[center][h2][color=F0E68C]Asteria[/color][/h2][/center][hr][hr]
Conversation with the gnome finished, planning with Ed complete, Mother Rat finally convinced to venture outside, the trio headed outside. As soon as they were out of the barrow, all hell was breaking loose. The cart had made it close enough to be attacked by the staff-wielding lizard, and Asteria memorized the appearance, chant, and feel of the magic, using Magic Analysis on it as well. [color=F0E68C][i]So much for the plan,[/i][/color] she thought as she watched the situation unfold. The scents were too mixed to try and pursue a “purple” one without knowing whom it referred to, so instead, she chose visual inspection to decide on her target. Two bandit humans were approaching the cart from a direction where they would have been likely unobserved – if Ed had not verbally alerted the four travelers. Hopefully, his action would help them, though Asteria suspected such an unexpected third-party intervention may sow chaos and confusion among both the bandits and the travelers.

As for the target she’d decided on, it was the archer. Based on the first arrow’s direction of flight, the archer was behind the barrow. She thought she could get there fast enough to interrupt the second shot, but she worried about the number of enemies she might face – there could be very well more than one hiding there – and about Mother Rat. The creature had not desired to go outside, after all, and was currently still rather confused. Well, there certainly was no way for her to know whom they had decided to attack and why. So, Asteria touched her flank, pushed at the other dire rat’s flank lightly, chittered at her quietly and urgently, and sent across a feeling of companionship and togetherness. Whether that would be enough for the mother to follow her and attack whomever she did or not would yet to be seen. Now, however, Asteria had to race to the barrow’s backside, actively using Muffle II, trying to get there quietly yet swiftly enough to Smash into whoever the archer was before they could let loose another of those blasted arrows at someone.

[hider=Action summary]
Uses Magic Analysis I on Frosthbite.
Communicates with Mother rat using regular communication in conjunction with Telepathy I, with the goal of getting her to follow her.
Runs at top speed to the archer’s location while using Muffle II.
Intends to tackle the archer with the Smash skill.
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