In Character: After returning, this outburst is the last thing Avan expected to hear.
"Well now," Avan replies. "There is no need to threaten me, I will go and return if you wish it."
Either way, Avan is willing to go to the village. He holds the injured boy in his arms, letting the one free girl ride behind him on the horse.
Once away from the cave he casts his Speak with Animals spell in order to talk to Artrax. He starts off with, "Do not be afraid, I am a friend to nature and to animals." Then he asks why Arthos would get so threatening and defensive. Does he abuse you? Does he feed you enough? Does he ever treat you to what you want? Do you enjoy being his pet?
The spell only lasts a minute, so Avan tries to wrap up his questions within that time and tell the horse this is a secret between us and he can always trust me. Then he tells him we must get to town as quickly as possible and I can heal him if he over strains himself, so there is no reason to fear.
Avan sets the pace at a hustle (As described in the Movement chapter) for double speed until Artrax is no longer comfortable with that pace. But he will save his cure light wounds for an emergency.
In Character: : Artrax neighed as he listened to the man speak once out of earshot of Arthos. His master watched carefully as they left the room. Once the questioning begun Artrax was honest with the creature. "Master is wise and wonderful. He loves me and is worried I may be hurt or taken away. Master and I have been together since I was young and would never want to leave the masters side." The horse was unsure why they were in such a hurry but could only imagine that the child creature was injured and needed healing. He knew that the way horses heal was to lick the wound clean but was in to much of a hurry to try and hoped that this new companion would lick them for him.
Zork watches on wondering how strangers could be squabbling at a time like this. He focuses on making sure no other goblins come as he stays by the door waiting for the return of tools to free the girls from their chains.
Krusten joins Zork both in actions and thinking. She keeps alert because no one is out of danger yet.
"That's great to hear," Avan tells the horse. "I just wasn't completely sure. I will go back to speaking human now, I get hoarse when I talk horse." (Sorry)
Zork, happy that the captives are now free, says to the party, "Right, now we finish this!" He moves back to the secret passageway heading down the stairs and following ANY unexplored corridor.
.
"Safe and sound," Avan says in a humorless tone as he hands the reins back to Arthos.
Avan nods his agreement, orders his cat forward and nocks an arrow in his bow as he follows at the rear.
Edited: iCon on 24th Jan, 2016 - 2:14pm