Chapter 1: Adventures in Babysitting

With a slight sense of relief from the previous tension, Fen turns her eyes to their surroundings and attempts to locate the direction of the runaway woman. She still holds Anwyn close against her chest and safely perched on Oshgal's back. The cat has been poised to bolt but stands a little taller now, still with a wary expression.

With the others taken care of, Tom falls back to Fen's location and scans the area trying to locate the woman while reloading his bow.

"Well, this changes things. Creatures of legend, kidnappers." Crow looks for something to clean the blood from his shaking hands."What do you think gang. Do we see this through?" His voice quivered and cracked. Crow was still reeling from the shock of killing someone.

Tom moves out of the prisoner's hearing and motions for the others.

"When they were speaking before, one of the men had suggested heading to Longsaddle; though the woman who escaped wouldn't let him without Anwyn. It's possible that's where they would flee to, though I think it's more likely she'll regroup and make another attempt."

With Anwyn swaddled tightly against her own chest, Fen snuggles the child and rocks gently in a soothing manner. The half-orc hums a quiet lullaby tune, an action she built a habit of doing on her own when she was slightly younger and needed to calm her own nerves. She eyes the others in conversation and, in response to Crow’s question, Fen nods her head to indicate the little blonde girl while wearing an expression that mixes sadness and protectiveness. She is unwilling to abandon the child who now has no one else.

"Without a doubt, " says Tom. "It seems we've been marked by them already."

"I can't shake the feeling that her and I are bound somehow. I will see this through. But the justice did charge us to return to the hall of justice immediately. We have this one as evidence. And I would very much like to wash that one'a blood off of me."

He couldn't stop replaying it in his head. The look of sheer terror upon the man's face as he had run him through.

The moment's leading up to the first time he had killed must have been a confusing fracas. It all made sense to Crow because he had instigated the attack. He had ambushed the enemy exactly as the paladin's had instructed him. Only to far greater effect than they had imagined. The fleshwound he inflicted on the first man was his first blow struck intending to kill. It had been a hard thing, he had to steel up every fiber of his courage to strike.

The second, as he tumbled between the kidnapper's guard was considerably easier. Crow didn't require thought as a killer instinct set his blood alight. He stepped and striking from sinistra cut through his enemies chest, stopping the heart in a single thrust. It had felt so easy, so supremely satisfying, such power in the act. But now, he couldn't shake the guilt, not in the act itself. But how good it felt, how natural, how right it had been in the moment. "Am I a good man, can a good man kill?"

There was a voice that spoke in answer from deep within. Crow did not like what it had to say. It was very excited Crow had chosen such a violent path. The dread that came from within him, he could feel it radiating chill from his core. Crow scowled as they continued plagued by his dark thoughts and the desire to be rid of them.

Tom has never been able to turn his back on a mystery, unanswered questions always nibble away at his concentration until he finds he must act.

And there are a good many unknowns remaining here-- who are these Xanathar, what type of influence do they have within the city, why is the girl so important to them, and-- most importantly-- who can they ultimately trust to ensure her safety?

Though he's aware to dig deeper will be very dangerous, and he may not be considered up to the task, he sees no safety in ignoring these events, either. Certainly, Anwyn's parents were shown no mercy. Like it not, all of them are a part of this now and he will have to see this through to the end. There is no way to drop this pursuit and return to his 'normal life', nor telling if such a state will ever exist again.