Walking Down a Sunlit Path

The fox hopped away, letting them set camp. After Alex got the water he needed, she looked into the river.

Fish. Big fish.



She took her human form (tail included) and gently rested her fingers on the water's surface. To the average fish, It was like a bug, luring them close. As soon as they got close, she snatched it out of the water and held it against the ground until it stopped moving. She readied to catch another.

Neeshka did indeed find Alex amusing as she followed his instructions and watched him carefully. After setting up a lean-to for all of them and a shelter for their captive, she sat at the fire cutting up tubers and keeping an eye on Alex's actions, assessing his body and the way it moved partially due to his looks and partially to see what kind of person he was. Well, more because of his looks than anything else.

Nees looked up and noticed Fox change into part human and stared at her for a moment then went back to watching Alex, figuring someone would explain this phenomenon to her soon.



It didn't take too long for Avera to return. She'd had the same idea as Alex and Fox when she noticed the fish wiggling about in the stream and had five nicely skewered on a hand made pike as she returned. By now she had begun to feel better and was singing a little tune while she walked back into camp.

"I'm home. Anyone miss me?" She noticed the fish by Fox, "Dang Fox! That's one heck of a catch."

Avera's small figure emerged from the trees smoothly, the mottled colours not seeming to want to let her go. "I'm home. Anyone miss me?" she smiled, interupting her tune.

"Avera!" smiles Alex, "Hey, you brought fish, excelent." He snatched a few of the green twigs he had been burning to ward off stinging insects; the smoke stung the back of the throat a little, but Neeshka seemed to have no problems with it and Alex prefered the smell of woodsmoke to midges sucking his blood. He quickly wove the twigs into a latice to grill the fish on, as Neeshka took the fish and cleaned them, her nimble fingers and sharp knife making the normally repulsive task relatively clean and quick. Once the fish were cooking and the tubers Neeshka had prepared earlier were bubbling away in the pot, they had some spare time and conversation had to happen again. Or not... "You've got a fine singing voice, Avera," commented Alex, "You know 'The Road Goes On', by any chance? It's kind of the only song I know that's not a hymn." He wanted to talk with Neeshka, as well as Avera and heck, he even wanted to get to know Fox, if she'd just put on some clothes. The problem was though, that Fox clearly didn't trust him and whenever he tried to speak with Neeshka, his tounge stilled itself in his mouth. Avera was just aproachable though; there was something about her that made the him feel at ease. Alex began to have his suspicions that there might be more to the diminutive halfling than met the eye.

((The song I mentioned is on Youtube. Ignore the elven parts, eh? Don't think any of us speak it.))

"I see I have been missed. Or at least my hunting skills have been." Avera chuckled as she handed Nees the fish and dropped to the ground in a lotus position then patted the ground beside her for Fox.

"You've got a fine singing voice, Avera. You know 'The Road Goes On', by any chance? It's kind of the only song I know that's not a hymn."

"Oh yes, Vera, a tune!" Neeshka smiled happily at Alex's suggestion.

The halfling grinned and took a flute out of her bag at her side, "Thank you for the praise. The Knight-Captain and I used to spend hours coming up with songs to see whom would blush first but those are not suitable for such tender ears as yours.." She laughed heartily, "Let me see ... 'The Road Goes On' you say?" She closed her eyes, lifting the flute to her lips and slowly started up a tune. Once the tone was exactly how she wanted it to start up the song she sang in a clear, distinct voice:

There's a Road
Calling you to stray.
Step by step
Pulling you away.

Under Moon and Star
Take the Road
No matter how far.

Where it leads
No-one ever knows
Don't look back
Follow where it goes.
Far beyond the Sun
Take the Road
Wherever it runs.

The Road goes on
Ever ever on
Hill by hill
Mile by mile
Field by field
Stile by stile.
The Road goes on
Ever ever on

The Road goes on
Ever ever on
Hill by hill
Mile by mile
Field by field
Stile by stile.
The Road goes on
Ever ever on

Mountain and valley
And pasture and meadow
Stretching unending
For mile after mile.
Fenland and moorland
And shoreline and canyon
Bordered by hurdle
And hedgerow and stile

One more mile
Then it's time to eat
Pick some pears,
Succulent and sweet.

