EntQuest, the Battle for Hector.

[The last sane person]

As Sas ran ahead calling for what help their was to be had, the now not-so-Merry Banditos (whom were feeling quite Grim indeed) kept a tight formation around the wounded parties being brought via litter, and in case of Hector, being dragged behind a horse. Once at the mouth of the cave, where the impromptu medical station was set up by Mari and Gray Wolfe, the crew of Banditos carefully transferred their charges over to the very capable pair of Johnny-Come-Lately healers.

The now acting leader of the Bandits took a head count and noticed that at least two known members of the group were missing, those being Sis and Nautipus. Cyric looked over the camp and found Gray Wolfe tending to Katt.

“Ho there Knight! Any word on the direction the two other members of the party, Sis and Nautipus?” he asked, already gathering men about him for another mission, this time armed with some basic healing supplies and a few spare litters.

Gray Wolfe wiped his hands on his cape and nodded, “They went down to the depths of the cave, where I think Sis might have found an ingredient. I don’t know how far down that path leads though, so take a horse with you just in case. Nautipus was already wounded when he went down there; Mari tended him as best she could ere he left!”

Cyric nodded and thanked Wolfe, who turned back to his patient. “Knowing our luck so far, I wouldn’t be surprised if they make it out with nothing short of a miracle!” With his men, numbering four plus himself and a horse, equipped for the retrieval Cyric set out at a goodly pace, not wanting to be caught lollygagging while there were still questors to escort.

It took them a short while to advance almost a mile down the path, when they were confronted with a rather sorry looking trio of Sis, some red headed woman and a very worse-for-wear looking Nauti!

“What on earth happened to you lot?” Was the inevitable question as Cyric and his men set about tending the wounds and hitching up the litter to a horse (for Nautipus) and giving the option of riding a man carried litter to the ladies.

[Mari]

Mari ran after Acally. She thought she'd heard Sas say something about Sane? She was still alive? Thank heavens!

The troupe came out of the bushes, into the camp.
Mari took in the scene and saw Sane being pretty hurt, Katt was out for some reason, but she didn't see injuries and Hector was a lawn gnome again.

Quickly she ushered people to move the injured to the cave and she hurried over to Sane when she saw GW go over to Katt. She looked at the injuries, made a mental list of what she needed, got the supplies and got to work. Everything else going on around her, she ignored.

[Nautipus]

Nautipus looked at one of the rescueing Banditos and mumbled. His vision was blurry, and he couldnt quite connect everything together. He shook his head to clear it, but that just made made everything cloudier. He could see actions going on around him, but wasnt able to connect the dots.

Sis and Eilonwy, who had carried him heroically through the tunnels between them, were still going strong, so as could be told. Sis was weary, but her undaunted spirit carried her along, and Eilonwy was riding the wave. She looked over Nautipus' wounds as she conversed with the Banditos.

Suddenly, a deep groan reverberaated through the tunnels, and all present could feel the chill carried along with it. The cave floor gave a small lurch, and they could feel tremors shivering through the rock. It was trying to get out.

They hurried.

[Grey_Wolf]

Sir GW sat by Katt to see to it that she was allowed to sleep peacefully after her draining healing procedures.

He lit a fire to keep her warm and brought forth the coneys so when she did awaken she'll have something to eat and jug of wine.

[The Sasquatch of Fangorn]

Sas looked at his arm agian. "Are they going to be okay?" He suddenly remembred Fredrico and rushed over to aid him.

[Acalewia]

Acally crouched down next to Mari and Sane.
"Here," she said, handing Mari her herb pouch. "There's some athelas in here. Maybe it'll help with Sane's wounds, along with the few other herbs I have. Do you need me to do anything else?"

[Mari]

Mari snapped out of her "focus on the work at hand and ignore everything else"-mode when Acally spoke to her. She had to think for a few seconds before she could remember the question and formulate an answer.

