Magic Hollow Hop [Private]

[Mineal Shade]

28th of Cryxatum Era XIV PF

Mineal stood outside Ranger Cullyn’s office at the command center. Stephen had woken him earlier in the brightening to tell him that Cullyn wanted to see him. The rodenti had no idea what Master Cullyn would want with him. Nevertheless he was wrapped in his poncho and underneath the green sash that denoted him as one of Frigid River’s Rangers. He lifted a tan paw and knocked against the wooden door.

When Cullyn beckoned the mosat shuffled in and shut the door behind him. “Take a seat.” Mineal hopped up into the chair and pushed his tail off to the side of the chair. He was forced to sit close to the edge to keep from damaging his hat dangling off his back. The rodenti blinked quietly as he watched Ranger Cullyn who was looking out the window of his office. After a moment Cullyn turned around and picked up a piece of parchment. “We’ve had reports of some strange fog surrounding Magic Hollow. It hasn’t dispelled for a few brightenings. Most likely it’s just some rain clouds that made it over the mountains, but I thought it would be a good opportunity for you to get some experience.” Mineal nodded.

Ranger Cullyn laid the piece of parchment back down on his desk. “Since this is Ranger business Stephen will provide you with rations and any extra equipment you might need. As for Magic Hollow, it is not the safest of places. Just observe if the fog is natural or if something else seems to be causing it.”

Mineal nodded, “I understand.”

[Wildcard]

Master Cullyn nodded to the rodenti.
"See that you do. I'm also assigning Rangers Mikells and Jauron to provide you with support. There is an elder human male gone missing with his entire sheep herd in the vicinity. I want you to keep a look out for him, and any other civilians that may need our protection. I've had men die in there before Shade. You'll be squad leader, but if things get hairy Mikells as been given authorization to supersede your command. That's all ranger. Now get to work."

Cullyn ignored Mineal as he left, collected his things then headed out to the arranged rendevous point in order to make contact with his team. Arriving through the thick underbrush of Lauryllian hospitality, the rodenti thought himself first at the fallen white oak. Appearing behind him, a lithe male Sylrosian Elf emerged from the shadows of the trunk in question. He had long, honey brown hair tied back while wearing green fatigues, complimented by dark forest green leather tights. His moccasins made barely a sound as the ranger stepped closer towards Mineal.

"Hail brother. I am Jauron, warden of Lauryl. Mineal, I've heard the name. Not much good it'll do you out here though."

The elf placed a longbow down before him, resting his weight on it's length. Jauron's voice turned serious.

"Mikells has been here. Markings on the tree, cooling of the ash and stool indicate less then one darkening. Something spooked her, and I don't like it."

The calm ranger threw his head back, indicating a westernly direction.

"Lets head out in pursuit. No way am I leaving that hot headed Vagaran to have all the fun without us. Besides, then I'll miss all the headache she had lined up for you..."

He paused, half serious.

"Unless of course, you've got a better idea.. because after all, you are in command..."

The direct path towards Magic Hollow was to the south, and the landscape to the west would take them through some difficult and rough terrain.

"That one can take care of herself, but it would only knock about half a brightening onto our approach to give me time enough to count four limbs and a stubborn red head. Besides, Audrey never lets up. Not even when it's in our.. or Her... best interests."

Looking down to the ground then at Mineal, the warden was expecting some input. Although without it, Jauron was quite ready to head off regardless. If Mineal wanted to show his authority, he would have to be firm.

[Mineal Shade]

Mineal left Ranger Cullyn. Disappearances in a mass fog were not entirely uncommon especially when someone’s mind was set more to keeping a flock together than keeping his bearing. The mosat returned to his room and gathered up his bow and gear before reporting to Stephen. The quartermaster outfitted him with the necessary rations and a small tin for cooking. Departing he crossed through the wilds surrounding the peaceful little village. Despite the summer it was chill next to the mountains.

