at Saeyll's side.  Her bow was tensed and her arrow drawn, her breathing slow and deep as she willed whatever was going to happen, to happen already. Her companion was equally still, only her eyes fidgeting between the blind and the tip of Ash's arrow. Both disturbed Saeyll, though the thought of violence was somehow more distressing than the thought of personal danger. That Ash seemed so calm and comfortable with the prospect was in itself unsettling. The pixie had such a sweet face and thoughtful manner Saeyll was already attached to the girl. Ash did not begrudge her presence. The boy, however, was less patient. Her eyes had followed him, too, until he disappeared with the same skill of shadow with which he had first appeared. He was lost to the gloom of impending night and as long moments passed Saeyll drew increasing comfort from Ash's steady presence, if not her steady bow.

Ryke almost flinched, when he realized he'd approached a sleeping sentry. One that definitely wasn't human. They needed to go around, no doubts about it. He slid back through the tall pasturegrass, and turned, making his way back towards the waiting girls. He made his way back into a deeper shadow under the boughs of an old Ironwood, and rose to his feet. That was when luck finally betrayed him.

*SNACKT*

Two inches of dry rotted branch, buried under the fodder of last years tall grass gave under the weight of his right foot. He had crawled right over it, and not even felt it. Pheasant hunters called them covey jumpers, and sheep herds called them ankle breakers, but none of that mattered now.

Even the ignorant wretch of a sentry, who had never seen a tree before last night, recognized that sound as unnatural, and awoke with a start.

"Hmm?! Fuck!" The curse was malformed, as if spoken by something not meant to speak. "HYOOMINNNN!!" The call went out, and plainly other things, deeper in the copse began to move.

Saeyll frowned more at the vulgar language than their stealth undone. "You know," she whispered stiffly to Ash, "when Lucas told us of your plan I wondered how you were going to alert the ork-kind to your presence and entice them to give chase rather than enter Lanburg. Ryke has solved the first riddle. I think I can solve the second." Slipping her spell book from her pouch she dangled it before Ash. "I have not seen the book you carried. Perhaps we can hope these creatures have not either. Do you think sight of this would lure them away with us?" Saeyll had not come on this venture to be idle or useless, even if that meant playing the part of bait.

Ash's warm eyes considered the book for a moment, sparing two precious seconds from where the point of her arrow was aimed.  "Wouldn't hurt."  She whispered.  "...but for now, we need ta stay hidden."

Saeyll nodded and slipped the book away, wondering how long it would be possible to stay hidden in the same cover their foes now moved through and hoping that 'not long' would at least be long enough.

Ryke turned in place with an almost-panicked look on his face. He could kick himself for his fool clumsiness! For a moment he wasn't sure what to do, so disgusted was he with his mistake. He cursed his hesitation and began running away from the blind but not directly toward Ash and Saeyll. If he could lead the creatures away perhaps Ash could get a decent count of their foes, or at least a decent look. Then it was just a matter of staying alive long enough to get back to where the others were.

The rogue's keen ears picked up the sound of Ryke's hurried pace.  Her heart was thundering in her ears, and she could only imagine how loudly his own heart must be pounding.  She forced her fingers to be steady and spared another glance and reassuring wink to Saeyll.

Saeyll returned the look, but not the reassurance. If Ryke ran too far or too fast he would be beyond their help; on the other hand, if he did not run far or fast enough he would be... Saeyll stiffened with fear and focus. She could not permit their foes to outpace them by much, but if Ryke could hold their attention it would allow Ash and herself to come upon them from behind, lending the advantage to the duo. Yet even now she did not like to think what might be the result of that advantage, another uncomfortable glance cast at the sharp tip of Ash's willing arrow.

Ryke's dash in the direction of Gryphon Rock began well enough, he made ten strides before the villain whose nap had been interrupted appeared from behind his blind. Six feet tall, and broad at the shoulders, its body seemed very human. Had it not been for the goat-face, and the horns, and the night-black fur, it almost could have been mistaken for anyone else in the four rivers.

Those ten strides turned out to be valuable distance, as the Orck planted his feet, and raised a very heavy looking crossbow. The sound of the trigger mechanism letting the bow snap straight cut through the sounds of the forest ahead of the bolt, which glanced off the leather hauberk the Ranger had donned. Ryke spared one glance backward with fear-rimmed eyes and tried to vary his path somewhat without losing speed.

"Be ready to run." Ash suggested to her companion.  "If we get separated, we meet at Gryphon Rock."  Ash moved her bow to match the Orck's movement.

?

After hearing Saeyll's acknowledgment she inhaled deeply, and exhaled as she loosed the straining arrow, caribou tendon string, Ironwood bow, and Ash's own skill sent the shaft whistling across the pasture towards her target. Jordan Quopols razor-sharp arrowhead sliced through the leather hauberk of the sentry, and pushed deep into his ribcage. Without hesitation Ash's second arrow was knocked, drawn, aimed and fired.

"YYYYYYYYYYYOWFUCCCKKKKKKK!!!!" The orck howled, even with one functioning lung his pain filled the prairie lands, greeting Ash's second arrow as it cut through the cry, the air, and found a home in its targets right leg. Already blood was streaming down his chest, as he whirled to find his new attacker, those goat eyes squinting through the failing light, malice and hatred shining through them.

Ryke slid to a halt and took in the scene behind him. He grinned at the protruding arrows. He glanced in the direction Ash should be. "Time to fly, Little One!" he called out. "We have their attention now! Let's get to the rock!"

The rogues face was still flat and serious at the events that were unfolding.  "Let's go?"  It came out equal amounts statement and question, as she nodded her head away from the beast.

? (so long as Saeyll is willing to go, feel free to write Ash fleeing with her.)

The goat-faced Orck began to reload his crossbow, pulling hard on the string to bend its mighty steel bow, determined to skewer the archer who had turned him into an evil shish kebab, but it was already too late. He saw the two girls pop up out of the brush and run, and he saw a book in one's hand. Vokom had brought them across the continent to get a book, and there one was. He began to yell, alerting his companions.

"The book! Theyy-yyy haa-aave the boo-ook." His malformed mouth seemed more suited to the braying of a goat than speaking in the common tongue, but even as their feet began to fly towards Gryphon Rock, all of the youths could plainly hear his message. Dodging the branches and parting the pasture grass as they ran, each with their own thoughts and fears, it was what happened next that chilled them to their bones.

A horn call, thin and eerie, pierced the dusky sky from behind them, and before they  made another hundred yards, other distinct horn calls could be heard, answering the first.

Ryke's heart skipped a beat. Where before they had planned on simply gauging the strength of the enemy, now they had the hunters on their trail. And they were heading to Gryphon Rock, where the rest of their party awaited without a clue as to what was coming.

"Ash!" He called out, fear redoubling his efforts. "Come on! We have to stay ahead of them!"