The Party made as much haste as it could to put distance between them and rustling noises coming closer out of the woods. Sasha called back to Cedris “Keep Doric quiet. Stealth is what we need here.”

Cedris replied ” Good luck with that.” as Doric continued to dry heave, trying to purge the venom from his veins.

Sasha came back to the travois and took one side and started to haul it forward as quickly as possible. They could hear the sounds of El-Dris flinging bolts of flame to the rear of the party. Keeping the spiders at bay.

Soon they were able to put some distance between them and the rackoids. They took a quick breather while trying to try to remove the sticky spider silk from Doric.

El-Dris asked Cedris “Can your god heal him?”

Cedris said back “I have used to much power today. I need to rest before I can channel any more energy.”

They quickly drank some more water and gobbled down some of the dry meat. They continued on into the green of the forest following the river into the unknown. Hoping they would have the time to give Doric the treatment he needed and hoping they too would not end up food.

They came to a bend in the river. Here they decided to rest. They didn’t hear any more skittering in the underbrush. Even so, they didn’t let their guard down. Cedris held some water to Doric’s mouth. He was in the process on sipping it when El-Dris whispered harshly, “I hear something across the river. “

At the Riverbend

Gasping for air, Cedris puffs out, “We (huff)… must (huff)… stop! I can’t (huff) go on much longer!”

Sasha scanning behind says, “I think they’ve stopped following, but I can’t be certain. What think you El-Dris?”

El-Dris, also rasping, says, “I think…we are clear.”

Cedris falls to his knees and lets the travois settle to the ground. Not quite dropping Doric in the process, though there is a soft grunt as he impacts the ground.

Just as he is catching his breath, El-Dris raises a hand. “I hear something.”

Cedris, looking almost in tears, his face pleading for a denial, but begins slowly pulling his shield from his back and unlimbering his club. Sasha grips her spear and starts scanning the surrounding trees. Suddenly, a loud keening and the flapping of large wings can be heard across the water. El-Dris holds up his staff and and starts intoning Words of Power.

The keening gets louder and the whoosh of wings comes overhead. A a creature with the aspects of both eagle and horse flies over Cedris’ head.

Spotting the party, the unusual creature squawks more loudly and persistently. El-Dris lets fly a bolt of fire he had been gathering in his hand. The bolt catches the creature directly in its feathered chest.

Singed, the strange creature flies high into the air. They watch as it wheels back around and utters its high pitch scream again and dives toward Cedris. He uses his shield to protect himself as the creature lands and continues its assault.

Brandishing his club and shouting, Cedris sees the creature feathers flare up as if it is frightened by the whirling club. Its claws scraped across Cedris’ raised shield as it lashes out at him. In an attempt to aid, Sasha dashed in to pierce the creature with her spear. The point found no purchase though as the beast continued its attack on Cedris.

El-Dris attempted to fling another fire bolt at the angry beast. In his haste, he tripped over a rock and falls prone into the river. Through a mouthful of water he gurgled and spat, as sparks of flame skipped across the water in all directions before petering out.

Seeing El-Dris falling into the water and sensing easier prey, the eagle-horse kicked off of Cedris’ shield and swooped at the prone form of El-Dris. El-Dris screamed in pain as the creature raked its razor edged talons across his arm.

The flying monster kicked off the ground once again and leaped into the sky. Its cry piercing as it gained altitude.

Sasha ran up and pulled the bloody, sodden wizard out of the river.

“Quickly up and behind Cedris!” she commanded him. “It comes again.” She dashed and rolled behind Cedris as El-Dris belly crawled behind her. His movements were hurried by the terrible shrieks of the monster above them.

El-Dris reached cover just in time for the creature to renew its assault on Cedris. Leading with its hooves this time, it crashed into the shield with a mighty kick, sending a jarring shock into Cedris.

Deflecting the creature to one side, Cedris missed a swing at its monstrous head, as it also evaded a lunge from Sasha.

As is it wheeled again, El-Dris once more caught it with a fire bolt. It staggered suddenly, as of its strength gave out and it crashed to the earth, stunned.

Gathering itself to its feet, the creatures shrieks gave way to pitiful mewling as it tried in vain to cross the river to safety. Hesitating, barely able to stand and with a loud “SQUAAAAAAAAAK”, it turned, stood its ground as if to attack again, its foreleg buckling.

As Sasha moved to deliver the finishing spear thrust into its open mouth, Cedris yelled out. “Stop! “Don’t you hear that?”

“Hear what?” Sasha replied impatiently “Lets end this thing before someone gets really hurt.”

Cedris replied, “Look, it’s just trying to protect its young,” pointing across the river into a overgrown thicket. “There, among the brambles, sounds like two or three young. Let us just back away.”

The party falls back, pulling Doric along with them as the creature seems less willing to attack in its weakened state. As Cedris keeps backing up, the hippogriff, which he realized it must be, continues to try to step, only to have its leg buckle under its weight again and again. Pausing, Cedric makes a decision.

“We need to help it.” Cedris says matter-of-factly to the others. He carefully lowers Doric again but a pained ‘oomph’ issues from the poisoned dwarf regardless.

Cedris kneels, holding up a metal circle to the sky he calls out. “Mithras all merciful, I know I have asked much this day but I must ask more. In our ignorance we trespassed and did grievous injury to this brave mother hippogriff defending her young. Please allow me to channel your divine light so that I may protect what is precious.”

No sooner than the last word left his lips, the light reflecting on the small metal circle flashed brightly. The hippogriff straightened up, its strength renewed. Slowly, gracefully, it moved back into the cover of the brush. Cedris collapsed, laying exhausted for a moment.

A short time later he straightens and gently grabs up the travois. Exhausted yet fulfilled, he moves on. The party needs to find a place to camp for the night.