He padded up to the fallen tree and looked around before Jauron, one of the others of his team arrived. Mineal had not put much thought in to working in a team. He was used to the solitary company of Telath when he traveled and his naturally taciturn nature might be put to the test by this endeavor in command. Mineal nodded to the second Ranger as he brought the rodenti up to speed on the situation. His equipment clinked as he dropped down to all fours and sniffed around the burned remains of the campfire, picking up Ranger Mikells’s scent. Mineal propped back up on his hind legs and regarded Jauron for a moment before pulling his goggles down over eyes. “Head west and track Mickells. We will meet up and continue the mission from there. Take the lead.” The mosat waited for Jauron to have a rough half a dozen step lead before following himself. Jauron’s eyes would be better for tracking and if need be Mineal believed he had enough signature of the missing ranger’s scent to follow if she had come across a need to cover her tracks.

Mineal’s eyes swept the area as they walked. It was an afterthought but it would be more prudent to bring it up than let the thought dawdle and be forgotten. “So you saw no trace of anything unordinary that might have put Mickells to flight. Keep watch for anything out of the ordinary, something that might be following her.”

[Wildcard]

The tall elf nodded, but decisively kept his yew bow between his left hand. Jauron or Wraith as he was known amongst goblinoid circles, crept forward following footprints that shouldn't be there. Ranger's calling card was tracking, it's what they did.. it's how they survived. This is precisely why a good ranger never left their own set of heavy footprints, or broken branches for others to follow. Unless.. unless they did not have time to be discreet.

Wraith tilted his head, as if listening to something far, far away in the distance.

"There is a cavern with high stone walls, that easily reverberates sound not three miles from here..due west. If you can make that out mosat, there are screams. Let's Move."

Picking up towards a hard but even run, Jauron made sure to keep pace with Mineal but pushed him faster then a stag hunt. Time burned down to a flicker, yet could they make it? Down rocky craigs, over deciduous boughs and under leafy canopies the pair slipped through the citadel of trees like shadows at sunset. Both Jauron and Ranger Shade could make out the trails of deer, boar, fox, wolf, and pheasant. While rabbit droppings littered the remains of wild berries, Mineal did find a long red strand of human hair that made the Sylrosian raise an eyebrow in mild surprise as he himself had not noticed it. Nodding and signing off for silence, the pair now spoke only in the language of the woods by using hand signals and precise animal calls. They were getting close.

Reaching the edge of a heavy cliffside, littered with thick roots that carreened downward, the rangers could make out faint female screams then the reverberation of a terrifing growl. Two painful male shouts followed and Jauron looped his bow over his right shoulder, sliding down the gnarled root construct into a bed of moss and rock shale below. The granite had been worn down from Eras of melting snow travelling through these slopes to the lower regions of the Graceland. All around them were high dripping cavern walls, pockmarked with holes and small round divets. A faint blue sky hung high above them, but the gutterly violent slashing noises and gnawing still marked both warden of Lauryl and provided ample motivation to stay quiet.
Whatever had been making those noises just tore through male human flesh like a bedsheet. Jauron motioned to Mineal to investigate a freshly broken and bloodied corpse, hidden lopsidedly beside a tall boulder. It's limbs were mangled, with massive teeth incisions at the kneck and waist. The look upon the unshaven man's face was set in the death mask of horror. Yet whatever killed this man, did it quickly.
The size of the bite marks indicated a large, powerful jaw, while the broken limbs and cuts on the torso and legs suggested four pronged clawed feet with more strength then any bear or mountain lion could provide. This was insane.. No creature from this part of the Lylles Kingdom had even close to this ravaging strength and wanton disregard for life.
Jauron made the questioning sign for bear? by stroking down his left arm, and raising his left hand in a four pronged claw. There was no fur, no sign of rabies.. this man wasn't killed for food and it was not mating season. Were there cubs near by? All signs steered away from such a hypothesis yet what else could it be? The victim had been wearing a leather skullcap and carried a weathered longbow himself. The elf signaled hunter then outlaw. Neither men knew, but for now..it did not matter.
Knotching an arrow between his own bowstring, Jauron proceeded further into the damp canyon, letting Ranger Shade take point while providing vigilant cover from the rear. Their simple reconnaissance mission just got a whole lot more complicated..

