[color=lightblue]"Huh. Wouldn't have seen you for a merchant."[/color] Emil remarked curiously. He listened as Corra described her various work experiences. She appeared to be a rather well spread individual- a bit of everything it appeared. Most commoners tended towards only one trade, which they often devoted their entire lives to, as it was typically their livelihood. 

The Caravan carried on like this for a bit, with the youths introducing themselves to one another and conversing, forming small little groups for a source of comfort in these trying times. The group was still well within Edessan territory, but the roads were quiet and empty, devoid of people and sounds. It wasn't surprising that a few of the youths were jumpy. The entire setting was a bit unsettling: Farmsteads and small villages completely abandoned, several picked apart by enterprising looters. The occasional box of dropped belongings were found on the road or in the grass, signs of people as the hurriedly fled the Edessan countryside.

[color=8882be]“You hear something?”[/color] Asked Corra, her eyes darting from side to side, obviously on edge. Her nervousness put Emil ill at ease as well. She must have sensed this because she quickly tried to brush it off and continue their conversation. However, before Emil could answer, he noticed something ahead of them.

In the distance, a small white-gray plume seemed to rise in a small pillar, its source hidden by the crest of the hill. It was smoke. But from what? What was the source? As the caravan reached the top of the small hill, they could see it easily ahead of them. Down the road, about a mile out was a lone caravan wagon, overturned and seemingly abandoned, its oaken and canvas shell licked by a growing flame, smoke trickling into the sky. Their own caravan halted as the the head guard gathered the other guards and they spoke for a while, leaving the youths to their own devices.

Seeing the overturned wagon down the road, Emil's mouth tightened into a fine line, and he instinctively tugged at his armor straps, his hand tightening around the spear the guards had given him. 

[color=lightblue]"That fire looks young."[/color] Emil said aloud, in a low voice, more to himself than to Corra who was still next to him. Was this a merchant's caravan? or a Refugees? Did it matter? Were those responsible still around, or had they helped themselves to the wagon's spoils and left? No matter what, their caravan couldn't stay here for long. At the top of a small hill, on a round surrounded by yards of grassland before a treeline, they were in the wide open- while they couldn't definitely see any threat that approached them long before the threat arrived, they had no shelter, no cover. At the same time, the Caravan couldn't just drive on past the fallen wagon- it could be a trap.

[color=lightblue]"I... I think I'm going to go check it out."[/color] Emil said to himself, and to a lesser degree Corra, partially to help dispel his own uncertainty.