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(Papa replies with a half smile) If it comes down to a fight I know I'll be making it out alive

The trail takes a turn up a steep hill. The leaf litter on the ground is rutted and torn from feet slipping during the ascent. It appears that there are fewer in the group, now, but it is unclear how many remain because the trail is so muddled.

The horses shy from climbing the hill - it is steep enough that they will have difficulty climbing it with riders on them, although Bastian’s Gertrude appears to have no such trouble.

Swinging her right left over Casta's mane, Liri dismounts quickly and takes her mare by the reins, guiding her upwards, off the trail if that is at all possible.

Angel swiftly dismounts Praesul with all the grace she can muster, leading the horse by the reins. Glancing behind she check everyone is ok.

Papa dismounts as well and leads his horse up the hill by the reins

The cavalrymen dismount as well, walking next to their horses as they pick their way slowly up the hill. The going is tough, but the cavalry horses seem familiar with the technique needed to climb such a hill, placing their back feet gingerly, testing their footing, then lunging up with their front legs and catching hold, then repeating the process. Gertrude does likewise, leading Bastian up the hill instead of the other way around.

Praesul looks uncertainly at Angel, letting out a small neigh and bobbing his head around to look at the ground ahead from different angles. Angel has heard this sound in the past, when the warhorse was nervous or afraid. But the horse complies, and begins climbing the hill, although with much less enthusiasm than the cavalry horses. The group’s other horses do likewise. It is difficult going for everyone, but the horses make it up without injury, although it is a near thing.

Maughus, unlike the rest of the group, stays mounted. He leans far forward in the saddle, and his pony walks up the uneven ground of the hill as effortlessly as walking on flat ground. He reaches the top before the rest, and waits there.

Ash is second to gain the top of the ridge, and stops to stare around him. When Little arrives, Ash says to him: “You know who lives near here? Ullo. The hermit.”

“The mushroom man?”

“The mushroom man.”

As Gertrude crests the hill top Bastian comments, "Mushroom Man? He sounds like a friendly guy."

"Of course. Quite gregarious, he is," Ash replies. "You know. For a hermit.
"Although from time to time he does trade mushrooms for things he needs. Tools, salt, that sort of thing."
"Fine wine. Wall art. Knick-knacks to dress up the cave," says Little.

Liri laughs at Little's remark. "This would be a noteworthy hermit to meet" she comments. "And some of us certainly should go see him. Hopefully he has been spared by the horde, yet seen or heard something useful."

"Be on your guard, I have learnt to trust Praesul, he has keen senses." She pats the horses side, offering him a small treat. "This Hermit sounds interesting, I would like to meet with him, but my presence is often difficult." She purses her lips and checks the group.

Bastian glances at Angel out of the corner of his eye and says, "A statuesque blonde warrioress would cause problems with a male hermit known as the "Mushroom man"? You may be a distraction to him when we're trying to have a discussion, but I doubt you'd be a problem!"

[OOC] To avoid any confusion: the hermit is called Ullo. When Little asked: "The mushroom man?" he wasn't calling him by a nickname. He was actually asking a question, as in "Is that the man who grows mushrooms?"

The comments about Ullo being friendly and gregarious were sarcasm, as were the comments about interior decorating. Ullo is anything but gregarious. That's kind of why he became a hermit. Someone really needs to invent a sarcasm font. [/OOC]

(Sarcasm is often wasted on Angel)

"Yes because I was no distraction at all on out fishing trip." She responds deadpan.

[OOC] I understood the comments to be sarcastic, especially the bit about interior decorating, that's why Liri laughed and called him "noteworthy".[/OOC]

Bastian laughs and replies, "We'll I think the hermit will be OK as long as you don't plan to walk around in a wet shift."