Its all in the Cards.

Seeing Couth fall, she blinked for a second. Not quite realizing everyone saw something different, she couldn't understand his reaction to seeing her dead on the gallows. They were friends thanks to being grouped together for a while, but she hadn't expected that. Moved by his reaction, she rubbed her hands together just as the sound of hoofbeats registered in her ears. Letting the holy power that filled her raise to her hands, she quickly knelt down and called out, "Clear!" as she smacked her hands against his cheeks, letting health and vitality flow back into his body. While that happened, she noticed Eye of the Storm moving in their direction and Briar ducking somewhere she couldn't see.

As soon as she removed her hands, she spun around and stepped ever so slightly ahead of Ashtar, determined to stand between the party and whatever danger may be approaching. She shifted her shield until it was held in her grasp, not quite fully in a defensive position, but resting where the shift into it would be easy and quick. With her other hand resting on the pommel of her sword, Alyria wanted to give the appearance of friendliness while being ready to defend her people at a moment's notice.

Couth comes back with hard jerking motion that doesn't know what direction to move. His face is so confused with his mouth still frozen open for a brief moment as he starts coming back. "It' so ..." is all that seem to stammer out before fuller relation sets in. Although his body has settled and face lost expression, his eyes look to be searching.

All that last but a moment as Couth regains control and now realizes he is laying on the ground and Alyria is above him. There is a lively rejoicing springtime feeling surging all through is body. His mind is flickering back with thoughts like horror nightmare. He can't help but shake his head trying to settle all his feelings and his body in line. He stammers out the last of the thought "real".

All the alertness of his training takes over as Alyria moves away, Couth is coming back. He immediately grasps and readies his shield as he is rising to his feet. The sounds of hoof coming for a moment made him tense up thinking combat had started, before he understood they were distant as he now fights to fully understand where he is and what is what.

Knowing this isn't the time to ask anything as he falls into a combative stance but hasn't drawn out a weapon in the first instance. He holds his shield up like was to block something throw at him and has hunched down a bit to give less of him showing before he moves. His head and eyes focus toward the incoming noise trying to grasp how long he has.

With now clearer thought, he rises to a less combative stance as he steps near to Alyria & Ashtar showing up for support. Under his breath saying, "I don't know what came over me." It is said as a statement but also an apology as he tries to look a bit less intimidating.

Seems with clarification that Couth after being healed and next to the woods edge will also try to hide as Eye seem to have already done.

Briar dives under the gallows and hides herself behind the ancient, rotten wood.
Couth now alive and awake and Eye of the Storm but find cover to hide in the nearby woods.
Ashtar and Alyria Stand nearby waiting for what ever is coming...


Alyria divine senses make the hairs on her arm stand on the ends and tell her that two undead are coming this way.

As soon as her senses ping, an undead soldier clad in tattered armor sits atop a skeletal warhorse, its hollow sockets gleaming with malevolent light. The soldier's flesh hangs in decaying tatters, and its eyes burn with a hunger for the living. The warhorse moves with an unnatural grace, its bones creaking with each step as it leaves a trail of frost in its wake.


The undead horse and its ride gallop down the southern path.

Alyria stands tall, yet still and silent. Patience she’s learned in battle helps her from jumping at the skitter the undead cause in her body. Every nerve wants to react, but she won’t risk her friends. Instead, she decides to wait and see if the skeletal abominations keep on the path they aren’t on. Not liking the gleam in their eyes, she knows it’s best to not draw attention and to let her prey make the first move.

That’s not ideal, Ashtar thought to himself. He puts his weight on the balls of his feet to better move quickly should the need arise, but he stands his ground next to Alyria.

If Couth was in his own homeland, he would be charging those undead without question but being here is causing him to think about it. He is posed to throw a handaxe that is now in his hands as he is hide away while charging them as well. He holds his action right now as he doesn't want to endanger Allyria and Ashtar if he doesn't have to.

Eye of the Storm lay down low next to Couth, letting the shadows cover him as the dreadful riders approached with the thundering hoofbeat of doom. He was horrified to see not all his companions had heeded his words. What were they doing!? They had been warned great dark powers walked this land, and they thought they could just face it down as if they were invincible? The Tabaxi's teeth clamped together. He could not save them now...

Following the cue of her compatriots, Briar continues to remain hunkered down beneath the gallows, crossbow at the ready. She hopes the creature will continue past and they will not be forced to engage. Holding her breath, the leaves on her shoulders go still as every single fiber of her being leans into being as unnoticeable as possible.

Continue past the undead rider, and the horse does. The party stays still, crouched, hidden, holding their breaths, as the horse and rider gallop past and out of sight.

Ashtar looks at Alyria as the hoofbeats of the riders fade into the distance. He smiles slightly and offers a nod of respect.

While everyone else hid, she alone stood together with him—just like his Alina would have done. His heart ached at the thought of her, and he turned towards the bushes where some of the others hid. "Shall we carry on to town then?"

With a snarl Eye of the Storm rose from his hiding place. The Tabaxi was clearly furious!
"You arrogant fools! Are you so eager to be the death of us all? We had a man down, and you confront the first dark foe you find as if you are immortal? If you are so eager to die, march yourselves to that lord's castle for all I care! But don't drag the rest of us into it!"

With a silent sigh of relief, she returned Ashtar's nod with one of her own and a warm smile. Unknowingly like his own thoughts, having Ashtar stand in protection of their group and not balk at her beside him had her thinking back to days when her own lover had stood beside her as they stared down enemies on the battlefield. It made her heart ache even more than it did after the, she'd never admit fright as the emotion, nerves it had given her to see herself dead on the gallows. Fortunately, the question had brought her out of her own musings.

Nodding in answer, she stopped with Eye of the Storm's words snarled at them. This was another moment reminiscent of one with her lover. Words snarled in anger, protectiveness, and possibly a bit of fear. Yet, her pride was too strong still. Stiffening her spine, she glared at the feline as she spat, "Did we request you to also stand at our side? No, we did not! I cannot speak for Ashtar, and I refuse to attempt to, but I will speak for myself when I say that stealth and hiding," she gestured to the chainmail she donned for her own protection, "is not a choice I lean towards as my armor is not the quietest choice of gear. Besides, as you say, we had a man down. As I see you all as people dear to me, yes, I would confront the first dark foe we find if it means the rest of you get somewhere hidden because I could handle it! Do not assume my actions to be malicious when I want nothing more than to keep us all safe!"

Without waiting for the Tabaxi to respond, she turned in the direction they were originally headed and began to slowly walk away; wanting to signify she was done talking about this, but not wanting to venture too far from the group with danger not far in the distance.