### 138

The night passes without incident and you wake at dawn to the shrill sound of bird song. As you are preparing to breakfast on some of the provisions that Gwynian has supplied for your voyage, you suddenly hear the sound of hoofbeats away to the south. The trees of this area are densely packed and so you climb an oak in the hope of getting a better view of your surroundings.

Through a thinning canopy of autumn leaves you catch sight of a forest track which runs parallel to the river. A distant flicker of movement catches your eye and, when you magnify your vision, you see three riders approaching from the south. Two are armed and they wear the uniforms of Eldenoran cavalry scouts, but the third is clad in a tunic of scarlet and black: the colours of the Slovian army. His hands are tied and you suspect he is a prisoner of war.

Less than a hundred yards away to the south, the track emerges from the trees and runs along the river bank for a short distance before turning again into the forest. When the riders reach this part of the track, they see your boat and they bring their horses to a halt. One of the Eldenorans stays with the Slovian prisoner while the other descends to the bank to investigate. Patiently you wait for them to go, but your patience breaks when you see the Eldenoran callously setting fire to your craft. Silently you unsheathe your Kai Weapon. As soon as the arsonist returns to his horse, you leap from your hiding place and take both of the Eldenorans by surprise.

Eldenoran Horse-scouts: COMBAT SKILL 34 ENDURANCE 34

Due to the surprise of your attack, you may ignore any ENDURANCE losses that you sustain in the first two rounds of this combat.

If you win the combat, turn to 348.