[Yals/Lawrince/Cari]

While Lovvorn worked at breaking the anti-tracking wards Cari had been
scanning the woods, seeking someother human intelligence in its depths.
But all she was finding was flickers of wild energy - much like Yals and
the once-Legentor - and finally she shook her head in fustration, and
strengthened her personal wardings.

Upon turning she was less than pleased to see that Lawrince had accepted a
swig from Yals' wineskin.

The envoy took only a mouthfull, but raised his eyebrow at the smoothness
of the mead, and how he felt somewhat more refreshed. He decided it was
the sugar in the honey that was giving him a little lift, since he had
been feeling as worn as the mage looked.

"Excellent," he pronounced, handing the skin back to Yals, "And thank
you."

Cari shook her head at the envoy's lack of caution, and went over to have
a look at the tracks for herself. She stayed clear of Mr. Hood - who, she
had no doubt, just wanted to let his blade draw blood; nor could she blame
his fustration - they did indeed seem to be wandering in circles. And had
picked up "help" who would obviously stay their hands in the more
expedient methods of dealing with the case. ::No one mentioned seeing his
woman around,:: she casually sent as she studied the tracks.

Yals began to head into the woods - seeming to follow the tracks.

[Eric/Lovvorn]

"See... His Envoyness drank some."  Lovvorn whined as they moved out of
the clearing.

"That's because he's an idiot."  replied Eric.

"Well, so am I!"

"You're a useful idiot.  Which reminds me-"  Eric turned to Cari, and
raised his voice so that everyone could hear:

"Any of you given any thought as to what we're gonna do when we FIND this
guy?"

[Lawrince/Yals/Cari]

Lawrince opened his mouth - then shut it. He had been about to say that he
needed answers as to why this Fillip killed Netit, and what he knew of the
secretary's skullduggery, but then he remembered that Mr. Hood tended to
take a very direct route.

All Yals did was glance back, but said nothing.

Finally the envoy said, "He'll need to be handed over to the proper
authorities - there are some questions as to his involvement with my
secretary that need to be answered." A mild look of worry lined his face
as he added, "And I want those answers officially recorded."

::That's if he can be taken alive,:: Cari added, though she knew that in
Montfort death didn't always mean the end of a trail.

The trail of footprints took a winding, stumbling path - oft marked by
broken foliage, and skids in the mud and ground debris.

Again the thick trees gave way to a clearing - and revealed a figure
crouching by freshly-turned soil. At the sound of their arrival the figure
stood - revealing a young man dressed in pale deerskin tunic and trousers,
with his longish blond hair pulled back. He held lightly in his hand a
bow, a small quiver at his back, and at his belt was a skinning knife.

[Eric/Lovvorn]

Eric studied this man in the blink of an eye.  He had gotten a look at
Lawrince's attacker, and knew that this wasn't him.  But there was no
reason to believe that their quarry was acting totally on his own.  For
that matter, the new members of their party could be in on this as well.

Eric stepped back into the woods... not hiding, just waiting to see what
the others did before he acted.  As usual the first person to break the
silence was Lovvorn.

"Great!"  he said as he entered the clearing.  "Another one!  I suppose I
don't want to know who YOU are as well."

[Lucc/Yals/Cari/Lawrince]

Lucc glanced at Yals - then back at the brightly dressed mage, and said,
"Who I am isn't too bad, my name is Lucc." His expression remained grim
and puzzled. Finally his gaze lighted on Cari and her blue silk dress, and
he said, "Miss Dyer, isn't it late for a stroll in the woods?"

::I stumbled on an unusual situation,:: she sent so all could "hear," and
gestured towards Lawrince, ::We're tracking Mr. Ournel's attacker. Mr.
Ournel is our missing envoy.::

The envoy made a brief protesting sound, and she sent only to Lawrince,
Eric, and Lovvorn, ::Lucc can be trusted with that information. He is a
close ally to Mr. Gilford.::

"Then you're tracking a murderer," Lucc said, and he gestured towards the
freshly-turned soil, which was covered in fox tracks - though the wild
creatures had slipped back into the underbrush. "I was summoned here - to
find that the body of that young woman."

Though no body was evident - except for the disturbed soil - Yals went and
crouched by the grave, and simply said, "She was born of this land - but
no longer will our children be lost or unavenged."

::Probably his woman,:: Cari sent.

"He wouldn't have had much time after burying her - if we're dealing with
the same man," Lawrince said, "So he has to be close."

"Magic was used," Lucc answered.

[Alexandrin]

        "Isn't it always?" the blonde man asked without the slighest note
of sarcasm in his voice.  He clapped a hand to Lucc's shoulder, with a
slight smile of acknowledgment -- time later to talk to the young man
alone, to exchange tales of what had passed since last they had met.
::When you have a chance,:: he added silently, so that only Lucc and Yals
could hear, ::Allenel probably would like to hear that the envoy is still
alive.::  It went without saying that few in the Council had slept well
since the body had been dragged from the canal.

[Lucc/Cari]

Lucc grinned a quick welcome to his friend, and replied ::When I take word
of the body I'll let him know.::

Cari watched the fact that the ex-Legentor and Lucc knew one another, and
decided it shouldn't surprise her. Though she had only met Lucc a few
times - during his stay at the Paevel Ranch and occasionally in town - she
knew that he had an interesting history. At the wake a few months back she
had seen him around Morrighu, who had connections to both Smith, the
Politi (she remembered the banshee from the Refusers evacuation to the
tent city and still pondered the fact the Bean Nighe had been obviously
morning sick), and the Republic (it seemed that one of the very few kind
things that the Presidente' had to say about Montfort was in regards to a
white haired Bean Nighe). And she had heard rumors of a battle after the
wake - which had all the earmarks of Smith's handiwork. Leticia Crisir had
later commented that young Lucc had walked easier after that night - that
rumors around the tent city had tied him into a land dispute with Charn.

~The dead watch out for their own,~ she decided; knowing that there were
some mysteries in Montfort - a place where the line between the living,
the dead, and the spirit was thin - that she probably would never fathom.
Particularly when it might step on another Company agent's mission, and it
did seem that Smith had an active interest in Morrighu and the Politi -
and possibly Lucc.

[Eric/Lovvorn]

Lovvorn inspected the mound of dirt that marked the fresh grave.  Then
he began following the footprints as they lead toward the edge of the
clearing.

He looked at Eric, who was leaning against a tree just outside
the clearing.

"Hmmm.... I think he may have teleported again.  If we hurry, I can
get back to a nice cold drink before the end of the hour.   Or we
could just send Ole' Spooky out here to fetch de body.  He'll have
that corpse singing and dancing in-"

"Open us a portal.  Follow the trail."

"We taking these people with us again?"

Eric nodded.

"Best to keep 'em all in sight until this thing is sorted out."

Lovvorn sighed and began opening yet another magic portal.