Lorae grabs the neck strap and swings up gracefully to land lightly onto the riding pad. She has seen Xuor and off in the distance Logan now riding back to them.

She looks to Brainna, knowing she is puzzled that Shadowbane had allowed someone else to tack him up.

"You'll be amazed what some slices of bacon can do."

"Xuor, have you seen Highnar, the Dwarf, this morning?"

"Good Morning Logan," and as Logan rides up and makes he assessments and statements about their mounts, "All three can run all day." Lorae notices the qualities of the other mounts, "and with aid your mounts could do as well. Draug also looks fit for a good run."

After making some small talk, Logan brings up the subject at hand, "Not sure if you are feeling whats in the air around us or not, but I do and wreaks of evil. Something or Someone has held up others who should have arrived last night. This does not bold well for our beginning." Whiel still looking at Lorea, he asks Brianna, "What is it that has changed your mood from last night Brianna?" Then turn his head and makes eye contact with her. "And where is our friend the Dwarf from last night, did he have too much to drink?"

"My mood? I do not have moods." retorts Brianna. "and as for the eerie feeling you are feeling, you better look to yourslef for being moody."

THe Sun is shining, the day is young and we need to get started. WHen mounts with a single bound and wheels her big black stallion all with one movement. "Let's ride, enough talk for now."

Logan mounts up as effortlessly as though he were getting on a pack mule. Kicks his heels into his and yells, "Heyaw".

"Shouldn't we have waited for the dwarf before taking off?" He asks. "Or had he decided not to join us on this journey?"

Xour mounted his light war horse smoothly as he listen to the talk of the others’ horses. He had no doubt that he could ride with the best of them and there was more to horsemanship than sheer power and speed Knowledge of how to handle the horse under differing conditions was important to survival. Since they seemed to know where they were heading, he decided to take up rear security.

He would keep an eye out for anyone following.

"Evil has invaded the Elven Forest," Lorae look to Logan just after he mounts. "And we must go through it."

"South to Ashbenford," Lorae calls to Brianna. "We take the short road. Time is of the essence.

Brianna turns back, looking over her shoulder to Lorae. "Back there again. We just left there and spent weeks going around the forest the long route. Will Sarai know which where to goo when she follows us?"

Brianna's stallion turns with her, side stepping a bit. until she turns back forward. "We came a long way for nothing." she grumbles to no oone in particular.

Roscoe waited until the last of the group exited the inn. He did not want to be spotted following them out so he sat at his table, and sipped his water.

Watching the one named Brianna finally leave the inn, he wondered where their friend, the dwarf had gone to. He waited for him to arrive, but seen the two woman start to ride off, and finally decided enough was enough.

He took one last strip of bacon and ate it quickly, and started to leave the inn. Wiping a strand of black gangly hair out of his face, he reached back and pulled up the dark green hood to his cloak, and set out.

That morning was a little nippy, so he pulled his cloak around him tighter, and walked over to the Manger to get his horse. Walking in he could see a few horses were already gone, and assumed it was the groups horses that had been taken. He walked down the corridor to the other end of the building, his leather boots the only thing making any sound as he walked acrossed the wooden floor.

" Easy boy its only me."

Roscoe spoke out to his horse as it backed up a little to his approach, so he slid his hood off and looked into the horses eyes. His emerald green gaze met the horses soft brown stare and the horse calmed down, letting Roscoe pat and pet his neck and body.

" Have a nice night there Luster?"

He looked down, and seen the black cat that was curled up in a pile of hay.

" How about you Eskavan?"

He smiled as the cat yawned and stretched out,and ran over to him, looking up with his yellow cat eyes. He bent down and picked him up, and he started purring as he placed the cat in a specially made saddle bag, and the cat poked his head out, looking around.

Roscoe started to lead his horse out, its dark brown coat shining in the morning sun. He stepped one foot up and swung his leg around, mounting his horse, and looked down the southern road at the group of adventureres.

" Well, it seems as if I've found us something to do for the next few weeks or so. Their on some sort of quest for a sword, about a prophecy or something. No doubt lots of treasure and adventuring to do with those fellows. Well, off we go then."

Roscoe starts off down the southern road, and quickens up his pace to catch up with the group. Eventually he finally gets within shouting distance to the people.

" Hello there! I know you dont know me, but last night I over heard your conversation about what you are doing. Do you think I could join you in your quest to find this sword or what ever you are finding!?"

Roscoe trotted a little closer, his spell book and various gear bouncing along his horses back, and gets a little close to talk with the group, waiting for what they all decide on.

Hearing someone yelling in the distance behind them as they speed along, Logan slows down to better hear what is being said.

"Sure, i dont see a problem with it. The more the merrier as greater numbers makes for a better chance of survival. But you may want to pick up the pace a bit as we have a ways to go and not alot of time to get there."

Turning his attention towards Xuor, he asks, "Seen anything suspect yet that might be trying to tail us from behind?"

