The minor expedition the half orc had led them on was not quite what the huntsman had in mind, as rather than checking to see how their enemy had fared following the escape, they went traversing the wood. Apparently this was to see if they had drawn any closer, although to their fortune and that of the town, there appeared to be no such case of it, at least where they searched. The pair were competent woodsmen, at least enough that they likely would have found their quarry given its obvious lack of attunement to the wild world, let alone something as overt as a forest. At most they found a trapper and snares, which were further signs no one that should not have been there dared into them.

The actual journey forth to follow the next day came with news unexpected, for as they drew closer no evidence of their camp was as abundant as it had been. For the old druid, this was truer than the rest, for high on the wing, the fair feathered bird was able to note the truth before those below had any idea of it. The camp, abandoned, had not even an ounce of the environment they experienced. Brannor knew as much by the lack of smoke on the wind, how the taste of them and their foul horde failed to taint it either, but he was not nearly as certain as the other two who devoted themselves to the assessing task.

Instead he remained idle beside them, scanning the wide world that was the prairie and how its blades of green waved in the wind. All he came to see was the riders on horseback breaking off from where they knew the camp to have been. It only made the man grit his jaw and peer harder with a beastly stare. He remained quiet, despite the surge of questions in him, tapping the necklace that adorned his neck with a steady, timing rhythm. He soon looked to the halfling woman, then the old magician, finally to the priestess. Several of them, the wilder sorts, seemed more restless and eager to strike, Orchid's wants little in question in this moment. So at last the drifter spoke, although it was far less pressing and more probing in nature.

"What is it you see, old man?" The rumble of his voice was calm and restrained but it was clearly laden with vigorous want to see this mission through.

They needed to destroy the eggs, the dragons, and the cult wherever possible, and the cave held some combination of those based upon what they had known and the apparent reactions of the spellcaster and his smaller cohort. It was only now Brannor's hand fell to his side, away from his necklace.

[@Hekazu][@Ryonara][@Gordian Nought][@Lucius Cypher][@Norschtalen]