The Rune Stone

Forest

 After about twenty minutes of travel through the undergrowth of the forest the party concluded that they were not being followed. Fact that unsettled Nicholas more than if they would have been chased as it only meant that the threats thrown at them by the guards were genuine, the forest would act against them. The three finally took a knee in a small glade where Varonno, aided by Nicholas set Torstein against one of the massive trees to check on his leg. The ranger concluded that old barbarian had gotten lucky as his bone was not broken, just cracked and, provided he travelled by horseback, he should heal enough for him to be able to walk within a fortnight, if it was tended to properly. To make this process happen, Varonno ventured deeper within the woods to look for a specific plant to bind his leg with, leaving Nicholas and Tostein under the watchful gaze of Shadow.

"Do you reckon the stories they told us were true ? Or well, rather, the threats, about the trees an' all." asked Nicholas who sat himself beside the old barbarian. "Hmpf. You afraid of Ents boy ? That it ? There are far scarier things that go bump in the night. I'd worry about finding our way about of this place. Getting to the Neck in one piece." answered Torstein before taking a swig of his waterskin. "It's just... I've grown up on stories about 'em. My mom sang my and my brother to sleep with them. She was odd like that." Torstein stopped to raise a brow at Nicholas, looking him over again, as if they had just first met again. "You mother was one of them ? An elf ? You a half breed then ?" "Aye. Just got lucky enough not to get pointy ears." answered Nicholas with a short chuckle. "Feels weird. I suppose I half expected them to... welcome me in ? Lost kin and all that. But guess not." he continued before taking out the bow he recieved, presenting it to Torstein. "One of their fletchers gave me this. Just before I found the mage burning people, something guided me to him. It was like my mother was holding my hand as if I was a little boy again. Leading me to him.He said it should serve as a reminder, of who I am and to stick to the path... I, I think he knew." The old barbarian, turned to fully look at the half-elf now. "You should be proud then. Looks to me like atleast one of them tree-huggers took you in. Ain't it an honor reserved just to them to wield stuff like that anyway ?" Nicholas simply nodded, offering a faint smile. "Aye... I suppose it is."

After a few more minutes Varonno returned with a handful of herbs. Elfroot he called it. Without wasting much time, he took some of them, put them in his mouth and started to chew until they became a paste. This poultice was then applied to Torstein's leg, without any protests from the barbarian who was most likely used to this kind of treatment. Taking a spare bandage, the wound was then dressed and the barbarian allowed to walk about using his axe as a walking stick. "We shouldn't stick around more. I lost my way more than once trying to come back. Head straight north as the crow flies, until we reach the river and from there follow it to the Farnfel. It will guide us to the Neck." the ranger said checking over the little supplies they had. Judging how many days worth of rations they had in store. "But its getting dark. We already can't see the sun.Shouln't we just go in the morning ? They gave up the chase." protested Torstein. "If we stay any longer, the trees will shift even more, and we will be truly lost within this acursed place. Is that what you want ?! It's either that or brave the dark." retorted the ranger. Torstein bit his lower lip, a slight frown plastered upon his wrinkled face. "It is true then. What they warned us about. The very forest moves against us." he ended before getting on his horse, refusing any aid that was offered and wasting no more time on idle chatter.

So the company went on their long way, bound ever Northwards. At first their choice seemed to be good: they got along at a fair speed, though whenever they got a glimpse of the moon in an open glade they seemed unaccountably to have veered eastwards. But after a time the trees began to close in, just where they had appeared from a distance to be thinner and less tangled. Then deep folds in the ground were discovered unexpectedly. These lay usually right across their line of march, and could only be crossed by scrambling down and out again, which was troublesome and difficult with Torstein on horseback. Each time they climbed down they found the hollow filled with thick bushes and matted undergrowth, which somehow would not let them move on their course, but only gave way when they turned to the right or left; and they had to go some distance along the bottom before they could find a way up the further bank. Each time they clambered out, the trees seemed deeper and darker; and always to the North it was the most difficult to find a way, and they were forced to the right or left.

After an hour or two they had lost all clear sense of direction, though they knew well enough that they had long ceased to go northward at all.

