The Thief of Alvera
Four days of safe travel has led you to become a trifle lax on the security part.
You don't guard the camp anymore. Both Vin and you spend most of the daytime asleep. The long journey is taking it's toll on you and you're getting very exhausted and worn out. You always felt that having lived on the streets, you were prepared for most ordeals and challenges but this little trip is proving most of your beliefs wrong.
You are just a day away from the pass now and you're waiting for Vin to return from scouting. Vin returns shortly, cursing sulforously, his face assuming an unusually serious expression.
"What's the matter?", you ask, a trifle concerned.
"Grald knows which route we have taken and also approximately where we are. I saw a dozen of his men camped at the pass. We'll never make it if they stay there."
You start pacing around your camp, also swearing furiously."What do we do now?"
"There is only one way, it's going to be time consuming and hard but if things don't change by night, that's what we are going to have to do."
"Okay, what is it?"
"We can try scaling these mountains and climbing down to the other side."
The sheer size of the task astounds you."But...but...what about our packs and horses?"
"We'll have to take our most essential items and leave the horses here."
"I don't like this one bit." Every little delay is upsetting you.
"Neither do I. But unless we come up with an alternative, we'll have to do this."
You spend the rest of the day mulling over this problem. After a few hours of thinking, an idea strikes you."I got it!" Your voice bubbling with excitement.
"What?"
"What if one of us distracts them, pulls them away from thier positions just long enough to allow us to sneak through?"
"That isn't a bad idea after all" Vin says, brightening up."I'll go light a fire in one of those cliffs to the west. If I time it right, I'll manage to light the fire and rush to a hiding spot from where to observe thier camp in time. We'll place a few supplies and the horses there to make it seem as if we are camping there. So if they send a scout, he'll be fooled and will call his companions. Even if half of them leave, we can escape."
You don't guard the camp anymore. Both Vin and you spend most of the daytime asleep. The long journey is taking it's toll on you and you're getting very exhausted and worn out. You always felt that having lived on the streets, you were prepared for most ordeals and challenges but this little trip is proving most of your beliefs wrong.
You are just a day away from the pass now and you're waiting for Vin to return from scouting. Vin returns shortly, cursing sulforously, his face assuming an unusually serious expression.
"What's the matter?", you ask, a trifle concerned.
"Grald knows which route we have taken and also approximately where we are. I saw a dozen of his men camped at the pass. We'll never make it if they stay there."
You start pacing around your camp, also swearing furiously."What do we do now?"
"There is only one way, it's going to be time consuming and hard but if things don't change by night, that's what we are going to have to do."
"Okay, what is it?"
"We can try scaling these mountains and climbing down to the other side."
The sheer size of the task astounds you."But...but...what about our packs and horses?"
"We'll have to take our most essential items and leave the horses here."
"I don't like this one bit." Every little delay is upsetting you.
"Neither do I. But unless we come up with an alternative, we'll have to do this."
You spend the rest of the day mulling over this problem. After a few hours of thinking, an idea strikes you."I got it!" Your voice bubbling with excitement.
"What?"
"What if one of us distracts them, pulls them away from thier positions just long enough to allow us to sneak through?"
"That isn't a bad idea after all" Vin says, brightening up."I'll go light a fire in one of those cliffs to the west. If I time it right, I'll manage to light the fire and rush to a hiding spot from where to observe thier camp in time. We'll place a few supplies and the horses there to make it seem as if we are camping there. So if they send a scout, he'll be fooled and will call his companions. Even if half of them leave, we can escape."