[Thomis]

        Thomis shifted a bit in his saddle, trying to find a position that would not aggravate the throbbing from the wound in his thigh.  And trying not to look sideways or over his shoulder at the three strangers he had picked up at the next hamlet.  He could not pinpoint exactly what it was about the three that made him uneasy, they seemed to be pleasant enough fellows.  Perhaps it was just his continuing worry for Laurelyn and the others.  And the fact that the small village -- nothing much more than a collection of thatched houses and a few rutted dirt streets -- had seemed practically deserted when he had ridden in.

        The residents had been more than reluctant to answer his quiet hail once he had ridden in.  Thomis had seen some shadows pass by the windows, and lights doused quickly at the sound of his voice..  Everyone pretending they were not at home.  Just this healer to his right, a nondescript laborer of some sort to his left, and the brawny blacksmith riding slightly ahead...  The only ones who had been willing to step out and speak to him, and even then only warily.  At least they had agreed to ride back with him, even knowing of the bandits, and aid in bringing Laurelyn and the others back to relative safety.

[Jayden]

Jayden grimaced as he jounced around in the horses saddle and tried his best to stay hidden within his cloak. It was not his horse, of course, nor was it his cloak. What was worse was that he was sure that Pondra and Vels knew that he had thieved them from someone. He suspected that they came along as much to make sure he didn't waylay this wounded man as to verify
his story.

The darkness of the night suited him well enough, but he tried not to think of bandits as the dirt road bobbled around in his vision before him.

[Pondra]

Pondra held his thick arm up in warning, and reined his horse in clumsily. Leaning back, he spoke in far too loud a voice to be prudent.

"I think if we want to find your friends before the bandits decide to attack again, we'd best ride as fast as we can."

He glanced only briefly at the healer, Vels, before directing his bushy brow towards the man, Thomis. He ignored Jayden entirely - men like that don't make responsible decisions.

"Thomis?" he prompted.

[Thomis]

        -Perhaps we could light torches to mark ourselves for the bandits,- Thomis thought to himself with a touch of exasperation at the blacksmith's loud voice.  "Quiet is our best option," he pointed out in a purposely hushed voice.  "Both in our speaking and in our movement."  They were close already to the area where he had left Laurelyn and the others, but despite his anxiousness to rejoin them, did not want to risk a headlong gallop.

[Beast/Fiend]

From slightly ahead of the men came the sharp snapping of branches, and an angry snorting.

The sound came closer and out onto the road came a large bay hunter - tossing her head, with the whites of her eyes showing. From the backpack tied to her saddle came a continuous whimpering..

The horse fidgetted nervously in the middle of the road, looking ready to bolt at the least noise.

[Rudolpho]

        Shortly after he had escaped the stable, Rudolpho recognized the other horse as Falcon.  -I don't have time to take care of her now.  She can take care of herself and I can track her later.  The others need me more right now.  Falcon has given me a good idea though.- Searching through his menagerie of spell componants, Rudolpho selected an item and closed the pack.  With a few words he had adopted Falcon's namesake and taken to the sky.  In a very short time he came upon a small traveling group and an unridden horse.  In one more pass he had picked up enough detail with his acute vision to know that Thomis was among the group and they had met up with Beast and Fiend.

        Rudolpho screamed a piercing call and came in for a landing on the branch of a tree before the small group.  He looked at Thomis and lowered his head as if in a nod.  He then winked one eye and squawked.  -I hope he knows it's me.-

[Jayden]

Jayden sat back on the horse that he called his own and breathed deeply. His heart had beat itself down to a safe rate, but things were still getting too hectic for him. Like any good thief, he was not comfortable with surprises.

Besides, he hated animals. He rather suspected that they shared his feelings.

Ahead, Pondra sat on his horse, slow to register the meaning of riderless horses and birds of prey. Or perhaps that was what he wanted everyone to think. Jayden knew Pondra well enough to know that he was nowhere near as dumb as he acted sometimes. Just when he thought Pondra was pretending to ignore the event entirely, the big man spoke.

"Is this horse belonging to one of your friends?" asked the blacksmith, his voice a whisper. The sound was almost comical coming from a throat that was designed for shouting over loud bellows and the clanging of iron, but he managed to keep his voice down to an acceptable level. Jayden was almost proud of him..

