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Abras Ashkevron at the start of the book 3 timeline (A Song for Two Voices)
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"Something that will make them send someone to check it out but won't make them panic . . . I don't know, a weird noise? Someone walking near their camp? No, they wouldn't notice one person far enough out to get out of sight of the others . . . Yfandes, any ideas?" 

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:We could knock a tree over? They'll hear that from pretty far away, and it's not very suspicious, trees do fall over naturally, but they'll probably send someone to look anyway: 

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"Knocking a tree over is smart," he says, out loud to keep the others in the loop. "And if they don't react we're only out a tree. I can do it as soon as the Guards get here."

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:- Chosen, if you do it by magic, there's a risk they'll sense it. Since they've got mages: 

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:Crap, you're right. So what do we do, ask the Guards to come back with a saw?:

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:Sure, getting an axe or a saw isn't a bad idea: 

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"Yfandes just pointed out to me that any tree close enough for them to hear it is close enough for them to see someone knocking it over with magic, so I need to go back to town and borrow an axe. And possibly also a person who knows how to use one; I don't know how hard it is."

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Herald Jores gives him an amused look. "Never chopped down a tree, huh? I can use an axe. It's not complicated but I wouldn't call it easy either. I can go back, you're a better sentry to keep an eye on them." 

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Embarrassed nodding. "I'll keep watching them."

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"All right." Jores heads off, leaving Abras alone with Yfandes. 

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Abras keeps his Farsight on the camp. Do any of them do anything concerning? For that matter, do any of them do any visible magic? It would be helpful to at least start on knowing which ones are the mages and who's in charge.

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Their activities are mostly very boring. Some of them are practicing weapons-work. Two of them skin the deer carcass and slice most of it up into strips to smoke over a fire. This does give Abras an opportunity to notice one of the men lighting said firepit with a wave of his hand rather than using a tinderbox. 

It's unclear who's in charge, although the men being gestured at to do things like bring food to the children are presumably the ones not in charge. 

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Abras keeps watching them and waits nervously for Herald Jores and the Guards to get back.

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They get back in about half a candlemark, at around the same time, Herald Jores was able to catch up despite leaving later thanks to Companions being faster. There are a dozen Guards on ordinary horses, all armed, and Jores has an axe stuffed into his Companion's saddlebag. 

The men at the camp don't do anything especially concerning in the meantime; they putter around, mostly. 

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Abras reports this. "So, now we find somewhere to set up an ambush and you cut down a tree?"

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"Sounds like a plan," Herald Jores says, not exactly cheerfully but he seems more nonchalant now than before. 

One of the Guards has a map, and unfolds it. "Let's have a look at where to set up. Creek goes this way, further downstream it's flowing down at the bottom of a ravine - we should find a good spot to hide along that stretch with a good view, maybe a cluster of us on either side, and then knock the tree down across the ravine maybe? And once they send someone looking we'll see them coming and ambush them." 

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:Only trouble will be if they have a Thoughtsenser with them: Yfandes points out. :Most mages aren't Thoughtsensers, but...: 

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"That looks like a good spot. Yfandes mentioned Thoughtsensers; I can shield us if the two groups don't get too far apart, and it looks like they won't." :Possibly I should also be trying to read whoever they send? To see if they suspect anything.:

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"- Right, you can do that, you've got all the Gifts." Herald Jores' eyebrows rise, he looks impressed but not in a very envious way. "If they're not shielding, sure, I assume it's not normally ethical to do that but it seems like fair play given their kidnapping habits." 

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"Then once everyone is in position, I think that's everything." He feels sure he's going to think of something else important the moment it's too late, but he'd feel that way whether it was true or not so he shouldn't use it as an excuse not to act.

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The Guards tether their horses a distance off, since the underbrush is kind of impassible for normal horses (Companions are more creative about it and also more determined). They tromp into position, with Herald Jores helping coordinate. 

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:They're ready: Yfandes relays to Abras. :Get Farsight on the camp again and then I'll pass on the signal to cut down the tree?: 

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He does so, high up so he can see anyone leaving the camp, and puts shields over Jores and the Guards. :Okay, now.:

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It takes a while to chop down a tree with an axe, it turns out, but several minutes later there's a creaking and then a loud crash. 

Over at the camp, several of the men jump, one of them spilling tea on himself. Farsight doesn't come with sound, but based on his expression and mouth moving, he's swearing a LOT. 

Another man comes out of a cabin and gesticulates at the others. Two of them get up, looking grumpy about it, and grab their swords - but not armour - and then head out, following the creek. 

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:Two of them, heading our way along the creek,: he informs Jores and Yfandes. 

Once they're out of the camp, he starts watching their thoughts. He's already planning to capture and Truth Spell them, after all.

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