Logan wait for an answer before moving back up to the front where Lorea and Brianna lead the way.

"We have a new comer who has asked to join, I told him I didn't see an issue with it."

Lorae turned in her saddle and the sound of the approaching horse, let alone the call for the young man ridden up to them.

She looks him over and takes note of a number of things, quality and condition of himself, his mount and the cat that was peering out of the saddlebag.

Once he rides into the group, after Logan extended an invitation to him, "That is fine,Logan," she replied while cocking her head with a puzzled look.

"What is your name and where do you come from? And besides being a Magic User, would you by chance be part mule?"

A smile lights her face, "Perhaps your hood hides them, it is the only explanation for you hearing conversation not meet for you. Or was it your familiar that heard it for you?"

Roscoe looked over at the elven woman who spoke to the one named Logan. He recognized the white horse that he had seen in the manger last night. He scanned over the rest of the group before she spoke out to him.

"What is your name and where do you come from? And besides being a Magic User, would you by chance be part mule?"

Roscoe looked at the elven woman and smirked a little bit, shaking his head slightly. He trotted up a little closer to the group, to get in close so they could talk normally, instead of shouting.

" My name is Roscoe, Roscoe Strakeln. And I come from no where, and everywhere. See, I dont have a place where I retreat to in the night, or stay in the day. I am a wanderer, I go wherever I feel is the best for me, and do what I can to make a living."

He seen her glance down at Eskavan, and smiled.

" Do you like him? His name is Eskavan, he's my familiar."

He pats his horse on the head and scratches between his ears.

" His name is Luster, a fine horse and a great companion. And to answer your question, no I am not part mule. I was simply sitting a little to close to not listen in. But I am one of the streets, and the books. A sorcerer, and a rogue. Now I think you will find my services helpful in your little quest. Now what was it, a sword of some sorts youre looking for? An epic adventure you all are on? I am asking to acompany you on such a travel, and I will be sworn to protect you all, since if I do join, you will be friends, allys, and the closest thing to family that I will have for how ever long this last."

"Well said, Roscoe," replied Lorae, "and I meant no insult about being part mule. It is just that I hope no one else heard of it, and talks of it."

"Come ride with me, and if you have any questions I will endeavor to share what I can."

Lorae turns to Xuor and Logan "The same goes for you two, though there will be things I may not answer or tell of. Some things are best kept by those who can protect them. As a scholar of sorts, Roscoe, you must be aware of that."

"Well said, Roscoe," replied Lorae, "and I meant no insult about being part mule. It is just that I hope no one else heard of it, and talks of it. Come ride with me, and if you have any questions I will endeavor to share what I can."

Roscoe smiled and trotted up next to Lorae.

" I thank you for letting me join. You wont regret it. And no, I dont have any questions, whatever I need to learn will come up with time. Now the same goes for you, any questions about anything, I am here."

He looked up to the rest of the group and nodded.

" I thank you also for letting me join, if anyone has any questions, I am here."

Eskavan looked up and meowed, and Roscoe looked down, and reached into his pack, taking out a bit of food, giving it to him. He nibbled a bit then looked at flame, and shot back down into the saddle bag.

" Dont be afraid eskavan, I'm pretty sure that it wont hurt you."

He looks up to the party.

" Who owns that beautiful looking pseudo dragon? He wont harm Eskavan...will he?"

"Welcome Roscoe, Glad to have a Magic User with us. As for staying, it depends how we work together. And yes, we are hunting for a sword, but it may not even be on this plane. We are also hunting for a....entity known as the Dark One who now may be on this plane."

"Lorae says there is "EVIL" about and we are headed out to find that too, somewhere in the Cormanthor Forest.

"Flame front and center" calls out Brianna The diminuative dragonette streaks out of the surrounding forest and does a dive at Brianna snapping his wings open just beofre running in to her.

"What?" hisses the Dragonette silibantly, "I didn't hear anything." Then he turns to Roscoe. "Am not a ppppssssuedo-dragon." His tongue makes a raspberry sound.

Brianna does not point out that he must have heard her talk. He would just deny it.

"You are not to harm, hurt, or harrass Roscoe's familiar Eskavan. Is that clear?"

The Dragonette busy little brain is thinking of all the other things that might be possible even as he hisses out "Yessss."

Brianna was sure that was exactly what was happening, having born the brunt of other events that she had not specifically banned or forbidden Flame from doing. She sighs. Sometimes it was a losing battle. "Promise me, on your hope of becoming a true dragon,"

"But I am a true dragon," pipes the creature, and in a sense he was. Roscoe can see that he does not have a scorpian's tail, and he is bright fiery red in color, not rusty like a psuedodragon.

"I'm just small for my size." He puffs out his chest and lifts his head high. "I can even breathe fire."

He breathes in and then out jets a tiny cone of fire. Brianna feels the heat of it on her cheek. As the smoke goes by Shadowbane's head he turns his head about and rolls a red eye at the dragonette.

Flame darts into the air. "Don't let him eat me!"