In the tavern room, 

Sealvach with Heladil by the rear door and Meraina nearby are reacting to the events played out shortly before in the courtyard just outside. Grum is by the backdoor, looking out at the fallen figures. His wife comes bustling into the main room and flutters nearby to the wounded Hobbit who has just crumpled to the floor, leaking blood. She is ringing her hands with worry, muttering  "Ohwww the poor little fella!" and fretting to herself in a tizz.

The Gambler is the first to react and darts towards Billy, nearly falling in the attempt because of his lame leg. "Help her, " he orders Heladil and the others, meaning Arekhel. "We might need her quickly!". His words are tense, and his eyes have a feverish look. He gathers the small hobbit’s frame in his arms and lays him on the nearest available table. Then he proceeds to inspect the wound he himself inflicted on Billy, and looks for the best way to remove the arrow and stop the bleeding.

The wound looks deep but survivable. Sealvach's limited skills are no match for removing the arrow without further damage to the poor Hobbit - even though it is an Elvish made one. Sealvach produces a clean white square of cloth from somewhere and successfully staunches most of the bleeding, looking around for Arekhel as he feels Billy’s lifeblood warming beneath his fingers. Sealvach slaps Billy several times gently on the cheeks, to bring him back to his senses, and tries to have him drink some water, checking that he can easily swallow the liquid. Billy splutters and wakes, feeling woozy in the head, a dull numb feeling from his stomach area.

Heladil leaves the unconscious Billy with Sealvach and rushes outside to Arekhel. Seeing that she is not moving he checks to make sure that she is still breathing before picking her up and carrying her inside.

"I won't be able to remove the arrow, " he informs Meraina, who is there by his side in case Billy suffers further complications, and adds with a cold voice. "How are you faring with Arekhel? Does one of you know where the Ranger is? He might be able to help us with them." Then back to the small man while keeping pressure on his wound he says in quieter tone: 
"Don't move, Billy. You're wounded in the abdomen, and I’m trying to limit your blood loss. Help will come soon, so relax and don't exert yourself." He stops for a second, then goes on, looking Billy right in the eyes:
"The arrow is mine. Shadows and poor visibility made me think you were the enemy attacking Arekhel, and I shot you to protect her."

Meanwhile, a few hundred yards away in the street…

As Gwalchmai kneels close to the fallen Dwarf, it is immediately apparent that this poor individual is lucky to be alive. A heavy, blunt instrument has been used with great force against the side of Froin's jaw - a blow that to any normal mortal might have been fatal. As it is, Froin's lower jawbone has been knocked sideways and the right hinge-bone is broken and protruding out from the flesh of the cheek. It is a gruesome sight. Froin is unconscious and apart from ragged breathing through his broken face, otherwise appears undamaged to Gwalchmai’s trained eye. His jaw will need to be set very soon if it is going to recover however. Gwalchmai has heard of Dwarves having astounding constitutions, able to heal quickly from all manner of physical harm but this might be a true test for the unlucky Dwarf. Only Arekhel perhaps might have the skill to aid him.

Gwalchmai makes sure that Froin is not bleeding and that he can breath at least, and adjusts his prone position.
He quickly glances around for a member of the militia and calls to him: 
"Quickly, this Dwarf needs attention now!" The man comes over and swears as he sees the sight. "Nasty! Will he survive?"

"He is not destined to die here - if we can help it. Tend to him while I fetch Arekhel!"
The man nods and tries to make Froin as comfortable as possible while Gwalchmai is fetching help.
As Gwalchmai runs he cries to the silent doors about him:
"If any of you are Healers, we have wounded men out here! You will be rewarded for your skills! Do not lurk in your homes while the wounded die in your streets!"

He bursts in to find Billy, laid out upon a table with Sealvach leaning over him with a white cloth, now stained red. Billy has an arrow sticking up from his stomach. Meraina is here too but Gwalchmai cannot see Arekhel.
Gwalchmai, splattered with the blood of his foes surveys everyone in the room and with urgency announces:
"Where is Arekhel? Froin is badly injured and needs urgent attention!" He then comes across and notices Billy's condition. He is turned to silence as he sees the grave situation, pausing to catch his breath then says more gently:
"Will he live? Where is Arekhel?"