To the farthest shore.
Take the Road
A hundred miles more.

Sweet pink trout
Tickled form a stream
Milk a goat,
Churn it into cream.

Far beyond the Sun
Take the Road
Wherever it runs.

The Road goes on
Ever ever on
Moor by moor
Glen by glen
Vale by vale
Fen by fen
The Road goes on
Ever ever on.

See the Road flows past your doorstep
Calling for your feet to stray
Like a deep and rolling river
It will sweep them far away.

Just beyond the far horizon
Lies a waiting world unknown
Like the dawn its beauty beckons
With a wonder all its own.

Mountain and valley
And pasture and meadow
Stretching unending
For mile after mile.
Fenland and moorland
And shoreline and canyon
Bordered by hurdle
And hedgerow and stile.

Avera held the last note and let it die away like wind song through reeds.

The fox came up to the camp in animal form, dragging two fish behind her. She left one near the fire for whoever wanted it and took the other to one side of the fire, eating it as it was. After all, meat was meat. Fire wasn't needed for an animal to eat it.

She didn't look up at anyone, but kept her ears alert. Avera's singing was nice, but she didn't pay much attention. In the wild, it's the not-nice sounds you need to watch for.

Alex join the singing, a smile on his face. He had a good voice from long years singing praise to the Morninglord, but next to Avera's, it paled into insignificance. Neeshka joined in too, without bothering about little things like pitch, but with a smile and enthusiasm making up for it. Alex applauded politely after Avera was finished, "You've got a rare talent there. Even when it doesn't directly tug on the weave, music has an old kind of magic in it. It's only a pitty troubadours and the like seem to forget that these days. Long live the bards, I say." He picked the trout from the fire, where they were just showing the signs of being done, "Only a pitty we don't have some cream for these," he muttered, "Or even some herbs. Ah well." The fish was fresh and hot, although unseasoned and the broth was filling. They were hungry though, so the pot hardly needed cleaning at the end.

He glanced at Fox while they were eating. It was slightly unsettling, having an animal that was still partly human. Druids, or sometimes wizards could take the shape of animals, but they were still human (or elven or whatever) underneath. Familiars and companions to rangers and paladins were also inteligent, but they were smart animals. Fox struck him more as a fox that took the form of a human, rather than the other way around and it made him uncomfortable. he made up his mind not to judge though; she was a friend, if not a particularly friendly one. "So, er..." he waved his wooden spoon awkwardly, trying to strike up a conversation with Neeshka, "How did someone like you get to know Avera? No offence meant or anything, but Tieflings aren't the most trusted people in the realms."

Having the other two join in on the music was a joy even though Fox didn't pay much heed of it. She was a strange one but Avera could understand the reasoning on why, considering that a fox could easily be hunted just as much as hunter. Her attention strayed at times to the bandit to make sure he was not trying to escape but doing so like any ranger would without letting others know she was watching.

"You've got a rare talent there. Even when it doesn't directly tug on the weave, music has an old kind of magic in it. It's only a pity troubadours and the like seem to forget that these days. Long live the bards, I say."

She smiled, "Thanks. Bards will be here for a very long time, I think. Who could resist the charms of a song?"

"Only a pity we don't have some cream for these,"

"True true. We will be at the Keep tomorrow mid morning so you'll be able to acquire a more seasoned meal."



"So, er..." Alex waved his spoon about and Neeshka giggled, "How did someone like you get to know Avera? No offense meant or anything, but Tieflings aren't the most trusted people in the realms."

Neeshka looked to Avera who shrugged and considered her words, "It's a strange ... thing. I'd been accused of stealing things I truly had not stolen for once and Avera took unkindly to the guards trying to bully me. She and a friend stopped them from doing damage to me and we've been friends ever since."

"It's a strange ... thing. I'd been accused of stealing things I truly had not stolen for once and Avera took unkindly to the guards trying to bully me. She and a friend stopped them from doing damage to me and we've been friends ever since."

