Aramil glanced up absentmindedly from his books. " They will return, when they return. They have not been gone too long, so do not worry." He strained a smile hoping that it would provide some sort of comfort to the sage.

A few more minutes elapsed before Gailwind's ears perked. " I hear something, Aramil." The elf's eyes darted north to the shadows. " Do you not hear small running footsteps approach?"

Sliding his hand to his belt, the mage grasped the handle of his dagger and slipped into a guarded position. Whispering to Gailwind, " Ready yourself."

Just then, bursting out of the shadows ran a pack of short, reptilian humanoids! The yapping flock trotted in all directions but three ran right at the duo with spears ready to impale!!! Aramil jumped away from the kobolds as they sought to swarm them. He unleashed a bright, blue magic missle that zapped forth from his right fingertip that smashed into the chest of one running critter. It stood there stunned while the rest overtook the pair in melee assault.

Gailwind froze in fear west of the fire and held up his dirk in defense while the mage battled the surrounding monsters. Aramil swung his quarterstaff to keep them away while moving north of the fire. A kobold from the left landed a cut to the wizard's waist. The magician flinched ever so slightly from the hit and called under his breath the protective aid he needed from his deity Corellon. Aramil then cracked the injured kobold over the head dropping him instantly.

The lorist was nimble enough and dodged most of the fanatical blows by the little beasts, but caught a graze off his right knee. It was obvious the sage had no battle skills to help them thwart this nasty ambush.

" Gailwind! They hate bright light! Hold close to the fire!" cried Aramil. Moran, upon silent orders, swooped down into the lizard-like beasts trying to draw their concentration. Its claws raked across one creature's skull who stood to right-flank Aramil as he tried moving to the rescue of Gailwind. The animal twisted away howling like a wounded dog. Moran was quick to finish it off by swiping its claws across the beast's face.

The kobold impeding Aramil's progress jabbed a spear catching him in the central ribcage. The wizard buckled but then stood to regain balance while the beasts swarmed in to overtake them.

Gailwind, in a panic, jabbed his silver dirk out lancing right into a kobold's eyesocket!! The elf was clearly out of his mind with fright and lashed out at anything in front of him. The silver dirk seemed to defy normal movement and danced once again into the next kobold's throat. Gailwind was then stabbed in the right shoulder by the third attacker.

With half a breath and concern in his eyes, Aramil fired another magic missile at the kobold before him. The blue energy burst off the beast's body causing it to yelp in pain. Moran swooped high over the fire and divebombed a nearby standing kobold. Four inch nails swiped the eyes out of the monster while Gailwind thrust his dirk though his beast's chest. As the two monsters fell dead, the remaining creatures realized the odds of melee were now even. They bolted north for the darkness just as the returning companions crossed into the campsite from the east!