"Yessir," I reply absently as I listen to the sergeant, accidentally letting out a snort at her words.  Able to take a hint, I nod to the old corporal, turning to go load my pack onto one of the lizards.

The lay of the land:

You know that directly north a stretch from Fort Deepdark there is a major highway and rail line that runs between Vulyar (SW of you) to Irontown (NE of you).  You also know that if you head generally north-northeast from this lookout point, you will meet up with the dirt road between the fort and the highway. 

You will need to decide on your next destination - Irontown?  Lakeside?  Somewhere else? and make some environmental checks, so I can describe your progress accordingly.

Over at the picket line, I avoid both getting too close and making eye contact with the ghost as I work to get my pack secured on a lizard.

I suspect we've gotten all we're going to from the old corporal.  I voice a heavy sigh and send him a nod of resignation. "Thanks then." The clawfoots await, so I trudge over to them and begin to deal with loading my gear.

Raising my voice a little, I address my troops. "Right then, mates. We've hung around this outpost long enough. Let's put some miles between it and ourselves before someone thinks of something else we should be doing on our way. I'd like to find a good place to camp or stay well before dark, and the day's on the downcrawl."

I frown at Pepper. "Lakeside? It's closer to our destination. I'd appreciate your advice." I look around at the others. "Advice from any of you is welcome."

"If your objective is speed, we proceed north, directly to Lakeside.  The route is open and we will be exposed.  Once we cross the lightning rail the way will also be desolate.  But it takes us away from travelers, affording us more anonymity."

"If your objective is to gain cover for our mission by blending in with the civilian population, we proceed northeast to the lightning rail and highway.  We will gain from the highway patrols and the road will allow us faster travel.  We make Irontown a waypoint for RnR.  Proceed across the lake by ferry to Lakeside."

"Lakeside will be our last respite and provisioning point before we trek into the mountains."

"In either case, we can look for signs and tracks of our predecessors, now that we know they exist.  Such may provide valuable intelligence into the nature of our mission and objective."

"The weather will be working against us.  Prevailing winds are out of the northeast.  It will be freezing at night.  And storms this time of year are unpredictable.  I highly recommend haste.  Surviving a blizzard, even as well equipped as we are, is a high risk venture."

I pause for a moment to consider the group.

"Leatherleaf, command saw fit to throw this team together with no prior training or preparation.  We need a full capabilities assessment now before we set out.  If we engage with hostiles there can be no confusion."

"I agree. With the stipulation that we move out and far enough away from the outpost so as to avoid ears and eyes in this vicinity. There's the old guy's untrusted companion, for instance, plus some very aware undead in the tunnels below. I want no one hearing the details of our assets nor our planned route."

"Very good.  I'll see to the loading of the pack mount."

Four failed sorties before us does not bode well, I consider, approaching the mounts.

Still, that four sorties worth of loot, if we succeed where they failed.

"Lizards. Huh. Never rode one of these before. Pepper, you look like you know the ropes--any advice?"

"The end that wants to bite you is the front. Try to steer that in the direction you want to go. The other end has projectile shit. Stay clear of it. These things are good in a fight and they can rend a foe with their feet. Keep in mind they have small brains and don't always recognize friend from foe."

"They are not horses. They are not your loyal companions. They have no personality worth considering."

"If we are hit with a blizzard we will be as likely to slit their guts and use them as shelters as eat them."

"Cinch up the girth strap before you hop on. Like this."

I demonstrate the proper technique on the pack clawfoot.

[wouldn't they taste like.... chicken?]

I have ridden clawfoots before. Everything Pepper has said is quite true, but I've never minded their peculiarities, considering a well directed clawfoot can rip the bowels right out of an enemy on foot in two seconds flat. It's a useful viciousness.

"Hmm." I murmur as I tighten the girth strap, leaning into the coarse patterned brown and black outer feathers of its side. "you and I will get along just fine, won't we?" I continue talking softly, running my hands lightly over its body to check for sore spots. The savage looking head turns to regard me and even appears to listen as I take a running tally of its condition. "I think I'll call you Chickadee, how's that for a name, hm? No scabs, no ticks - too cold for them isn't it, my chick."

I stick my foot in the stirrup and warn the animal with an initial half-jump, so it's prepared for a full mount. Then I leap into the saddle and wait until my mount adjusts to the weight.

"Nearly ready, my friends?"

"Once we're away a bit, I think we oughta double back and go look for this guy's partner, uh... Leatherleaf," I say quietly.  I pull the lizard's reins forward over its head and cluck at it reprovingly when it tries to balk, grabbing it to hold it still.  "No," I tell it firmly.  "I'm walking by you and you aint gonna bite me or give me no trouble."