Alex smiled, "Well I hope I made as good an impression, if you discount my jumpiness when you first appeared. As you can no doubt tell from our 'friend' over there, we ran into a handful of bandits earlier. I'm a bit worried they might want to try and re-pay the trouble we gave them, with intrest," he glanced up at the sun, which was slipping beyond the horrizon, leaving the glow of the camp fire as their only light, "Speaking of which, shall we sort out who's taking which watch? I call dibs on the last one before dawn." He felt a bit more certain now; if he kept his mind focused on the essential things, he could at least be reasonably sure of not putting his foot in his mouth around his new companions.

"Oh think nothing of it, Alex. I'm used to startling people in one way or another." Neeshka giggled.



"Nees will take first shift, I'll take second and you can have third." She looked to Fox, "How about that Fox? Want to take second shift with me?"

(sorry for the shortness. just can't think of much at the moment)

(I have this problem too. If it seems too short, try wiriting about your throughts or emotions in a situation, or include trivialities. It's padding, but it helps keep it respectable until the story picks up.)

"Nees will take first shift, I'll take second and you can have third."

"Great. On that note, I'm going to turn in. It's been a long day." Alex shrugged out of his armour and shirt, but, accutely conscious of his company, crawled under his blanket still half-clothed. His short sword lay by his side, loose in its sheath, but Alex was relieved that, for once, he wouldn't have to sleep with one eye open. He lay awake for a few minutes, his back to the fire, before finally drifting off to sleep.

Neeshka watched Alex remove his top clothing wishing he would also remove the bottom but no such luck. She sighed, discontented about not being able to see more than his torso but what a torso. She leaned back against a tree and smiled, watching the man go to sleep. As Avera went off to her own spot she watched to see what this "Fox" would do. That one was strange and Avera still had not commented much upon the little shape shifter. She was going to have to work on the Halfling to get the information out of her.



After sleeping the required few hours, Avera awoke before anyone could touch her. She grinned at Neeshka then took her shift.

The hours slipped past and she soon woke Alex, calmly kneeling before him. As his eyes started to open she grinned, "Good morning, Alex. There is some tea and a dead bandit off the perimeter. Which would you like to attend to first?" Her voice was melodious, if amused, even with the dark spot on her throat. She looked back at their bandit who was still tied between the two makeshift staffs looking rather scared.

"Good morning, Alex. There is some tea and a dead bandit off the perimeter. Which would you like to attend to first?"

Alex's screwed up his eyes against the dull glow of the fire as Avera woke him up, his hand automatically straying to his sword,but dropping once he recognised the halfling. Once he registered the bruise on her throat though, he quickly came fully awake. "Gods, Avera," he hissed, keeping his voice low so as not to wake Neeshka, "What did he do, get you with a slingstone?" He reached out and layed a hand over her tiny throat, gently, "Lathander of the dawn," he muttered, "I pray thee, grant thy servant the smallest spark of your vitality, that this pain may be soothed and the hurt mended." A spark of the same sunlight that had cured the bandit the day before leapt from Alex's fingers to Avera's skin, wiping away the dark spot like a damp cloth over spilled wine.

He pulled his tunic over his head and stood up, looking over to beyond the circle of firelight, glad that sleeping with his back to the fire had preserved his nightvision. Neeshka and of course, Fox would be able to see at night almost as well as clear day, but he and Avera had to struggle as best they could. He could see the shadowy outline of a corpse though, an arrow lodged squarely between its eyes. He whistled silently, a little awed by the skill needed to hit so precisely in the darkness. "Get some sleep," he said, pouring himself a little tea from the kettle over the fire. He was always impressed by the ability of halflings to be somehow able to make a really good pot of tea almost anywhere in the world. "You dealt yourself the short stick, taking middle watch. I've got it from here." He settled himself with his back to the fire, memorising the patterns the forest made so that anything not meant to be there would stand out. It was an old trick he'd learned as a boy, watching for vermin on his father's farm. He briefly wondered what had happened there in his years at the temple, but after six years, they were a fading memory and one that soon slipped away like the morning mist.

((Lathanderese clerics pray at dawn. Hence his taking the last watch. Please keep this in mind before we break camp?))

Alex's magic washed over her throat and she could feel it working, removing the throbbing sensation and making it all better. She smiled a bit sadly but did not say why as he spoke the words of invocation then waited as he got ready for his shift.