Sealvach rises from Billy's side, still applying pressure to the Hobbit's wound, and answers:
"I hope he will live to laugh again... And about Arekhel, it is strange you did not see her on your way. She has been struck on the head after a fight outside, and Heladil and Coll should be trying to bring her back here. Hurry there, she is badly needed in several places, it seems."

Gwalchmai  nods grimly and dashes off in search of Arekhel but gets only to the rear door before he backs inwards allowing Heladil, aided by Grum, to stagger through the door carrying Arekhel. Placing her on a nearby chair, he takes the first thing to hand, a dirty bar towel, soaks it with water and tries to revive her. She splutters and awakes, at once reaching to the side of her head where a large bruise just above her ear is throbbing mightily and a small trickle of blood has already dried and encrusted the hair around it. She reels and her stomach heaves as the room and overhead lights suddenly dance and spin around. Heladil helps her to keep her balance and she swallows deeply before almost passing out once more. Heladil offers her more water which she gulps down greedily then wipes her mouth on her sleeve. She clears her throat and touches her wound lightly with her fingertips and winces. She then looks around, half panicking but relaxes when she sees Heladil and the familiar surroundings of the Inn. She looks at Heladil once again and says with a waver in her voice:
"What happened? Are these ruffians still there? What am I doing here? I thought I was dead!!" She pauses, recollecting her thoughts… "And Billy? Where is he? Is he all right?"

Heladil helps her to her feet. "They are gone. You were hit hard on the head and I brought you back into the Inn.  Billy is gravely wounded and I hope that you may do something, for I believe he is beyond my and Sealvach's meagre abilities."

"I hope so", answers Sealvach's voice from behind. Turning, Arekhel can see the Hobbit lying on a table with the Gambler pressing a bloodstained cloth around the arrow in his belly.

"I'm afraid you're in for a full night, Lady", Sealvach goes on with the same emotionless voice. "Billy, as you know, needs your attention, " but it seems he is not the only one." He ends with a signal of his head towards Gwalchmai.

Gwalchmai looks over to Arekhel, and respectfully says:
"Froin has taken an evil wound to the jaw. I think he will live, but without your healing he may never speak again".

Grum and wife appear and anxiously peer at the Elven woman. "Are you hurt dear? Can I get you something strong to wake you up? Take it easy. A thump on the head like I saw that maniac give you is enough to send even the biggest Ox dizzy; And no mistake!"

It is at that moment that Raddish appears from outside, looking worried for his friends health. "One of the thugs has escaped but the other is completely knocked out and I've tied him up with some twine I found. We can ask him who sent them to stop us," he mutters, going to stand beside Billy.

Gwalchmai turns towards the door, unable to contain his anger:
"Where is this thug? I will shake him until his strings come free and find out who his master is!" He does not seem to hear the words of the Dwarven Ironsmith, Coll who comes over and says urgently:
"Did I hear you say that young Froin, the Dwarf has been injured? This is most unfortunate. Poor lad! I must see if I can help him.." and he makes to head out of the main doors.

The burly Northman waits until given the direction to the ruffian by Raddish and then dashes out of the building into the rear yard, his face a mirror of the violence he is about to commit.

The cool night air is sharp in his lungs as he searches across the yard in all the hollows of shadow until he finds the slumped figure. Fortunately for the thug, Gwalchmai has calmed slightly by the time he reaches him. He pulls the man upright ungracefully to see if he stirs. He does not so the Northman casts about him until he spies a water trough for the horses, nearby. Dragging the tied man across the muddy yard by his elbow, Gwalchmai pumps the handle of the tap and douses the man's head thoroughly beneath it. He waits for his eyes to focus, staring into his face.
"It's just you and me pal. Man against Man, no twisted rules of conduct between us, eh?
So tell me. Who sent you, hired you, led you  - whatever - to us, and I'll bring you to the Inn where things are more civilised. Out here you see, you're all tied up." These last words are quickly followed by a hard punch to the man's stomach, winding him, but not enough to knock him out once more.
 "See where this is going?" He continues. "Who sent you?"  He pauses a few more seconds as the man's head lolls forwards then the Northman deals him a swift punch to the ribs, then draws his steel knife.

