Looking at her companion's reactions to the choices that lay before them, Semina runs quickly once more to Icerick's side.

"Run up the road and check out the path beyond this clearing," she shouts to the horse.  "I will stay with the others as we  prepare for battle, but if the road is passable, make haste, for I fear we are in grave danger," she kisses him on the head.

Semina slaps Icerick's hind, sending him on the scout.  Tiring of the rain and worried about Sander's premonition of the undead, Semina brings out her hand axe and lines up with her companions.

(Sorry, everyone, the last couple of days have been a bit hectic.  Delay is my fault.  PM has been sent, so we will pick up again from here)

Icerick gallops to Semina's position and dramatically nudges her arm.  She glides his mouth to her left ear, and listens to information about the roads condition. Shifting her weight and nodding her head, she sends Icerick back towards the road in case he needs to flee for his safety.

Semina stands still for a moment, letting the rain wash over her face, staring down the forest creatures.  "Icerick reports the road ahead is sloppy, but manageable for travel at a good pace if needed," Semina yells for all to hear.  "Lives could be spared if we leave on the wolves warnings."

(Just to clarify, questions about the game can go here as an OOC comment, but questions about the rules or a particular ruling should go in the OOC thread, or you can PM me directly if you don't want to 'tip your hand')

Sander yells to Thraim over the rain.
"We're in no position to fight an unknown undead foe, even without the wolves. We must flee as Semina suggests!"

(OOC- do we have time to pack our gear and leave?  Or do we have to flee immediately because they are upon us and leave our camp and gear behind in haste?)

Semina looks  towards Sander as he concurs with her about fighting the unknown.  She places her axe back on her belt, and confronts the group.

"I can try to communicate a message that we will leave?"  Semina looks at Thraim.  "I can feel the pack surrounding us as we prepare for the worst, but they might be willing to let us go." Semina looks at Icerick as he signals behind her.   "If we take any longer, they will be upon us!"

Quote from: Drohem;283938(OOC- do we have time to pack our gear and leave?  Or do we have to flee immediately because they are upon us and leave our camp and gear behind in haste?)

(You can probably get your gear together easily enough.  I assumed you weren't making full camp anyway, so most of your stuff should still be where you normally have it.  Throw the saddle and bags back over the horses and cinch it up, you should be ready to go.  Breaking camp will take a while, probably more than you have.  You can probably pull stakes and get your tents roughly together, but it will be bulkier than normal.)

Naren watches the argument with detached, cynical interest. After a few moments, he shrugs and begins gathering up his supplies and readying to leave.

"If you insist, then flee we will." Heathcliffe says, his heart not dead set on combatting opponents unknown, as he quickly gears up and moves down the party's escape route.

"Mount up then and let's get away from this cursed place!"  Thraim yells over the whipping winds.

Thraim quickly goes about gathering up his stuff and loading it onto his horse.  He saddles up and mounts, but waits with his crossbow ready until everyone else has left the camp before he rides out.

Semina grabs the rest of her gear, and motions to Icerick for his return.  She places the items back on her horse, and jumps into the saddle.  She reaches down to Adarleigh and swings her up behind her.  

"This will be harder on you my friend," she speaks to Icerick. "Two of us on your back, and mud makes the escape all the more challenging."  She gently pats the horse on his side, giving him the signal to leave.

Naren mounts with economical efficiency and follows the others out of camp.

It becomes clear almost immediately how long the trade road has been here, as the hard packed earth that comprises the surface has shed much of the water the storm has been dumping all over it.  The shallow ruts that run parallel to each other have collected some water, but largely, the road is only slightly slippery due to the thin layer of mud.

As you start trotting up the causeway, you hear the sounds of branches snapping behind you in the impromptu camp.  The yapping and barking are quite clear before you make it fifty yards up the road.  Turning in your saddles, you can just barely make out the shapes of wolves dashing back and forth behind you in the gloom and rain, howling and yipping at each other.

What is easier to make out are the phantom shapes criss-crossing the road several yards in front of the wolf pack.  A bit further back, behind the other wolves, you see the luminous form of an enormous wolf with glowing green eyes as it steps onto the road and, looking in your direction, bellows forth a howl that chills your marrow, removing all doubt in your minds that it is a creature of nature.