An hour later, Cyrdic, Camilla, Ivan, and three Sailors who had claimed combat experience had hopped on two of the dingies and sailed to the northern shore of the Talabec. The Dwarf Cook had joined them, wielding a cleaver and a Dwarf shield he must have kept in his own quarters. He introduced himself as Skaldi Forgehammer. The eight unlikely companions had taken two small dingies, the boats having been dragged back across to the [i]Imperial Pride[/i] via ropes having been attached to them.   

The forest was thick and heavy, and if Cyrdic had to guess, they were within the lower reaches of the Drakwald. Maybe not as life-risking as traveling further in, but a dangerous place to be. He'd only been near the upper reaches once, but the stories of the monsters he'd heard made his experiences with the Norscans seem tame. Bullmen made of cast iron, Chimeras, Dragons, not to mention Orcs and Beastmen. 

He suddenly felt as if he should have taken his bastard sword. Somehow, he felt it would have protected him from the more otherworldly beasts. Still, he'd never met something he and his broadsword had not gotten the better of so far, and into the dark they traveled. Cyrdic made sure to never go too fast, keeping Camilla close so he could protect her. Not that she was harmless, by any means. 

Skaldi trudged through the thickets as inexorable as a bull, chopping clean through any roots that dared tried to impeded his feet. He seemed tireless. Ivan strode as far ahead as he dared, the big man's short legs surprisingly nimble, though he had a rolling gait as if he was so used to riding horses, that walking on flat ground was unfamiliar territory. 
[@Penny]