The dense forest made the group's movement extremely slow as they headed eastward, toward Thurmaster. Oleanne spent much of the day scowling and taking off without the rest of the group. She went off alone several times, although she and the wolves always made their way back to the group. Horse tired often; he wasn't a pack animal to begin with, and these were hardly ideal conditions for him to try out a new career. He required them to stop often during the day and finally for the night earlier than they might have otherwise.
Aloysius wearily took off his pack and set it next to a tree in the camp area. "Glad will I be to be out of this forest finally," he said. He reddened slightly and added, "no offense to thee Oleanne, but this be not my favorite environs."
"Stargazer shall be happy to take his usual dawn watch, if the rest of thee agree. I can't see at all in the dark as some of you can, and I need the time to study my spell book anyway."
Once told what that watches were the topic of conversation, Jyothki eagerly spoke up. "May I have a watch?" she asked quickly. "I'm good at watching. I can see in the dark, and truth to tell its kind of boring when you start studying those spells and everybody is just waking up. I can watch from a tree, and if I fall out you'll know I was sleeping."
Jana was fiercely protective of her horse. She flatly refused to push him and possibly contributed to a little horsie dramatics on his part. Once they reached camp, she immediately removed the chests and everything else and gave him a thorough brushing.
Jana listened intently as Jyothki and Kaileer spoke loud enough for her to feel she wasn't eavesdropping, and as anyone spoke to them in their language. She seemed to almost understand some of the words but was obviously completely baffled at other times.
"I'll take first watch if no one else wants it," Jana said. "Otherwise, I don't guess it matters much."
Etienne spent most of the day walking in silence. He helped when Horse needed it, but for the most part kept quiet and watched the woods.
"I'll take first watch if no one else wants it," Jana said. "Otherwise, I don't guess it matters much."
Etienne spoke up, "Perhaps, we should pair those who can see in the dark with those who cannot. I need to take first watch so I may pray for spells in the morning. So I guess I'm with Jana. What about the rest of you?"
"Okay," Jana agreed.
"Have we personnel 'enow to have more than one sentry at a time? Very well, since Etienne must also have sufficient rest to regain spells, he should take first watch, and perhaps having Janathell watching with him is a good suggestion as she can't see well in the dark."
He turned to the gregarious, green-haired member of the party. "Jyothki? Hast thou need of rest for purposes of obtaining spells? I know not what thy talents are specifically other than thy skill as an apothecary. Perhaps if thou hast no such need, you, Kaileer and Oleanne could all take separate watches? You and Kaileer can see in the dark, and Oleanne is keen of nose and has the wolves to help her. Stargazer could take the dawn watch and then we would all be fully prepared on the 'morrow. What do you all think of that idea?"
Kaileer shrugged, "I take watch when other need me take watch." he answered as he removed his pack and most weapons, keeping only his bow, quiver and knife.
"I go hunt," he said after making sure none of his equipment was missing, "I try be back before watch."
Aloysius tried to guage Oleanne's reaction to Kaileer's comment and then watched the elf head off into the woods. "Have a care, brave one," he said in elven. "We don't know what we might run into around the next corner."
The ranger headed off in the direction they had been going, intending to scout the terrain as he searched for something to partly replace the sickening rations for at least one meal.
Etienne looked at horse and the chests, "Perhaps, if we built a litter for the chests it would be easier on horse. The chests are not balanced well, so it has to be difficult. Dragging behind would keep the chests from getting caught in any brush."
"Do you know how to make something like that?" Jana asked hopefully. "I'm really worried about him. That's a lot of weight and where the ground's muddy... Will a litter go through mud okay?"
Etienne nodded, "I'm sure me and Kaileer can whip up something before we bed down tonight. I imagine as long as it's not deep mud the litter should move through it just fine."
Jana smiled happily. "They're gonna build you a litter," she informed her horse. The horse flicked his tail and bobbed his head up and down, which he tended to do no matter what Jana actually said to him. Nonetheless, Jana grinned and scratched around his ears, proving herself well-trained.
Aloysius eyed the chests as he listened to the discussions concerning the litter. "Hmm . . . . if you think it wise, Stargazer could prepare a spell to reduce the size of one of the chests somewhat to make its mass more bearable. Such a change would not last long, however. If you would like for me to attempt that, please advise."
"Couldn't that hurt whatever's in the chests?" Jana asked. "Besides, if it's not at least half the day, it's not worth the trouble."
"Oh no," replied the mage. "There shouldn't be any adverse affects on the contents at all, other than a decrease in size."
A wave of melancholy swept across his face. "Thou art correct about the length of time. I simply tried to offer . . . what I have . . . to offer," he added softly.
He then dug around in his pack and withdrew a vial containing a golden colored liquid. He removed the stopper, took a drink from the vial, and then replaced the stopper before returning the vial to his pack. He then began to forage around the camp area for firewood.
"I think I'll go practice with my bow before it gets too dark," Jana said, after she'd convinced her horse the scratch was indeed over, dammit. She looked for a suitable large target and began to fire arrows at it with exaggerated concentration.
Etienne smiled as he watched Jana talk to horse then go off for practice. After that he started looking for suitable materials to build the litter with.
