Hunting Thingamajigs

Breakfast was delicious. Michael packaged up the leftovers for storage and did the dishes and put them away after breakfast, while Brian pointed out the route he wanted to Angus and Sergio. He had barely touched his own breakfast. Michael packed the extra scones and some extra fruit above what he'd already packed. Goading him into eating would do no good.

"I'll wait for you all on the ground," Brian said, picking up his pack and apparating down to the ground.

"A word," Michael said to them. "He's far more worried about Khaat than he admits. They've never fought like that in the entire 25 years they've known each other. Go easy on him today. Lets just try to keep up with him, Okay?"

Jim threw his back pack over his shoulder and listened he nodded as did the others every one understood " we understand " he said and the others headed down to Brian who was waiting below.

" ok so how far and where are we headed today?" Jack asked as he shifted his backpack on his shoulder. Cassidy just stood and listened waiting for the order to pull out to search for the artifact.

ooc: You do realize that post isnt even close to word count, right? A 4 line post doesn't even come close to meeting word count. You really do need to go back to writing longer posts. And I really dont have anything to work with. Brian laid out for them 2 posts back exactly where they were going and why.

"We're going to Escobar's castle grounds," Michael said, repeating what Brian had said. "To the caverns on the far corner of the grounds. Brian clearly has some sort of plan. Its only a couple hours' walk to the grounds, and maybe another hour across the grounds. But I see what he's doing. He figures that by walking instead of using magic, we'll reduce or eliminate our magical signatures and perhaps not alert Escobar we're coming. Brian wants that artifact before Escobar gets it. We need to get moving."

Michael and Sergio and Angus all joined Brian on the ground. Brian had a compass but he was taking natural readings from what he saw on the ground.

"This way," Brian pointed to the north. "Lets go." He began walking off to the north, away from the treehouse. Michael flicked his wand back to the treehouse to layer another protection and concealment spell around it as they departed.

Jim rubbed his for head and sighed “ yeah, sorry about that mate, not sure where my mind is this morning, its possibly from coming off the pipe, maybe its made me a little forgetful.” he told him as he turned and listened to what he told them. “ ok but what about Khaat whose going to go look for her she's been gone for a night now, and that's defiantly not like her.” He spoke with concern in his voice for Khaat he knew she was capable of taking care of herself but he was concerned as to why nobody had gone looking for her. Pushing his back pack up on his shoulder he knew priority's came first and that was to stop Escobar from getting the artefact then they could focus on getting and finding Khaat.

Cassidy staid close to Jim and Jack feeling a little uncomfortable around the other two like she would get her head bit off if she even spoke one syllable to them. Jack placed his arm over her shoulder and smiled at her this made her feel a little better as they walked through the thick jungle towards the cavers Michael and Brian had mentioned earlier.

((OOC: sorry about that was very tired this one though is 202 so much better))

"We're not going after her right now," Brian said. "I'm using it to our advantage. If we get to the artifact first, we can use it to get Khaat back and perhaps inconvenience Escobar for a good long time. I have it covered."

"He's going to hold the artifact for ransom, basically," Michael said. "So that means that we outsiders have to get the artifact that a homeboy is already searching for. And that means we work against time. So--we have to do this quickly. Make sense?"

Jim understood and nodded as they walked “ ah a bargaining chip” he said and chuckled as they walked “ good “ he said and shifted his pack once again “ damn thing keeps slipping. He said but Cassidy knew what was going on.

“Your just grumpy because you gave up your pipe.“ she said and he glared at her s they moved onward through the thick jungle. Jack chuckled as he watched Jim and nodded he agreed.

“Seen this withdraw before, he'll be tarring, what hair he has left, out before the end of the day” he said and Jim glared at Jack too “ hay its why I don't smoke, no with drawl to go through “ he said and shifted his own pack on his shoulder he noticed Cassidy struggling with her own pack and helped her but she continued to carry it on her own.

“ If I can't do this then I'm not worthy to be on this team” she said to him and looked at Brian and Michael.

Michael didn't say a word. He knew Jim's withdrawal was far more psychological at this point than physical. He'd had his pipe not more than an hour before. There was no physical way he could be withdrawing yet.

"If you're going to be grouchy the whole trip, then smoke the damned thing," Michael said to him finally. "You just had it an hour ago. Whatever attitude you have is not physical. There is just no way. If you really need it that bad, then spare us all and light it up. You know, Jeffrey has a great program to stop addictions. If you really want to stop this, then go talk to him when this is overwith. Margaret doesn't need you to come home to the fact that you're acting like a bastard."

im looked at Michael and scowled at him as he dig his hands in deeper “ I can't, I through it away,but I will see Jeffrey once were done, couldn't do any harm.“ He said and took a deep breath in, twice and found it calmed him.

“ Better?” asked Jack and he chuckled and nodded.

“ Actually yes it is, thanks Michael didn't realize I was becoming a bastard.” he said and chuckled as he continued on each time he felt a craving he took a long deep breath in and it seem to stop it. Soon she realized he had not done any for an hour and smiled feeling now calm enough not to bite any ones head off. He walked beside Cassidy watching for anything or one who would attack them

It was early afternoon. Brian had pushed them hard. They had crossed jungle, onto the castle grounds. Brian saw the medieval spanish style castle rising above the treeline, but he kept moving. Michael saw that Brian was pushing. Really pushing. He hadn't even slowed his step. He hadnt spoken. He had just kept moving. Michael knew some of them weren't used to keeping up with him and were soon going to need a stop. And then he saw it. A valley that seemed to be filled with nothing but rocky crevases. Clearly under the soil here was bedrock. There seemed to be little caves everywhere.

Brian led them past some large boulders and trees to where they would be well hidden. Just beside them was the entrance to a cave.

"We'll stop and eat a late lunch and rest before we go down into the caverns. We need to stick together down there. We don't need someone getting lost in the dark or hurt," Brian said. "Get yourselves something to eat. I need to check the maps of the caverns and the climbing gear."

"Why don't you let me check the climbing gear, Son?" Michael asked gently, handing him a water bottle. Brian took the water rather mindlessly and drank. "You work on the maps." Brian nodded. Michael had a plan to deal with Brian. He just needed the others to follow his lead. No pushing. Just gentleness and letting Brian burn off his frustration as much as possible. And walking was surely better than taking it out on all of the rest of them.

Jim had been holding Cassidy up moving her along with them as they walked and seem to walk cor ever then Brian stopped and told them to stop and eat Cassidy breathed out and sat on a log rubbing her sore feet " blimey he can walk " she said and looked at Michael as she lent on Jim. Jack just walked and looked down at the caves his eyes picking out potential places to hide and ambush them witch was ever where as far as he was concerned. He placed his back pack down and sat with Cassidy and Jim. Reaching into his pack he took out an apple and handed it to Cassidy.

“Here, “ he said and smiled as she took it “ you need the liquids” he told her and she smiled biting again in to it but she also took her flask drinking some water from it breathing out and glad she was sat down. Jim took some from his flask as did Jack.