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Admin
After discussion between Rolf, Kerim and Ravn – the party split into two groups. Those assigned to the mules start to move back down the trail again, carefully skirting the remnants of the fires and doghead corpses.
Kerim leads the first mule, with Callum sitting astride it, the huge warrior gradually starting to recover some of his wits and energy. Peter comes second, leading the Mule with Selina on it. The young woman s start to groan more loudly, and tears start to slide from her eyes, as the mule moves bouncing her about against the ties that hold her in place.
Meeleek and Mandrake follow on, very aware that they, along with Kerim, are now the main defence for their injured companions.
OOC: Please get your selves sorted out folks - if nothing else a quick post to show that you are here still would be good :P
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Peter Gasgano
Hearing her moan again, he looks up at her to seethe tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Selina? Are you awake?" he asks, concern clear in his voice.
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Selina
rocked by the not so gentle motion of the mule picking its way across the path, Selina's head bobs and snaps forward, her hair tangling about her face.
When the mule stumbles on a bit of loose shale Selina's head jerks up, her body as rigid and taut as a cord of rope. She blinks her eyes rapidly and looks around. She shakes her head to free her face of hair, and tries to speak.
"..."
She squirms in the bonds, and tries to free her hands. It takes a few minutes, for she is weak, but she manages to pull one hand free. She pushes the remaining tangles of hair from her face and looks at Peter, her cheeks tear streaked.
She tries speaking again, and must clear her throat before trying again.
"w water."
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Peter Gasgano
As she frees a hand and tries to speak, Peter drops the leading rein of the mule and turns to support Selina. Quickly he releases the tie that is holding her hand still, and starts to ease her down from the mule.
Scanning the area, he finds a larging rock that will help support her and half carries her across to where she can sit againsit it.
"Quick! Some one help me." he calls, "And bring some water ..."
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Selina
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Callum mac Aonghas
He looks over to Kerim and Meeleek. "My friends, I am owing you enech for your aid in the pit. If you're after my help, you have only to call. When the riastarthae is on me, I'm not for being reasoned with."
He checks his equipment and shoulders his pack. "So, who's the lassie?" He asks generally, indicating Selina.
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Meeleek El'Wakhad
As Callum wakes and gives his thanks, Meeleek turns to him and bows deeply. "Warrior, you owe us nothing, for your deeds in battle were formidable. Your riastarthae," he struggles with the unfamiliar word, "was in place, for there are times when reason must step aside. It is good to have you awake again, for you are now main force of defense. Greetings, I am Meeleek El'Whakhad."
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Selina
At first she coughs the water out, but after a pause she can take small sips, and she holds her fingers over Peter's for steadiness before pushing Peter's hand away gently.
"My thanks" she says in a hoarse whisper to both Peter and Meleek. She drinks a bit more before closing the flask and holding it out to Meleek, looking around at the mule train. Her eyes narrow slightly as she takes in Callum before moving on.
"Did we survive the day intact?" she asks, wiping her wet hand on her face to free it of trail dust.
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Peter Gasgano
Watching her look around the group, ne notices her reaction to Callum, but then responds to her question. "Corellon was missing. So Rolf has lead the others in search of him. He told us to come back down the path and bide our time until his return." He replies carefully.
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Selina
You should leave me here. I imagine that those creatures will be returning- she breaks off, her voice becoming a keening note, like a weak wind. This fades away. I only increase the danger to the group by slowing you down. I... but again she stops. She looks at Peter, tears streaming from her cheeks, her expression otherwise flat. I won't make it back. Her head suddenly drops back, and Selina lets loose a loud cry, perhaps the sound of an animal, her voice hoarse with the anger in the effort.
Soril llyn Fya il she whispers after a moment, her chin against her chest, her breathing heavy and sickeningly rasped.
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Callum mac Aonghas
Callum responds to Meeleek. "Well met then, Meeleek el'Wakhad, I am Callum mac Aonghas mac an Each. May we drink together at the end of many battles."
Noticing Selina's return to consciousness, he calls over. "Ye did no' bad, lass, but ye should be after gettin' yerself a fine big sword if ye're for playing wi' the dogheads and their pets!"
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Peter Gasgano
"Kerim? I think we should stop here." He calls to their nominal leader. "Let Selina get her wind back ..."
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Selina
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Kerim Alakani
"Lady Selina, Never shall we leave you for bait. That is the way of Doghead's and the like, not that which Lord Richard's would have, even at your request."
"Come, talk no more of this, save yourself with rest for a moment so that we may work. We cannot stop here forever."
With both mules to work with now Kerim instructs that a rough cot be made that can be slung twixt the mules in the hope that it will help alleviate the pains of travel for Selina.
Using Meeleek as a model for the cot, he being the closest physical match and not wishing to put Selina in any discomfort he sets about detailing it's construction and material gathering. He sets Meeleek on guard and to keep an eye on Selina's state.
Once built he and Callum lift the cot, with Meeleek on it, bouncing and jouncing it to test it's strength and comfort.
"Indeed, it would not do well for Selina to fall in her current state." he says, rather unnecessarily, perhaps to allay his own worries.
The cot should be constructed of several thinner poles on each side lashed together at various points along their length, not single large ones. This will offer some spring and surety. If one large one breaks then she'll fall, but if one thinner one breaks it will give warning enough that it needs attention before Selina can drop. A double thickness of ground sheet/blanket should be used to support her, tied in with leather thonging and rops zig zagged underneath her to carry most of the weight.
With the cot completed he uses ropes to prevent the mules from walking too far apart from each other and then lashes it to them.
Finally Selina is raised into the cot.
"Callum, if you will take the rear, Meeleek and Peter flank and I will take point. The road by far is fastest, leaves the least trace of our path. It will also give Selina her greatest chance of a smooth ride to recovery."
Kerim examines his bow string and confident it is in good order and sets off.
Kerim monitors Selina's situation and tries to quicken the groups pace to the quickest that is acceptable to her.
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Meeleek El'Wakhad
At the beginning he is a little confused by Kerim's orders, but then decides to leave the guard duty to Peter :-)
As they get ready, the young man takes the place designated to him and tries to be as alert as possible.
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Admin
It is clear that someone is either going to have to go back to the dogheads trap or go into the bushes to cut some suitable poles for the cot.
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Selina
After a few minutes of this, she closes her eyes and attempts to stand up. While the men in the group are busying themselves with builing her a travois, she forces her body upward using her arms and legs and holding onto the rock tight.
She falls a few times, but is up and standing before the others notice. She sways as she eyes one of the mules, her legs weak.
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Callum mac Aonghas
Callum immediately offers up his hunting spear for use as a pole.
"If ye have an axe, I'll be away into the bushes and get another pole ". He grins, his face brightening. "Maybe there'll be a doghead or two in the bushes, the gods willin'".
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Kerim Alakani
"Effendi Callum, no axe do I have, yet this" -< he says drawing his heavy metal cutlas>- "should be as good"
He offers the sword to Callum and whilst Callum hacks into appropriate building material he urges everyone down to seek what little cover they can, just in case they are being tailed.
Kerim has his bow ready for whatever may come.
If and when the task is completed Kerim will as mentioned before seek to obtain the best speed that can be had which doesn't cause Selina discomfort.
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Selina