"Okay, okay" the man splutters, roughly scrabbling to free himself from the vice-like grip and at the same time warding against the flash of the bright steel in the other man's hand. "We were hired by that merchant, bastard of a man, Megrin. I think the other guys name was Ranald or something but Megrin was...cough, cough... in charge. We were to set an ambush in a house near hear and the son of one of Megrin's friends in the village was going to lead the little men, the...the Hobbit's to the house where Ranal could capture them. That's all I know, honest."

"Bullshit!" Gwalchmai spits through clenched teeth, "Megrin's got more sense than to hire a bunch of low-life like you to do his work". His big fist grabs the mans loose collar and pulls him up level with his face, "This is your last chance, scum, " he growls in the mans ear, "Who sent you?" The thug feels the cool steel press against the back of his neck.

"All right, listen..." The man is visibly pale and staring with terrified eyes at the bearded Northerner inches from his face. He is barely touching the ground and hangs almost limp in the others grip. "Listen," he gasps. "...It's true, its true I tell you. Ranal hired some of us in Buhr Cadail in the south and wanted us in Buhr Tallanmoor by four days past for some reason. We were only told last night of what was to happen and me and Borgal were to stay wi Megrin as backup until wi new something had gone wrong. Then Megrin said we must go to the stables and capture the little men who would be there. We didn't expect no trouble, honest. I'm a simple man without a life and job. I have to earn my bread somehow and the merchant offered to pay us well." The words come out in more and more of a rush as Gwalchmai pulls the twist of the man's course cloth tighter until it begins to strangle him. "Megrin, he said he only wanted something from 'em which they's had stole earlier."

Gwalchmai, now convinced that the man is speaking the truth, puts the knife away. Unceremoniously, the ruffian is dropped to the floor, then quickly picked up by the clothes and hair down the back of his neck. "Time to meet
the wolves," he says as he begins dragging the thug to the tavern.
 

As this is happening…
 
It is at the same moment that Lochan and Coru meet up on the other side of the same building. As the Ranger lifts Coru to his feet he says:
"Coru what is wrong. I see no hurt upon you but you look like you've taken a blow to the head."
Coru grips the Northman's arm, and it is obvious that he is dizzy and has trouble focusing his eyes, as he says:
"It's nothing, it's just that...." He hesitates, and sighs:
"It's nothing, just give me a few minutes and I'll recover."

Relg carefully leans out of the window, searching the surrounding for any movement or other sign of an enemy.

Apart from the militiamen present in the street, kneeling in grief by fallen comrades or dragging wounded ruffians towards the wall of the building it is very quiet. Apart from the groaning of the wounded and harsh words from the survivors, Relg spies a militiaman doing his best to aid Froin who is crumpled in the street and only barely awake.

Relg withdraws and quickly runs over to the other room, where he left Boldor fighting with Ranal. "Well done my friend!" He says, seeing that the Dwarven warrior has Ranal under his control. "And it's a nice fish you have in your net! Excellent!" Relg nods, recognising the wounded man. "Let's bring them down, our friends might need help and we have no time to loose!" Keeping the short bow and a quiver full of arrows as replacement for his own, Relg helps Boldor carry the badly wounded Ranal downstairs.

When they reach the safety of the doorway below, Lochan lets go of the Easterner. "You'd better wait here for a moment and I'll try to find out what's going on upstairs." He heads up to the second floor just as Relg, Boldor and behind them Captain Harmal are descending with the trussed form of Ranal, the henchman of Megrin. The man looks badly injured and in need of assistance if he isn't going to expire there and then. <Lochan can see a nasty wound in the man's chest that could have gone through to the lung. He is quite a mess!>

Boldor sees Lochan and rushes up to him:
"How are ye doing, my friend?  Is everyone okay?  You should a seen what happened upstairs, Relg and I sure taught ' im a lesson."  <Boldor seems less dour than he usually is. Must be post battle stimulation.>  Boldor continues, jumping around and making swipes with his hands indicating axe chops as he describes the battle to Lochan.

