Chapter 15 The caravan would be a lot bigger than expected. Ten wagons the same size and type as our and a dozen smaller carts would be coming with us. We spent the extra days getting geared up. I had added some normal wooden helmets to the skeletons instead of the bunny caps, as Aura was now calling them. She had taken them and sold those in her dad's shop within a day. A lot of young girls liked them. The long lumberjack axes were placed in our chest for when we needed them and I got some smaller handaxes instead. Each skeleton would have two, as they could also be used as nasty short-range throwing weapons. For myself, I reluctantly ditched the axe/guitar and got myself a good double-bladed axe. The guitar would have its pride of place in the living area of the wagon for now. I also got myself a full set of leather armour. Grim just stuck with his cleavers, leather trousers and a leather butchers apron. Leaving his arms bare. Aura had now officially joined us as the armourer. As she was half catkin she would stay with leather armour for now but was working on some secret contraption. She had upgraded from her cart to a wagon about the same size as ours because She would need more space. her wagon would have the merc armoury in it alongside her workshop. She already did some modifications to it and part of the sides would be able to fold down to make a platform again for her workshop when we made camp. Apart from us, the Death Stormers, we had two more small mercenary companies with us. One was a group of 20 veterans who planned on retiring when we came to Maidens rest and as they only banded together for this trip didn't have a name. They were a mixed group of all front line fighters. They would be in charge of all the other wagons on the trip and drive them in pairs. The other group was also a new company. They called themselves the wind leaves. 25 arcane archers. Most were wood elves but they had a couple of halflings and one troll mixed in. This group would be tasked with hunting during the trip. Of course, the other two people that we knew that were tagging along were Missy and Sissy. Aura quickly became friends with them while getting ready and offered them a spot on her wagon. Both sisters were accomplished archers and animal handlers so would help us out in driving the wagons as well. All told we had about 300 people coming along. most would be riding the wagons and carts but there were a few richer people who were able to afford their own mounts. In charge of the caravan was an odd figure. He was a double-headed Ogre mage He said that his actual name was unpronounceable so we should just call him Bob. I found out way later that he was just embarrassed by the name his mom gave him. She was a druid and named him buttercup. He was a part of the same adventure party as Missy and Sissy's parents and had initially come to help escort them. But being the most experienced member and knowing the route well he was asked by the commander to lead the caravan. The plan was easy on paper. We had a three-week journey ahead of us. the first week on a normal road, but then we would hit one of the ancient roads that were in the region. Wich was a godsend as the latter half of the journey would take us through a landscape crisscrossed with a maze of gigantic ravines. The road had huge bridges spanning the gaps. Some were over 200 meters across, without the road and the bridges we would have to go around which would have added a few months to the journey. The commander had had reports of other smaller caravans getting ambushed by were-rats who were hiding in the ravines. They would be the biggest threat on this trip. Each night we would stop early, set up all the large wagons in a big ring with the carts and all the tents inside. The veterans and the wind leaves would keep watch during the day. We would take the night shift as everyone in our group was able to see in the dark. If we spotted anything it would be easy to raise an alarm and wake up the rest. Missy and Sissy would drive the wagons while we slept during the day. The skeletons didn't need any rest so they would be out in front. The vanguard morale buff they would give the caravan would be very helpful while on the march. I hadn't figured out a banner for them yet. Thinking maybe I would get some inspiration after we had a few battles. Grim had stocked some more mead, and surprisingly queenie had decided to tag along as well. Her last birth had another queen sprite in it so she left that one in charge of the Hive in Storm cove and she was planning on starting a new one in Maidens rest and building another restaurant there. So our wagon now sported a small hive of the queen and about 20 sprites as well. They would be helpful during the trip as although normal sprites don't get classes they all had a little bit of healing magic. Then finally the day had come for us to move out again. Aura's dad, the commander guild master and guild mistress all came to wave us goodbye and good luck.