A look of extreme surprise shows plainly on Straxos' face as the boy hugs him. He uneasily pats the boy on the back. "It's all right now, we're going to take you home." He says soothingly as the child hugs him. His gaze moves helplessly amongst his companions.

    As the boy throws his arms around Straxos, Kharac gives the other dwarf a harsh, chill stare ... then a weak, apologetic smile as he sees the shock on Straxos' face, mirrored on the faces of all the party members gathered.

Rhiannon looks a bit surprised when the child runs to Straxos, but smiles softly, a gentle maternal look settling on her features. She glances nervously at the cave. "Don't ye think 'at someone oughta check it out? Jus' t' be safe? We dona know what's in there..." She whispers to the rest of the group. Rhiannon then kneels beside the small boy, smiling softly. "ello ... I be Rhiannon, an' what be yer name?" She holds out her hand for the boy to shake. She speaks in soft, calm tones and holds a delicate smile on her face.

    The boy turns towards Rhiannon. His grip on Straxos softening. He smiles at her and extends his hand out to hold hers. "My name is Arton. My father's name is Jocko. I am from the village of Launise. My father is the innkeeper there. Someday I will take his place."

    Thellona asks Arton "How did you get here?" She then says to all, "We are very near a lair, so be ready. I recommend we return the child to his home with haste." She glances to the deer and then up into the trees.

A uneasy feeling crosses Arton's face as his eyes follow those of Thellona's toward the deer. He shivers. "A huge orange beast with blood dripping from its fangs brought me here, so I could be eaten later. I must have fell asleep. I laid here for what seemed like hours. I did not try to run because I knew it was around and would chase me down."

    "Ummm ... yes, perhaps someone should have a quick look at the cave, just to check it out." Says Straxos as he carefully disengages himself from the boy and turns him to face Rhiannon. "I'll have a look, but I am not going in alone. Who will scout with me?" He asks, gesturing to the cave.

    Thellona whispers, "I will accompany you. However, I don't think that we should take too long. Our first order of business, it seems to me, should be returning the child to his home."

    Looking amused, but puzzled Taran watches the child latch on to Straxos. "I agree Thellona our first priority is to return the child home. Once there we can make some plans to explore the cave. I would suggest maybe watching the cave from hiding and waiting for the creature to come out before venturing in. I would hate to run into a big nasty while in tight quarters."

    "I agree with Taran. We should make sure the boy gets home safely first. We can come back tomorrow, when the light is better." Kharac waves his hands backwards towards the way the party has traveled, motioning the party back toward the village. "Let's get this boy back to his father first."

    Kharac's eyes keep searching the surroundings as he moves out in front of the rest of party, his war hammer in a two handed grip in front of him. He takes up a sentry position as the party discusses whether to inspect the cave or not.

    Thellona blinks her eyes, a little bit more than surprised. She talks to the child, "Are you injured?" She removes her coat and hands it to the child.

    The boy turns and looks at Thellona. He continues to clutch onto Straxos. "Ma'am ... I don't think so. I feel ok. Just happy that Erron came back to save me." A smile crosses the boys face as he looks up at Straxos.

    "Erron?" His soft voice pitched so low the party can barely hear it. Kharac looks at the boy, his knuckles whitening as his grip on his hammer tightens. "Erron was here? You've seen him? Where? How long ago?" His voice seems to grow in intensity and volume as he speaks, taking two or three quick steps toward the boy, stopping just a few feet from him as he realizes the boy could still be easily frightened.

    Arton watches Kharac move towards him. He sense the agitation rising in the dwarf and moves closer to Rhiannon. He looks at Kharac, then glances over at Straxos, then back at Kharac. He whimpers ... "I .... I ... I don't understand."

    Tears begin to appear at the corners of eyes. It's obvious that the boy is confused and frightened as he glances around at the party members. "Please don't hurt me .... I am sorry.... it is dark out here ... I thought your friend was a friend of mine ... he looks like Erron in this lighting ... please, will you take me home ..."