"Thank you Acally. I think Katt has worked on Sane's wounds before passing out, because some bad wounds seem to have half healed. So she looks worse then she is at the moment, but I don't want her awake yet. Something tells me that Sane is going to be a very difficult patient when awake..."

Mari thought for a few moments about what she needed most at the moment.

"Well, if you could please put the pot on the fire to boil some water and another one with the mixture that is in that pouch in my stuff, I'd be grateful."

She pointed vaguely towards her bag where three pouches lay and returned her attention to her patient.

[Acalewia]

Acally started the pots as asked then went over to the pouches. They all looked the same. She wondered how Mari could tell them apart.
Guess and check, Acally thought to heself and picked up one of the bags. Opening it she saw that one was some gold dust.
Strike one. She picked up another one. The weight of this was told her it wasn't the mixture she needed, but curiousaty got the best of her. Opening it, she saw it held various sizes of some sort of crystal. Acally glanced over at Mari, who was still intent on Sane. I'll ask later. Picking up the last pouch, she went over to one of the pots.
"How much do I need to put in?"

[Mari]

Mari looked up at Acally's question. She had to think before answering.
"Well, with Sane's size I'd say... hmm. Just put in the amount you can hold between two fingers. It's rather potent. Be careful not to breath it in as it is even more potent in a dry state!" Mari warned Acally before she got up to get some bandages and boiled water for Sane.

She looked outside for a moment and saw Sas trying to treat Fredrico's wounds.
"Maybe you can help Sas with Fredrico, but don't overexert yourself! You only just got better yourself!"

[Acalewia]

"Thanks for the warning," Acally said before holding her breath and putting in the amount given. She quickly closed the pouch before exhaling. She would ask about the crystals when no one was in earshot. Which could prove to be a bit hard with this group.

[Grey_Wolf]

Sir Gw still sat by the sleeping Katt keeping her safe.

He put some more wood on the fire to keep it going and Katt warm.

[The Sasquatch of Fangorn]

"Help!" Sas yelled as Fredrico kept pushing him away "I need someone to give him treats while I get the sword out of his foot."

[Grey_Wolf]

Sir Gw brother's cousin of the Ninth degree walked over and janked the sword out of Fredrico's lower extremity while he handed the beast some treats.

[The Sasquatch of Fangorn]

"Thanks." sais Sas walking over to Mari. "How's she doing?"

[Mari]

"Sane is doing just fine, Sas. No need to worry." Mari smiled reassuringly at Sas. "I'm just going to wash out and stitch up those few wounds Katt couldn't heal before collapsing. And then she'll need to rest a day or so. From what I've seen, Sane is a fast healer."

Mari looked at Fredrico before asking Sas: "How is Fredrico? And will you tell me what happened out there?"

[The Sasquatch of Fangorn]

"He's fine. Thanks for asking." said Sas as he looked around. "There's something out there." After he told Mari what had happened he looked up. "I just hope they don't come back."

[Mari]

"Hmmm, it seems that you ran into the same creatures Acally ran into earlier." Mari said when Sas had finished telling her about what had happened.
"Did anyone get stabbed or slashed or in any way harmed by their weapons? Those are highly poisonous. Did Sane get hurt by them?" She didn't think the creatures got Sane, because all her wounds were quite clean, but she asked nonetheless.

[The Sasquatch of Fangorn]

"I almost did." said Sas poiting to his arm "But I didn't see what they did to Sane."

[Mari]

"Okay, thank you Sas. If you need to keep Fredrico calm, give him about a cup of the potion in that small pot over the fire. Not more! He will sleep for a few hours after that."

Mari looked down at Sane, still out cold. She was fairly sure Sane wasn't poisoned, but...
Suddenly she remembered the athelas Acally had given her.
I can mix that with some of that and if I take this and add that... yes that might work and won't harm Sane if nothing is wrong after all!
Decision taken, Mari took out the required herbs and quickly started cutting and crunching herbs and brewing them.

[Grey_Wolf]

Sir Gw's Remote Cousin sat down by her side offer Mari his help.