"For the first time I'm glad to see you Ranal", says the Ranger in a bitter tone. "Your wound is serious. I must stop you from drowning in your own blood." The Ranger then directs the others to carry him to somewhere flat and practical. Relg comments that Froin has been hurt so the group quickly carries the injured ruffian out of the house and lies him on the grass near to the fallen Dwarf. Lochan then starts to search through his personal belongings while surveying the damage done to Froin in a business-like manner…
<It is obvious that Froin has had a narrow brush with death and the club meant to well and truly brain him luckily only hit his jaw. It is a mess however and he is trying to mumble through the blood and his swollen tongue. Relg nor Lochan understands a word of it.

Relg quickly walks over to where Froin is just as Boldor rushes up as well. 

As soon as Boldor sees Froin, he rushes over and starts cursing:
"Next time, I have to really study my first aid..." then he yells, "Quick, we need someone to give Froin some medical attention, Who is our aide - Arekhel?"

A quick look tells the Gargath that the Dwarf will probably be all right, and anyway, there is not much he or the others can do do. So he looks around, trying to spot Coru as the two men approach from the other direction. "What has happened. You don't look as happy as you should after a battle like this." Relg continues, laughing loudly:
"I had fun up there, fought some of them." After a short pause, he adds:
"Bad thing is, that we didn't catch Megrin. However, at least we have Ranal."

While some of the remaining militia are making stretchers for both Froin and Ranal, Lochan has a chance to speak to Captain Harmal:
"Captain. This ambush was reasonably well prepared. It is entirely possible that other ruffians, or other guilty men are still at large. We should try to seal off the village somehow before anyone makes a dash for it! Clearly Ranal was involved - which implicates Megrin too. Has anyone seen him?”

"You are right, Lochan. This was far too well organised for a mere local attack and these thugs too willing to risk attacking heavily armed troops such as ours. Not to mention the damage they did with their bows - no fairly well trained methinks." He wipes his gauntletted palm across the stubble on his face for a moment in thought before saying:
"No, these men were still far outclassed by our own and yet they risked ...and found, death in great numbers. What could drive men, local men perhaps, to agree to such a dangerous undertaking?" He looks at the young Ranger as if expecting him to mouth the same thoughts that the militia Captain harbours. "Lochan, I think these men were afraid. Afraid of disagreeing with someone else’s plan. Ranal may have been the ring-leader co-ordinating this little invite but I don't think he could either pay these men enough or terrify them enough to come against us like this, in such a...delaying manner. Yes, now I think of it, these men were put here to waylay us, again preventing us from reaching our quarry, to slow us down until we have no hope of catching up with the warband and prisoners. I would bet a years wages that these men are working for the Szreldor!"

Turning to the others, Relg says:
"Let's gather in the Inn. We must count our wounded and bury the dead. Then use the rest of the night to rest. If Megrin is not among the fallen, we won't catch him tonight. This man is too clever." Then addressing Captain Harmal, he adds:
"You are right, Captain. I think these bandits were working for the Szreldor. I don't know what they were offered, but the price THEY paid was high enough. One thing is sure, they quickly adapted Szreldor tactics!"

Coru listens quietly to Lochan and Captain Harmal debating the trap, then he gently pushes Relg away from the main group after the Warseeker has spoken. It is only then that Relg truly has a chance to observe what state Coru is in, his face pale as snow, and perspiration running from his forehead. He is too confused or tired to speak in a whisper for only Relg to hear:
"Relg, the man I told you about earlier, the man I met atop of the hill.... he is definitely up to no good. I encountered him again, behind the house, and I fear he is far more dangerous than we think.  I never saw him with my eyes,
but I felt his presence, and it was a presence of pure evil, Relg." Coru almost shivers as he continues:
"I had only drawn my weapon, when suddenly I felt this terrible feeling of shock and pain. I have no signs of violence on my body, it was like someone drained me of energy, and I am almost certain it was he. Don't ask me how he did it, but it sure was creepy. So what do you think of it? One encounter may be coincidental, but two?"
 

Relg helps Boldor carry Froin back to the inn. Lochan administers what he can to both Ranal and the Dwarf and watches as they are both carried on makeshift stretchers to Grum’s tavern. As soon as everyone has arrived, Relg repeats for the benefit of those not present earlier:
"Captain Harmal is right when he says that there must be a strong force driving these people to action like this. We have killed many of what I can only describe as local thugs. They were vastly outmatched but we still have more wounded."