This must have went on for a few more hours, deeper and deeper until the tree tops covered the sky entirely and they were forced to use torches to light their way. And yet, there was no sign of a path, and the trees seemed constantly to bar their way. Nicholas suddenly felt that he could not bear it any longer, and without warning let out a shout. "Oi!" he cried. "I am not going to do anything you pricks. Just let me pass through, will you, I am one of the elves !" The others halted startled; but the cry fell as if muffled by a heavy curtain. There was no echo or answer, though the wood seemed to become more crowded and more watchful than before. "I would not shout, if I were you, it does more harm than good." said Varonno who began to wonder if it were possible to find a way through, and if he had been right to make the others to continue into this abominable wood at night. Soon enough however, the light began to grow clearer as they went forward. Suddenly they came out of the trees and found themselves in a wide circular space. There was sky above them, blue and clear to their surprise, for down under the Forest roof they had not been able to see the rising morning. The sun was not, however, high enough yet to shine down into the clearing, though its light was on the tree-tops. The party felt encouraged, and looked up hopefully at the broadening daylight in the sky. At the far side of the glade there was a break in the wall of trees, and a clear path beyond it. They could see it running on into the wood, wide in places and open above, though every now and again the trees drew in and overshadowed it. They took this path, but they now went much quicker, and with better heart; for it seemed to them that the Forest had relented, and was going to let them pass unhindered after all.

But after a while the air began to get hot and stuffy. The trees drew in close again on either side, and they could no longer see far ahead. Now stronger than ever they felt again the ill will of the wood pressing on them. So silent was it that the fall of Torstein's horse's hoofs, rustling on dead leaves and occasionally stumbling on hidden roots, seemed to thud in their ears. A heavy weight was settling steadily on Varonno’s heart, and he regretted now with every step forward that he had ever thought of challenging the menace of the trees. He was just about to stop and propose going back (if that was still possible), when things took a new turn. The path stopped closing in, and the gurgling sound of a river could be heard in the dsitance. They now hurried forward again, delighted with the thought of fresh water upon their lips and before long they arrived at the gravely banks of the river.

"Well, atleast this gives us some sense of where we are," said Varonno with an exhale of relief "We just need follow the river the way it flows and it should lead us to the Farnfel." Both Torstein and Nicholas were just all too glad to get a glimplse of the river as they dunked their now empty and try waterskins inside it before drinking deeply, neither of them bothering to answer the ranger. He did not mind it however, simply settling himself by the back, next to Shadow who followed in the example of the two, drinking from the river. Varonno watched the edge of the treeline where the great trees watched them like ghosts, thrusting their twisted thirsty roots through the mist of the river, down into the water. It was dreary and cold and cold here, but a much welcome change from the unbearable forest. And more importantly than all, the trees could not shift the river, or obstruct the sky from here. The sun was now finally visible, as the day grew older, until it gleamed in a pale sky like a high white pearl.It was around noon, they had spent well over ten hours lost.

"We should get some rest. Atleast a few hours worth. Then we can continue until we are out of this place." said the ranger. "Aye. I've had just about enough of this forest" added Torstein who was now off his horse, trying to find a sheltered spot, not too far away. Nicholas was lucky enough to have packed himself a sleeping bag which he set upon a bed of dead leaves, behind a cluster of rocks, away from the cutting wind that was carried by the water, this was the spot where Torstein settled himself and where he had now started a fire. Varonno lead the horse and Shadow towards the alcove where the rest were, though it was clear that guilt still ate away at him. Nicholas noticed this and after Torstein gave him a knowing glance he spoke up. "Hey. Thanks for getting us out of there ranger. I reckon it would have been a lot worse if we gave them bloody trees more time to prepare and to twist us around." The half-elf semed genuine in his words, not saying them as comfort. Varonno offered a genuine smile back, which was reprocied by both Nicholas and Torstein who chimed in to thank him for the binding upon his leg. This also prompted the ranger to change the binding of the wound with a new one, in order to prevent infection before taking out a blanket from his pack and wrapping it around himself.

  They all ate from the little dried meat, cheese and hard tack they managed to pack with them from the tavern, eventually ending up just sitting and listening to the faint bubbling and gurgle of the river fretting among the tree-roots and driftwood near the shore, until one by one, their heads nodded and he fell into an uneasy sleep, none having the strength left to keep watch or even exchange words between them...