[Mineal Shade]

Mineal cocked his head and lifted his hat slighty so his ear could take in the sound. A blessing and a curse all at once his large fur-tufted ears were incredibly sensitive making the distant sound easy to hear but a large city or crowded dining hall a bombarding assault. There was the faint sound of screaming and yells in the distance. Mineal nodded and the two rangers set off in the direction of the cave.

He was able to scurry much faster than he could run so Mineal scrambled over the difficult terrain with better success on all fours. The two closed the distance quickly as they nimbly navigated the ground. As light began to flag they hit the cover of trees and Mineal pushed the goggles up on his head. They traveled on until Mineal skidded himself to a stop and lifted up on his hind legs. The nose on the end of his tan muzzle twitched and led him to a snapped twig bearing a single red hair. Mineal lifted it with a claw and brought it to his face for a closer inspection. He held it up for Jauron to look at it then let it fall to the ground. For a hair to simple lay on a twig there must have not been a wind since the person had passed.

Mineal dropped down to all fours and the rangers continued to close in on Mickells approximate position. The trees thinned and the two were met with a cliffside. The mosat stared down into the bowl looking for some sort of movement as Jauron made his way down. When Jauron was on his two feet Mineal dug his claws into the roots and scrambled down the cliffside. Under the cover of slashing and faint cries of pain the two moved. Following Jauron's pointing finger Mineal spied the remains of a body not far off. The mosat peeked around the thin shrub and cliff backrise of shale that was currently covering their position. When things looked best for him to break Mineal scrambled behind the building and sat back on his hind legs. He looked the body over, it was broken and torn to shreds. The blood was of a syrupy almost congealed texture. The body had been battered by powerful swipes of some sort of claw and powerful jaws that had sunk in teethmarks in disgusting patterns. Jauron caught his attention with a hand signal. Mineal shook his head and laid the palms of his paws together before drawing the top one up to signal that it was probably bigger. There was no way to tell by what remained of the man if he had been a hunter or not. He scooted back over to Jauron's position.

Jauron nocked an arrow on his longbow and Mineal pulled his crossbow out from beneath his poncho. Stuffing a clawed foot into the metal step he hauled back on the line and set the string in the firelock. Mineal popped open the cap of his squat quiver and pulled out a bolt that he laid in the firing groove of the weapon's barrel. The two moved in tandem ahead while taking turns switching cover positions. When Mineal came across a suitable sized boulder he motioned for Jauron to come to him. Once the elf arrived Mineal made signs for him to keep an eye out. The rodenti pushed his foot into a divet on the face of the boulder and hauled himself on top of it. Mineal flattened his body, making it a decent two fifths of its usual size. Laying out on the top of the rock he looked forward to try and get some bearing on what they were facing.

[Wildcard]

Slipping through the damp caves, the two rangers pressed further against the advice from the angel on Mineal's right shoulder called Better Sense. The canyon walls peeled back before them, letting sunlight illuminate and glisten off of pools of ankle deep rain water. Three humans sloshed through the mire, covered in dead leaves while testing the acoustics of the crack in Carmelya's cleavage. Sneaking up under the cover of shadows and large pieces of shale, Wraith and Mineal watched the drama unfold in silence.


"Now I've go'ta tell ya. No bloody fletching way, am I walk'n back in that bleed'n canal lookn for Cha'rlie's bowler bald fletching h'ead. I know we was mates, but truth be told it's better fletching him then fletching me. That's the truth of it."

The taller, lankier vagabond turned away in discust, trying to climb the slippery walls that would lead him to the promise of safety. Retorting, an angrier smaller man with a heavy coat of hair and sporting the type of beard even a dwarven father in law had to respect hoisted the first man on his shoulders.

"So you tell'en me we go'na leave fletching Charlie T. here to rot in his blood and sh' stained trousers. What m' going ta tell me wife. Oh sorry honey, your brother didn't make it back cause some fletching cannibal pigmies chewed off 'is arm and made a stew out 'f his fletching stomach lining.. pastries from his liver and spleen, flaming fondu from his eyeballs, a second course of kidnies sweetened and cured in his own brain matter and fletching finger food out of his bleed'n fletching, fetching, flarcking fingers! Gods be praised, damned and tickled under the chin, I rather face one of these fletching ghost demons then that woman... arranged marriages, yeah. Big fletching fan of those!!"