As Pondra had begun speaking, Vels had dismounted and strode calmly towards the horse. He whispered in soft tones, and held a bundle of herbs in one hand. Jayden had no idea what kind of herbs they were - he was no healer or herbalist - but he knew that Vels would do what was best... he always did.

[Thomis]

        "It belonged to one of my party," Thomis answered the blacksmith with the faintest of grim tones to his voice.  With a slight nudge, he inched his own horse closer to Beast, making soft noises in the back of his throat to reassure the bay hunter.  With a sideways glance, he nodded towards the raptor, an acknowledgment to Rudolpho; at least one of his traveling companions had escaped whatever fate had befallen the others. The Oath-bound ached to get the boy alone, so he could shift himself back into a form capable of speech, to discover what it was that had happened to Laurelyn, what had been enough to overcome even the jester.

[Beast/Fiend]

Beast tossed her head at the nearness of Vel and Thomis, but didn't bolt. From her backpack came frantic yipping as Fiend picked up Thomis's scent.

[Rudolpho]

        Rudolpho sat on the branch and watched Thomis approach Beast. -She should stay still for him.  She knows him and was the one who approached him first.- While Thomis did that, he also observed the others with him.  He wasn't quite sure of them but decided to keep an eye on them.  -We have to hurry up.- He squawked plaintively at Thomis as if to communicate the urgency and tell him to hurry up.

[Vels, Pondra, Jayden]

Vels smiled at the animals, and then at Thomis. "It appears that they are well, but I hope that we do not need my skills on their owners..." he said, turning to remount his horse.

Jayden spurred his horse forward to join the rest of the group. They ignored him largely, but he spoke up regardless.

"The birds here are making me nervous. Lets find your friends. Pondra, any idea on what direction we should take?"

Pondra didn't even look his way, as if he was pretending that someone else had spoken. "Probably straight, maybe left a bit..." he pointed. Jayden shrugged, and spurred his horse forward, hoping that Thomis would give him some support in this unfriendly crowd.

[Thomis]

        Thomis reached out slowly and hooked Beast's trailing reins in one hand, drawing the nervous bay closer to his own mount so that he could snag the yipping backpack.  He did not remove the pup, but did slip one hand inside to stroke his head reassuringly.  "Think you can stay quiet for a bit?" he murmured before securing the pack, and pup, to his own saddlebags.  Then he considered the falcon again, and trusting to Rudolpho not to hold too tightly with those taloned claws, he extended one arm to the bird.  "Which direction?" he asked the falcon, as if he were accustomed to conversing with large raptors on a regular basis.  He had no particular reason to doubt the three who had come out with him, but only one person present merited his trust.

[Beast/Fiend]

Fiend gave one more whimper, and licked Thomis's fingers, before settling into the pack. And Beast nosed Thomis's horse - then began to tug against the reins the Oathbound held; not hard enough to pull away, but enough to indicate a desire.

[Rudolpho]

        Rudolpho took Thomis' cue and sprang from the branch.  He glided gracefully over to Thomis and landed gently on the proferred arm.  He rubbed his head up against Thomis' cheek because he was glad to see him again, and because he wanted to give the others the impression Thomis was his master.  At Thomis' inquiry, Rudolpho jerked his head slightly to the left of their present course and chirped quietly.  -If he doesn't get it, which I think he will, I'll get up and show them.- It wouldn't be too much further to where the other companions were being held.  Rudolpho consciously avoided fidgeting as his claws could hurt Thomis if he wasn't careful.

[Vels]

The group started forward once more, travelling with urgency yet trepidation, for the threat of bandits loomed large in their minds. The forest grew dense as they travelled, bushes and undergrowth became thicker and hampered their passage. There was the sound of wolf packs hunting in the distance, their howls and bestial growling echoing in the darkness.

The sun had set completely, and Vels feared the worst. They could not light torches to ease their passage, yet the horses could not see the bushes or trees that threated to cripple them at every step.

It was Pondra who spotted the light ahead, flickering red. A fire of some kind.

"Their camp?" whispered the big man, uncertain even in the face of an obvious truth.

A curse from behind made Vels look back. Jayden sat on his horse at the back of the group, sucking at the back of his hand.

Vels had to ask.

"Are you well?"

Jayden nodded and waved his attention back to the rest of the group.

"I am not good with the horse... walked into a bush."

He kicked his leg out at a thorny bush which had wrapped itself around a tree nearby.

Jayden looked at Thomis.

"We need a plan," he whispered.

