For a brief moment in time, Matthew was at home, drinking wine with his brothers, having fun with his friends, tklaing with his relatives...

Then reality came at him like a punch as the left side of his face became a screaming duo of pain and blood. He came to, small blurs appearing in his left eye, and a purple landscape in his right. He was about to panic, when he remembered his night-eye spell.

"Where....where am I?" He asked non chantly as he made to stand up. He failed, and slumped to the ground. Feeling around his face, he waiped some blood from dripping into his mouth. Though he was screaming in pain, there were others too, which were his duty.

He crawled to Prescott, picking up his Sword and sheathing it along the way. He was about to cry, whole heartidly, he felt tears welling up in his eyes, as he neared and saw all the blood. from a distance, Prescott looked dead. But of course, one can never be sure. Matthew neared him and checked his pulse. His heart skipped.


Prescott was alive.

He whipped out a scroll and quickly cast it, Prescotts wounds closing up as his body lit in a green haze.

"Hurry, we must hepl him everyone!" Matthew said as he cast more spells "He's lost allot of blood, and may not live unless we help him. He needs warmth..."

Zared, shook his head allot of thoughts were going through his mind at once and it wasnt doing to well on him. Slowly he stood up gripping his back slightly as a sharp pain shot through him. "Alright, Everyone, those who can treat injuries do so. Everyone else, bring two argonian spears, over here and search them for arrows, supplies or whatever else they have." undoing his cloak he looked at Fara "We can use my cloak, it will be quicker to make a stretcher from it than anything else."

As the healing and sorting out got started, Fara examined the argonian corpses - making sure they were truly dead in the process - gathering their sheath belts and weapon harnesses. Adjusting them for length and putting them on the two spears got a makeshift stretcher, upon which the cloak would fit neatly. She also picked up every arrow she could get her hands on, replenishing her quiver with a mixture of Legion and argonian arrows.

"Here you are, and there's enough spare leather and spears to make another two if we need. And now I'm going to extend our supplies."

Fara moved back to the huge argonian who had bruised her, pulling her shortword and expertly cutting him appart, separating the thighs. Argonian ham. If I can built a proper fire in the cave, I'm going to slice and smoke it.. She packed the meat with large leaves, picked for their preservative abilities - though they were mildly toxic and could cause some digestive troubles. I'll just cut up whatever meat was in contact with the leaves.

Before anyone would object, Fara explained her opinion "That's mor than one week worth of food for me. Which means my rations can go to the squad and extend theirs by one day. I don't think we can afford to get picky."

Velandris had retrieved enough arrows, mostly all argonian ones. They had their own sleak design with barbed arowheads and black wood. He glanced at Fara seeing her slicing up some meat from an argonian. "You know I heard they taste like slaughter fish, but with less bone!" He cracked a smile. The gash on his arm and suprise attack that night didn't take away his bad humor atleast. He looked back at the corpses and pondered. "You know now that there is fresh meals waiting out here, we won't have to worry about the predators coming after us for food. So theres soemthing to lift off our shoulders.

Zared shook his head "velandaris, get your butt over here to load the captain onto this stretcher" he said, giving the man a look. He really wasnt in the mood for any bad humor. The khajiit laid out the stretcher and waited for Velandris to come over. I really hate this humor, even worse with him scavenging... the male eyed Fara's cutting of the argonian into chunks and shuddered. Alittle disturbed she was actually doing it on a mission. Turning his head away "And fara, try and...do that alittle...less obvious please." His tone didnt hold disgust, but an impartial feeling to it.

Fara shot a sligtly embarassed smile at Zared Oups, he last squad I was in had more bosmers. I got carried in the habit and didn't think about how the other races feels about that. "Well, there's not much way to do it Lieutenant - I'd rather do it quick and neat rather than lurk around and have eryone wondering who I'm cutting up. And don't worry, I consider the squad off limit for that.

On a more palatable topic, I'm done with surveying the field, there's nothing left worth bothering with. But I think we should keep the extra spears and leather - we might need an extra stretcher on on the way, and if we have to defend the cave, the spear give more range than swords. We should also either turn off the transmitter or put some cloth or the like on it. Having that thing shining in the night is begging for attention. The wrong sort of it."

OOC: Sry for the crap post just got up about an hour ago my brain isn't working intirely yet

Velandris sighed and walked over to help Zared. "Just trying to brighten the night up.." His smile faded away. "So you put left arm over you and I'll the other one and we carry him on? Sound good?"

