[h3][color=00a651][b][center]Malkus[/center][/b][/color][/h3] 
[Center][color=00a651][b]Location:[/b][/color] In a cave off the road, between Sarlarn and Yzewz
[color=00a651][b]Actions:[/b][/color] Exploring the cave[/center]

Malkus shambled onward, trying his best to stay out of the rain but accepting that slogging through a ditch wasn't any better. He kept sneezing every few feet because he was cold, and he was starting to feel ill. Or at least worse than he already was. He was getting some feeling back into his fingers, but not enough to play his flute. He kept whistling his tune until eventually he just grew tired of having to try, and kept his mouth shut. As he walked through the rain he swore he could hear mad rantings in the distance, even over the storm. Not wanting to get involved in crazy, Malkus chose this time to try the off-beaten path.

Malkus knew he was treading dangerous ground trying to go into the forest rather than sticking to the road. But if his times in the thieves guild were any indication, the roads were a trap: even the most well protected caravan can and will be torn apart by anyone with a sliver tactics, and those tactics were deadly in narrow paths like this one. So yes, while Malkus would risk a lot heading into the woods, the roads weren't any safer. Sure he kept getting bit by bugs, but that's not exactly anything new to the city either. Druids and their like think that the city is devoid of nature's touch, but Malkus can assure them that while they don't have pretty trees or oasis hiding fairies, they at least still had wild animals, swarms of diseased insects, and poisonous plants that just love to ruin your day. So Malkus was no stranger to getting eaten alive as he finally saw something promising: A cave.

While most stories would tell you that monsters and vicious animals lived in caves, Malkus new better. Caves were often wet and devoid of warmth, food, or even silence. Plants can't exactly grow somewhere where there is no sun, and edible moss was a crapshoot. Wind blows through caves and unless there is another entrance or lots of holes, that wind made noise that can be rather creepy. Sure some animals might make burrows or hide in a cave in a storm like this, but he doubts anything lives there. So while Malkus made his way to the cave, he grabbed a few branches and sticks that were reasonably dry. That is to say, he could probably carve off the wet wood if they weren't soaked to the core. All he after that was some tinder he could make a fire.

Malkus entered the cave with an armful of wood underneath the poncho. To his surprise however, there was already a small fire going. Malkus immediately dropped his wood at the entrance and took out Mr. Slashy. It seemed like he wasn't the only one who chose to take shelter here, but Malkus didn't like the unknown. He wasn't about to give up this opportunity to finally get some rest, at least unless whoever was here was stronger or more numerous than him. Surely there was no wild animals, but then again wolves weren't known for their fire-making skills. There could be orcs or humans in these caves. Either way, Malkus intends to find out who they are and... Maybe hope they won't kill him? Malkus didn't have a plan after "finding" them. He'll figure something out once he gets to that road.

Letting Skinny out of his bag so he could hunt, Malkus ventured deep into the cave with his poison-soaked blade. He was going to get to the bottom of this, one way or another.