The hiding of the girl have an entrance of no more than 1m x 1m of heavy wooden door, Parannos remember seeing something similar in other villages, is a cupboard, the villagers stored or cured meat and/or fish in there, the narrow entrance makes it impossible for large predators steal food and if this attracts one is far enough from town to provide security for their people. These cupboards are usually not more than a stone room of 4 m2.

Parannos says "It's a hideout," and turns to Amelia. "She has as much food and shelter as we could provide, and probably more safety as well." He rises and starts going over the barbarians' bodies, taking their weapons and valuables, and blessing their souls to rest. "It's a pity we cannot linger and see to their bodies properly. Now all we can do is toss these weapons into the sea where their comrades won't find them, and have their silver serve a purpose nobler than war." He puts roughly half of all the valuables into a pouch and throws it near the girl's hideout. "There, as a meagre compensation for your loss," he says in a saddened voice, "may joy one day spring from your sorrows." "We'll go now and leave you in peace. These bodies will attract attention, so if you have another hideout you may want to use it. Know, however, that Gleindhall is under siege, and there is no real safety in these lands until the siege is lifted. We will return through here if we can, and see that you are well. I wish you the best of fortunes!" At this he heads for the village ruins.

Amelia smiles... "She also survived for some time by herself... she ll be fine" Stroking Shadow's black feathers "We should get get going.."

Gonir reaches the edge of the tree line, just in time to hear "we should get going". He pauses for a moment, then continues on, following the party from the shadows. A leaf rustles as he begins to move again, and he curses silently to himself. Was he heard?

Gonir is left behind and no longer hear the group, climbing from tree to tree without making noise is a very hard and slow work. A few hundred meters the group reach the edge of the village while the snow stops, the ruins resemble broken teeth under a shroud of blackened snow. A small fishing village about 15 or 20 houses all built around a central plaza in there you observed 10 thick wooden poles unburned of 4 meters high, a few steps away you understood with horror; at he poles are nailed upside down several naked people their bodies sparkle in the moonlight due to the thin layer of ice that has formed you suspect that the poor victims were nailed alive and then sprayed with water slowly until his death either by freezing or for the wounds.

"Savages!" Parannos growls violently. "Unconscionable brutes!" He walks toward the bodies stiff with outrage. "It takes an extraordinarily malicious mind to do something like this - not only prolong the suffering of these poor people, by their actions they attracted their souls to stay and haunt this site! Salting the earth with the restless dead like this is an atrocity few dare execute." "We have to minimize the damage and lay these people to rest as best we can," he says with determination and starts to bring down the bodies for burial. "It is a meagre mercy, but much better than nothing." Parannos does nothing to hide the pain and hatred burning in his eyes.

At first Amelia got a bit irritated "Oh come on, we have to keep moving. There is no time for a bunch of dead people." thought but didn't say... But then Parannos turned, bussy tending to the dead, and with a glimpse she saw his face and his burning eyes. She was left for dead years ago and a set of burning eyes just like his brought her back. She got warm inside, she even smiled a bit.... With her mind on the trouble that they might get for this delay, she sends Shadow to fly around and scout. "I will bring you some rocks" she says and starts picking some from the ruins near them...

Noticing the group (unknowingly) has left him behind, he increases his pace, swinging from tree to tree in an effort to catch them up, not regarding the noise he might be making.

Suddenly the sound of broken branches draws your attention not far and despite the darkness you see a lump of human form falls loudly from the top of the trees.

Updated 28 August 2014 (18:35)

Parannos lets the body he's holding slump to the ground and whirls around with his sling at the ready. "Who goes there?"

With a gesture pointing towards the place where the humanoid fell "Shadow! There!". Amelia's feathered friend immediately responded and flew over the broken branches and back.

Shadow stands on a low branch over the fallen lump, Amelia knows at that moment that is a person, who is? Or what are his intentions? is a mystery for now. As the night progresses it becomes more and more cold.

As soon as he feels the branch's rigidity, Gonir immediately thinks "Balls". The branch snaps, and he hurtles face first into the snow, with it packing into the back of his dark green hood. The thump from the crash pervades the surrounding air, immediately drawing the attention of everything in the vicinity. Gonir sits up, and despite himself he laughs at his situation. He pulls his hood low enough to scoop fistfuls of snow out of his hood, laughing all the time. After scooping all the snow out of his hood, he falls on the snow and continues to laugh, his black eyes sparkling.

Parannos advances a few steps and calls out "Identify yourself!" He starts spinning his sling gradually and is ready to let fly in case of an attack by the newcomer.

Amelia stands a few steps behind Parannos... waiting for the response of the mystery person. Immediately starts to look around. "Shadow scout..." says to her friend again. "Is it just him? The barbarians where a team..." says swiftly to Parannos.

Gonir finishes chuckling, and sits up, pulling his hood up completely and covering his face with his face mask, leaving only his eyes showing. "If you are wondering, I am alone." he says, directing his words towards the shapes he can see on the other side of the tree line. He catches sight of Shadow, who is looking down on him from a low branch. He stretches out his arm and says, "Don't be shy, I won't bite if you don't."

Shadow caws something that sounds like: CLUMSY CLUMSY CLUMSY For the face of the newly... fallen, you realize he is an Elf. Gonir, behind them you see several corpses between the ruins of the village.

"Be that as it may," Parannos says firmly, "that sheds no light on who you are or why you're here!" He draws down the hood of his heavy furs for better visibility, revealing the tanned, clean-shaven features of a southerner framed by wavy dark brown hair. "What is your name and purpose?"

He looks up at Shadow, and says 'I suppose you could say that, but I would prefer it if you called me reckless'. Looking towards the furred figure that is Parannos, he adds 'They call me Gonir the quick, the lone huntsman of the Lady of the longbow. The good lady sent me travelling about six months ago, armed only with my scimitar, rapier, and my short bow. She told me to return only when I had found a weapon that truly resonated with my soul, and also that I would meet some unexpected friends. I have travelled ever since, searching for the weapon she mentioned. Whom might you be?'

"Those very friends she mentioned, I suspect," Parannos says with a hint of amusement. He stows away his sling and with a slight bow introduces himself, "I am Parannos, priest of Armo the Merciful and likewise a traveler from afar, here to help in any way I can in these troublesome times. The lady behind me is called Amelia, and her friend, the raven, is known as Shadow." The formalities done away with, Parannos turns back to his grim work, saying "If you wouldn't mind helping with tending to these poor dead, we can discuss the Bow of Shang while we work." He looks at Gonir's reaction from the corner of his eye. "I'm supposing that is what you seek."