A third greasy, dirt covered fiend wearing dead rabbits, dried mushrooms and a rusted longsword pushed at the tall figure's feet.

"Get up already you sod. Why in fletching, farking 'ell does the tallest muppet get ta climb the ladder? At least those fletching monsters got something right.. they killed the fat one first."

Scratching at the rocks, all three clean mouthed school boys fell then ended up covered in mud and wet slosh, practicing what they would recite upon meeting their maker. Ghost Demons.. Pigmies? Just what killed their dear beloved companion? Jauron nodded as if he was ready to confront and interrogate these men, but it was Mineal's call. Would the pair engage the trio? Would they try to get information out of these country boys, or would they...

Too late. Country Cousin Number two spotted them. The Mosat guessed their limited gene pool wasn't too far gone after all... The three bushmen jumped in fright, raising their weapons while sneering and spitting into the putrid water.

"Look'ee here. A little sewer rat and his perky eared lover came down to visit for a little home town hospitality. Great timing cupcake.. Come to collect the bounty, 'ave ya. Might just add up to enough so as ta pay for your soiled drawers. Better yet.. your pelt 'll fund Tom here in 'is quest to finally taste cherry. How old ye again Tommie? Forty three... and still look'n through the windowpane."

The furry, wart covered companion piped in.

"And not fer lack of trying I can attest ta that. That bow might make Bettie smile again after all..worth two dead brothers by the gloss and glitter av it."

Raising his wicked axe, the first man grinned toothlessly.

"Time to feed the worms, rat."

His tall friend chortled behind him.

"Feed the worms? Couldn't ya say some'n like .. Time ta Kiss Jalat you maggots..er .. bottom feeding slags of refuse and piss ugly cross eyed whore's meat.."

Raising a rusted sword, the last man spat again then ran towards Mineal like a halfpint barbarian.

"Time to feed Jalat and kiss the maggoty worms, ya oversized canine whore."

Chortling, the bearded man tore after the heels of his peer.

"Dog? He's a fletching rat you wanker."

"Whatever he is, I bet he'll look better stuffed and mounted while I'm counting his fletching pocket change."

The carnage of battle was upon them. Jauron let loose his knotched arrow with a trained instinct, sending the spiraling shaft through the gaping mouth of the first bandit, knocking him dead in his tracks. Mineal would have to move fast if he wanted to keep his tenderloins were they were. At least one vicious and powerful enigmatic creature lingered beyond the darkness.. ready to feast on every party accounted, yet all these fools could think about was lynching and stealing.. Typical. Putting these curs down would have been a pleasure... under better circumstances.

[Mineal Shade]

It would have been a difficult affair to have actually snuck up on the trio. Pools of water checkered the ground and loose rock chips crunched lightly under feet. But they were actively engaged in some conversation concerning a brother in law who was dead and been left to fill the bellies of pygmies. Mineal had no idea the area contained a band of the little flesh-gobbling monsters.

The mosat looked down from his position on the boulder and caught the other ranger's eye and nod. In an ideal position Mineal would rather just go around the backwater group but they still needed to find their elusive third leg to continue on the mission and any slim chance at the two knowing something of the lady ranger's whereabouts and condition would be worth the small detour and chat.But, Mineal never had a chance to make a decision about it as one of the backwater boys spied him atop the boulder. There was some commotion about worms, a bounty and taxidermy which ultimately led to the three rushing down on the Rangers. Mineal shouldered his weapon were he lay but as he aimed at the first backwater boy his head jerked back and he crumpled to the ground accompanied by the sound of Jauron's bowstring twanging. Mineal readjusted his aim to the next of the bunch and squeezed the firing trigger down. The fire lock seperated away from the tensioned string and it kicked forward thrusting its bolt out to deal its burden.

