Seeking Solstice

July manages to continue her serious demeanor while walking ahead of the wagon, now with Elyse.
Oh Elyse, I'm sorry to worry you, please walk with me. July continues in a friendly tone, although low voice as not to be heard by Hazel.
I don't really like this lady, she has bad manners, absolute focus on money, she is careless about other people, she even has no family... we couldn't be more different. So I'm pretending to look for tracks just to be far from her.

July seems to be remembering something for a moment. If not for my little cousin's illness, sure I wouldn't be here. My family really needs the extra coin and my father and uncle are already working way more than anyone would seem reasonable. If them both keep up that effort I am afraid they will soon be ill too... So I chose to help.

Looking again at Elyse, July continued I am glad you appeared then, and that you joined us. So, what brought you here?

July hears Elyse, she does care for her opinion Oh, but I don't see you like that, you've been attentive and helpful even before we knew each other. Hazel, on the other hand... well. You continue to talk from time to time, and you discover how much close July is to her family, and how much she admires her grandfather and her father, both always willing to put themselves at risk to save the rest of their family... both prioritizing all family members wellbeing and happiness before profit or social status.

Eventually the light gets dimmer, sun approaches the horizon and Hazels calls you both back to talk about setting camp. You haven't been able to catch up with the other wagon yet and you are beggining to feel hungry. The road is crossing a grassland with scatered mid-height trees, there are a few mountains around half kilometer (a mile) to the south of the road that may provide cover but also other risks. And you can see the road, that continues to the west, entering a forrest a couple of hours ahead. To the north the vegetation gets thinner, with less trees and yellow-ish packs of grass. Coming from the east, Hazel thinks it doesn't make much sense to go back there. Where do you suggest you all make camp?

You all eat well, July takes care of the horses while Hazel gets Elyzse the food to cook.
After a while, horses are resting and you have all eaten, Elise starts her tale... At the beginning on July follows happily the story, little by little Hazel wams to it, and the finale is enjoyed by all.

Hazel, already sleeping bag at hand, was about to lay to rest when you asked her. She was NOT expecting that, quite fast she answered ok, last one is mine then turned around and layed down. You didn't had much wine, she didn't reply... actually she had a strange look in her face, a look neither you nor July had ever seen, was that a smile?

None of you knew why she accepted, nor were about to let her change her mind, so you just left her to sleep. Neither of you knew that, when Hazel was but a small girl, her father used to tell her that same tale, when he was alive, when she was happy. Now she was alone.

July approached you to speak in low voice, she was to take the first shift.

In the morning, you her an angry loud voice Come on you lazy useless nobodies! Up you go! Put together some quick breakfast and on our way! Seemed that Hazel was back to her usual self. You all got some bread and cheese, July took care of the horses and got them back to the wagon and Elyse got the bags back to the wagon, both under a vigilant look of Hazel.

You started to walk the road.

July hears Elyse as smartly and gently as usual Yes, see there? Says pointing at some tracks in the road Those are theirs. It seems they were able to stay longer on the road than us yesterday, probably their horses were better rested. We should see their campsite ahead. I think they are around 2 hours ahead of us, or more. It's ok.

About the settlement, she hasn't been there before but... I heard they call it The Base. It was described as an exploration camp around old ruins of an important place before the shattering. But I've never been there before.

As you continue walking some new tracks appear on the edge of the road. It seems that, whatever made them tried not to use the road itself... You do not recognise the very few prints in the dirt, but do recognise those paws have some kind of claws. And the prints are fresh!

You share your findings with July, who immediately changes to a guarding position and alerts Hazel. A moment later you all have weapons at hand, standing around the wagon.

Suddenly 5 animals jump from behind different trees and bushes, they realised that the surprise is gone, but are hungry so they take their chances... These lizard-like animals, about 1 m high, have big mouths and teeths, small aft arms, and run on their 2 big and strong hind legs that end in dangerous claws. Since the surprise in gone, they don't run but walk menacing, not allowing any space for escape, surrounding you 3 with the wagon in the middle.

While you position yourselves, 3 if these lizard approach Elyse and 2 approach July.

Those 3 try to attack through the blurry curtain and... the blurry curtain proves to be very valuable! The the 3 velociraptors attack furiously, only to be confused when their claws and bites fail to land on target.

July is somehow handling the other 2 attackers, but with the wagon in the middle you can't see her properly. What will Elyse do now?

Hazel starts to react... she was so frightened, that started screaming Protect us! Protect us! to... no one in particular.

The blurry curtain holds still, but the confused 3 velociraptors attack Elyse again.The 3 dinos put all efforts, but can't manage to hit Elyse. Moreover, being so close to each other now, one of them almost hit one of his own.

Elyse hears the sound of sword against claws from July's area, but can't figure out what is really happening there.

What will Elyse do now?

Elyse successfully rolls to the other side. She finds July with a small wound in front of one of those animals, the second one inmobile in the ground.

After her roll Elyse attempts intimidation. Her attempt surprises the raptor for a moment but is not enough to scare it.

The raptor here attacks July. The other three raptors, not seeing anyone between them and Hazel, try to jump to attack her over the wagon, albeit trying to reach her forces them to contest for a space with reach, thus the third one is left behind.

Edit: July is injured again in her left arm as she blocks a strong bite from the raptor, a bite that was aimed at her head. She feels weaker, but still strong enough to fight back, and so she does with a swing of her sword. But the raptor evades the first attack, but July presses forward in a backslash the raptor didn't expect. Now the second one is on the ground. July shouts Hazel, report!. Hazel only says Help! Help!