"Got me with his rope that held him there. He found a sharp rock, cut his one bond just before I gave him his food then tried to squeeze my throat." She grinned evilly back at the terrified, tied man, "He won't ever try that again. The other one just got too close. He's one of this one's group."

The little woman was tired and ready to get some sleep. She felt sore but once her head hit the pillow she was out.

(I'll remember)

"Got me with his rope that held him there. He found a sharp rock, cut his one bond just before I gave him his food then tried to squeeze my throat."

Alex glared at the prisioner, the firelight temporarily giving his eyes a cast of scarlet to match Neeshka's. He waited until Avera's blanket started to rise and fall rhythmicly, indicating she was asleep, then drew his sword, stalking across to the bandit. The man drew back as far as his ropes would allow in fear, thinking he had pushed the forgiving cleric too far. Alex lunged forward and drove his sword into the dirt next to the man's neck, "I gave you a chance," he hissed, "I spared your life through my faith in Lathander, so you would have a chance at a fair trial and maybe live on. Perhaps even walk as a free man after a stint in the dungeons. But if the life of others means so little to you, perhaps I should show you the same? We'd move a lot quicker on the morrow if I just slit your throat and hung you from a tree with 'bandit' hanging around your neck as a warning to others of your kind." He withdrew his blade and wiped it on his sleave as a frightful smell indicated the bandit had voided his bladder in fear. "If I were you, I'd think about that, my friend," Alex finished, turning back to the fire and his tea, "Re-consider what a life's worth to you."

The rest of the night slipped past without incident, following Alex's warning. Soon the blackness of the forest turned to grey and Alex stirred himself, greatful to Avera for the hot tea that had kept him awake. He walked to his bivouac and retrieved the fine sword he had forged in his dreams. It slid from the scabard with a barely a whisper and Alex busied himself checking its surface for any sign of maltreatment or tarnish. Satisfied, he knelt, facing the east, just as the first rays of the sun started to dot the landscape with colour. The dawn service had been impresive enough in the temple in Neverwinter, where mirrors and crystal lenses and stained glass magnified the glory of the Dawn Lord's gift a hundred-fold, but this was only the second time Alex had seen it in the wilds since he first joined the order and traveled north, six years ago. The sight quite simply stole his breath away. He thrust the sword a little way into the rich soil, the sunburst on its hilt serving as his holy symbol for his prayers. As the sun slowly crept over the Sword mountains, the woods seemed to glow green with re-newed health, a soft breeze setting the branches waving and spots of light and shadow dancing across the ground. Alex had chosen his spot well, just below a break in the canopy and soon all around him was bathed in a shaft of sunlight. He fought hard to keep a smug smirk off his face as he idly thought that, while the temple was impressive, they didn't have anything on this. He focused his thoughts on his god and softly began to sing the dawn prayer, his schooled voice slowly growing in strength as the sun rose, lonely for lack of the chior that he was used to singing with, but possessing not a little pride for its solitude. For a moment, as he felt Lathander's embrace warm him to the core, nothing mattered in the world but the song and his dedication. The link between cleric and diety was a sacred bond in the truest sense of the word.

((Is it wierd that while I was typing this, I had Baba Yetu running through my head? ^^; ))

The quiet hum of the morning did nothing to wake her but her internal clock did rouse the Halfling to partial wakefulness. In the wilderness she always woke early, unless she had gone and hid out in the wild due to some form of pain whether physical or mental. There was the sounds of movement then a tone, not unsavory coming from the other side of the fire. This brought the tiny woman fully awake as nothing else could do. Music always caught her attention, like any other sound, but to music she could come clean awake in a happy mood whereas other sounds would just make her want to throw a knife.

Alex`s song continued as Avera rose, coming to just behind him on whisper soft soles which only the best could hear. She almost chuckled because the best was not here today. Yet she finally stood, just behind and to his left as he sang. Avera appreciated a good voice and Alex did not disappoint. As he wound to the base of his hymn she was tempted to join in but did not, seeing the expression on his face which she knew from watching Casavir that he had come to a point where he felt his god. She waited until that subdued and he was coming down from the music, still singing then joined in.

