They don't believe the half-truth and everyone has gone out of earshot.
(OOC: Invisible Castle kinda has it out for Ra'am in Phoenix, so I'm aware of the phenomena.)
Fieltarn takes a deep breath, at least thankful that the full moon has passed a few days ago, otherwise he might have been slightly frustrated now. Or felt the wolf chuckling in my bones, mocking my stupidity.
- let's see now, what did he say...?
Ah, yes : "The sounder changes their location all the time."thought Fieltarn, remembering the weasel's words. "He's with them at nights." ... and he's obviously quite jealous of his territory.
"- In the woods, by night... why not." Whispers Fieltarn to himself, a glint in his eyes again. And he goes back his own trail along the river, rejoining his horse.
If I can't find you that easily, let's try and lure you in, my territorial friend. But first...
He looks for a good spot near the river, a place with 5 to 8 paces of clearing, but with a least one old tree with branches strong enough to support his weight - possibly between 7 and 10 feet high. He takes his time to find it, one or two hours if necessary.
((+1Perception + 4Survival +1specialty:Forest +roll of 10 = 16 assuming a simple roll[size=85] (was about time)[/size].))
Then Fieltarn prepare his camp, the river on one side, the large tree on the other - two access points left, granted two nice charging venues for the boar. He prepares enough wood to sustain a nice and warm fire throughout the next night - its light not shrouded by rocks or low bushes nearby.
Now, something to make him confident. I should appear foolishly unprotected, but look as if I think that I'm safe...
And after clearing the ground at the edge of the clearing, he draws a circle with wet salt. sighing sadly. Goodbuy tasty meals... and a decent bargaining stuff.
Then Fieltarn casts a non-fatiguing spontaneous version of 'Circle of Beast Warding' ReAn5. Since he's definitely not a normal beast, he should feel confident enough, hopefully. At least it will keep the bugs out.
((10 Rego + 16 Animal +1 Int. + roll of 6 : 33 divided by 5 = 6 . As a secondary advantage, the circle will of course exhude Fieltarn's Sigil: the smell of canines - hopefully another bait))
As it's probably late in the afternoon now, Fieltarn unrolls his blankets, hiding his chains and manacles underneath ((ooc : cf equipment, they usually serve for the wolf))
And finally he start a slow roasting of his very last meat, enjoying the last hours of daylight to rest as best he can.
This might be a long night... or my last.. He thinks, but when Hunting, Fieltarn is nothing but persistent.
(( +1Stamina + 3Awareness +1specialty "keeping watch" + roll of 1 = 6 if simple die, or 11 if a stress die (second roll 3 x2). If you consider that it's a simple die, I'd use a confidence point, to change the 6 into 9... sleeping now would be toonesquely stupid))
((ooc note : naturally, at sunset he retrieve his saddle, as the horse disappear.))
The night falls, and as Fieltarn watches for signs of the boar he gets the sense that he's being observed. The boar does not come into his view that he can see, he just gets the sense he's being watched.
With the darkness of the night settling in, when Fieltarn feels like he's being watched, he adds one or two big logs of wood in the fire, stick back any errand ember to prevent the fire from spreading in his "sleep", and put the darned mittens neither too close nor too far from the fire so as to get them warm in the morning...
... basically, he just acts like any traveler would, preparing for a good night sleep.
Yet, covered by one of the blanket as comfortably as he can, head on the saddle, he casts a non-fatiguing spontaneous Mentem spell over himself, without words or gestures. A simple spell to keep his own alertness at its current level, until dawn.
((Fieltarn aims for an effective level 5 at least, as such : base 3("make a subtle difference to the target's mental state") + 2 Sun. With 'Deft Form:Mentem, he does that surreptitiously enough, or at least without penalties...
10 rego + 15 Mentem + 1Int. + roll of 2 : 28 divided by 5 = 5.6
His eyes narrowed to bare slits, not facing the fire to avoid blinding himself, Fieltarn feigns a peaceful sleep, alert and counting on his hearing, wit, and luck, to save his skin...
I just need the time to fast cast something before he gores me, after all.
((ooc : err... it didn't occur to me when I wrote the previous post, but in case I'd need an "acting" role of sort for Fieltarn, I'd assume the following combo, pending SG approval :
2 Communication + 3 Guile + roll of 6= 11 ))
(OOC: it's stamina for casting spells, but in this case they are the same.)
An hour passes, and the sensation fades... Then after another hour it returns.
Fieltarn notes with his Wilderness sense that the sensation comes from a different direction than before, Per 1+ WS 3+1 + die roll of 7=12.
If he came back, I doubt he'll just ignore me now. Patience...
(OOC: Can Fieltarn determines that direction, even if vaguely, with such result to his WS roll? I'd guess from behind Fieltarn's back, but I'm may be a slightly tiny wee bit paranoid at this point, given the circumstances 
8) )
Actually, he can pinpoint the direction... towards the tree with branches that can bear his weight.
