Cináed nodded his head to Kaden, offering a small smile. "Well, like I said. I owe you my life. If you ever need anything, then I'm yours to help. And that's an oath." The youth nodded his head firmly. Swearing oaths was something that warriors did. It was an honour thing, and he was fairly sure it was compulsory along the way if you wanted to be someone great. Heroes always kept their word, and he supposed he should start by saying words to keep to.

"It's a relief to hear about Ricard..." the young blonde sighed sadly, "I've known him... well, forever. I... I've known everyone here my whole life. I don't even... I don't even want to think about who might have died tonight."

At that moment, the calls of the farmhand addressing the mourning Elder drew Cináed's attention back to thoughts of Illasera. She'd been taken? Kidnapped? But that meant she was alive, that there was a chance of saving her. The youth's amber eyes set in determination.

"Kaden, you get back to the tavern and out of the rain. It's... probably best if you keep your head down while people calm down, they're... gonna be angry at anyone from outside the valley, I think. Everyone's upset and not thinking right, trying to find someone to blame." he said, "I'm... I need to go do something. I'll catch up to you."

Cináed turned and broke off into the village at a run, making a beeline for his home. He stopped just outside, listening for sounds of his parents within. It sounded like they were having an argument. He couldn't make out the details, but he thought they must be trying to figure out where he was. But they were safe. They were alive. That's all he'd needed to know. He turned from the window and made his way around to the side of the house, where his parents' mare was stabled in a single small stall. "Shh, Bella," he whispered as she whinnied when he pulled the gate open, "Don't let mother and father hear you."

He hastily saddled Bella up and led her out into the wet, much to her displeasure. He deftly clambered into the saddle and pulled his cloak around himself over his armour, raising the hood to hide his face. Then he spurred the mare into motion, starting her off at a trot that rapidly accelerated as he rode through the village streets.

People stumbled out of the way with surprised and irritated yells where he passed, galloping straight towards the fields and the forest beyond. His eyes fell on another man on the trail a short distance out of the village, and he directed Bella to draw up behind him. "Hey!" he yelled to Richter, "Hey! You're going after the captives, right? Well, I'm going with you!"

Richter glanced over his shoulder as he heard someone calling after him. He looked the person over; he looked pretty young, and was around average size, perhaps a tad small. He was armed, and probably capable.

"Well come on then!" He called back, letting him catch up. "Stick close to me, and play it safe. Hopefully we can get everyone home safe, including ourselves."

Well, no need to be so rude...

Amnon understood that in light of recent events, that anyone from outside the Valley would be viewed with a healthy amount of caution. But to be outright hostile to someone like himself who was only trying to help was unreasonable.

He held his hands up to either side of his head. "I was only going to request your aid with helping those who may need it. There are a lot of bodies lying around here, but just because they're on the ground does not mean they have passed on, but if we don't render some sort of aid it won't be long until they do. We need to set up some kind of hospit, and start organizing the bodies. That way we can help with both the injured and taking a roll call of sorts. This way family members can find their loved ones. We should also get working on a missing persons list."

He sighed and lowered his hands.

"As you can see that's a lot of work for just one person to handle, so yes, I need your help. someone who isn't an outsider to help organize the locals. We're not sure if whoever attacked here is truly gone, or just regrouping for another strike. We need to have our heads on straight if it's the latter."

Her eyes flitted between the two palms he held up to face her. So he wasn't going to set her on fire. What a relief. It had been a tough day for her without that.

People were darting about frantically; injured friends slung over their shoulders, family members colliding in the torrential streets having found each other, emitting strangled cries and hysterical laughter in relief. She spotted a lone person carrying a jar of something that looked like salve. Of course, the number of burn injuries would be high.

She listened to the man, half-in half-out of her bewildered daze. Every now and again she would focus enough to glare at the stranger. It was a few seconds before she realised he had stopped talking since she'd been distracted by her own thoughts of The Teller and the happenings at the entrance to the Inn where his companion had disappeared into. It was the heart of the village and people seemed to have started accumulating, looking for answers. She lifted a cloaked arm through the heavy falling rain and jabbed a finger towards it, remembering him saying something about a hospital. "There" Her voice had lost it's anger. "We take the injured there."

Organising bodies. Roll call. Missing persons... Another strike. "I- I can't get my head straight. This doesn't happen here. This is My Valley."

Oh, but it was happening. How did this person know what to do? He'd seen things like this before. That's what it sounded like. What was it like out there? For someone to be familiar of such a horror story like this? Eve caught herself gazing out to the mountains as a flash of lightening framed them against the sky. She tightened her grip on the reins. A deep breath allowed her to steady herself.

"Check pulses. Leave the dead, for now. Take the injured to the Inn, only serious injuries. Get someone to start the list." She said, thinking out loud, though most of it vanished beneath a roar from the heavens as thunder rolled through the clouds.

They were wasting time. Eve took a step forwards against the wind, pulling the work horse along after her; she couldn't carry more than one injured person, but the gelding could.

"Don't try anything, Outsider."