It would seem that the king didn't like him very much, but that was OK, he didn't like the king very much. He was only suggesting that the thieves were allowing themselves to be followed to set an example to anyone else who wished to follow, but the king hadn't thought of this and mistook it for him thinking that Hunter was suggesting that he himself was setting the trap.

"I offer my apologies your highness. I did not mean to offend you or attack your honor."
He was otherwise satisfied with the kings response to the questions, now they had what information they had asked for speed was of the essence, he only wished it was not forbidden to let another carry his equipment or to allow an animal to carry himself. They'd be able to travel quicker if he could ride but he could not, he waited for the king to dismiss them before leaving the throneroom and castle.

The Drow looks at the king distrustfully and whispers to himself, "Well I still don't trust him."

He taps Efferi on the shoulder and says, "It's Elendara, not Elendrara you tongue twisted Halfling. It's actually becoming a private joke."

The Drow laughs and says, "Well, if we've no more questions and we have enough supplies," he glances at the king and shakes his head, "we best be off eh?"

Efferi looked at Drizzt with a glance. "Whether you trust him or not, you don't have much of a choice. Even theives value honor. And, to be frank, I'm not concerned about getting the lady's name perfect. I'm sure she gets it all the time. After all, leave Elven to the Elves, correct?"

"Sure..... if you say so. You get my name right, so why not other elves? Oh, well... I don't value honor because recently I lost every ounce of it by running away. I only value life. I know I have no choice to trust him so I'll follow your lead til he slips or proves himself good."

"Calll me Dara, if you want make, It would be easier for you to say my name. Elendara is not really my name just part of it. I so not mind at all. Besides it is quicker to say and that may be important in a tight situation."

Elendara offers the alternative basically to ease the tension a bit.


"Now let us get going as quickly as possible."

"I agree. We should get going if we are to catch these theives before something bad happens."

'Anything to get out of here.' he whispers to himself.

"Something bad already has happened, let's try to make sure it does not become worse," Elendara replies succinctly.

Put words into actions Elendara gathers her things, slings her pack and retraces her path to this place. With a fine unerring sense she heads out of the castle.

"Do you all have a horse or some other means of transportation?"

Drizzt walks out of the castle with his things going down the road by himself waiting for the others.

"If you would permit us to leave sir."
Hunter addresses to the king before bowing slightly and turning to leave, on the way out, should the half-orc follow, he explains what the king has told them and answers any questions about what the king has said either truthfully or, if he does not know, says he doesn't know.

After retracing his steps through the castle he decides that anyone else can talk to the king next time, he was right that raptorans and water do not mix but he'd done nothing to incur a threat like that. Maybe the world should be returned to how it was, his race had always been hunter gatherers and farmers, they wouldn't be affected if the world returned to how it was. This was just a bid to keep the status quo, what did he care about the kings lands or the empires of the humans, they were such destructive species anyway, never looking forward.

But that was emotional trash, he was only thinking that in vengeance and swift vengeance led to swift demise, acting on the wing was not the wise thing to do.

Standing outside the castle with Elendara and Drizzt he caught the tail and of he sentence.

"I am sorry but I must walk, I'm forbidden to let any animal carry me or any man, or woman, to lighten my load. We'll need a map and pen at any rate, do either of you know a cartographers?"
Pausing to try to remember where he can find a map and to let answers come he then speaks again.

"I don't mind who 'leads' us on this expedition but can I be the navigator. My species can find north like no other and we're never wrong, it's a kind of innate ability."
It wasn't a question, more a kindly demand, the map reading is best in the hands of some who can find north without a compass and is never wrong.

Efferi followed Dara and Hunter out. "No, I don't have a horse. My load was light enough that I could carry myself without a problem. And I didn't imagine we'd have to do much traveling when I was called."

The group had no more questions for the king, only questions about his motives. Leaving the castle, with Braxtue in tow, the five depart go around town for a while, preparing the necessities, but having most done, they are able to leave the town within minutes. On their way out of the town, a guardsman meets them, with four horses, a pony, and a mule.

"These are from his highness for use of the champions. The journey to Ankhol ruins is not difficult, only long. I'm certain that the champions will be fine for such a trek."

With horses and ponies under you, and a mule traveling with you to carry any excess supplies, the group sets off.

Upon leaving the city of Champa, one thing becomes apparent - these thieves seemed very casual. Everyone is able to see many foot prints, heading in the general direction of the forest. But these footprints don't look humanoid - instead, they have two toes at the front, and a third at the back. They continue along the path, the track never disappearing. However, at the end of a days travel, it becomes time to set up camp, and casually enjoy each others company for the evening, and learn more about each other.

The next morning brought the adventurers to the top of a huge hill, which yielded a spectacular view of the surrounding countryside. In this view, the adventurers could see Ankhol ruins in the distance. However, it seemed as though this is where the thieves split up. One group went to the north, into the mountains. One group went straight east, to a thick forest, and one group went south toward the ocean. They all seemed to be divided into equal sized groups of about 5 or 6.

Braxtue, being the obvious one of the group grunts. "Huh. Looks like they split. Well, which way do we go? I don't care - I just want to get this over with."

The halfling shrugged.

"Has anyone ever seen tracks like these? I haven't a clue. But as for direction, I vote we head into the woods and get the confusing part out of the way."

Elendara dismounts to examine the tracks that were found. (tracking/search sheck), HSe moves away form her own group to examine uncluttered tracks as best as she could.

"Whatever did make them we cannot split up we must take them one group at a time. "I would say ride for those who head towards the forest. IF they get lost in there they will be difficult to find. The mountains may slow the other group a bit while we deal with the first. Unless someone has a better suggestion or another direction for us to go first.

"I say we go into the forest. I have experience with both but the woods will provide more shelter either way whether the creatures are lesser or greater in there or not."

(Spot checks path to woods)

These creatures they were following seemed to have no thought for stealth, their tracks were clear a moonlight and although there were many of them, so it would be harder to cover any tracks if they had been trying, they couldn't have been the ones responsible for stealing the statues. They couldn't posses the cunning to pull of something so daring without being caught.

When the tracks split Hunter knelt to examine them, he had a basic understanding of these things and hoped it would prove useful. He'd chosen not to take a horse, as it was forbidden for raptorans who couldn't yet fly, so it had been a more tiring journey for him and he yearned to glide from a height more then he ever had in his life, how hard it must be to be permanently land bound.

"The tracks split to the North, South and East, the Mountains, Ocean and Forrest."
This was a chance for debate and he'd be damned if he missed it.

"We should continue east, if they are heading towards the ocean then they could have transport ready and we may never catch them. But I can easily scale both trees and mountains so I have not preference to either north or south."
Standing back up to observe all three directions he concluded his short argument.

"Assuming these creatures either can't or wont climb then we have the biggest advantage in the woods as I could glide above and act as scout and shoot down on them."