Laurelyn wiped at the back of her neck as thoroughly as she could, making sure she reached up into her hairline. And when she was satisfied, and the white handkerchief bore red smears, the storyteller began to walk towards the standing stones.

[Narration]

The others watched as she walked boldly towards the ring of dull grey stones, their breath held.

At first nothing was apparent, then as she reached the beginnings of the circle, they spotted it.

Blood.

It appeared slowly on the back of her neck where the blood had been, until it covered a larger area than before. Perhaps she became aware of the wetness at her neck, or perhaps some greater power drew her to a halt, just inches from the edge of the circle. She turned slowly, and her face was pale.

[Pierre]

Pierre spoke quietly, thinking out loud. "Where...where is the blood coming from? It can't just come from out of nowhere. It has to come from somewhere. Nobody's cut. Where is it coming from?"

[Laurelyn]

Laurelyn felt the wetness on her collar and reached her hand back to touch it. When she looked at them they were stained with her own blood - her fingers closed into fists. And for a minute she contemplated damning the risks and throwing herself through. Instead she turned and contemplated the stones.

The storyteller remembered the strange voices when the horse charged the circle and her expression turned contemplative. Laurelyn reached into her tunic and pulled out a tin whistle; she began playing the tune Morrighu had taught to be the offering for the Captain of the Star Dreamer. A strange tune of elven tones and lilts that spoke of the deepest sorrows and greatest beauty. After awhile Laurelyn stopped playing the whistle and wordlessly sung it in chant - her's was not an elven voice but the tune was still haunting.

[Narration]

From deep within the ground rose the voices, ancient and whispery. It was as if some tangible force had risen from the dirt to wrap itself around the group and cool the air that surrounded them. It rose as if called to the tune, as if cravenly seeking the singer. Wisps of air flitted around the storyteller, lifting her hair and ruffling her clothes.

Then as if something had shifted in the wind, Laurelyn felt the wind knock her legs out from under her and she felt her face being pressed into the ground.

The voices rose in pitch, shrieks and cries calling out helplessly in the darkness. The bonfires could barely be seen, as if they had died out completely.

From the ground, Laurelyn could see blood seeping from the hard grey stones around her, making the ground slick with its redness. As the gruesome pool reached her cheek and soaked into her clothes, the cries rose to one last echoing shriek - then all was silent.

The bonfires rose once more in blazing anger, but the coldness remained.

"The spirits do not want you to leave," came Grumhog's voice from behind one of the bonfires. He stepped from behind it, his eyes feral and his smile sharp.

"Thorgovash has bound you to this circle... only he can let you free."

He held forth a curved dagger. It glinted on cue, silver bladed and ruby handled. His message was clear. The dagger he held would be their only freedom - their final freedom.

His eyes turned to Laurelyn.

"It appears Thorgovash has taken a liking to your blood, " he smiled, "A man once tried to leave this circle... actually succeeded..." he paused, reminiscing. When he continued, his voice held a distant tone, "he bled to death where I stand now".

[Keir]

Keir had gone to check on Pierre when Laurelyn tried to escape the circle's hold. Other than the hint of terror in the young bard's eyes there appeared to be no physical damage though he, like they, had the telltale blood smear.

He was about to see to Daron, while keeping a wary eye on Laurelyn's progress, but halted when the voices began. Fear stirred deep inside him, primal fear that threatened to overwhelm his reason. His mind assured him that there was nothing to be afraid of, nothing of substance in the chill whispers. Still, his legs trembled and the urge to flee grew with each passing second. His hands groped inside his vest pockets, grasping upon his vials and giving him a sense of familiar comfort to fight the unseen horror.

As Grumhog approached Laurelyn's prone form Keir flung vials into the nearest bonfires where they exploded almost instantly in a brilliant flash of sparks. Thick black smoke billowed from the fires, obscuring the clearing in moments, and Keir could no longer see either Grumhog or his companions. He felt his way to the edge of the stone ring, gathering a length of rope as he crept along.

"Mistress, grab hold!" he yelled into the inky blackness as he tossed the rope's end toward where he thought, hoped, Laurelyn was lying.

[Jacques]

Jacques had been about to make some suggestions as to what Grumhog and his Hogwash friends could do with their blood, when all hell broke loose. Or at least a small corner of one of the lower levels of the abyss.

He spluttered as the smoke billowed across the circle and cursed volubly when it blinded him.

