Luthene was a little late getting out of bed the next morning. Fortunately, she had packed everything she would need the night before: a few basic healing herbs, a dress, rations, and a skin of weak wine. Her weapons and hauberk were laid out, and she tried to be quiet putting them on in the low light. “Back in a few days, love,” she whispered, kissing Galin before setting out, just as the first rays of light were visible on the horizon.

Toloch was waiting when Luthene arrived. “Sorry I’m late,” she said as they prepared to set off. “So tell me, what’s the plan when we reach the monastery? And what, precisely, do they want us to do when we find this coven? I assume our orders are not to kill them to a man… or woman, rather.” She paused, thinking, then decided to continue. “You should know, I don’t hold much faith in gods. Whether the actions of this coven are holy or unholy, that doesn’t matter to me. I’m more concerned about the harm they may be doing to others. I will use my sword in their defence, and not to defend any gods. Just so we’re clear on that.”

Toloch, as per usual, let Luthene finish saying whatever she wanted to say before he replied to any of it. As she began speaking about not being religious, Toloch perked an eyebrow. "I am no conventional cleric myself. My sentiment is just like yours. Perhaps with the exception that I care just as much what these witches are doing to the wildlife as the people." He stood up, and in one fluid movement all of his possessions were in their respective places, and he was ready to go. "As for what we do once we get there, I am a 'fan', as your people might say, of improvisation. As my old teacher used to say: 'Act only when you have all the information you can get - and then, act at once. A man who can think on his feet is a man well-equipped to deal with the world.'" He turned around and began to walk, heading towards Hollvar lumber camp, neglecting the gently curved road in favour of what seemed like a trek through the woods.

Toloch noticed a somewhat awkward silence, then added something as an afterthought. "What I do know is that this coven has been spreading rather a lot of fear of late. And they appear to have done unnatural things to the flora and fauna. For this reason, I plan to do information-hunting in the lumber camp, and perhaps commune with whatever nature is left unmolested, and make a plan for how to rid the place of the pests. If we can manage so without bloodshed or confrontation, that would be best. But I am ready to lend my sword to the land, and the people who occupy it in peace." He looked back at Luthene. He pondered for a moment, then stopped walking. Eyeing her over, he grunted, and beneath the moustache, he smiled. "Witches… They prefer secrecy, no? Which means they must split up sometimes, for dealings with merchants and such. If we can find and isolate a single witch, perhaps our path will reveal itself, yes?" Something in Toloch's eyes shone. In the woods, it would seem, this man was in his ace.

While Toloch might prefer to improvise, Luthene did not. She didn't like to do anything without some sort of plan, especially considering she had no idea what their enemies' numbers might be, or their abilities, or possible weaknesses. Worse, Toloch didn't seem to know much, either. A man who preferred to think on his feet rather than plan ahead was a man who should probably work alone; bring another along, and best plan ahead so one person's improvising didn't work against someone else's actions.

Fortunately, Toloch did offer up more information, though less than she would like. To say that the coven was acting in an unnatural way wasn't terribly useful information to someone like her. Luthene was no druid. "But what, specifically, are they doing? Can they use their magic to give them a tactical advantage? What are their abilities, and don't say they are corrupting the flora and fauna, because that means nothing to me. I realise we will need to do some information gathering, but clearly you know some things, and keeping me in the dark doesn't help either of us. So, tell me what you know, in detail. It seems I am better than you are for coming up with a plan, but I can't do that when you've given me vague information, and so little of it."