Highnar was amazed at Lorae’s ability to coax the monster to one knee as if it was only a baby. For a moment the thought that it could just be a trap by the beast ran through his mind, but he bravely moved forward and climbed aboard the monsters back once again.
With a grunt of surprise the saddle indeed seemed to fit him better and the monster as it rose to all 4’s somehow seemed of a gentler sort.

“Ahh thank ye lass mayhap you have stilled the rage of the beast beneath me bottom. I only hope the ride today will be better then that of yesterday.”

With that the dwarf turned horsemen awaited the rest to mount and them to lead the way...

"I see you are back in the saddle again today, Highnar." Logan starts off, "it also appears that you saddle has been made to better suit you aswell. That is good as it will give you better control. Lorae and myself will continue with your training today of horseback riding. Again we will keep it to the basics, are you ready?" Logan looks to highnar awaiting an answer from his own mount as he too waits for everyone to be ready to move out.

Brianna vaults from the ground onto her red dmare in a simgle motion. She rides forward. stopping only at HIghnar side. Well Done sir Dwarf. YOu are a different kind from those dwarves I knew in my own lands but I see your spirit is much the same. Raiding is a skill that can be learned and if you don't mind I can teach you what would help you improve on the way. What to you say?"

Brianna carries her long swords on her back her new scimatar rests on the side of her mare in a position ready to be drawn. She rides tall in the saddle her hips moving in synch with her mount. Her bow thouugh is out with a arrow nocked ready to draw. Taking the road they left yesterday to camp she keads the mounted group. except for Xuor who scouts ahead.

The forest is still quite thich the trees large and imposing. Sunlight filters though the canopy as the sun rises in the morning sky and the wind rustle trees causing a shifting dapple pattern of light and dark in the forest.

Indeed, the ride for Highnar is far better and he relaxes and gets into the rhythm of his mounts walk. (Great ride roll, and by the way I base riding off Dex, Animal Handling is based on Chr. Highnar got a 22 for riding)

Logan and Lorae trade places and work to give Highnar the basics of riding.

Xuor scouts ahead with Draug sweeping through the underbrush and ferns chasing out birds and small animals that ferquent such hidden places.

By midday the forest begins to lighten, the trees are not so thick or tall.

Draug circles back to Xuor after a sweep and stops in front of him, then turn east and growls.

Xuor follows Draug carefully making his way though the forest. Draug's growl was an indication that he had not liked what he found. Approaching from downwind, Xuor can smell and hear them before he sees them. Orcs. A very large group (about a hundred armed and armored for battle. This being late afternoon some orcs are grumbling that they did not get enough sleep. Another bigt orc quells them promising Elf flesh to eat befor the night was over. This is not a group that a even the experience warriors among them could take on along.

Xuor makes his way back to the group as quickly as he can and reports what he has found "Orcs, about a hundred all armed and armored for war. One said they will eat elf flesh tonight." He waits to see what will be decided.

As Highnar listened to the findings of the ranger Xour as to the number of Orcs before them he had to laugh.

"Orc’s ye say good Ranger, a hundred or more, Bah!! That is but a handful to a dwarf.
Let us show them the strength of the light as it flashes upon our blades as we kill them."

Highnar his words spoken and his desire known awaited the rest to speak....

Brianna forehead furls with thought, while she thinks about what is best to do. "Ashbenford is not far from here, elves live there with humans and dwarves, the Orcs might very well be headed there. I know of no other place they might aim for. We shall meet them in battle soon enough Sir Hignar, but I thinks Ashbenford needs to be warned. Outliying farms could not hold off such this many orcs. There is also the possiblity that there are more than just these that were discovered." We might be able to send one to warn the town while the rest of us harass them. Anyway those are my thoughts on the matter." Who else has input into this?"

"I think we should have Xour shadow them while we ride on briskly to warn the town of what he have found. Xour can follow us later if in fact they do move in the direction. If not, he can still ride to us and maybe we and that town can provide aid to whomever their true target is." Logan says as he looks around to see if anyone agrees with him.

"When we were last in Asbenford, I someone mentioned there was an Elven village at the edge of the foreat where the shoutcut to Shadowdale enters the forest."

Lorae looks to the others, "I can get to the Elven enclave unnoticed to warn them, and then go on the Asbenford to rouse some fighter."

"Highnar, I don't not mean to belittle your ax work, but a hundred orcs could overwhelm us. I would suggest watching them for now cut down any that lag behind or get seperated from the others. In the meantime I will ride fast to warn act a both places. It is quite possible that the Orcs may split and you may have to do the same you may have to do the same."

Lorae half draws her sword and pulls out a luminescent green gem that had been clasped in a dragon's claw that made the pommel of her sword hilt."

She turns to Logan. "Please put this somewhere safe, I can then find you wherever you go. I also suggest you team up with Xuor. I think Highnar and Brianna will make a strong team. Brianna, I would like to take Flame with we, as he can guide me back to you."

"Good idea Those people need to be warned and I think the four of us can pick off any stragglers while they move. If necessary to give you more time we can really haraa them with quick hit and run tactics. we will keep together for now and do as much samage as we can."
"You can have Flame he can scout for you so you can move quickly." Brianna calls her small repptillian friend from his basket. "Flame you go with Lorae and pick her a ssafe path."

Brianna then laughs and draws her new scimatar. "I can give this new scimatar a good work out. Cleaving orcs heads from there bodies sounds like it is just the thing to test its mettle. What do you think, Highnar?"

"Now, Xuor lead the way. I am ready."

Highnar was more then happy to travel with Brianna and as such did reply.

“Aye lass that be sounding good to me, thise ole dwarf body of mine be needing a good fight everin now and again soo’s me bones don’t gather rust. Lead on fair lady and I shall be your knight in shiny, yet banged up armor. Though I be a little small”

The last said with a laugh in his voice the dwarf was once again ready for a good fight....

Worry not about your height Sir Hignar, The measure of a person is not what one was born with as but what one does with them." Brianna laughs with the dwarf. "I too am ready for a good battle."

(OOC: Greenleaf, Xuor's player has been active but not here, For now I will NPC him until I hear for William.)

Xuor moves off silently into the forest, riding for now, but soon he signals for them to halt and dismount. He points off the the southeast through the heavier brush that grew more towards the edge of the forest. It is a about a 1/2 mile to where the group is signaled to get low and slow. The smell of Orcs is unmistakable.

Brianna slips off the mare and then takes off her bridle. THe Goddesses gift will not stray and this way she could fight with teeth and hooves. She turns to the black stallion who does not wear any bridle and slips off his halter also leaving him free to act.

Brianna then takes the new scimatar in her hand and her bow and quiver, leaving the twin longswords on her back. armored with a silk covered mithril shirt, bracers and greaves she carries a helmet but does not out it on for now. she moves in well behind Xuor spacing herself out and giving him the lead. Steathy movement she understands but is not much skilled at. She thinks it best to let those more adapt at such skills lead.

Brainna points to Logan and Xuor, "You two go that way and make as good a count as you can." Her voice is low, but clear. "Highnar and I will take the left side and also do a count. The whole idea of this is to NOT get seen or heard."

She waits till the other two have moved off then with a dagger reaches down and cuts ofdf bunches of ferns and begins to stick them bewtween the pieces of the Dwarf's armor to deaden the sounds of clanking. It also helps hide the armor and gives Highnar the look of an armored bush.