((ooc : Ah. Duly noted. In other word he should be up, in the branches, otherwise we'd practically feel each other's breath. At least that'd be Fieltarn's guess))
Hmm, if he doesn't try and kill me before the end of this night, suspense might. Think Fieltarn in self-derision. On the other hand, if he's up there it's possible that he's considering a less violent approach... in which case I wouldn't have to try and kill him...
Fieltarn adjusts his position as innocuously as possible, like a sleeper would... so as to get the tree in his field of vision, somehow. And he focuses his Second Sight to that direction, through his eyelids. Fieltarn isn't sure what to expect by this, if anything, apart from some magical camouflaging, but that's the only way not to trigger his visitor's magic resistance...
((+1Per + 3Second Sight + roll of 9! = 13 ))
Clearing something up...
The boar is behind (not up or in) the tree that Fieltarn marked that would bear his weight... Unfortunatelly seconds sight doesn't seem to show anything useful.
Not what I expected, but since he's over there...
Fieltarn gets up slowly, eyes openned, but feigning a slow awakening... still alert, though.
...I might as well get up there!
((And unless his first movement triggered any assault, Fieltarn casts silently and without gestures 'Blink Step' (Still and Quiet casting among his mastery specialties), to teleport himself up on one of the big branches, less than 5 paces away.
10Rego + Corpus 7 + 1Stamina +3Spell Mastery + roll of 8, -5 quiet casting(instead of -10) = 24 ))
((and since Fieltarn just doesn't try and get 5 paces away but sufficiently set on one branch so as not to fall over right away, here's a Finesse roll :
+1Per(ok?) + Finesse 1 + 3(1pt of Confidence) +roll of 7, = 12))
Assuming he keeps his balance(?), from his new position Fieltarn looks intently for his visitor, below.
Maybe I should have prepared a spear, after all. He thinks, both amused and unnerved.
OOC: I forgot to mention it earlier, the confidence point you'd mentioned initially was not spent, this one is spent.
The boar comes into view, doesn't seem afraid of the fire, but wanders and snifs around the camp.
Fieltarn observes the boar silently, ready to act upon any outburst from the beast... or if the beast lift his gaze - which a mundane boar would probably not do, but better be ready than sorry. Besides, Sir boar's motive are still puzzling Fieltarn, thus delaying his decision-making.
He compares the size of this boar with other members of his species and when the boar passes near the fire Fieltarn glances at its tracks, trying, again, to make a mental comparison with those he followed from poor Lenny's corpse. ((ooc : Fieltarn (or myself) may be paranoid, but he's essentially trying to make sure if it's really the same boar)).
Why coming here, leaving and then coming back a hour later? Perhaps he simply went to check on his "ladies", after he noticed me the first time.
As the boar starts wandering and sniffing around... Fieltarn is even more puzzled, while still wachful of its current aggressiveness in particular, which doesn't seem expectedly high.
He gored Lenny to death for presumably some territorial dispute, but then he just hop in in my camp like that... He's not afraid of me, but careful rather than furious.
(OOC: ok, thanks for this precision)
The boar is huge, you'd estimate 30 to 35 stone in weight.
Only thrice my weight? I should be able to tackle that. thinks Fielarn in irony. Yet also possibly magical or... whatever. He flexes his fingers intently, even if his already tense face darkens at the last thought.
I need to evaluate his magic resistance before attempting any serious business here. That might also help to determine once and for all if there's any chance for small talk, or if Sir Boar just seeks to gut me out.
Fieltarn casts a fatiguing Spontaneous MuAn spell. To change the color of Sir Boar's hair, the real purpose being testing his MR...
((
The MuAn guidlines suggest a base of 3 to change an animal's limb, so with your approval I'll guess at base of 2 for this minor change (?), and since the size requires a boost too, Fieltarn should need an effective level 5 (Base 2, D:Mom, R:Voice(+2), +1size)
--- Cast with normal voice, but expansive gestures (I'd presume that he now has sufficiently balanced himself on the branch; I may be wrong)
=> 9Muto + 16Animal +1Stamina +1 gestures +roll of 1, then of 3 : 33 (27+6) divided by 2 = 16 CT.
=>For Penetration 16 - 5 + 2(ability score), leaves 13 to test his MR.
))
((Edit : I don't presume you'd allow changing only part of his hair color, say... on the hears or tails?? So as to reduce the base and eff. level? 8) ))
The boar doesn't change.
Also he now knows where Fieltarn is. He seems nonplussed.
"- Salve!" [size=85](in latin)[/size] Fieltarn nods, looking straight at the boar's eyes.
Fieltarn continue in 'Boar language' :
"- Looking for me?"
"I expect you to be gone in the morning." He snorts and then departs.
Not so fast... that would be too easy for you, now.
"I'm not here cause trouble, I just want to know why you savagely killed Lenny, the ram."
(( 1Presence OR 2 Comm. + 2 Charm +1 first impression(?) + roll of 0, ... => simple or stress die for the "small-talk" here?))
Oh, it's stress. I'll wait for the botch check.