Mineal reared up on his hind legs and stuffed his paw into the leather glove fastened to the hilt of his scimitar and pulled it free. He stayed on the top of the boulder where he could keep higher ground and his short stature would be less of a hindrance.

[Wildcard]

Howling like a boar racked with dysentery, the remaining outlaws charged towards Mineal and Jauron blankly. Mineal took his time, aimed true and with measured cause. His crossbow kicked, proving the quarrel's strength as the timber quickly imbedded it's self into the lower windpipe of the beard smothered brother. That didn't stop the man, only changed the pitch of his scream from a husky growl to a piercing squeal. Scimitar out, Mineal clashed his blade against the gnarled shaft of a woodcutter's axe. His opponent brought the head of the weapon down, clipping the length of the scimitar as this outlaw then yanked the mosat down from the height of his perch.

Releasing his weapon in midflight, Shade allowed himself a change in direction, so that instead of landing at the bandit's feet and dead within a single breath, he cleared the man's head entirely for maybe two. Turning, the wart covered figure spat out a volley of rich blood matter, leering at Mineal as he raised the twisted axe above his head once again, ready to cleave his foe into pieces.

The third brother took Wraith's second arrow to the knee, but the Elfkin was already moving. Stabbing Shade's opponent in the back, Jauron gave the tiny ranger time to compose himself as both still breathing bandits dropped towards Mineal from either side. His crossbow was not loaded, but his lost scimitar was but two feet away, sinking under a dark puddle of leaves and rainwater.

Axe and Sword both fell.. only Mineal could save himself now. Jauron was but flickers too late, as he twisted a slim elven shortsword through the vulnerable kidney of his victim. Even dying outlaws had a last wish... The man's strength held and so did the course of his gory weapon. Ranger Shade didn't even blink.

[Mineal Shade]

Even as Mineal took to his scimitar he could see that his missile had flown true. The man's war cry had turned to a more humorous sound thanks to the metal and wood now firmly lodged in his throat. But sadly a thwack through the windpipe did not stop the bearded man from charging. Mineal took the first blow of the axe relatively well until he was lifted off his feet. The mosat hurriedly freed himself of his weapon and landed spryly as the bearded man turned to finish him off.

The man jerked and stiffened as the second Ranger stabbed him in the back. that slight hesistaton allowed for Mineal to pull out his last weapon, the most important and most trusted of the Ranger, his knife. He left the twice injured axeman to Wraith and turned his attention to the swordsman now closing. It looked as if the two bandits were trying to tag team the smaller Ranger before turning their attentions to the elf. A decision that proved to be fatal for two of them at least.

Bandit's with weapons raised to kill Mineal closed in on him from either side. Jauron had proved himself capable already and the mosat felt easily enough in leaving the axeman to the elf's devices. Mineal rushed towards the sword wielding bandit and tried to throw all his weight into a punch with the spiked knuckleguard of his knife at the bandit's already injured knee. Despite his instincts Mineal was attempting to keep at least one of the bandits alive to get some information about what was going on.

[Wildcard]

Leaping through the air, the mosat's spiked dagger handle connected exactly where he planned. What he did not account for was being shot back from the momentum of the outlaw, just under the fall of the bearded brother. Landing hip deep in water, Ranger Shade could see the pool he now stood in cloud up with dark violet liquid as the second man passed away from the touch of Jauron's elven steel toothpick. Crawling and convulsing along the rocky pool, this wounded bandit's body had black scorch marks along his kneckline and temple shaped like the passing of claws. The figure was obviously malnurished, frightened and perhaps alittle slow in the head. Laughing as a defensive mechanism, the final brother sat up. Placing his dagger across the figure's throat, Jauron's line of sight trailed over the cuts as both his and Mineal's eyes met in unison.

"I live through being half maul'd ta dead'th by de Ghost Demons and a wee rattie is going ta gut me through. Pfft. Brittle bones."

Spitting in the water, the sad figure flinched as Shade stepped closer in anticipation to future repercussions.