Her lilting voice seemed to twine with his but instead of singing the words she did not know off by heart, she used tone to emphasis his song. Her eyes were closed as she felt the tune and let herself be carried away by it. Avera complimented without any attempt to take it over. It was his song and she was just there for the ride. Once it ended she sighed, a pleased smile on her face as she began to open her ice blue eyes to the magnificent sight of the rising sun.

Neeshka blinked blearily awake, momentarily transported back to her childhood, hearing the sound of holy chorus. Her first thought was more or less "Oh hells, I'm late for mass again. I'm starting the day with a lecture then." As awareness returned however, she recognised where she was and recognised the voice that sung. The words were unfamiliar, but she could tell it was the young cleric from his singing the night before. It was weird how he'd sounded so inexpert, even awkward last night, singing a well-known trail song around the fire, but now his voice rung with confidence and even a small degree of otherworldly power that slightly scared a small part inside her where her infernal blood flowed thickest. It was almost the feeling she got when Avera's stick-up-the-butt, pet paladin, Casavir called on the name of Tyr in battle. But instead of setting her teeth on edge and making her want to run somewhere far away, Alex's song instead set the hairs along the back of her neck standing on end and while her pulse raced, filling her with adrenaline, she was for once uncertain just whether she wanted to away from or towards the divine power.

She sat up, yawning and scratching behind her horns as she stretched artfully. She pouted slightly as she realised her display had been wasted; Alex had his back to her, absorbed in his song. For a moment, she toyed with the idea of flipping a pebble at him and chiding him for waking her up, but dismissed it, sitting snug under her blanket and surprising herself by actually enjoying the music. Avera joining in was just the icing on the cake and hey, he looked so contented just kneeling there, filling the woods with the sound of his voice. Towards the end of his song, she rubbed her eyes a little, blinking away a lingering tiredness that almost had her thinking the sunbeam had haloed the young cleric for a moment.



Alex's song was nothing special to him; he had heard it thousands of times, from his first faltering, stumbling recitations when he first joined the order, through his years of training and now when he could recite it at a moment's notice from six long years of practice. For all that though, he still found meaning and power in the words he sung. They were in celestial, rather than the common tongue, but he knew them none the less. They thanked Lathander for the light of the dawn, for the new life and vitality it brought, the chance to re-invent and improve the self every new day. Further, they were a promise to do the Morninglord's work, to bring forth new life, to build courage, where courage seems to fail, to hold faith, where there seems to be little cause for faith and to create hope, where hope becomes forlorn. To some, they might just be words, lip service, to many, they were pretty ideals, of little practical use, but to clerics, (for Alex was not so arrogant as to think for him alone), they were something deeper. Alex believed every word he sung and that was what set him apart as a true cleric.

He let the silence fall in around them after the hymn drew to a close, his eyes still closed, his hands clasped about the hilt of the sword, his breathing deep and heavy and his face flushed with energy. He stood smoothly and held the shining blade to salute, a little affection of his own to the time-honoured ceremony. He studiously wiped the dampness of the soil from the blade's tip and sheathed it again before turning, flashing a smile to Neeshka and squeezing Avera's shoulder as he passed her, by way of thanks for her accompaniment. He didn't speak another word until he stirred the fire back to life and pulled a small, half-empty bag of oats from his pack, mixing up a rough porridge. "This'll take a little while," he said as he stirred to keep it from sticking, "I think I forgot to clean the pots last night too. How far's the keep? If it's a way, I'd like to get them washed now, so I don't have to do it later, after we're all tired from walking."

As Alex rose and saluted the sun, Avera watched the orb in the sky rise. She smiled when he squeezed her shoulder and turned towards her own gear, walking past the human.

"This'll take a little while. I think I forgot to clean the pots last night too. How far's the keep? If it's a way, I'd like to get them washed now, so I don't have to do it later, after we're all tired from walking."

"It will be afternoon before we get to the keep." Avera answered calmly while she packed up her gear, "I'd say wash the pots as we do not want insects or vermin trying to follow the scent." She thought of Fox and chuckled, "Well, Fox wouldn't mind as it would give her a more varied prey base but personally, I'm not crazy about having large rats follow me about. Even that one." She jabbed her thumb back to indicate the bandit.