"Mister Keir!" he called out. "Some of us were tryin' to concentrate here. You're not gettin' all hysterical on me like the rest of the kids now, are you?"

He coughed again, and pulled a brightly coloured fan from one of his pockets - fruitlessly trying to fan some of the smoke away.

"God damn over-reactin', frightened, brainless, children," he sputtered into the smoke. And then a string of curses that were too muffled to be made out clearly. The fan was pushed back into a pocket, and he withdrew a small shovel from another. If they were so all-fired anxious to get out of the circle then he'd help them - just so's he could stay and rest in peace. So to speak.

[Laurelyn]

Laurelyn didn't even bother trying to clean the vile blood from her cheek, but she did shakily get to her feet. And more than ever she wished she had a clan bard's power to invoke curse. Aloud she did say, "You and your thrice-damned god will find that clan blood comes at a price. How many of your men do want to see go with me?"

She moved through the fog and nearly ran into Keir. "Is everyone alright?"  she asked, trying to figure out where the smoke came from." Her voice was shaky as she said to Jacques, "Good Jester - I take it you have an idea?"

[Jacques]

Jacques had been about to make some suggestions as to what Grumhog and his Hogwash friends could do with their blood, when all hell broke loose. Or at least a small corner of one of the lower levels of the abyss.

He spluttered as the smoke billowed across the circle and cursed volubly when it blinded him.

"Mister Keir!" he called out. "Some of us were tryin' to concentrate here. You're not gettin' all hysterical on me like the rest of the kids now, are you?"

He coughed again, and pulled a brightly coloured fan from one of his pockets - fruitlessly trying to fan some of the smoke away.

"God damn over-reactin', frightened, brainless, children," he sputtered into the smoke. And then a string of curses that were too muffled to be made out clearly. The fan was pushed back into a pocket, and he withdrew a small shovel from another. If they were so all-fired anxious to get out of the circle then he'd help them - just so's he could stay and rest in peace. So to speak...

[Laurelyn]

Laurelyn didn't even bother trying to clean the vile blood from her cheek, but she did shakily get to her feet. And more than ever she wished she had a clan bard's power to invoke curses. Aloud she said, "You and your thrice-damned god will find that clan blood comes at a price. How many of your men do want to see go with me?"

She moved through the fog and nearly ran into Keir. "Is everyone alright?" she asked, trying to figure out where the smoke came from." Her voice was shaky as she said to Jacques, "Good Jester - I take it you have an idea?"

[Jacques]

"Seems to me," replied Jacques, "that if it's the circle that's causin' all this trouble, then we break the circle, and we stop the trouble. Then maybe I can sit here and rest for a bit while the rest of you go look for our horses. And my hat."

He wandered over to the edge of the circle and glared at the stones. Then, with a shrug he stuck the shovel into the earth at the base of one chosen at random.

"Unless Keir has some fancy flash powder that's rather stronger than any I've got, our chances of blowing these things to smithereens is pretty remote. So, maybe we can topple them, or simply dig 'em out of the way."

The shovel took a small chunk of earth, and he tossed it to one side, then dug in for another. It would take a while - it wasn't exactly a large shovel.

"If anyone's got any better ideas, I'm all ears," Jacques finished as he set to his digging.

[Laurelyn]

Laurelyn shrugged, and said, "I can't think of any better ideas." At leastit offered a chance to burn off the anger that threatened to consume her.

[Narration]

From the edge of the clearing, a loud voice boomed at the group in greeting.

A man and horse appeared dimly, crashing through underbrush and tree branches to charge across the clearing towards them. He appeared to be waving at others behind him and at the group in the circle at the same time.

When he reached the bonfires, he dismounted awkwardly, and he smiled.

"You are friends of Thomis?" he asked, his smile genuine and his voice deep and reassuring. A massive hammer dangled from his belt, and glinted in the firelight.

"My name is Pondra."

[Laurelyn]

Laurelyn had barely started to kneel when the newcomer heralded them - as if they were still picnicking by the stream. She managed not to let her mouth hang open - as she wondered at what new lunacy cursed this section of the woods. Nor had she missed his mention of Thomis - and wasn't sure if she should be relieved or worried that the madness had caught up with him. She stood slowly and said, "We know of him."

[Vels]

Vels cursed the blacksmith for his stupidity, and nudged his horse forwards. He pushed the remaining branches out of his way carefully, and stopped once his horse stepped into the open. He looked back.

