Chapter 1: The Beginning

"In? I rejoined. The army I mean, I wasn’t on a, uh, "Special Task Force" the first time, just a grunt. I was lookin’ forward to cuttin’ up some dwarfs, but guess I’ll hafta wait a while for that."

Edwin grimaces. Always with this question. Always with the same looks afterwards. Well, better they know now and not later. THAT didn't work well last time. he thinks to himself. He tugs the glove off his left hand and pushes the sleeve back, showing the inch wide brand on the inside of his left wrist, marking him as part of a group of erstwhile youths.

Gave me my choice when I got caught. Serve time in uniform or in bars. Uniform seemed a better chance to make a heap o' coin.

Jorrel just nods at Edwin, totally nonplussed,

"Half my old unit got the same choice. I’d rather serve with someone goin’ ta war with their eyes open, than some noble-born, wet-behind-the-ears posh boy with dreams of glory."

She props up on her hip and elbow and waves her finger come-hither. "We're lucky the big guy didn't seem to have heard 'that' comment." she reprimands in a hushed tone. "Now, keep a wide headroom from me or I couldn't guarantee you staying whole. You go batten down the hatches and I'll take first watch."

She looks for a good perch and then dumps her pack. She fluffs it up soon after to support her lower back as she reclines. She barks "Go sleep." as soon as she feels the conversation has ended.

Edwin smiles to himself as May's feisty retort carries just far enough on the evening winds. He hops down out of the cart and stretches before setting to the task at hand.

When you're ready to switch off the watch, wake me May. he says, laying his head down with his hood pulled over his face.

Jorrel nods to the others as he spreads his bedroll in a flat spot as far from Edwin as possible (to spare him the noise of the snoring),

"Suits me, I always wake up early anyway. Gotta pee."

When it look slike Edwin has drifted off he props himself up on his arms and whispers over to May,

"Sorry miss, didn't mean to offend. Sometimes... sometimes my mouth just works by itself."

Jorrel simply grunts and lies back down, not bothering to mention that the General had been making significantly more noise than he had. He just closes his eyes and lets sleep come.

Edwin rubs the last bit of sleep from his eyes and quickly makes his morning ablutions. His cloak and weaponry restored to their normal locations and his eyes clear, he looks to the others.

Better to approach and investigate on foot I would think. I'm typically lightfooted enough that I would volunteer to check and report. No sense running a cart headlong into an ambush. he says softly.

Eddie pulls the hood of his cloak up and moves up the hill, stooping low to attempt a stealthy approach up to the top. Once near the top he peers over.

Edwin slips back down the hill just enough that he can right himself to sprint back to the group. He skids to a halt as he gets near enough to speak without shouting.

Three bandits, with three hostages. The cart is rolled and they are counting out gold. If we are to try saving these folks, we would need to either make our approach seem innocent, which, with you here sir that's not likely to succeed. The other option is to hit them hard and fast, not giving them a chance to harm the folk tied up on the ground.

May gives her nose a few smacks and bows her nose left and right violently. Still not making the grade, she tries to pop her elbow and neck joints. "OK. So we have an obstruction on the road that we can't avoid, a number of hostiles rivaling our own, and fire. I would throw my lot with the latter. Use the fire and smoke to cover our entry and go on a quick romp at their necks." she says in a blunt and crusty growl. The urgency and consciousness present without the screen.

She rubs her eyes to goad them to adjust and she scans the camp. "A concentrated force would be our best bet. Let's just hope the steeds keep calm."