Avera set her pack beside the fire and leaned against it watching Alex cook, "Have you camped out very often?" She wasn't sure if those of his order took many trips as most of any order she had seen seemed to spend most of their time secluded in their churches and the grounds beyond he. It behooved her how some of these people who stated they were there to be aware and helpful of the common man could help anyone while they stayed outside the world hidden within their own little domain.

Alex did not seem like many she had met. He was more like Casavir and Light of the Heavens, except nowhere near as high and mighty in attitude, sometimes not being able to associate properly with the common person. No, Alex was not like that. He could understand, to an extent at least. She would see in time how far he could see into others.

"I'd say wash the pots as we do not want insects or vermin trying to follow the scent. Well, Fox wouldn't mind as it would give her a more varied prey base but personally, I'm not crazy about having large rats follow me about. Even that one."

Alex chuckled along with her, "And that is why he'll be walking in front of us. Besides, the wind'll be at our backs at this time of year and I don't feel like smelling bandit all day long." He glared at the prisioner, still not having forgiven him for his little assassination atempt the night before. He grabbed the bowls from the night before, reasoning that the proidge wasn't too different from the starchy stew, so it shouldn't matter.

"Have you camped out very often?" Avera asked, leaning against her pack.

Alex shook his head, tasting a bit of the poridge to see if it was ready, "No. But I grew up on a farm. Big fields, good fishing nearby... My father used to take me and my brothers out there all night and we'd come back in the morning to get scolded by my mother. You don't forget things you learn that way, even after six years in a church." He spooned out the prodige into four bowls, giving one to Neeshka and Avera each and placing one by the thief, making sure to tie his legs together and to the stakes he'd driven into the ground the night before, before untying his hands. Even if they were free, he wasn't going anywhere fast and he knew it. Alex sat back by the fire and looked across at Fox. He felt a bit silly, talking to an animal, but if it was good enough for Avera, it was good enough for him, "You want some too?" he asked, "Or does your breakfast generally move? I'm pretty sure the human part of you would want some, even if it's unapitising while you're wearing fur."

The fox was awake early, watching the bandit. She didn't like her enemies. They liked to move suddenly.

Should kill other.

When she was offered the poridge, she ate out of the bowl like a dog would, ears alert.

"Yes, he does smell quite a bit this morning. Maybe we should toss the bandit in the stream for a while." Avera looked back at the man with a smirk and he cringed. In the morning light one could see dark splotches of dried brown on the side of his shirt and that he was now missing the pinky finger on his right hand. The halfling glanced at this loss then grinned, making the man move back a bit more.

"No. But I grew up on a farm. Big fields, good fishing nearby... My father used to take me and my brothers out there all night and we'd come back in the morning to get scolded by my mother. You don't forget things you learn that way, even after six years in a church."

She ate some porridge then nodded, "Another farmer? I can see that. You have the build and attitude for it." The little one finished her meal and walked towards the river, "Farming isn't so bad for the most part. I've done that and a lot of hunting too. So how did you get into the service of Lathander anyway? If you were out of the way they must have looked for you for a reason."

"Another farmer? I can see that. You have the build and attitude for it." The little one finished her meal and walked towards the river, "Farming isn't so bad for the most part. I've done that and a lot of hunting too. So how did you get into the service of Lathander anyway? If you were out of the way they must have looked for you for a reason."

Alex finished his own breakfast and took Neeshka and Fox's bowls after they were done, following Avera to the river. "Farming wasn't a bad life, no," he said, pulling a cloth from his pocket and beginning to scrub the wooden bowls clean, "But no-body came looking for me. The hamlet was small, too small to even have a name. I doubt any of the priesthood even knew we existed. One day though, Lathander saw fit to guide one of his clerics through my home, on his way north. He stopped, tended to a worker who'd cut his leg open with a plow. Then he preached, told us a little of Lathander's faith." Alex paused, a smile writ large across his face, "Hearing those words... It was like something finally fitted into place in my mind, like a peg to hold two beams together; two beams that can start form the skeleton of a home. I begged my parents to let me go with the priest, to become a cleric myself. I was the second son, so they were looking to get me aprenticed anyway. After that, I traveled north to Neverwinter, with brother Paulan. That was about six years ago now. Best choice twelve-year-old me ever made," he smirks and chuckles, "Took me a while to get used to the early mornings though."