Fanier finished scavenging his arrows, and returned to the squad in time to hear Fara say something about switching off the transmitter. "You're right," he told her as he reached up to his headset and flipped the power switch. "We don't want to give ourselves away." Thinking about this, he took off his amulet and put it in his pocket. I need to hide every shiny surface, I don't want to expose the squad.

Fanier turned to the Lieutenant. "Sir, I suggest we start moving. For all we know, there could be more lizards heading towards us right now. We already lost a lot of time during the attack."

Zared almost wanted to smack Velandris but kept himself at bay. "Just gently grab the captains feet and lift him onto the stretcher." he sighed softly. Then looked at fara "yeah. Its Understandable with all that." truth be told in the back of his mind he had seen this kind of thing before. Witnessed it and it did scare him slightly. As soon as the captain was on the stretcher he gripped the front of it "Alright we move out. Column formation, stretchers in the middle with Fara your in front, Velandris your helping me carry this. Fanier your on the left Matt your on the right. Keep your eyes peeled at all times and try not to fall." he said clearly. of course now due to tiredness his heavy khajiit accent was starting to poke through.

Fara felt relieved as the lieutenant didn't object much to her notion of 'extending supplies'. sounds like he's used to work with bosmers. Good thing, some officers were just mad about that sort of thing, caling me a savage and worse.. "As good as done sir. I think we shall swap the porters every hour or so, carrying a stretcher for a long while is tiring.
It would be better to have you taking point point job for the last stretch too : you seems to know the place, and your night vision is better than mine. That could save us a lot of grief is some lizards are waiting for us there."

Then she moved to the front, once again staying at the limite of visibility for the humans of the squad, well within shighting range of Zared. Though most of the time they could catch only glimpses of her s she sneaked her way through the vegetation. Signalling he column to stop and moving ahead when she heard, saw or felt something not to her liking whle she investigated. Using all of her hunting skills to observe and stay unseen.

I'd rather slow us down than stumble in another ambush. We aren't exactly in shape for that. From the feel of it, I'm lucky - that big brute only bruised me, cracked a rib or two at worst but didn't break anything.

Velandris took hold of the strecher and lifted it with Zared. He looked off to the sides makeing sure nothing was creeping around in the muck and looked back at zared. "It's quiter then earlier. It doesn't feel right." Finally putting seriousnes in his head and in his words. With the feeling of Being watched, a coldness ran threw his veins and his bones. Everytime he would look to the side his right hand would twich slightly. He was ready for another suprise. Or anythign for that matter.

OOC : back , thanks for being so patient gang , I'm here for the rest of the holiday's now To make up for lost time , Im introducing a short time skip , three hours ahead . Its now midnight .

IC :

"Uuuurgh....."

Prescott blunk blatantly at the night sky , the moon bright as anything , the starts glistening , and the tree branches above gently swaying . He felt cold as a glacier , and drowsy , but he was overjoyed at the fact after all that , he was still alive . His mind settled , and he realised he was on a stretcher .

His brain may not of been functioning properly but he was overjoyed that he knew he had survived the battle , although with casualties . He tried to speak some more but emitted a throaty gargle instead , dribbling over his right cheek .

How long had he been out? It mattered not . The squad seemed to be moving towards the cave as he had remembered ordering them to . He couldn't move his head , but his eyes paced to the left and right . It looked like everyone was alive .

He tried to talk again , but could only say two words before he tired out again , unable to speak .

"Fara? Zared?"

"Hey he speaks! He's awake!" Velandris pointed out. He glanced at the now awake captain then his mind froze. "Wait he's awake? Has it been that long?" He boggled at the thought of time. How much had gone by? It didn't matter he guessed. They were almost to the cave. He knew they were, He had a feeling. He still looked apon the captain and blinked. "Speaking of time, wich is not on our side very much, are we near the cave?" He couldn't help but ask. Even though the night of the marsh put him in awe, he didn't know the marsh'. He hated not knowing how long it would be untill he arrived at a destination. He hated not knowing the wild, so alien to him he liked it. But then he hated it.

(OOC : Velandris was a scout didn't he ? If so he's familiar with outdoors and time estimates, if not with the Marsh's specifics]

Hearing that the captain was awake, Fara stopped, letting the squad rejoin her. "I'm there captain. Don't try anything fancy, you've been hit quite bad - you'll need some better patch job once we reach the cave. Normally we should be on the spot or close, but woundeds and stretchers don't make for a great speed.

