As the broken party united once again and became safe, Aramil wrapped one arm around the lorist's shoulder and gave him a firm squeeze.
" Gailwind, I am impressed. Remind me never to get on the wrong end of that blade of yours!" A rare smile of relief creased the mage's face upon seeing the others there.
The fellow elf seemed dazed and glanced at his dirk with a puzzled expression. " "Tis Treston's blade, sir."

" You boys always start without me!! " the dwarf barked " That is thrree {rolling r's} fights I missed now!!"

Teflar didn't have time to laud the valiant stand by the lorist and mage, but ran north a bit to validate that the kobolds did indeed flee the grounds for good. The distant cries of Moran signified an end to the threat.

" Cowards..." scowled Vrai as he pulled back his bow in mock hurry.
" It takes elves to show them whose woods these are."

Erelis's eyes moved along the edges of the firelight all around them.
" These woods, Vrai, belong to all of us. Those that abuse the power of nature will be dealt with accordingly, but elves are not the only inhabitants as you well know."

The archer smiled as if remembering the talking grove. " Of course."

" So what do we do now?" Nanith asked, unsheathing his shortsword. " I personally think we should help those trees. Maybe we could go on a little kobold extermination expedition." he added as he stood and sparred with an imaginary fiend.
The ranger returned and relayed in a serious tone " My thoughts exactly little one. Let's move north and get to them bastards before they warn any others!"

Aramil began to look through his bag for bandages and answered the ranger passively. " We must find the shard, Teflar. Do not think me cold, for the woods are at the heart of every elf, but if we fail to find the artifact, a great evil will be released. We have our mission and we must complete it. I don't think chasing game fits in with our plans."

Nanith pointed with his small sword in the direction the kobolds fled.
" I'm not one for needless bloodshed, but if these kobolds are slowly killing these trees..." The rogue stood in thought for a moment before continuing with a determined expression, " ...then it is our duty as good people to help them." The hobbit sheathed his blade and watched the other members. When seeing Aramil and Gailwind look at him with a wistful gaze, he explained all that they had encountered inside the forestline; the Striding Guardians were dying and they needed their help.

Roslyn agreed with the mage " What is more important; The shard or helping the Striding Guardians? If you help the dying trees now, it could become a long journey that we never even bargained for."

Nanith smiled half-heartedly. "I knew that some of you would feel that the shard was more important at this stage." Feeling that some objections might follow, Nanith lifted his hands in defense. " Please, listen to my reasoning." he requested. " We could strike a threefold victory here. If we manage to catch one of these kobolds, we could interrogate it. Find out where this fungus is coming from, or get a possible cure. Think for a moment what sort of knowledge these trees might have. They've been standing here for generations watching everything that passes through this forest. It could even be possible that whoever carries the shard had to pass through here." The rogue added with a gleeful expression. " They could hold some answers to the questions we have. Don't you think it is a possibility to explore?"

Looking around to the others, Aramil informed " I do know we must extinguish these monsters, but not in my condition. I need rest... healing & travel do not blend well. Besides our friend here..." indicating Gailwind "...has had an eventful evening and needs time to gather himself as well."
The sage sat stoically on a nearby rock and stared absently into the dying fire.