Two: The Approach

The group travels eastward during what is known locally as "the working part of the day," It's that time when it's still hot outside, but the temperature is on the decline. As you travel eastward you will hit Old Frederick Rd first. That road leads South to "The Rat Shit Hut." According to the Claytons it is possible to cross the open desert east from there to the Southern end of The Crack in Ground. Roy claims to have seen your rider with the baby going further south from there.

If you pass Old Frederick and travel further east you will hit New Frederick Road. If you turn right here and travel South, you will pass directly through The Crack in the Ground. A mysterious place that the adventurers have some information about.

The Road ahead is dusty but the desert itself is actually rich with life. small animals, insects birds and lizards are easily spotted darting between rocks and Brush and juniper trees.

Which way do you want to go?

’Rat Shit Hut? Then from there to the Southern end of the Crack. What say you all?’

"We can head for the hut and potentially rest there before moving on."

The shadows begin to get longer as the group continues. For now the temperature has become comfortable and they should expect to hit Old Frederick Road by the time the sun begins to set if they continue to ride on. For a long time there is not much to see beyond the seldom changing landscape. At one point the group notices a stack of branches on the north side of the road. It's formed into a tiny shelter just big enough for one person to crouch inside.

"I'll check out that hut. Maybe I can figure out who or what is inside." Fenhari dismounts, handing the reins to Sophia. When he reaches the hut, he checks the area around it for tracks and/or rat shit. The ranger's right hand grips his spear in anticipation.

Fenhari immediately recognizes it as a hunting blind typically used to conceal hunters from their prey. the person would enter from the south side and it looks out towards the North. As Fenhari looks around for tracks he notices a black piece of stone shining in the dust. Upon closer inspection it looks like a piece of obsidian that has been worked into a knife/scraper probably used for skinning.

Tracks seem to go back and forth from the blind northward into the desert and southward back to the road.

Fenhari puts the piece of obsidian in his backpack, then looks inside the hunting blind from the south side. I wonder if this blind belongs to the Choitll?

As Fenhari looks inside the blind from the South Side, He can see through the viewing opening looking to the north. Off in the distance he can see a single snarled leafless juniper with vultures perched in the branches.

"See anything interesting? " Xur'Tual calls from his horse.

"Vultures to the north. Shall we see what they're interested in?"

'Lets take a look...' Rook replies, slowly moving towards the tree on horseback.

As the party moves off of the road and towards the tree, the horses reduce their speed taking care to walk around thorny brush and sharp rocks on the ground. You begin to notice tiny hills of sand here and there - nearly perfect circles of dirt scattered between the plants.
As you approach the tree the vultures become still, watching you.

When you come within 500 feet Fenhari is the first to notice a sound coming from the tree. It is like a reverbrant high pitched buzzing sound. Once pointed out, the rest of the group notices it as well.

Xur'Tual scratches at his ear with a pinky. "Boy, that will tax your sanity after awhile. Do you see any source?"

Strange that there isn't a body...

"Whoa! Don't get any closer!" Fenhari pulls the horses' reins. "Those might be red ant mounds."

Rook stops his horse from moving any closer until they figure out what is going on.

Rook does see what looks like bones and possibly hide spread out under the tree. From this distance it's too difficult to identify them.

Sure enough, when Fenhari looks down at the sand mounds he sees tiny red ants diligently excavating grains of dirt out and marching plant fiber into the entrance of their nests.

"Good looking out. Can you make out a source for that gods awful noise?"

Fenhari thinks No body, but there are bones "Sounds like that tree is doing the buzzing. Could be a lot of things. Is it worth it to get any closer?"