"What?.. Huh.. What. I got nothing rat.. so go find s'me ..cheese or tasty little pie to chew on. I ' ... I '.. I'm fletching Done. None. nothing.. Nothing for ye!"

Cackling, the shellshocked vagrant snorted as Jauron stabbed his dagger into the man's open knee socket.

"A red haired human FEMALE.. Where. WHERE is she?"

Looking up like a man drunk, the figure below made a childlike gesture as he smiled in pain.

"Saved our lives.. but she got away b'f're we could ..thank 'er."

"I bet. Which direction.."

"Past us.. so'dth. Straight into d' Magic... Hoolow."

Looking past the man, Jauron raised his eyebrow at Mineal, as if he had any questions best ask them now before the Wraith of Lauryl finished the job.

[Mineal Shade]

Mineal's dagger had hit the mark but the larger body had propelled him back into a pool of water. The water began turning a darker red as blood from the dead bandit began to spoil the pool of bracken water. He stepped out of the pool and flicked water from his poncho.

The remaining bandit seemed to be suffering from dementia. It was not a totally uncommon sight. The mosat had seen a few tripping along the deserts west of Arakmat, driven mad by the sun. Mineal listened closely as the other Ranger interrogated the remaining bandit. It sounded as if their companion was safe, at least for the time being. The mosat met the Ranger's eyes and turned back to the captive.

"What ghost demons?"

[Wildcard]

Convulsing, the man stopped momentarily as if to contemplate such a question. Turning away in the discusted and fearful consideration of pain, the outlaw almost gutted himself on Jauron's knife blade.

"No. That's just a figure ofs'speach.. ya can't see 'em. de'n gone right quick little rat. Big! Bold.... Claws, little beady black 'eyd'es.. Like something I've never seen.. dogs, men. animals.. D'e'd kill quikcs enough. Quikcs indeed.. -KCK."

The elf's blade easily penetrated through the man's flesh and silenced him. Wiping the weapon off without the precedence of thought, Wraith looked up idly.

"The man was mad from the worms. Lets go. We're wasting time."

He sheathed his weapons and made ready his fine yew bow. Nodding southward and backtracking towards their previous root trail entrance, the haughty ranger plainly suggested they leave. From watching the gory display, Shade couldn't help but get the feeling something was strangely amiss. What ranger killed a man in cold blood? Some did.. especially while rationalizing the life they took would do more harm then good.. Regardless, this felt too quick, with almost too much forethought. It was eery, but passed just as easily. If the pair decided to make way, the time and distance would give the two woodland warriors space to get acquainted. If Mineal would need any information on the subject of their destination, the journey would be an ideal time to get swift and ready answers.

[Mineal Shade]

The bandit's attempt at explanation was scattered at best. In all Mineal could not pick much information out of it. Nor was he given the chance to clarify the matter as the fellow began losing blood and keeled over from Jauron's knife.

Mineal retrieved his crossbow and slipped it onto his pack. He had wanted to ask the bandit a few more things and it seemed odd that Jauron had been so quick to dispatch the man. Of course the bandit had given them information on where their third member was and that was the most important thing. The mosat also had the feeling that Jauron was a little more interested in the redhead than just as another Ranger, but he was no expert in such matters. Rodenti affairs were far different than most surface dwellers.

Before leaving Mineal took the time to pull at the dead bandit's clothes and inspect his injuries closer. Whatever had harmed him was definitely powerful and not a beast the rodenti was familiar with. He met up with Jauron at the entrance and the two began to head south towards their original destination and the third Ranger.

[Wildcard]

Running through remains of the ancient forest, both rangers could make out the compressed mud tracks of common deer while chasing hard towards the destined Hollow. Magic it was, this dead zone.. a village or abandoned imperial garrison, the Magic Hollow was a place often discussed but rarely entered. It was an area steeped in folklore and superstition, even the rangers seemed to fear it but all Jauron did at the mention was spit at the ground and swell up with mild bravado.

"Magic Hollow. Been through there seven times over the last Era.. Nothing there Shade. Just dust, wind and the remains of an abandoned tower."

The elf paused to scramble over a massive fallen log and point to the mild outline of a humanoid footprint.

