Sounds in the woods

After a day of huddling near the campfire, Doric had finally had enough.

"Sasha, you have gotten us into the worst of places." He said crossly.

“I know this is my fault.” she replied. “I will do what I can to get us out of here, but we first we have to figure out where here IS.” She could still hear the waves crashing on the beach and shuddered.

Doric said, still angry, “It was not my plan to be stranded in a strange land, fighting for my life with naught but my hands and the looming threat of starvation.” He glowered.

El-Dris, with his slightly musical voice, responded gently, “I doubt this was in any of our plans, Doric.”

Doric waved his meaty hand at both of them. “What shall we do then?” he groused. He gestured at his bites and scratches from the rat attack two days before. “Before something BIGGER tries to eat us.”

El-Dris thought a moment. “I agree we are in a bad spot. We need to do what we can to improve our situation.” He continued after a moment, “I say we search the grounds and see if we can find anything of use.”

After searching for several hours along the coast line, the party discovered an old rusty pan, a sealed jar of split peas, a thin plate of steel and three very rusty arrow heads. Doric removed the usable ends of the a couple barrels and used some of the sail cloth to make crude shields. They all set to work improving their simple weapons.

Later on, Cedris settled down to pray. Suddenly he bolted upright and turned to the party. “I’m supposed to be here.” he said, panting as if he had just run a marathon. “I’m not sure why or what I am here to do, but this is where Mithras wishes me to be.”

Doric sneering snidely said, “Well I’d be glad for you Cedris if I felt like I was supposed to be here too, but I just don’t feel that way. Something about almost getting eaten by rats has put me off the place.”

El-dris, ignoring Doric said, “Why would you think that Cedris?”

Frowning, Cedris replied, “I prayed to Mithras the light bringer, on what I need to do to let us leave this place but my answer was naught. Instead when I thought about being stuck here, Mithras sent to me a sudden calm and a feeling of rightness.”

Sasha cocked an eyebrow. “That or the rat wasn’t as fresh as it could be.” she chided.

The party continued to bicker back and fourth for a couple of hours. About an hour before sunset, they heard a crashing sound in the woods to the north. Doric and Cedris donned their shields and took up their weapons. As the party prepared, two boars came crashing out of the woods, running directly toward the party.

The party was caught out of position by the sudden onslaught . The boars rushed at Sasha. She jumped out of the way while stabbing at a boar as she did so. Her crude spear hit the nearer boar in its flank. The wound gushed red blood as the boar squealed.

“By the might of Mithras!” Cedris screamed as he brought his club down across both front legs of the same boar as it wheeled on Sasha, breaking both instantly. The boar squealed in surprise, pain and anger, thrashing and rolling while striking its tusks at Cedris. Cedris blocked the wild blows with his shield, keeping the wounded boar at bay.

Doric stepped up and stabbed his spear deep into the flailing boar, blood foaming from its nose and mouth. The boar drove forward doggedly already dead, but refusing to concede. It lunged forward and gored his arm. Sasha stepped in and speared the boar again, pinning it to the ground.

El-dris chanted his arcane words and the second boar slumped down dead after a blast of flame shot deep into its lungs. It shuddered once and went still, the murderous light fading from its eyes. The party regrouped and readied for the next attack. When none came, they allowed themselves to breath.

Sasha soon set about skinning the boars, a fortunate bounty. Cedris pitched in to help with new found energy pulling the skins off and setting about cleaning them, singing a church hymn to himself as his hands grew red with blood. “This may be enough leather to make some simple armor.” he said.

Sasha frowned, “How did you learn to work hides? It doesn’t seem a trade a priest would take up.”

Cedris replied with a slight grin. “It is the punishment allotted to those who didn’t learn their sermons properly. I never thought all the time I spent in servitude would one day help those around me.”

Doric grumbled, “I am in need of that armor. Every time I turn around I get mauled by the wildlife in this gods-forsaken place.”

Cedris’s eyes narrowed and he spoke up to all. “By the might of the god of sky and sun, Mithras. May his will be to protect us as we explore this unknown place.”

Both Doric and El-dris turned away to roll their eyes.