“Aye,” answers Captain Harmal. “Mouse, make a tally of those men of my company who are still fit to go on and see the wounded billeted here in the village. I am not taking any complaints into consideration. If anyone has a problem with this, threaten them with the vengeance of the Szreldor. They could very well be back!”

The young lad nods and leaves into the night.

Meanwhile…

As the riders pass, heading northward at a rapid clip, Ongas turns to survey them, making note of what he can in the short time they are visible. Filing it away for future reference, he strides purposefully into the village, looking for his friend and confidant, Mouse. Spotting the diminutive figure quickly, the two exchange pleasantries, and decide that it would be wise for Ongas to visit Captain Harmal and company as soon as possible. "Well, what are we waiting for?" Ongas growls in his low, deep voice, his yellow eyes narrowing to slits. "I've been waiting for this day for a long time.” Ongas quickly outpaces Mouse; almost as if he already knew the way...

Taking a deep breath, Ongas enters the Inn, his regal purple cloak swirling about him in the light breeze from the open door. His hand on his slim-bladed sword <which is sheathed in an elegant and richly adorned leather scabbard> Ongas surveys the room like a hawk, his almond-shaped eyes taking in any signs of potential threat. Satisfied that none exist – for now, he makes a deferential bow to those within. "I," he pauses for dramatic effect, "am Ongas, and I hear that you have sought out my wisdom and experience."

Sealvach, still placed at Billy's side, raises his head and tries to gauge the newcomer while he speaks. When he hears about this offer of aid, he raises a surprised eyebrow, and his right hand moves slowly towards his black-hilted dagger, waiting for another to take the lead...

Upon seeing the stranger move his hand towards his dagger, Ongas smiles, locking eyes with the Rogue. He tries to stare the stranger down with his unblinking eyes but he finds an equal match in the wary Elf. Ongas eventually smiles and laughs, breaking contact, all defiance gone as quickly as it appeared. "A good reaction, my friend, but I can assure you that there is no need for that. Not here and not now. We have too many other pressing matters that demand our attention."

Captain Harmal steps forward as Mouse introduces the Tracker:
“This is the man I told you about Captain. A man who goes by the name of Ongas and is more learned and knowledgeable of these lands than any other I know. If anyone can find and catch the Szreldor it is him.”

Just then, the tavern door bursts open as a thug is pushed through the doors, still held firmly by Gwalchmai. "This little swine was hired to capture the Hobbits!" he yells into the whimpering man’s ear, just before hurling him across a table to slide into the opposite wall with a loud thud. Approaching him quickly, the Northman brings his heavy boot down on the man’s back, pinning him flat to the floor. "It seems Megrin really wants what was 'stolen' from him earlier". He looks up to see if the comment makes any sense to the others in the room.

“Right. Action speak louder than words,” mutters the Captain as he stands before the man in the purple cloak. “Ongas, well met. I hope that I find you as honourable as Mouse here claims. I will ask more of you later. But for now just listen to what we learn here and now.” He turns and approaches Arekhel just as Coll bursts once more through the doors with a number of gourds and mixing bowls in his hands. He hurries over to where Froin, Ranal  and Billy lie side by side on adjoining tables as Harmal says:
“Lady, I hear that you have also suffered ill tonight, and I apologise for not being here to defend you as I should. We have gravely mistaken the forces that are arrayed against us and I vow to you and those here, I shall not make the same mistake again. Now, if you are able, with Lochan’s help please try and aid the injured here as best you can for at dawn we ride again after the Szreldor and this time nothing will get in our way. We ride until we reach them and that is all.”

Coll places his items on the table beside Froin as Lochan searches through his belongings for spare healing salves. He asks for water from Grum then proceeds to grind small stones with roots and powder from a pouch until forming a thick muddy paste. As Arekhel looks on, Coll smears the gooey liquid onto Froin’s beard until the mortar is empty and rubs the mass over the damaged part of Froin’s face. He looks up and sees the ring of questioning faces arrayed around him. Looking embarrassed, he shrugs and mumbles:
“I also have some basic skills in aiding the wounded you know. It’s just a simple preparation of loams with powdered Rakshel and the root of the Salbub bush. Nothing special. I just added some powdered diamond to aid in the setting of his bones. Nothing too it really.” He smiles.