Thomis and Jayden were still there, probably cursing the blacksmith with much greater gusto than he had managed.

Jayden had a sweat on his brow.

"Jayden, if you are afraid, you should stay behind..." he whispered to the thief, affecting his best impression of sympathy. He knew Jayden was not very good at confrontations, and feared the worst if he ran into real bandits.

Jayden looked up. His eyes held an intensity that hadn't been there for years. "I want to help these people, Vels. I want a chance to help them..."

He wanted redemption.

Vels beckoned for him to follow. Who was he to stop another man from cleansing himself of his sins?

[Rudolpho]

        With a quick glance at Thomis, Rudolpho sprang off his shoulder taking care not to dig in his claws when he pushed off.  Flying close to the ground, Rudolpho changed in mid flight to his panther form.  He then strode majestically into the clearing where Pondra, Vels, and Jayden stood.  He walked past them, into the circle, and gave Daron a big lick on the cheek.  He noticed Jacques digging at the edge of the circle and watched his efforts with interest.  Perhaps he was digging to find the source of the strange whisperings he had heard when he crossed the boundary of the circle.  He realized that all the members of the group seemed to be sitting in the circle making no efforts to get out.  -That's strange.  There doesn't seem to be any gaurds around but they just sit there. It must be some sort of spell.  Jacques seems to be able to do magic, maybe he knows something.-  Rudolpho approached Jacques and rumbled a questioning growl.

[Laurelyn]

Laurelyn wondered if Rudolpho would be able to get back out, though she suspected that not only blood marked those in the ring, but some spell.

[Thomis]

        Thomis spent the first few minutes after Pondra rode out into the open and announced their presence to anyone within hearing simply studying the tableau before him.  A faint tinge of worry had passed through him at the sight of the blood marking Laurelyn, but the storyteller seemed to be physically well, even if some unknown magicks held her -- and the others -- in place.  Not for the first time, he wished Mesani I'Se at his side; even at her most unpredictable, she would prove to be a useful ally in a
situation such as this.

        -Bonfires and blood-spells,- Thomis thought to himself.  This would be a nasty business; Grumhog and his men obviously were more than the simple bandits he had last seen them as.  With a sigh, Thomis prodded his horse next to Jayden's, and spoke quietly without taking his eyes from the stone circle.  "These are more than thieves," he observed calmly.  "What do you know of them?"  Someone in that village had to have heard *something* about blood rituals occurring in the nearby woods; perhaps that would explain why nearly everyone's door had been closed to him.

[Jayden]

At first Jayden didn't reply, as if shocked that someone would speak to him, or as if his mind was wandering.

"Little. Their leader is a man known as Brendan, and he pictures himself as something of a great leader who is merely trying to improve the living conditions of his men - men who we cast out because of their violent tendencies..." he looked at the stone circle, and wiped at some sweat that had formed on his brow. "I had no idea that Brendan was into blood magic."  He shook his head in bewilderment.

A wolf howled in the darkness, followed by the reply calls of his pack.  Jayden shivered on his saddle.

[Jacques]

Jacques cursed as his shovel struck a seam of rock that appeared to be linking at least two of the stones in the circle. He scratched out some more earth to be sure, and then gave up in disgust.

"Looks like there's more'n just these few rocks making up this circle," he muttered, and noticed the stranger coming over. He stodd and moved back a few inches from the edge of the circle.

[Vels]

Vels nodded in greeting to those in the circle.

"Please do not try to leave the circle for a while" he requested, then dismounted.

He kneeled on the grass next to one stone and began examining it slowly, methodically. He began muttering to himself, but when the area beneath his hand glowed blue it became obvious that he was employing some sort of magic.

A frown crept onto his face, but he said nothing, merely continuing his scan.

[Pondra]

Pondra stepped forward into the circle.

"Anyone need help?" he asked.

[Jacques]

"'Less you can smash these here rocks into little bits, I think we'll live," replied Jacques acerbically. "For a while."

He wondered how long they had before the wildman and his cohorts returned. Not very long, doubtless, but with luck it'd be long enough. He drew a long, red handled knife from a pocket and balanced it lightly in his hand. Anyone got too close trying to take _his_ blood was in for a surprise.

Then he considered a little, and withdrew a cloth surgical mask from another pocket. He wasn't going to be caught the same way twice.

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