laneys.info Beware of Yankees, drunks, and loose women.

As morning neared, the sounds of combat back towards the river quieted as Kailee focused her mind and listened to flies and mosquitoes buzzing about, owls hunting rodents, snakes tracking their prey and a young man to the east sleeping. Soon, she noticed a torch slowly winding through the forest and she recognized Lericanin and Alister who neared her position.

"What are we searching for," she asked, walking to intercept them.

"Don't do that," Alister stated in surprise. Apparently their awareness wasn't as acute. "Where've you been?"

"Taking care of some odd lizard-type warriors. Their young and females ran off that way and I think encountered something large."

"How large," Lericanin asked. She could tell that he was spoiling for another fight already.

"Enormous, and I think we should leave this one alone. What are you looking for?"

"Henry's son, Alex was kidnapped. We have to find him."

"I think he may be to your distant left. I could sense someone over there but, I didn't know who it was." She followed both fighters into the dark to finally come to a small clearing. Their musty odor permeated the ground and trees as Kailee's nose wrinkled recounting the werewolf that she had pursued to the river. Within the torchlight, they noticed Alex's battered body lying on the cold, dark ground.

Immediately, Lericanin knelt as Kailee smelled Alex for any disease that would indicate that he had been infected by the animals. As she focused, her nose and mind scanned him and found nothing, and he was still alive. Shouldering the innkeeper's son, they carried Alex back to the river where Tia treated Avion's wounds.

"Is he still alive," Tia asked as she bandaged her patient's right arm.

"Yes, barely. Looks like they dragged him through the woods instead of carried," Lericanin informed as Kasar returned, also bloodied and tired.

Kailee crouched nearby and watched as Tia treated their wounds and fed them each herbs. Minor cuts magically sealed within moments as their surroundings brightened into greens and browns.

After returning Alex to the weighstation, the group assembled near the southern gate.

"Kailee noticed something out there, beyond where the werewolves lived," Lericanin motioned with his head as he strapped on his armor.

"I also said that it was large and we should leave it alone," Kailee stressed, knowing she was wasting her breath.

Avion eyed her for a moment. "How large?"

"I don't know for sure."

Elsea turned to Elias, their host, "Have you ever encountered anything like that out there?"

"No," the elder druid informed, leaning on his spear, the silver tipped head gleamed in the sunlight. "There are many things in these woods, no telling what she's referring to," he eyed Kailee. "How did you find this thing, anyway?"

"I've grown up in the woods, I've learned how to sense things at distance."

"Elminoir's blessed you then."

Kailee grinned and nodded, then turned her attention back to the group. There was another who would be offended at that comment and she hoped Elias, Henry and his son wouldn't be visited any time soon by one of Sater's enforcers.

"So I take it you're going out there no matter what," Tia accused as she eyed the six-and-a-half foot veteran from Anderslough who nodded. "Do you have a deathwish? Kailee already warned us, what' more proof do you need?"

"I'm not asking that you come with me, and no, I don't have a deathwish. I'm just not afraid like most. Arhus will guide my hammer in each fight that we engage in and when it's my time to go to Ghevond, I'm ready."

"You know that I have to go with you because Kailee isn't going to let you go out there without her. And who else is going to patch all of you up when this fight is over?" Tia emphasized, hands on hips.

"It's settled then," Lericanin smiled, shouldered his shield and led them out through the gateway and back through the woods. Kailee eyed Tia to her left and noticed the frustration in her friends eyes.

"What's wrong?"

Tia glanced to her as they crossed the wide river, covered in green algae. "He doesn't realize that when he goes on these suicide missions, he takes all of us with him. One day one or all of us isn't coming back."

That thought hit home as Kailee pondered seeing Tia hurt. Fear slowly swept into her mind. "I will never let anything happen to you. I promise."

Tia smiled warmly as they climbed out of the stagnant barrier. Kailee only hoped that she could live up to that promise.

Soon, they neared the lair of their quarry. The hillside opened up beyond the large clearing like a dark wound as they knelt within the treeline. Not far from their hiding place, the bodies of the lizardmen females lay in grotesque heaps over and around their young as if burned without the physical display on their clothing. At least not on the back.

"Avion, you, Elsea and Kasar set up here. We'll draw it out from the left side of the cave which will give you it's flank," Lericanin instructed.

Kailee kept her awareness piqued as they moved through the woods to the left side. The putrid stench of this beast wafted out into the air from it's home and strengthened as they neared. It knew they were there as she turned to warn Kasar who was left at the apex of the clearing. Suddenly, a burst of greenish gas erupted from deep within the cave and engulfed the forest. The cone reached out to an amazing distance as they all stood there in disbelief.

"I hate to be the one that says I told you so," Tia said flatly as Alister sprinted back the way they had come, dropping his shield and weapons as he ran for his life. Both of the girls eyed Lericanin as he stared at the back of his friend who faded into the distance. Determination steeled his nerves and Kailee knew that he would go in there alone if necessary. She drew her sword and followed with Tia right behind her.

As they rounded the entrance, Kailee could see the large dragon in the depths of the circular cave full of refuse and bones. She had never seen anything this big in her life as its neck and head rose high above them, hissing. Lericanin charged as arrows sped into the beast. Kailee took a wide angle to the left and charged the flank as its clawed hand swatted at the brave fighter, knocking him backwards to Tia's feet. A flurry of parries, dodges and thrusts continued on for some time as Lericanin leaped up and charged, shield arm limp, and delivered a crushing blow to the dragon's chest. Kailee dodged and stabbed in the underside of the serpent and soon it leaped out of the cave and into the air. She watched as Elsea fired arrow after arrow into it's hindquarters until it finally escaped their view.
She turned to see Lericanin drop to sit on the dark grey earth, staring blankly in disbelief as Tia moved to help him. Scanning the rest of the chamber, she noticed the darkened interior ended fairly abruptly beyond the uneven floor of rock and dust.

"Everyone okay," Elsea asked, her voice echoing from the opening.

"We will be," the exasperated physician stated, distracted in her normal duties. Kailee turned to notice Lericanin's head cradled in his right hand as Tia concentrated on the left arm. A dull, blue glow emanated from around slender fingers and Kailee watched as her mentalist sister healed the break.

"We should get out of here as soon as possible," Elsea stressed as Avion ran to where Kasar lay. "That thing could come back and we don't know if there are any more."

Tia finished up and helped the fighter up as he quietly grabbed for his warhammer, grunting in pain as they moved passed the shattered remnants of his shield. Kailee followed and they soon reached Kasar's body, now burned and nearly cleaned of clothing and armor as he lay staring up at the sky in shock. His hair and eyebrows had been singed and she pulled her shirt up over her nose as the rising fume assaulted her. Elsea and Avion fed him some of their remaining herbs and helped their friend to his feet.

"Now we have to find Alister," Tia mentioned as they followed the trail blazed by the only smart one in the group, picking up his equipment as they went. Soon, they noticed him laying face down on the ground near the edge of the river, unconscious. Avion kneeled down and gently shook him.

"Alister, you alright?"

Suddenly stirring, he pushed himself up and turned to notice them standing nearby. Kailee also noticed the strong scent of urine and realized what fear could do to someone.

"You alright, brother," Lericanin asked.

Alister nodded, embarrassed that he had fled the battle when they stayed as he rose and quietly followed them back to the compound. This would be a day they wouldn't soon forget.