The skip across to the island went smoothly without trouble. All the while Nelvin seemed distracted and nervous. Claret picked up on his anxiety and put it down to the possibility of a Sahuagin encounter. Gripping the hilts of her knives sheathed on her belt, she set her jaw taut and continually scanned the horizon, primarily focusing on the ever growing shape that was the island destination.
On the approach nearing shore, they dropped anchor and cast off a small rowing boat. On the way in, the skin on the back of her neck prickled, and she got the unnerving feeling that they were being watched. She cast her gaze quickly around, scanning the landing area then looked back over her shoulder.
"Now , I've paid you well enough... you'll wait here on the beach for me to return."
"As Valkur is my witness, I will wait for your return."
She stared at him for a few moments, unsure whether he will be good to his word or not, and she sighed heavily, returning to scan the nearing beach.
"So what is it yer 'oping to find 'ere anyway?"
"Lost property" Claret offered in a curt response.
"And... this err... property... would yer be expecting to cart it back on this 'ere rowboat?"
"I'm hoping... that enough of it remains that it won't all fit... " she clenched her jaw, seemingly agitated
"... although it's likely I'd be lucky to salvage enough to fill my bag."
Simply nodding to her, and puffing quite heavily, he continued rowing them to shore.
-----
They grounded the boat on the beach, and dragged it into the shallows. Not too far that they couldn't make a quick getaway if need be.
"I'll be back in a couple hours. Wait here."
Waving her off
"I ain't goin' no where till yer get back."
It didn't take long before she found some trails worn into the ground leading away from the beach. She walked North along a narrow path, the plants worn down with regular footfalls. She stopped at the mouth of a gap between two rock outcrops where the path wound between. The granite walls climbed much higher than her and were worn smooth from countless years of wind and rain beating down here. Once again the skin on the back of her neck prickled setting her nervous senses alert. Drawing a knife from her belt into her right hand, she pushed through a large growth of broad leaf plant, hacking her way through somewhat. Some time further up the path she heard a commotion ahead. Sneaking along the path, and using the heavy foliage for cover, she peeled a leaf back slowly and peered into the clearing ahead.
A pair of Sahuagin were arguing with one another, blades drawn, both taking swipes at each other, around a crate on the sand. Behind them up and down the beach were scattered bottles and broken crates. Her eyes lit up.
My wine!!!
Drawing her other blade, she appraised the scene developing her plan.
Two targets
Large, nimble, likely toughened skin.
Distracted by one another
No others nearby.
Light offshore wind, they wont smell me.
No gulls around to give me away.
Line of foliage to within four feet.
Perfect...
So she wound her way stealthily amongst the foliage using it for cover and got behind one of the Sahuagin. Taking in a deep breath and exhaling long and slow she counted her moment to strike.
Like a panther on prey, she leaped from her cover at the back of her nearest prey. Sinking a blade into his spine severing its spinal cord, it's legs immediately went limp underneath him, with the rest of it's body collapsing in a flailing heap on the ground. The hiss and moan of the disabled creature collapsing was cut short by her other blade slashing its throat, leaving it in a pool of its own blood, convulsing in its death throes on the ground.
The other creature stood shocked for mere moments, dumbfounded by the appearance of this small humanoid bringing swift death before its eyes. The diving tumble of Claret's attack on it was enough to rouse it out of its stupor and swerved aside in time to only gain a mild laceration on its thigh as her blades sailed past. The creature had a significant height and reach advantage over Claret to which it knew well and used to its advantage, continually shifting about keeping her and those tiny blades of death at swords length. Wielding only a rusty long blade, it slashing wildly at the air in front of her, trying to throw her off the prowl. Any time Claret would press the attack, it would slash at her and step back. Soon Claret realised the futility of the situation as a meagre stalemate. Wanting to cut the battle short, she lunged again, drawing the evident slashing response from her opponent. She dropped to her right knee, rolled sideways, and came up with a fist full of sand and flicked it up at the creature's face.
Blinded by her dirty trick the creature flailed the air in front of it wildly, as Claret easily avoided the aimless slashing. Rolling again to come around behind the creature, she stuck her blade deep into its spine, severing it's cord, and let the body crumple in front of her as well. Swiftly she moved in behind the creature, took its jaw in one hand, yanked it upward such that its piscalaen eyes pleaded for mercy searching Claret's face in its final moments. There was none to be found. Slashing the creatures throat, she pushed it away and stepped away from it as its final breath bubbled and frothed with its own blood.
Retrieving her other knife, she walked to the waterline and rinsed them and wiped them dry on her tunic. Peering about again, checking to see if the commotion had drawn any nearby attention, she was satisfied as no others could be found. Walking up to the remains of a crate nearby, she flicked what remained of the lid off to find that most of the contents were broken bottles. She spent the next half candlemark walking along the beach, checking broken crates and their remaining contents. She managed to salvage three bottles of her special cargo. Tethyrian Tanagluth. A local delicacy and a favourite amongst the nobility back home. She was set to make a tidy profit importing this into the City. She managed to find a smaller carryable crate that contained spoiled foodstuffs to which she emptied and replaced it with her salvaged wine. Satisfied that they'd survive the journey back in her care she made her way back to the waiting Nelvin and the rowboat.
Nelvin did not have much to say at the sight of the battle weary, blood stained halfling approaching him carrying a wooden box. The look in her eye basically told him "Don't mess with me, I'm not in the mood". They rowed back to the boat without a word spoken and sailed back to Ulgoth's beard.
