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"Of course," he responded sharply, "if it can be helped. They'll set up camp behind us in the woods--" and just now they were passing their first trees-- "where we can take any run-away slaves for their safety. Those women can be pretty nasty, making people go into seizures an seize up 'n s**t."

Jack was feeling the same way about the time, and sighed. He couldn't believe that he'd have to wait at least half a day, for the sun to set, before there was even a chance that they would attack. "At least we're in on the first bit of action."

(I dont mind skipping some time here but Im trying to get a certain player to post before the raid because he's going to be our main counter-response)

"Tony is a sorcerer," Jack reflected immediately. "The others, some may be, but I don't know. That magic stuff is up to Tony. Man, I don't understand any of it. Besides, we won't know if they're any good 'till it's too late. Tony on the other hand well, he..."

Jack glanced over his shoulder, still ahead of Morgan by a foot. "He's a dragon. He can at least surprise the s**t out of some of them Feretris mages, after they've already revealed their positions. I'm sure he'll be telling every one else too, to keep them hopeful and to keep them from pissin' their pants if the time comes.

"It's never enough though. We need an army to counter their army, but not all the dragons want to get in on the fight. Nor the rest of my countrymen, the ones that even know about it. Nor all the people here. You know how it is. If there weren't so many nuetral people we'd at least be garunteed this raid.

Are you a mage?"

Although Morgan's short excerpt from childhood baffled him, Jack sported a wide grin. "A few more, yes," he agreed, "I'm pretty sure." Now that they were walking at the same level, it was easier to look at the other man. "The odds might always be worse than we think. I don't hold much stock in odds-- although I do hope we have a factor of surprise."

He shrugged. "If I put stock in Tony, well it's only because he's a bloody dragon. You get me? I may not worship them quite the same as other folks back home... but they're sure damn impressive in any case. My biggest hope is actually that we can steal away a lot of the border guards from the compound. We heard some strange tails about this new test they've been put through. Might be a straw that breaks the donkey's back if you know what I mean."

((doubt they have camels XD))

Jack's smile was uncharacteristically restrained. "When Tony came along, we started winning. I don't care if it's a ******** good luck charm. Before him we only lost men and resources with nothing to show. Slaves that defected successfully, few that there were, did so on their own and the Kiyap took care of 'em after that.

Plus, if dragons are alive...what other old beasts might there be? There could be unicorns, fairies... the good and bad alike, I guess. Heard some strange things 'bout these woods. You ever seen any thing here? Sometimes I thought I did, but then when I went to look there was no way to tell."

((so are donkeys!!!))

The woman they had passed earlier was approaching now on horseback.

Jack didn't keep any one in the dark on purpose. He never remembered which thoughts made it out through his mouth, nor in front of whom. So by now he was used to questions that sounded stupid, irrelevant, or extremely important.

"Well, we'll sight out what we can about their defenses, staying out of range as much as possible..."

Jack began speaking as the woman caught up to them, and she freely interrupted: "Then I'll start talking to any men who're away from their supervisors."

"We'll get who ever we can to our side," Jack added in agreement.

"I'll bring the new recruits back to the horses and prepare for our retreat--"

"In the event of failure or success," Jack interrupted at a slightly higher volume. He was annoyed that his companion was filling in the pieces of his story that he felt were unecessary. He was determined to outdo her. "We'll regroup with the others and spill every thing we saw and modify or call off our plans as needed." Jack laughed. "We probably won't call it off though. Then we'll be in groups for the attack. Wanna lead one? We try to put more experienced people in charge of others and you're certainly more experienced than most of them."

Their new companion cleared her throat. "The mages will be in the rear groups, delaying entry so that their magic is not sensed by the Feretris women while you guys are laying explosives and taking out whomever you can in silence. You'll probably be given a short priority list of places to attack so that the commanders all know what to do but the attack is flexible."

"We all go in hoping to get at least one of those points hacked to bits or whatever, then retreat behind the offensive mages so the defensive can guard us all as we back off. Don't think we'll be taking the building or any thing, where they'd starve us out later any way."

The woman turned to Morgan with a sharp, bored look, which had something to do with Jack. "Satisfied?"

(lol I think I survived)

Jack scoffed. "I don't see any one of the opposite sex here," he laughed raucously. "May as well sport a pecker for all I care."

The woman grit her teeth. "Your sister has a name, John." She was trying to hide her embarrassment, but at the same time looked for pity from Morgan. "My name is Lilith."

Jack shot an arm out for silence, his face scrunched into a serious frown. In the falling dusk they could see the beginnings of stubby spear-point shafts leaned against eachother in triangles, forming a fence. "Patrols come out this far," Jack explained in a whisper. They angled deeper into the woods as they moved closer, now with mottled brown cloaks thrown over hunched forms and the silent steps of a stalking cat.

As they got close enough to see details, Jack gestured for them to spread apart, which his sister Lilith was already doing naturally. Eldic Estates considered this part of the forest part of their compound, used mostly as hunting and sometimes training grounds further back, even though the fence proper stood far back from the woods and encircled most of the buildings, stretching past where they could see. Jack stepped over a hunting trap and paused to drip a clear liquid over the spot. He turned to Morgan and tossed the bottle to him, expecting him to do the same with any that he found.

Jack covered the most ground into the woods, adept at spotting traps that later could hinder his other companions. The liquid he had sprinkled on the first began to attain a soft blue, pulsing glow where it hit the metal. It was not bright enough to give away their activities, especially since it was not pitch black yet and because traps are generally set further back into the woods.

His sister joined Morgan at the edge of the woods to take their first look at the compound. She caught his eye, then gestured up a thick oak that they were standing near. Her gesture was a question, not a command. He had no direct obligation to either cover her as she went forward, nor risk exposure at the top for a good view. Besides, she didn't know if he even knew how to climb trees.

Lilith rested a hand on the wood of her bow, another on her quiver, and looked up the tree again. She arched an eyebrow at him.