[Nature: 10+10=20]

[Nature: 10+10=20]

Success.  The clawfoot may be a dumb dinosaur, but it's a dumb dinosaur that's tamed to ride, so your handling here is enough to keep it from disemboweling you.

A lifetime, a long lifetime, of experience riding assorted streets comes to the fore as I approach one of the animals. I involuntarily cluck in my throat as I rub its nose. I run my hand down its cold skin wondering at the genius that gave us a cold blooded animal for the snow. A quick movement and I tighten the cinch. The beast starts then acquiesces. A quick leap and I'm in the saddle adjusting my weapons top more comfortable positions. I reach behind me and tie my pack to the saddle.

"I'm ready. And quite curious as to what these beasts can do."

While the others prepare their birds, I put two fingers to my mouth and whistle. A large, white horse-ghost appears next to me. "Heya, Fluffy", I say, petting her mane. "Ready to go?"

The communal gear secured, I whistle for Creon to shepherd the pack animal, then mount my own beast, "Ready."

[Nature: 1d20+13: 7+13 = 20 for the handling of my chicken.]
[Nature: 1d20+13: 19+13 = 32 for Creon to shepherd the pack chicken.]

All party members appear to be mounted, so I slap the reins lightly on Chickadee's shoulders, call out "Forward!" and head NNE towards what appears to be a hollow in the terrain. Once out of direct sight of the outpost, I intend to call a halt, set a lookout, assess our individual and collective strengths, and decide on whether to send the young one on a stealth mission to spy on the old corporal's missing partner.

I start walking, following the major and leading my lizard, and around me see the other three - and the ghost - following as well.  When our commander stops abruptly in a little dip in the land, I and the others do so as well.

Dismounting, I survey the area quickly to ensure we can't be seen from the outpost. "Pepper, is Creon able to act as lookout while we confer? I'd like a brief statement from each of you regarding what special skills you may bring to this mission. Then we need to decide on which of the routes proposed by Pepper would be better. Given the disappearance of the missions sent out before us, I'm in favour of the more travelled route, Northeast to the lightning rail and on to Irontown as our immediate objective. But I'm very open to argument in favour of the more direct route."

"We should keep those earlier groups firmly in mind as we travel. Either they were overcome on arrival by whatever mystery has detained our objective, or they were ambushed en route by hostile forces in league with that mystery. I'm inclined towards the second theory.

" As well, our youngest member thinks we should further investigate the corporal's partner, and indeed he or she is the main reason I led you away before having this discussion. It is puzzling that our general kept someone untrustworthy in such a sensitive position in the first place. It has crossed my mind that ir'Dulinch [sp?] may have powerful enemies closer than the Ice Mountains. So, one or two volunteers for a short spy mission back at the outpost? Stealth is paramount."

Rules me out, then.

"Be happy to go, ma- Leatherleaf, but I aint that sneaky, least not without more in the way of tree cover," I reply carefully.  And if you want his partner telling us anything, it don't help that they can just order me to fuck off.  "Figure I got picked for this job cause I can handle myself in a fight and I been known to hunt people down some, before, that others can't find."  Or don't care to.

"You also appear to be gifted with intelligence." I respond with a quick smile. "Pepper?"

I acknowledge Leatherleaf's request and whistle a series of commands to Creon, who runs off to the distance to start patrolling the perimeter.

"He'll let us know if he spots anything threatening."

"Pepper?"

"Karrnathian Special Forces. Specializations in stealth, infiltration, long-range sniping, and the identification of arcane powers, artifacts, agencies and spells.  Life-long experience in tracking, wilderness survival and animal handling."

"I volunteer to track and scout this second person of interest."

"Offer accepted, Pepper. It seems you bring strong skills and valuable experience to our enterprise. Let us just hear out our remaining comrades and then you will go. We will await you here. If you're not back in..." (I glance at the sky) "less than two hours, we will have to come looking, which will impact our progress, so don't pursue this possible mare's tail too far or long."

I pause. "Oleg, Valenae, Mari, if you please. And not to leave you in the dark regarding your leader, I have been out of service for twenty years. There may be many innovations of which I am unaware or out of date, and I expect each of you to tell me if I am obviously mistaken or ignorant of something. Nevertheless, I spent three decades rising to this rank, and I hope my skills reflect that dedication, and that my leadership will give you extra confidence and encourage endurance. I am damn good with my longbow, too."

"Hmm? Oh, right," I say, "my skills. Close combat, with a blend of psionics and divine magic. I'm pretty sneaky, too. More so since the whole 'ghost' thing. Also, the walking through walls. I couldn't do that before."

"Also maybe losing the last of whatever grip on reality she still got and trying to kill everyone around her," I put in.  Helpfully.  "That's a ghost skill too."