Camp for the night

You rest for the night in a knot of trees. A small fire is built for warmth and a supper is made of leftover sausage and cheese from last nights feast. Although the area is largely safe and the fire should keep away most of the large animals, the men agree on taking watch. They're also kind enough to let you rest the night through, granting you your beauty sleep.

As each man makes their impromptu bed, Glenn speaks up. "Hey, Fiana, you're a bard,right? Song and dance and all the rest?"

"Yes." You respond inquisitively, unsure where this may be going "Why do you ask?"

"Could we trouble you for a song, before we sleep? Something soft to calm the nerves."

"James, there is nothing wrong with your nerves" Kraig responded "Fiana, don't listen to him. You don't have to sing if you don't want to."

"No, I don't mind at all" you respond, moving from where you were going to sleep so they can hear you better "In fact, I have just the song in mind. A song for weary travelers, like the four of you."

It seems so long ago you had to say goodbye
She stood there waiting, never asking why
You told her you'd be back one day,
but when you'd never say

Time counted by the moon,
and the seasons come and go
Still she stays there thinking soon,
soon one day you'll be home

You've been gone too many years,
and most among your fears,
When she finally sees you again,
Will she know you, will she care?

Fear not my sweet young man, you're never far apart
She lives inside your memory, she lives inside your heart
She loves you more each day, her love's forevermore
She still waits for her young lover boy, to come running through that door.

The younger of the brothers speaks up "You've got a really pretty voice Fiana. Thanks for singing" Kraig and Swigrod nod contently as they close their eyes, heading off to sleep. Bruce on the other hand had his back to you and the others. You could hear him **** up, trying to suppress his tears through the crackling of the fire. You quietly sit next to him.

"What's wrong?" You ask.

"Nothing. Sorry" as he wipes an errant tear from his face, looking out into the night "It's been a long time since I've seen my wife, and it'll be a long time before I can see her next. My daughter too. Your song stirred up some old memories, good ones. Don't worry, I'll be okay. Thank you for checking, and for the song. Really, I appreciate it a lot." With a pat on his shoulder, you go to your spot to sleep, reflecting on what had just occurred. You had never brought an elf to tears with your song or poetry back home, not even close. Had one of your family or friends been there, they likely would have first commented on an off key somewhere or a need to project, or some other technical minutiae. Here, even with an imperfect performance, you were able to reach in and touch someone's heartstrings. That should be the goal of any artist, especially a bard, you tell yourself as you drift off to sleep, content in your accomplishments

Your sleep is interrupted again, but this time not from a sweat-inducing dream, but by a fight. The Downton brothers were wrestling in the dirt, making inaudible grunts as they hit each other. You got on your feet quickly, but could do nothing to stop them. Bruce and Swigrod got involved to separate them, with some effort.

"So who's going to be the one to man up and say what the fuck is going on?" Bruce bellowed as he kept himself interposed between the two. Silence met his question, as Kraig and Glenn just stared at each other "Nobody? Fine. If you want to act like children, so be it. Do you two infants need to be put to bed, or can you get there on your own?" Again, neither man spoke a word, but quietly complied and went back to bed. Swigrod kept the watch for the rest of the night.

Curiously, the next morning comes as though nothing had happened. The fire was put out and a loaf of nut bread shared without incident. The days march began swiftly and optimistically. The rest of the journey would be off the beaten path, meaning the group were getting close.

By afternoon, the woods had become seemingly overgrown. The large trees were close together, their thick branches creating a canopy that hid most of the sunlight and made it difficult to see how relatively high you had climbed. As you reach the summit of the mountain where the lost temple should be, there were signs of trouble. Broken arrows, discarded bottles, and splintered wood planks. All evidence points towards Goblins, who likely had taken residence in the temple.

"Nobody said this would be easy" Bruce spoke up first
"We'll be lucky if that thing is even still inside there at this point. What do we do now?" Kraig responded
"We go. Kill Goblins while sleeping. Take prize. Go home" Swigrod answered, offering the direct approach, such as it was
"We are not killing in a Goddess' temple Swigrod" Bruce stated flatly, trying to prevent holy retribution
"Is stealing from her really so much worse? I mean, she let her temple get this bad, how much worse can we make it?" James retorted

The group is undecided, but perhaps you could can be the voice to move consensus one way or another.