[u]Sparrot[/u] “There is that raven again” said Dimur as he pointed towards the bird. One of the others in the group laughed at his apprentice’s words as he shook his head before he replied “How do you know it’s the same one?” his tone filled with humour as he indulged the youngster’s fantasy. Dimur narrowed his eyes and thought for a moment. “I don’t know, it just is I guess” he said, causing the other man to grin more widely as he continued “but I’m telling you it’s followed us since we entered these mountains.” Rolling his eyes the elder chuckled as he turned back to his work and responded “Fine, well you keep an eye on the bird and let me know if it tries anything. Filari here is an expert with a sling so she’ll deal with it if we need to” the old elf gestured to the woman with them, who ignored them as she continued her own work. Dimur frowned, it was clear to him that his teacher was only humouring him and wasn’t taking what he was saying seriously. Muttering to himself the young elf went back to his own work deciphering the various ruins that littered the debris around them. Several hours passed before suddenly there was an outburst from Filari which startled everyone, the Raven included. “Tobis! Tobis!” she cried excitedly “I think I’ve finally found something, come and see!” The small group rushed into activity as they gathered closer to the worn and chipped bits of rock that the woman had been working from. “Look, see here” she began as her fingers slowly traced the faded ruins around the edge of the piece reading aloud as she did “welcome to Sinadrai, bow before the true masters and as… that’s where the inscription stops, but the name Sinadrai is right there!” The elder elf’s eyes widened and he smiled and gently nodded “Yes so it is, this just confirms it then. As I’ve always suspected there was once a powerful group of elves that lived in these mountains, and this is all the proof I need.” “I don’t understand” interrupted Dimur “I thought we already knew about the name of their temple?” The old elf shook his head before he corrected him “Yes, we did, but now this coupled with my findings elsewhere actually proves that its physical existence was around here somewhere. After all it’s the physical ruins we need to find, and this narrows down the search considerably.” “What about the gemstone of Ulrick?” asked Dimur as his brow furred further in confusion “I thought that’s why we were here?” The old elf shushed him before he glanced over to where the Raven was still perched watching them. “And how do you know about that hmm?” he asked raising his bushy white eyebrows. Dimur suddenly blushed before he admitted that he had heard Filari and the grandmaster discussing it before they left. Tobis shot the female elf an irritated look before he turned his face back to his apprentice and barked “Do not speak of such things, least of all with your eavesdropping raven just there.” Tobis once more looked at the bird, this time taking the idea that it may have been following them more seriously. If his apprentice had learnt of their search for the Stone of Ulrick then there was no telling who else had. “Everyone stop” commanded Tobis as he glanced at the small team around him “We have the proof I needed that Sinadrai was located here in these mountains. Take whatever stones you can carry, we are heading back at first light tomorrow.” There was a confused muttering from the group, and the female elf gasped out loud. “You cannot be serious Tobis!” she practically shouted “you know how long it took us to get this expedition authorised, and now you are willing to stop and head home because this whelp overheard that we are searching for the Stone?” His face reddening the old elf gritted his teeth as he seethed “I am in charge here, and yes, that is seriously what I am saying. Maybe when you are in charge of an expedition you will allow your underlings to argue and disrespect your decisions, but I assure you I will not.” An uneasy silence fell across the group, most of the team clearly as dismayed as Filari was that they were stopping when so close to their real goal. As the group set up their tents the uneasy atmosphere continued and tensions were running high. Several hours later when most of them were asleep three figures gathered in the darkness some way away from the tents and whispered in hushed tones. “If we find the stone and return it then it won’t matter what Tobis says” urged Filari to the other elves “I mean the old fool genuinely wants to stop and return when we are so close. We all know that if we return without the stone again the grandmaster will never allow another trip to attempt to recover it, even with the proof we have found this time.” One of the other figures, a male elf responded “I am with you Filari, we should leave tonight and keep searching.” The third figure nodded before adding his own agreement to the trio’s conversation. “It is decided then” said Filari “gather your things and the supplies we need.” A few meters away perched on a jagged rock Sparrot watched and listened carefully. --- The sun rose in the mountains and the camp was once more a flurry of activity as the elves awakened and began to pack up their tents and belongings. As Tobis awoke and exited his tent another elf rushed towards him. “Tobis, I think that Filari, Gilith and Auren are all gone, so are there belongings” he said in a worried tone. A few moments later another outburst confirmed that someone had discovered that the majority of their supplies had also been taken. Shaking his head in disapproval the old elf stalked across the camp to where his apprentice was, his tent still closed – the boy obviously still asleep. “Dimur! Dimur wake up this instant!” he shouted as he opened the front of the tent. Suddenly he saw why the boy was not awake, his lifeless body was lying in a pool of blood, his eyes were missing and instead fleshy holes gazed out at him. Resisting the urge to vomit the old elf moved slightly closer before he reached down and picked out a blood soaked black feather and gazed at it in disbelief.