***Group A (Argurios & Brisa) ***

Brisa slept deeply for about an hour, the exhaustion of the scare plus her spell taking its toll on her. Eventually her discomfort woke her. The ground was damp from the evening air and it had soaked all the way through her cloak and clothing. Add that to the fact that her stomach was rumbling and her whole body felt like it had been pounded with hammers and there was no way she could sleep further. 

She stood, stretched her body out, and pulled her bag close to her and by the light of the cool moon she began rummaging through the bag. She desperately hoped she had something edible in her bag, she was starving and feeling rather shaky as well. 

She found two apples and nothing further. At least it was something and she started to eat one, tucking the other away for later. Now that her immediate needs had been satisfied she knew she had to look for the others. Walking would also help keep her warm and dry her out. 

She shouldered her bag and began trailing down alongside the road. She didn’t want to walk in the open, but there was hardly any space on the side. The night was silent except for night noises she had come to expect. She suspected that meant the bandit men were gone, but she wasn’t sure. She knew though, that she couldn’t remain in one spot, it would be too dangerous. So she walked.

She found Argurios just before dawn, it was pure chance that their path’s crossed. The relief when she found him though was obvious. Her whole demeanor changed. Up till that minute she had assumed she was now completely alone. Even though they weren’t friends, in fact she barely knew him, he was still familiar and that was a huge comfort now. 

“The others?” 

It was a vain hope, she could tell he was alone. He likely didn’t know. In fact unless they went back to the inn and risk capture or worse they wouldn’t know. They had no supplies, other than what they had grabbed in their hasty escape. Their most valuable possessions…the warhorse and the goat…had bolted and neither could be recovered. Without waiting for reply she slumped on a nearby rock, hung her head so he wouldn’t see her tears, and sighed. 

“What do we do now?”

*****Group B (Serra & Aiden)****

 The three bandits were busy chatting amongst one another. They had been away from their base long enough and would be heading back soon. It had been days, long days, since anyone had come this way and they were giving up. 

Bits of the conversation could be overheard as Aiden slunk around them. Their complaining was not quiet. It was plain that the emptiness of the road was not expected…there were caravans that regularly ventured out into the desert to trade and they always straggled…pickings should have been easy. While the wagons in the road stopped the caravan lead the bandits could hit the rear in a strike and retreat. They weren’t after people, only sellable goods. Now though there was nothing. There had been nothing for quite some time. 

The wagons were empty and so old it was obvious that the bandits had brought them here for the sole purpose of serving as a road block. They were high enough to make a sensible horse think twice about jumping and they blocked the length of the road so that only foot traffic could pass on either side. Of the bandits themselves, they were simple folk. Dressed in leather armor and armed with basic weapons…knives, staffs, and clubs…it was obvious they were not equipped to deal with a determined resistance. In fact they had been chosen for this post because of their ability to run and move quickly through the woods…which was part of the strategy. A crossbow lay at the feet of one of the bandits, cocked and ready and just within reach. That was the most valuable item they had, it was actually well made, accurate, and would last a long time with the proper care. They each had packs, doubtless containing their sleeping blankets and rations, which were shoved into the shade of one of the wagons. And that was it. 

Back where Serra was crouched the day was quiet save for the rustle of wind in the trees, and it was growing warm crouched there, waiting for Aiden to make his move.