Search at Oriana's dig site.

The most logical start to search for a captive guildmate, if not the poor High Elf & those other women they've captured, is right back at the dig site. That was where the guild began their search, while Lady Bayannon sent out the call for the Deirdre army in the wake of the guild's discovery. Obviously, the first area they searched was where Janissa was taken down. Although Cat was an adept stalker, he didn't have the tracking skill that Janissa had, and Deirdre's own magic obviously wasn't tuned for tracking down a missing person, so the guild was already at a handicap..

"The footprints seem to go right back towards the dig site." Cat looked to the guild. "I don't know how old those footprints are, though. This is where Janissa shines, not me."

"Just do your best, Cat. We'll have to make the best out of what we can find." Cesar looked to Cat, and with the utmost care, the guild began their slow trek back towards the dig site. When they got there, they saw a bustle of activity from the Orcs and their Goblin & Dark Elven allies. What was once open sailing to the mountain tunnel, was now being guarded by hastily built wooden palisades, and the Goblins were working frantically to erect watch towers. The few Dark Elves that were visible, could be seen discussing among themselves. What they were discussing, though, was even beyond Cat's half-elven ears. Some time later, as the guild observed while staying hidden, they saw a couple of wagons arrive at the dig site, guarded by a mix of warg-riding Orcs, and what looked like elite Dark Elven soldiers, riding on raptors, that were suited for both surface and underground activity due to their infravision.

Cesar now took his scope out of a pouch, and extended it carefully, positioning himself so that he stayed hidden, and didn't give their concealed position away from the sun gleaming off of the lens. Focusing on the entrance, he got a good look at the Dark Elves that were now coming out. To him, none of them looked like theleader of the Dark Elven group, but then he saw a Dark Elven woman that wore the robes of a Matron Mother or Matriarch, being accompanied by an Orcess of at least 6'6", and at least25 grandite stones (or 250 lbs.). The heavy plate being worn, along with a plate helmet that had tall feathers, and an opening on top for the long black hair to go out; could only hint at the leader of the 'Sabretooth Triad'. Then a few more Orcs came out, carrying what looked like an Ancient Elven chest, and loaded it onto one of the wagons. Then the captured women were brought out, Janissa included, and were being loaded onto the other wagon. From the looks of it, they had been stripped naked, gagged with some kind of ball, and had their wrists tied behind their backs. One at a time, they were put on the wagon, and then the two leaders got on their own mounts, and began to lead the convoy to who-knows-where.

"Where are they taking them?" Trini looked to Cesar.

"Hard to tell, but their pathway is suggesting Northeast, towards the border with Dubrovny." Cesar spoke back quietly. "They also seem to have taken whatever was hidden inside the underground ruins. No doubt, the Dark Elves have used Oriana's journal and other notes to uncover it."

"Should we go after the convoy?" Cat looked to Cesar.

"No, too many of them. They have elite troops with javelins and other ranged weapons that can take down Deraxle, even in dragon form. Janissa is also among the hostages, and if we attack, they'll be killed on the spot." Cesar sighed, and watched the convoy disappear, while the Orcs, Goblins, and Dark Elves that were left behind, continued with fortifying their defenses around the dig site.

"What do you think? Shall we follow the convoy, at least see where they're going? Or shall we hit the dig site when the time is right, and get our answers there?" Cesar looked ot the rest of the guild, to see what they thought. Deraxle looked pretty eager, though, eager to shift into dragon form, and go with whatever the guild decided on.