After the bowls were clean and Alex re-filled his water skin, which was half empty, the bandit was trussed up again and Neeshka kicked some dirt on the remains of the fire. "Right, I'm as lost as the next man," said Alex, re-settling his pack on his shoulders, "So it looks like it's down to you three to lead. Looking forward to seeing the place."

((Feel free to skip ahead, if you feel the need.))

The Halfling washed her bowl and utensils, calmly listening to the cleric with a half smirk as he said that farming was not a bad. She nodded as she had not had trouble doing any farming either. Considering her father was away so much that was a good thing. The tiny woman remembered helping neighbors and working her own plot of land which was not too large considering it was only herself and her animal friends doing the work.

"But no-body came looking for me. The hamlet was small, too small to even have a name. I doubt any of the priesthood even knew we existed. One day though, Lathander saw fit to guide one of his clerics through my home, on his way north. He stopped, tended to a worker who'd cut his leg open with a plow. Then he preached, told us a little of Lathander's faith."

That sounded normal since the priesthood of many faiths usually had a few of their people out spreading their faith in some form. It would only be right for them to stop and help those in need, or at least if the person and the church itself believed in helping others.

"Hearing those words... It was like something finally fitted into place in my mind, like a peg to hold two beams together; two beams that can start form the skeleton of a home. I begged my parents to let me go with the priest, to become a cleric myself. I was the second son, so they were looking to get me aprenticed anyway. After that, I traveled north to Neverwinter, with brother Paulan. That was about six years ago now. Best choice twelve-year-old me ever made,"

She glanced up to see the smirk and smirked with him as he chuckled.

"Took me a while to get used to the early mornings though."

That would be only too true for many people. Some were early risers and others had to be forced out of bed at knife point. Avera could live both worlds except that anyone forcing her out of bed by knife point was likely to require healing or a good revivalist.

Speaking of such situations, it was easy to see the bandit was limping as soon as he moved a few feet, behaving for Alex. She wondered if Alex would notice the blood stains above his knees which had not been there the night before. The marks were an amazing similar distance from his neck to the cuts as from Avera's neck to her toes.

There was little way the cleric would have seen the tears and blood in the middle of the night and even less idea what could have made those horizontal marks.

She pointedly looked at the previous wounds then up at the bandit, making the man even more nervous knowing that she would do that or worse to him if he ever tried anything again. Avera didn't know that Alex had threatened the man as well but unless Alex was very observant this morning he wouldn't know that Avera had added wound to threat. She'd healed the wounds after making him drop her but the marks were still there with fresh scarring.

"Right, I'm as lost as the next man. So it looks like it's down to you three to lead. Looking forward to seeing the place."

"Easy enough." She stated as she stretched and started off, "Let's go through the woods. I'm not in the mood for a hot gravel day." Avera refilled her canteen and smiled back at the others.

"Let's go through the woods. I'm not in the mood for a hot gravel day."
"Woods it is," agreed Alex, "I think I saw a deer path, but I'm no expert. Like I said, it's been half a dozen years since I've been out in the wild like this."
"Ohh, city boy at heart?" asked Neeshka, smirking as Alex nudged the bandit into position in front of him
"Heh, not really," he replied, "But I'm no woodsman either. Too long cloistered in the temple. Don't really think I prefer either over the other. As long as there's good company and good work to be done, it's home for me," he felt cheered by Neeshka's small smile, taking it as a sign he had said the right thing. He looked across at Avera, "You want to take point? Knowing me, I'd just get us lost."

