First Month's Worth of Travel...

12th of Frost Fall, 258 AFC -
I don't have a lot of time to write tonight, Argen has fallen asleep and I am on watch for the rest of the night. Thankfully, I don't need much in the ways of rest, so I am more than available to stay alert while he rests. But today marks the first experience I have had out in the wilderness on my own (well, I have Argen, but more or less we are out here alone together). Saying my goodbyes to Rolim and Aywin today was the hardest thing I have ever done. I did not want to leave them, and part of me is still filled with regret - I cannot help but think that maybe I should have stayed with them. Maybe Rolim was right, and we could run away again and outlast those hunting me... But maybe not. It is more than likely that they'd just keep after us. Argen and I are on their trail, we'll see how long it takes to find them on the roads to Deepwater Bay.
 
13th of Frost Fall, 258 AFC -
It is only my first day out and about with Argen and already I have found it hard to find ample time to journal, and collect my thoughts. It seems my entries will become more sporadic as we have random opportunities for down-time - especially when we are on the trail of The Wolves of Argos that came after us in Edgewater. Yesterday, as we left Edgewater, we found a cleaned up camp that a guard posted outside the town gate said popped up around the time the thugs showed up. Further investigation led us to the realization that the group we were after had decided to split up. A carts worth of the mercenaries are to follow the remainder South until they reach the forest, at which point they are going to delve into the woods looking for one they called 'Tom'. One mercenary named 'L' was sent to a woman named 'Ann" (presumably in Deepwater Bay) ahead of the main force. Argen and I have agreed to follow them until the two major parties split, and then try and intercept the smaller group - then cut the major force off before they reach the city.
 
20th of Frost Fall, 258 AFC -
Haven't been able to write the past few days. It's been hard out on our own, and tracking them is getting more difficult as the terrain and weather shifts. We have found a few more campsites, probably where the bandits were taking rests along the path. We (Argen and I) have been sleeping and camping in smaller, more remote locations - even a small ruin at times. It keeps us out of view and safer than out in the open - key in wasteland territory like this that is rampant with Gnoll's, Orc's, and other dangerous entities. I think we are catching up to the Wolves, slowly but surely. We have a lot of time before they near their destination. We are trying to stay vigilant so we can identify when the two groups split up. Side note: it is cold, dark, and dirty out here in the wild. I miss home, our farm. I miss Rolim and Aywin. I know I need to push on though, for them...
 
2nd of Evening Snow, 258 AFC -
We found the spot that the mercenaries split off, two carts continuing down the path towards Deepwood Motte (presumably on their way to Deepwater Bay), and one solitary cart veering South towards the forest. Their scout must be further ahead, past the Motte. This is it. Like we planned, we followed the single cart off the road and into deeper, more wild territory. Argen and I are becoming more friendly, and more comfortable with each other. His company is nice, though he is reserved - he seems okay. Secretive, definitely keeping things close to his heart. Shouldn't let my guard down, I can't help but grow attached to Argen - I only hope my trust isn't betrayed.
 
5th of Evening Snow, 258 AFC -
I figured out the code in the note! It took me a while, and now I feel a little silly that I didn't realize it sooner. "Tom" and "Ann" aren't people, they're places! Tom is short for Deepwood Motte, and Ann is for Annerian Alley. It is my guess they are making stops to these places on their way to Deepwater Bay. Now that we know, it will be easier to continue tracking the Wolves. We're on the right track, I am certain of it! Exciting, yet nerve-racking...
 
10th of Evening Snow, 258 AFC-
I had to defend myself today, and for the first time, I killed something... A few things actually. I also almost died today... Several times. While tracking the cart South, we found ourselves crossing a small old stone bridge, a giant ruin overlooking it. On the other side of the small bridge, Argen and I spotted a camp, with the fire still lit. It didn't take much investigation to realize that the camp was bait for travelers - as Gnoll's began to fire on us from the ruins above. We defended ourselves against an onslaught - and we did really well, my magic allowed Argen to withstand the vile creatures while I rained down on them from afar. There was a moment when we had to siege the ruin and take the archers down, Argen is a little faster than me - and he got a little ways ahead; leaving me left wide open. The archers took me down fast, and I don't remember falling, but I woke a few seconds later to Argen healing me. Thank whatever divine entities blessed myself and Argen with our respective abilities because we'd never have succeeded without it. They didn't seem to help us much in scaling the cliff, though, as Argen almost fell of the edge many different times.
 
I don't even understand the extent of my abilities - I thought I did, but some of the magic I was using today was so different than anything I have ever seen. I was in my fight-or-flight mode, and it showed. I wasn't thinking, I was just doing. I wanted the Gnoll's to feel pain and they did, simple as that. I felt queasy after the battle, I had to vomit, rather unpleasant, but at least we are still alive.
 
(Later that same night) -
... Tonight, while I was on watch - something strange occurred. I don't know what it could mean, either... We made camp in a secluded little grove, where we had ample trees and brush for covering our campsite - and fire. The first half of the night, during my meditation, and a little afterwards - nothing seemed to happen. Throughout my watch though, which is twice as long as Argen's because he needs about double the amount of rest that I do - it was going like a normal night.
 
Above us, something that looked like a bright, opalescent star shined down on our campsite. I was worried it would give our location away to anyone - or anything - away for them to easily find us and do as they will. A few minutes went by, and I discerned that the beacon wasn't too bright that our campsite was compromised. I continued to look at the star, and study it - I still don't know what exactly it was, I have never seen its' like before...
 
A piece of the star fell off of the bigger portion, and as if the feather fall spell was cast on it, the broken-off bit slowly drifted down towards them. It took a while, but as it came closer - I realized it was a feather. Bright, glowing, and almost warm to the touch, I know not where it came from. Argen was tossing and turning, talking in his sleep too. He usually does so, I assume it to be nightmares. But he shot up in the night this time, as I was in the process of wrapping and hiding the feather. I still don't completely trust him, but maybe I will reveal it to him later.
 
He shot up in what would have been a sweat if he could. I could see fear in his eyes for the first time. He said he found himself in a dark variant of the campsite they set up, and that a great evil dragon interrogated him - wanting something from him. It was my belief he found himself in Carceri, a plane of existence where things become trapped and lost. I warned him not to wander if he ever awoke like that again.
 
We need to get ready, we are still on the trail of the Wolves of Argos...