I made my way back to Talis, seeing that the rest of them weren't going anywhere in a rush. I found her laying in the dirt of the path, covering herself with leaves and whatever debris had fallen from the canopy. Despite attempts to reason with her (mainly "get up" and "you need to get up") she refused to move. Finally I had the opening that I needed and was able to subdue her. I carried her up the path a short bit, running into a small group of creatures along the way. After dealing with them I woke up Talis and explained to her that she needed to finish the job that was at hand. Time was short and things needed to be done in order for everything else to fall into line. I left her with the tools that would make things as easy as possible and started off to see if Holinn was dead. Fortunately...
The leader of the band, a dryad, had come to speak with the group and was explaining the circumstances of the elves. Supposedly they are in survival mode and have locked themselves up within Silverwind (making our task just slightly harder). After releasing them from the trap, the dryad warned them that the elves were of no use and that nothing but danger lay waiting for them. At this moment scouts from the north came rushing down and told of amassing forces coming their way, only he was too late. They must have been just behind him, since a large group of hobgoblins came rushing down the path. The party took this confusion as their chance to free themselves and, as the fey creatures ran to intercept the attackers, they ran away, down the path again.
Eventually, they came across Talis once again and decided that there was nothing for them to accomplish in Silverwind. Seeing as the elves had barricaded themselves within the city and were showing no signs of leaving, their job had been completed by the invading army. And seeing as how the hobgoblins were able to make their way through the city, there was a possibility that it had already been destroyed. They decided to forgo their current trip and instead begin their travels to Keldaerin to reunite Holinn with his home.
They began to travel and came across the dreaded hole in the group (how this ditch has posed to be their greatest threat is beyond me), however this time it was the two girls that became encumbered. After some mishaps with an explosion and a crossbow bolt, the two eventually made their way out and the party continued along the path. As night fell the creatures that have taken up shelter in the woods came out. And they were hungry.
Four large birds came swooping down and attacked the group. Talis ran into the treeline (out of sight) while Korthal ran away (perhaps I have overestimated his ability and bravery. After all, the "killer" Davis made his living in the same manner). The creatures continually dove and attacked, then sweeping upwards into the canopy and out of sight. It wasn't until they landed for the final killing blows that the group was able to actually see their predators and attack.
