The road to Halkest

Small rays of sunlight fall through the treetops, the wind playing with the leaves as Grey and I continue through the forest. Idle chatter from Grey keeps my mind off of the road, making the trip seem a bit shorter. Soon enough we reach the end of the forest and find a road. I pull out the map, which tells us that the road to Halkest a bit further to the west.

We occasionally see other travelers going the opposite way but think nothing of it. Before long there is a small group of people in hooded cloaks travelling behind us, just far enough away that I can't make out their faces. I close my eyes and strain my ears to try and hear whatever noises I can from their direction. Muffled metallic clanking sounds as they all step in unison, whispers that are quickly silenced as I shift my head in their direction to hear them better, and several pouches containing no small amount of coin.

I motion to Grey to start moving to the side of the trail, and begin to speculate as to who these strangers might be. A group of merchants? They don't usually walk together in unison. Soldiers? No, soldiers wear full heavy armor and these people only have steel boots and gauntlets at best. Raiders? Makes sense, soldiers get tired of fighting monsters for paltry amounts of coin a day, deserting from the army and robbing civilians isn't such a bad way to live if you're ****. Of course, it could be a combination of some of them, after all merchants do tend to need protection, so negotiating with the raiders for safe passage isn't unheard of.

"Is something up boss?" Grey asks quietly. He hadn't been able to sense danger around us once on our journey. "Are there some skulls for us to crack?" Well, at least he was always eager for a fight.

"It's probably nothing but the group behind us is suspicious. Walking in unison with steel boots, gloves too I think." I whisper to my massive ally. "I don't like it. Let's step off the road. We've been traveling long enough to warrant a break anyway. If it's a fight, they'll be the ones who start it."