At least Alice was still able to channel the divine power down in the Abyss, giving her the literal and emotional strength to carry on.  Breaks to rest were nervous, always keeping eyes on the horizon and ears on the grass, and night didn’t bring much comfort or rest, as that’s when the most demons were encountered, even if only imaginary ones.  Signs of civilization were a slight relief to all, though nobody was ready to go charging in expecting succor.<br/><br/>“Let’s sneak in and take a look, you all can come or watch the front.  If they were all eaten by birds or gnolls, I wonder who’s left to make that fire,” Tamrie proposed.  The Wasp Queens were in their element here, ready to sneak in and reconnoiter the scene.  The tiefling wasn’t happy about the suggestion to split up and leave them behind, but wasn’t ready to go barging in herself either.  “We’ve gotten this far together, and we all know it’s best to be discreet at this time.  And if they go get themselves killed, we’ll have plenty of time to get away, kay?” Jhessail mollified Allizsah somewhat with the prospect of some black-hearted schadenfreude.<br/><br/>The elves relaxed somewhat into their usual roles, if a little off-balance from their shared addition withdrawls.  Tamarie sneaked forward, ready to knock out anyone by surprise, followed by Faunra, ready to beat down anyone left standing, and Kieyanna trailing, ready with magical backup.  While the front gate was left open, the elves snuck around the perimeter first, entering an unrepaired gap in the palisade among the huts.  The quiet atmosphere remained, except for some faint buzzing in each hut and movement from the one hut with woodsmoke wisping from its chimney.  The other huts had roughshod wooden doors hanging open or mere blankets enclosing them, and taking peeks inside, the Wasp Queens found nobody inhabiting them, but rather looking suddenly abandoned rather than moved out of, with food and meager supplies left behind.  Large rat-sized flies were buzzing around the crumbs, though it was hard to judge how long it would have taken them to devour any leftover food—days?  Hours?<br/><br/>With their target in sight, the elves surrounded the occupied hut, carefully peeking in through rough gaps of the door and the small hole that served as a window.  They could see inside was a rough human man, dressed in abyssal animal hide and his leg in a amateur splint, hobbling around to boil what smelled like soup and/or leather over a fire.  He was apparently alone here, attempting to survive as he healed.