    Kharac's voice rises, almost breaking, as with some sort of pent up emotion that the party can hardly identify as hope, or joy, or maybe even fear. His eyes seem to harden and turn redder, seeming to burn with an inner flame to match his fiery hair. He swallows a couple of times, trying to get himself
under control, and after a few seconds seems to be master of himself again. He locks eyes with Arton once again, his teeth and jaw clenched so tight the strain shows plainly on his face. Every muscle in his body seem to tense, and in a very low, soft voice he says, "Please tell me. I must know!"

    Arton, holding back the tears, also trying to get himself under control looks at Kharac. "Erron was my friend. He came to my village to recover from some wounds he received protecting my people. He was a hero. My father gave him a place to stay. He agreed to help me learn a trade. But about a month ago a messenger came to our village. Erron left with him. I have not seen him since. I thought he had come back to save me ... I am sorry ... I was mistaken."

    Straxos nods and begins to move towards the cave, listening carefully to see if he can here any noise coming from in or near the cave.

    Vandall steps from the nearest sets of brush, his form barely visible till he removes his hood from his head to reveal a handsome elven mage with a large tattoo of vines and branches covering his left cheek and eye. He pauses to survey the scene of the two companions going towards the cave, his hand instinctively going to his long bow. His voice barely a whisper of etiquette and elven softness as he smiles slightly and replaces his hood, "Perhaps I should check it out first, I was sidetracked in the woods by some unfamiliar markings ... but it came to no avail ..." He patiently awaits his comrades opinions of him checking out the cave, his stature calm and confident as he poises his bow with an arrow drawn awaiting any sign of trouble.

    Thellona stifles a soft chuckle, "But of course, how can one so unworthy as I ever presume to think that I could be an effective scout?", she says half with sarcasm and half with amusement. Wit a mock bow, she gestures with her right hand towards the cave opening. As Vandall passes she whispers, "The drow have a term for scouts, you know ..." she answers with a single word in an exotic and melodic language.

    Vandall looks into his female companions eyes then glances around calmly, his prominent cheek bones bulge as his teeth clench, his eyes narrow and begins to slowly survey the forest about them, he then dashes off for the forest, his cloak blending him into the glades of brush as he pulls the hood of his cloak and beginning to search the surrounding parameter slowly, taking all movement into consideration as he creeps along unseen.

    Taran moving to give himself a better view of the cave entrance, "I feel we should return the lad to his kin. I will happily explore the cave once that is done, but until that time I feel we should be about our business." Taran quickly scans the group and then warily eyes the cave entrance.

    Thellona nods. "Agreed. As I said before, the priority should be the child's safety." The hair on the back of Thellona's scalp stands on end and a cold shiver passes through her. "Ahh ... I think that we are being watched. My heat vision is not picking up any signatures, but I can almost feel something close at hand."

    Straxos, turns around and whispers as he creeps slowly towards the cave to get a better opportunity to hear something. "Oh ... by the way there is no sound that I can detect coming from in the cave. Sounds empty or to deep for my hearing." But then he becomes distracted hearing Thellona's warning about being watched. He glances around himself nervously, drawing his short sword.

********************

    You all go tense at Thellona's warning. Straxos, distracted by Thellona's warning turns back to face the cave. You all see a dark creature emerge from the tree branches and glide effortlessly down towards the stunned dwarf. Straxos turns and sees the creature bear down on him. His short sword rises up, but it is too late. The creature, which you now see to be a cat with orange and black stripes lunges it's front claws into the dwarf. Straxos falls back as his short sword flings out of his hand and into the ear. The cat quickly pushes himself away from the dwarf and hunches down. Straxos lands five feet from where he was previously standing. Lying on his back you can hear him gasp for breathe, obviously the blow knocked the wind out of him.

    Standing before you is the largest cat any of you have ever seen. You would guess that it is at least 8 feet in length and it has reddish orange fur and black vertical stripes. It is hunched down in a position to strike. A low growl can be heard from the cat. It grows stronger. It looks around . It stands between you and the cave.