[Tevildo]

Leod had intended to go no more than a quarter mile away from the encampment. He had the benefit of a full moon as well as the lighted torch he carried. He expected to find his supplies quickly and return to camp within the hour. Yet, after meticulously searching the surrounding forest floor, he had reluctantly concluded that the herbs and lichens he required were nowhere in sight.

The healer wanted and needed to return to his companions. What if Sythric or Brand took a turn for the worse? Leod would never forgive himself if anything should happen to them while he was away. At the same time, he remained acutely aware that he was nearly out of certain potions and herbs, remedies that were essential for treating wounds that had festered. Since he had used up the remainder of his honey paste, Leod felt he had no choice but to continue searching.

Earlier that day, just before they had turned from the trail to reach camp, Leod had noticed a winding spring that veered off the pathway and spilled down towards the south. Its damp banks would surely be a place where moss and lichen would thrive, and he would find his needed supplies. Even better, with the spring to guide him, he could not possibly get lost. The healer promised himself that, whatever happened, he would not go more than a few miles away and would hurry back within the space of two hours. Meghan was a responsible lass and would surely forgive him for her loss of sleep and would continue to keep watch over their injured companions.

Once he'd reached the stream, Leod was able to move quickly along its banks. A little more than two miles south, he discovered several large and rotting trees fallen to the ground that had moss and lichen growing on the exterior of their trunks as well as on the rocky ground beneath. The healer bent over to scoop up several handfuls and stuffed these securely inside his satchel. By now, his torch had completely extinguished, and he tossed it aside after dowsing the last sparks in the stream. Happy to have found the needed medications, and confident that he could find his way back by simply following the waterway, Leod stood up and began walking again, anxious to get back to camp to check on Sythric and Brand. He took no more than a few steps when a loop of rope came gently curling through the air and encircled his head and shoulders, tugging him towards the ground. Leod struggled to find a firm footing on the muddy bank but with no success. He toppled to the ground, hitting his head against the tree trunk and immediately fell unconscious. The sack he carried was immediately wrenched from his grasp, slipped into the water, and, carried along by the gentle current, was soon swept out of sight.