[Bennet's estimation of the mage, slight as it is, rises a notch when the man makes no objections and does as he is instructed without complaint. They have no time to spare on petty squabbling, and he's glad to see that Stratos appreciates that. Sheathing his sword for better balance, he leads the way with much more caution than he exercised earlier. The back path they tread is steeper than the path they followed to get here, the rocks more treacherous, but the real reason for his caution comes from the warning Stratos gave him.]
[And a prudent warning it was, for after a few minutes or so of careful trekking he spies the telltale signs of a tripwire, throws his hand out to stop Stratos only to find the mage had already seen it himself. He might have found the notion of trap-laying bandits amusing earlier, but he's not smiling now, and his jaw sets as he moves with infinite care over the deadly cord. Cunning bandits indeed, for the tripwire is strung along a place in the path where the boulders are too high to be climbed over, leaving the only way forward over or through. Having seen this, he guesses any other tripwires will be strung across similarly difficult-to-pass locations, and fortunately for the both of them he is right. Perhaps not so cunning after all.]
[There are still the lookouts to beware of, and he stays low to minimize their chances of being spotted. Properly trained sentries would likely have still seen then, for the back path hardly provides any cover, but the typical outlaw disinclination for discipline works in their favor.]
[True to form, their target isn't even on his feet, but instead is just sitting at a table and grousing. Smiling tightly, Bennet holds up a hand in unspoken command for Stratos to wait, and when the mage stills he draws the knife that he commandeered from him earlier and silently approaches their man. Grabbing him from behind, he claps one hand over the bandit's mouth and with the other slits his throat in one quick fluid motion, leaning his struggling victim over the table so that none of the outlaw's blood spills across the ragged leather tunic he wears.]
Search him. [The bandit never got a chance to make more than few muffled shouts, but just the same Bennet leaves him where he is and quickly looks back down the post, making sure those two men Stratos mentioned being closest to this one aren't coming.]
no subject
[And a prudent warning it was, for after a few minutes or so of careful trekking he spies the telltale signs of a tripwire, throws his hand out to stop Stratos only to find the mage had already seen it himself. He might have found the notion of trap-laying bandits amusing earlier, but he's not smiling now, and his jaw sets as he moves with infinite care over the deadly cord. Cunning bandits indeed, for the tripwire is strung along a place in the path where the boulders are too high to be climbed over, leaving the only way forward over or through. Having seen this, he guesses any other tripwires will be strung across similarly difficult-to-pass locations, and fortunately for the both of them he is right. Perhaps not so cunning after all.]
[There are still the lookouts to beware of, and he stays low to minimize their chances of being spotted. Properly trained sentries would likely have still seen then, for the back path hardly provides any cover, but the typical outlaw disinclination for discipline works in their favor.]
[True to form, their target isn't even on his feet, but instead is just sitting at a table and grousing. Smiling tightly, Bennet holds up a hand in unspoken command for Stratos to wait, and when the mage stills he draws the knife that he commandeered from him earlier and silently approaches their man. Grabbing him from behind, he claps one hand over the bandit's mouth and with the other slits his throat in one quick fluid motion, leaning his struggling victim over the table so that none of the outlaw's blood spills across the ragged leather tunic he wears.]
Search him. [The bandit never got a chance to make more than few muffled shouts, but just the same Bennet leaves him where he is and quickly looks back down the post, making sure those two men Stratos mentioned being closest to this one aren't coming.]