Alex had to admit that the dappled shade certainly made for a more pleasant trip than the more open road, although a city girl like Neeshka broke the quiet once or twice by cursing quietly at an errant root or pile of animal dung. The gravel track away to their flank certainly drained well and was a lifesaver for travelers during the rains, but on a hotter, sunny day like today, it reflected waves of heat that made Alex all the gladder he had met Avera and her friends. The halfling herself was almost embarrassingly fast, compared to him, in the undergrowth, her woodcraft easily compensating for her shorter legs. She kept looking back at her two larger companions with a cheeky grin, but Alex found he couldn't get angry at the ingraciating halfling. Fox too looked like she was enjoying herself, although still casting the cleric, prisioner and Neeshka occasional wary glances. Late in the morning, the russet animal disappeared with not a trace and returned around the time the others (barring the bandit) were eating lunch on the move, bearing an unfortunate, half-eaten rabbit in her jaws.

Aside from Fox's hunting trip, the morning and noon slipped by uneventfuly, the prisioner's walk becoming slightly more awkward as time went by though, the pain of the freshly-healed cuts sapping his strength. Eventually, Alex called a halt. "Hang on," he called to Avera, "Our friend here's slowing us down. Might as well fix him up, or it'll take us until midnight to reach the keep." He pushed the bandit down against a tree, none too gently, it must be said, and started inspecting his legs where the bloodstains marked his breeches. Alex had noticed them a little earlier, but had said nothing. He didn't completely hold with the idea of 'an eye for an eye', but the man had tried to kill Avera during the night, so he could hardly begrudge her a little petty revenge. "Keep an eye open for a moment, would you?" he asked the party in general, "This shouldn't take long."

Avera took the woods to heart and listened to the other two speak, knowing Neeshka did not like the woods but it was better for the woman. The cool air would help travel and she knew this bandit's friends were likely on the road ahead waiting for them with more of their kind than before. She did not wish to deal with any fighting unless she really had to. It was much easier to avoid things like that right now then to engage in trivial fights.

She had also noticed the bandit slowing down and slowed her pace so as not to push his limits. When Alex asked them to stop she turned and watched his face carefully. A snort came from her as she realized that he had assumed she hurt the bandit out of spite so she leaned against a tree and stared at him, nonplussed that he would make such unacknowledged presumptions.

"That is how I got out of his grasp." The halfling stated coolly as she leaned against a tree. A snikt sound came from one of her boots and a blade shot out from the toe then clicked back into the sole, "Someone my size has to use all they can to keep safe." She turned to look a different way, "Go do what you need to. We will be here."

((Sorry, I didn't mean to inconvinience anyone. For future reference, I'm usually fine with minor pupeteering of my character, provided it doesn't mean acting OOC or drastic changes. I'll say otherwise if that ever changes. I shouldn't have asumed others were okay with it too though. Sorry, it won't happen again.))

"That is how I got out of his grasp," Avera, said, a touch cooly "Someone my size has to use all they can to keep safe." She turned to look a different way, "Go do what you need to. We will be here."
"I didn't say anything," responded Alex, placidly, "I'm not so idealistic to think that when your life's on the line, you shouldn't do everything to can. If violence can be avoided, that is the path to take, but if there must be battle, make it swift and decisive. All the same, do not disregard such things as honour," he looked up and gave a small smile, a token peace offering, "Not that I'm saying this was. I just seem to have slipped into the role of a preacher there."

He checked the man's legs superficialy. The scars were bad, sure, but they were healed well; surprisingly quickly, given they had been inflicted only the night before. Alex frowned slightly, before reasoning the presence of magic, a connection not unlike his own, but drawn from the land beneath his feet and the forest around them, rather than Lathander's divine light. In fact, he thought, a small frown forming as he reached through his pack for a sprig of common dried, anesthetic herbs the temple had given him before he left, the wounds shouldn't be causing him that much pain at all. This meant, Alex reasoned as the bandit dutifuly chewed the dry leaves, that either the gut wound had not fully healed the day before... Or the man was stalling on purpose. It was possible that his friends had something planned, or maybe he just wanted to stay away from the dungeons as long as possible. Either way, best not to risk it.

"Let's go," said Alex, shortly, heaving the bandit to his feet and drawing his sword halfway, "Avera, Fox; keep your eyes open. Gods willing I'm being paranoid, but even so... Neeshka, could you walk with me? Two blades are better than one for discouraging mischief."
Neeshka grinned, falling in beside him "Tell me something I don't know," she quipped, "I've had those numbers and worse doing the same for me faaaaar too often."