We've marched for three hours since the attack, it's about midnight and something like one more hour before we're arrived."

Prescott nodded in contempt . He knew he needed rest and any "Im fine , let me get up and let's get going" heroic's would likely result in him hurting himself even more . He didn't like it , not one bit , but he knew he was helpless and there was nothing he could do except lie back , stare at the sky , and wait for the group to reach camp .

OOC : Short post , but not much I can do atm

Fara picked her small waterskin, thought for a few seconds before adding a mix of dried and ground leaves and berries in it, shaking to mix the lot. Then she handed the skin to the captain

"Drink a bit - with all the blood you've spilled around, odds are you're feeling dry now. Don't worry if tastes a bit odd, I've put a few things in it to cut down pain and fever. That won't get you up and dancing in a snap of fingers, but you're going to feel better and won't catch something nasty before we can do some proper needle and magicwork on your arm."

OOC: Yes he was but the marsh' are new to him, and not looking at a map doesn't really help his situation.

ic: Velandris noted the time fara had pointed out. He felt somewhat better. With the stretcher at hand his arm wasbeginning to get irritated and his shoulder cramped a bit. He attempted to move his arm without tilting the strecher but failed in the attempt. "Anyone care to switch positions with me now? My arm is starting to become stiff and my shoulder is bugging me. I don;t want to drop the strecher I don't think the captain would like that very much." He figited rolling his shoulder but it didn't help much.

Prescott guzzled the concoction in three gulp's , trying to finish it before the taste caught up with him . It tasted bitter , and not very nice . In fact , Prescott felt like someone had scrubbed sand paper on the back of his throat , it burnt . Still , he was pepped up and rejuvinated , so it had done something .

"Gaurgh , thats some nasty stuff" Prescott said with a slight wheeze . He tilted his head up and looked around , and then he saw it . Relief fhushed throughout his veins , he let off a sigh of relaxation , and rested his head backwards on the stretcher with a smile .

The cave was just ahead , clearly visible on the side of a small mountain standing high above the treeline . it would take maybe twenty minutes to get up there .

"Thank the nine" he said in relief .

Zared sighed alittle, he was tired and was sore as well. However he wasnt complaining like Velandris was. Slowly he looked aroun, eyes peeled for anything around them. It was quiet indeed. "Just live with it. 20 more minutes or so Velandris" he said as they slowly went up the mountain.

As they came within sight of the cave, Fara once again slowed her pace, moving next to the stretecher "I should replace you, lieutenant. If someone or something nasty's waiting for us inside, you're better than me at seeing in the dark. And from what I've seen quite more skilled if you bump into some close and personal trouble. The sort you might find into an enclosed space like a cave."

Fanier barely heard the captain thank the Nine for something. He looked at Prescott questioningly, then noticed that the captain was looking directly ahead. He looked forward , just to see what was so interesting that the captain would put his head in that awkward position for.

Then he saw the cave. Fanier smiled as he breathed out a heavy sigh of relief. He grabbed his canteen and took a big swig of the water inside. It was right there, in front of him. He turned his gaze away from the cave, and looked at the others. Zared and Fara seemed to have noticed it too. Fara said something to Zared about the cave, but Fanier didn't catch what it was.

"Alright Fara." he said and stopped handing the Stretcher over to the bosmer awkwardly he then proceeded to sprint up the mountain path, stopping every so often to check for traps, ambushes or signs of others nearby.

As Zared handed the strether Fara took it, grunting a bit as she took the weight. The patain's not small, and that dwemer cuirass don't makes him any lighter. All the hauling and digging from the training at least has a good side : you build up strength..

Making sure she had the load properly balanced sh resumed her move, keeping some distance behind Zared. Eyes and ears open in case somehting untoward would happen to the lieutenant.

Velandris was releived to see the cave ahead. Fara had taken Zared' place with the stretcher and Zared had ran upwards to the cave. "Hope there isn;t anything he can't handle in there." He said with a bit of curiosity. He tried to keep annoying remarks to himself, as probably the squad was getting nurved with it. Well atleast Zared showed annoyance with him. His attention went away from the cave and back to worrying about the urrounding wildlife. He glance to the sides and behind over his shoulder to make sure nothing was following them and looked back in the caves direction.

(OOC: Sorry, my internet has been fizzed for these past few days, but she's up and running like a kitten again, but now I am wat behind you guys, Atomic, i dont have time right now to read or nuffin, can you send me al lthe major events in a PM?)