"Female and knows how to hide her tracks. Seems to be fearful or at the least hesitant. Could be our girl..."

Breaching thought, Wraith returned to his previous line.

"Now granted, the place is one hell of a spooky ride, but ghost demons? Pff.. We got ourselves just another spilled Merchant menagerie is what.. Some exotic Kemite beastie is all.. to be sold back east let loose on the unsuspecting natives."

The ranger kicked off a leaning tree and over a jutting outcrop.

"And tonight, I'll be roasting it on a spit enjoying the taste of it's mankilling hide."

There was a certain cockiness but empty core that would lead any listener to believe the woodsman was trying to convince himself of the truth as much as his companion. From the top of a reaching valley both parties could finally see the tall spire of a stone tower which was beyond ancient. It had the sloping stone supports of the ancient Aelyrians. The brickwork was more modern yet was covered in a overwhelming outline of greenery and moss. It was a solemn affair, as mist had begun to slink down the hills, invading this pocket of land and shrouding all around with the onset of an enigmatic grey stink.

"Come on, lets go. Prepare yourself, and keep your eyes peeled for any signs of passage no matter how small."

The two rangers entered the valley, and although Jauron was only ten steps ahead, already his body dwindled all the way down to a simple chalky outline. Far in the distance the sounds of a wolf's howl could be heard, then another from behind them.. but this time it cascaded over the trees with the grind of a monstrous belly. Jauron dropped to his knees and began to weave low through the underbrush as he looked over his shoulder at the mosat.

"You know how to set a trap ranger? Build something that could even the odds alittle bit. Tripline to pull down debris.. that kind of thing. Get creative. I'm going double back and create some false tracks and scent trails. Be back right quick..."

The Elf paused, almost hurt for the asking.

"Unless of course you had a better plan in mind. The Hollow is just past that treeline, we get overwhelmed.. make for the tower."

Wraith's face bore a striking light and immediacy that could not easily be ignored. Something was definitely bothering the elf.

[Mineal Shade]

The thought of magic made the mosat a bit nervous. He did not like it. Though it was no surprise he did not, mosat's had a natural predisposition to avoid the arcane as the potential for its gifts did not flow through his veins. Mineal ran next to the elf on four legs, easily matching the pace with little discomfort.

He had heard a little about their destination. And he thought perhaps by no mean chance was it that he had been assigned the mission. If most of the other Rangers were scared of the foreboding place it seemed likely that the mission would fall upon the newest and most foreign recruit already somewhat of a local celebrity for his trips into strange lands. But he doubted N'danosh was anything like the dilapidated ghost tower of Magic Hollow. As they ran a zigzag path through the trees Mineal listened idly to Jauron, though it seemed the elf was talking more to himself than the rodenti. He thought it possible that the problems really had been caused by some sort of exotic animal. Still the beast had taken up quite the strange new home. Something which lent itself to becoming more monstrous than a simple animal. That and the bandit had used the plural, meaning more than one animal. And that part made Jauron's explanation hard to swallow.

The mosat hopped the fallen log and took a breath to inspect the footfall which caused his nose and whiskers to twitch slightly. As they closed in on the valley Jauron moved farther ahead while his companion kept his same speed. He caught up with the elf as howls slipped through the air. Mineal rose his nose to the air and sniffed at the scents as he listened to Jauron. He shook his head, the plan sounded all right. Perhaps they should not split up but the elf should only be gone for a short while, which would allow Mineal time to make an acceptable trap. He would not be able to make a large one with the power to kill a pachyderm, but a decent one could be arranged.

Mineal searched for a young, suitable tree with a low branch that could be torqued back. After finding one he took a few well weighted pieces of dead wood and whittled them into spikes. He cut corresponding grooves into the branch and fitted it with a bristle of wooden spikes. Reaching into his pack he pulled out his length of wire and attached it to branch. Slipping it around the trunk he moved the trigger length across their path and hammering the remaining spike into the ground with his knife secured the trap. As an added precaution Mineal scavenged some ground cover and used it to obscure the thin wire from being too easily seen and avoided.