It was fourth day of her journey to the north, following less taken path trough highs and dells of High knolls, all toward the only bridge to Limlight and Stangard down the valley. On her fastest horse she aimed to be at dusk of the day that just started, meandering trough thick forest and downward path that met bridge. The heavy armor she had was a burden she was not used to, and first two days she felt more tired then she would admit to herself. After the half of the night rest, dawn greeted her from her right side, warming the morning chill.
Soon she closed to the bridge and with smile she hoped to see first men in 3 days, as road was lonesome and she saw not a souls. Expecting bridge guards she was surprised to see their camp abandoned, but nothing said camp was left in the hurry or under attack. Slightly worried she dismounted and let the horse over the wooden bridge.
- "Stangard."- she whispered as mist revealed towers of the burgh in distance, while rays of dawn painted them in gold and brilliance. The banners were swaying in weak northern wind, and white horse was still galloping over the green.
With pride and sorrow she remembered the days when banner was on her spear, carried with courage and love for the Mark, to the next miles or the fight.
Looked away, closing her eyes for the moment blinded with rays of sun. Cynebur rubs her eyes with fingers and opens them, only to notice something strange in the ground after the bridge. Shieldmaiden pulled her steed forth, kneeling down to take the item on the ground.
Scabbard was made crudely and there was a familiar and so hated stench about the item, red mark was washed with last night rain but she could guess well this was of goblin made. "Goblins at the bridge?" looks toward the Stangard. "So close?".
Thunor nervously toppled the ground with his hoofs, jerking his head and mane toward the north-west. "Shh. Calm down." she said but then pulled the steed and guided him to the small hide made of the beeches and other trees next to Limight river. She tied him well to the large branch and spend few moments to untie her blade and shield. "I shall return, my friend." she reassure the steed, and he just bows his head to nudge her.
Shieldmaiden moved swiftly, always following a boulder or line of trees, hiding as advancing toward north-west. Not so long, few miles or more, she was laying in the tall grass, covered with shade of pines and bushes, down the wind that was for last few hours blowing from north. She moved inch by inch, trough grass and with shield on her back, forgetting the aching pain in her not so long ago severely wounded left arm.
Her hand moved the leaves after the last push, cramped between fallen log and pine tree, and there were they. Not more then hundred, quarter of a mile from her, a largest camp she saw in this lands since she came. There were no fires, and there was grave silence which was unusual for goblins.
~ Perhaps they sleep now, it is known goblins and orcs hate the sun. ~ she thought to herself. ~ I will stay here a while to see what is happening ~ another thought brews and she lays shield down in front of herself and sits up slowly, leaning on the tree that offered her fine cover. While taking out a long hunting knife out of her hidden hilt in her armored boots, she picks branch of the fallen log and starts whittling while watching over the goblin camp. Every now and then she would lick her finger and raise up in the air, feeling if wind has changed, so goblins don't discover the shieldmaiden in the shadow of trees.
