The rain seemed to be driving down even harder outside the city. The ground was already saturated and water was beginning to accumulate. Lonna headed north. She hadn't traveled far when a lightning bolt illuminated the area and revealed something moving a little ways off. Seconds later a second bolt lit up the sky and she got a good look at it. There were five or six creatures padding through the storm, heading east. They were a lot like a large dog. Perhaps a little bigger than a guard dog with long forelegs with finger-like clawed toes and a short snout. Their short, stiff, brown fur was matted down with rain. Lonna realized exactly what they were and just how dangerous they were. They were trotting along at a fairly slow pace and either hadn't noticed her or didn't care.

Lonna froze where she stood. If she didn't move maybe the things would pass her by. Just in case she readied a shield spell. The swamp maulers continued to advance steadily. They were going to pass right by her. Everything she knew about them, said that these creatures wouldn't hesitate to kill her. They were perhaps twenty feet away and they still hadn't acknowledged her. Something didn't seem quite right. They passed by, maybe ten feet from her. One of them looked over, sniffed the air and bared its teeth at her, but kept walking. Then they were past and they didn't look back.

Lonna would have let out a sigh of relief but realized she hadn't taken a breath in awhile. Not having to breathe while in the sewer had been a blessing she had taken advantage of. Now she waited until she could no longer hear the beasts before she moved on, wondering if their odd behavior had anything to do with the spell cast by those of the temple, her sister had mentioned there was more to come. However, a single pack of maulers would be little more than an annoyance to an army...

Lonna traveled for hours under dark heavy clouds pouring rain and lightning. Thankfully she saw no other creatures, but with the thick rain she saw little of anything. The forests were dark and one way seemed much like another. She couldn't be entirely certain she was going the right way. As she continued the sky began to lighten. Finally she could see a clear break in the sky. It seemed as though there was an invisible line in the sky. To the south heavy dark clouds poured rain, but to the north was clear blue sky.

Even with her knowledge of magic the sight impressed Lonna. It wasn't every day she saw the forces of nature being bent to the will of man. She could only wonder at the combined power necessary to do the job. It would be nice to dry off though, she thought as she continued northward. As soon as she found a good place to stop she would take a break and dry her things out before continuing her journey.

She stepped across the boundary, leaving the rain behind. Shortly afterwards she heard the sound of running water. The trees ended and the ground dropped away, into a large river. The dark water of the Dulas River rolled past. Lonna could make out the far bank in the distance.

This would be as good a place as any to dry off while she figured out the best way to cross the river. Knowing she wasn't a strong enough swimmer to cross here as the river moved much more rapidly than it appeared, Lonna at first thought it best to head toward the swamps to the west. But the swamps held their own dangers and she didn't want to find out just what she could and could not endure in her new condition the hard way.

That left east. Toward Borhurst. That course would bring it's own dangers but at least they were familiar ones. She had already proven to herself she could still pass for one still among the living if the lighting was poor and she were careful. She would head toward the town and hide out until dark. Then she would cross the river at the bridge.