<span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 1.45em;"><strong>Ashley</strong> [ in the woods  with ghost and then Mr. Slate]</span><br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">The woman smiled at Ashley as she came to a stop. She lifted one hand up in greeting and her mouth opened, as if she were going to say something. A grotesque, choking noise came out instead. There were bruises around her neck; horrid black and blue and yellow bruises, and her skin was unnaturally pale. "Aaaahhh....luuugggh" she tried to say. "Aaaahhh....faaaa....laaaahhh" it tried again, an imploring look on her face.<br/><br/>One minute, the woman was standing next to a large hardwood tree, trying desperately to communicate with Ashley. The next, some large and dark form reached out and grabbed the woman, dragging her behind the tree and out of view. It had all happened so suddenly that Ashley might have doubted if it happened at all.<br/></blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div>There was a loud crash up ahead, from a clearing just beyond the edge of the trees ahead<br/><br/><br/><strong>"Madam?"</strong>Ashley called, her voice filled with horror at what had happened, the hairs on the back of her neck were standing straight up.<em>'What did I just see?  What was that? Whatever it was, it was not natural!'</em>Doing her best to calm the balking Firefox, and her own self, Ashley called out again,<strong>"Madam?  I will go for help."</strong>She knew full well that whatever was there she was not equipped to handle it herself.<br/><br/>Marking the spot where the lady had disappeared, Ashley again set out to find Mr. Slate.  Only a few paces out, a loud crashing comes from the woods.<br/><strong>"Mr. Slate?"</strong>she calls.<strong>"Mr. Slate, Tis Ashley Brawley, I  have come to request that we join forces to fight the evils of Avonleigh."</strong><br/><br/>Breaking through the woods, Ashley sees Mr. Slate running with a crazed look.<strong>"Mr. Slate?  There is some wicked force at work here"</strong>She calls in a soothing voice keeping her distance, but not leaving either.<strong>"You are injured.  Be calm and let me help you."</strong>She says the later as a mother would to a distressed child.<br/><br/>the spell to convince slate and Ashley to combine forces was a roll of 20   5<br/>they will join forces.<br/><br/><br/><br/>The