[color=00a99d]"I have...concerns..."[/color] Jasper admitted in a strangely human lilt to their tone as if they were actively sharing a half-truth of sorts. [color=00a99d]"Yes. It was my intention to rely on Kedvin and his crew to safely lead you two back to Ispar. While they may be arrogant and occasionally uncouth, I had been levering most of what plan I can improvise on the information that they would be [i]right here[/i] waiting for you."[/color]

There came a long pause after Walker's question, the alien mind of the golem burning through an unnecessary amount of time to produce an answer. [color=00746b]"...or he has delivered a warning,"[/color] Jasper replied to Violet's question about the man from before.
[color=00a99d]"The Lord Madam, Kaath is...[i]unlike[/i]...the common swordsman, as I hear you may have witnessed,"[/color] an uneasy pacing to their explanation, as if to do so was an awkward manner of betrayal, [color=00a99d]"A...[i]mage[/i]...may spend their life memorizing words from books. What Madam Kaath is...not this sort. She once described to me how the words came to her in their sleep...words meant for forked tongues."[/color]
Hands on his hips, Jasper turned away from the railing to better follow the group. [color=00a99d]"I digress. 'Vanished' is an accurate way to describe one of her...words...and it is common knowledge that she is fluent in dozens more. Many of which unsettle the people of Ispar..."[/color]

No sooner had the words left their frame, than did the mist far upstream swirl from how a colossal quadrupedal form strode from the forest, coming from the direction the group was headed. A distant creaking of wood and steel emanated from the form that braced to pause in the middle of the stream. From the distance, it may have been difficult to make out, but stout forms of significantly smaller figures bustling about on the scaffolding built around the towering thing's somewhat obscured body. It appeared to twitch, the faintest nub of what could be expected to be its 'head' turned, casting a powerful ray of light into the edge of the forest. After a moment, it let out a haunting fog-horn of a roar, belching black smoke into the empty sky, above, and continuing its long strides into the woods, swiftly disappearing from view.

[color=00a99d]"I should not say The Lord Madam, Kaath, is a 'monster'.....she is, however...[i]dangerous[/i]. She is from some time, past, and many worry there are few, remaining, who can do much to stem her...moods,"[/color] Jasper remarked, watching the last of the silhouette vanish behind the distant foliage, [color=00a99d]"That Strider, just now, was 'Vandal Savant', a patrol craft of The Brass Bastards. They should not be out this far...but it is good that this one is."[/color]

Jasper slowly, disappointedly shook his head.

[color=00a99d]"If the warning reached Kedvin and his band, there is a very good chance they have abandoned us and are en route back to town. When Kaath catches them, they will likely be......[i]murdered[/i]......to the last man, and their remains will be left to Cart-Dragger's monsters' whims."[/color] His expression flat, but the meagerest of frowns having replaced their previously pleasant demeanor. [color=00a99d]"I must offer my condolences. This is [i]not[/i] how it usually is, though I am optimistic The Lord Madam has no intentions of attacking us...as she [i]would[/i] have, by now, if she so chose."[/color]

With the end of the bridge a bit more visible, small details offered credence to Jasper's predictions. Off to a side, two of the boards appeared to have been pushed to more widely part by some large, flat object being forced between them. The edges around this strike were coated in a semi-recent sheen of blood. What altercation or reason for the damage was left to the imagination, as this appeared to be the only inconsistency. If it [i]was[/i] a fight, it must have been quickly and eerily cleanly decided. Other details became apparent as they neared the end. Large patches of dead grass in splash-like patterns, a fallen tree with the stump so smoothly cut that it shimmered like marble, and...a groaning sound drifting from the direction the tree fell, having apparently flattened a small hidden camp.

[hider=The Camp]
Of the two tents, one sat pinned under the tree, flat to the ground with only twisted supports and shredded fabric to hint at what it once was. Gauze, bandages and ripped cloth when those must have run out, soaked with blood and haphazardly strewn about the scene. Tending to the injured must have been a frantic and temporary effort, shortly chased off...save for one figure.
A tousle of dirty blonde hair, a blue plaid bandana around their neck, they wore a studded leather chestplate, pauldrons and bracers. Their right leg seemed fine, though a hoof poked out of the other, having kicked their boot off. Not only did they appear alive, but they rolled, raising a hand to block the light of day with their good hand, the other appearing shriveled to baby-like proportions on the same side as the goat leg. Their eyes were puffy as if they had been crying, and it reflected in the break in their voice as they called out, "Wh-whose there!? R-Rodger? Kieth?" they started, choking a sob down as they rubbed their eyes and blinked back at the group, gritting their teeth. "Oh..." they sighed, long since defeated by what violence and terrible curses they had witnessed and unfortunately survived. "...sh-she..." he tried to begin, mouth agape lips trembling as they simply had no words for what had transpired as they looked down to their deformities.[/hider]