Chapter 4

- She sits up and hold the blanket around for warmth as the hearth has gone cold.

- She guessed Tad had draped it over her while she had slept.

- The veterans of Lindale treated her with respect, but sometimes that acted as if she were their favorite granddaughter spoiling her until she let them know she could handle herself.

- She dresses quickly and the veterans that were just getting up keep themselves busy to give her some semblance of privacy in the small guard house.

- Her uniform was stiff from dying over the fire all night but it fit well and would loosen up during the day.

- One of the other veterans Loril finished packing bags with provisions for the road.

- He hands one to Tad one to Ashlynn and takes one for himself.

- Tad turns to Ashlynn "Ready to return to Ebonhold?"

- Ashlynn nods and they head out the door.

- Loril Heads around the back of the Guard post and grabs an Ilbex pulling a small cart filled with sacks grain from Lindale.

- The three head down the road southwest out of town.

- After walking for a bit Ashlynn stretches and asks Loril, "So what did you pack for breakfast?"

- Loril smiles and says "your favorite."

- Ashlynn quickly takes her pack off while still walking and looks inside to find half a loaf of spiced bread.

- She quickly takes it out and digs in. smiling and thanking Loril. who just smiles back.

- As they walk the sun goes from warming their backs to heating their shoulders as it approaches noonday.

- They have passed onto the main road leading to Ebonhold but it is still empty. Not many people travel this far north.

- Lindale is one of the few recent frontier villages in the area.

- At midday they take a break to eat some lunch. Just north off the road in a forest glade.

- As they are getting the food out of their packs The Ilbex suddenly snaps it head north. Something spooked it.

- A Firewing bursts from the underbrush as all three reach for their weapons.

- Tad and Loril have hands on longswords at their hips and Ashlynn reaches out for her spear propped against a near by tree.

- They breath a collective sigh of relief.

- All of a sudden a stonepaw bursts from the underbrush Swiping one of it's huge paws at Loril.

- The paw strikes him in his chest as he tries to get his sword out. There is a clang like metal on stone and a spay of blood as Loril tumbles back stopping when he hits a tree.

- Ashlynn's instincts kick in and she grabs her spear as the stonepaw takes a swipe at Tad.

- Tad is able to duck the blow as he draws his sword. Striking as he draws he lands a hit on the upper arm of the stonepaw and it growls with pain.

- More wary now it backs up looking for an opening. The Ilbex is in a full panic and is trying to free itself from the tree it was tied to.

- Ashlynn glances over to where Loril is lying motionless. Tad's yell of "Miller! Focus on the threat!" bring her back to the fight.

- As Tad yells the stonepaw makes it's move and lunges forward

- When it get's close it rears up on it's hind legs clawing at Tad who is closer

- It crashes to the ground and Tad tried to dodge again. As he does so he twists his ankle and doesn't fully make it. One of the paws rakes across his back.

- Aslynn dodged to the other side and stabs her spear deep into it's side seeking the heart.

- There is a simultaneous cry of pain from the veteran and the beast as they both fall.

- Ashlynn pushes the spear deeper twisting. The beast lets out a final wheeze of pain that ends in a gurgle

- Pulling her spear from the beast Ashlynn rushes over to Tad and pulls him from under the huge paw. He winces in pain as his already tattered shirt starts turning red from blood.

- Rushing to the cart Ashlynn empty's one of the sacks of grand uses the sack to bind Tad's wounds as best she can.

- She walks over to Loril who is laying on his stomach and not moving. There are no visible wounds on his back but the ground around him is already red with blood. As she turns him over she sees the gaping wound in his neck.

- He throat is a complete mess of torn tissue and blood. And even in this short time he is starting to feel cool to her touch. His eyes stare lifelessly into the treetops. She closes his eyes and lays him down at the base of the tree.

- There is a snap behind her as the Ilbex finally breaks free of it's bonds. It runs off across the road and into the forest to the south.

- It is at this moment that Tad collapses the temporary bandage starting to turn red with blood.

- Thinking quick Ash dumps most of the bags of grain out of the cart. She lifts Tad into it and then grabbing both his and Loril's swords she hefts the card and starts down the road at the fastest pace she can manage.