Ehren was glad to see that all four women had decided to join him in protecting their village. He cast a skeptical glance at the bard who clearly intended to tag along and wondered how long they would have that man breathing down the back of their necks. Pushing that thought out of his mind for the sake of addressing more important matters, the ranger kicked his horse into a full sprint towards the narrow roadway that parted the forest ahead. Just before he reached the edge of the treeline he spotted a mounted figure heading towards them. A sense of relief eased at his mind when he recognized the man who volunteered to play the decoy was alive and well as he slowed the group’s charge to a gallop.<br/><br/>“Did you get a good look at them?” Ehren called out once Brian pulled up beside them.<br/><br/><em>”No. I narrowly avoided taking a bolt to the side of the head and took it as my cue to get out before they had a chance to try again.”</em><br/><br/>“Good. You did your part, now leave the rest to us.” With that, Ehren urged his horse back into a sprint, dismissing the man who was not equipped to help in a fight. For several minutes they rode hard to close the distance to their objective. The wind was favorable for their mission as it carried the dissipating colored smoke to cross over the roadway acting as an arrow pointing out their quarry. After ten minutes they finally came across the wagon that served as the bait; it had been dragged off the road and looted, but otherwise in good condition. Looking overhead, the smoke was nowhere to be seen and Ehren figured the specialized smoke bomb had been spent. Fortunately, it was no longer needed since the bandits had left a large trail that was easy to follow in the familiar terrain. After dismounting and tying his horse to one of the trees, he signaled the group to do their best to tread quietly before following the bandit’s tracks.<br/><br/>As they travelled deeper into the forest, Ehren was beginning to see signs of more frequent traffic and got a hunch they were getting close to their camp. Turning to the group, he whispered in a voice that was just barely audible from a few feet away. “I’m going to scout ahead and see what we’re going up against. Keep your eyes peeled for any patrolling sentries, I’ll be back shortly.”<br/><br/>Turning and crouching low, the ranger stalked ahead several yards before disappearing into the wilderness. Time passed slowly as the only sound that could be heard were the ambient noises of rustling leaves and chirping birds. After a while you get the impression that something may be wrong since it is taking far too long for your guide to return.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">OOC</div><div class="spoiler_body"> Ehren is MIA, so it is up to you to decide what to do next. PM me skill rolls if there is a specific action you wish to do that requires such checks. Feel free to utilize the OOC to coordinate your thoughts and work out a plan of action. </div></div>