The Search for Songbird that Sings at Dusk

Creek's clan was attacked by the Hearth Smoke clan who came to steal food and women. Creek's twin sister, Songbird that Sings as Dusk, was one of the women taken by the raiders. Creek and several of clans, including his older brothers gave chase.     The rules of bride-stealing are simple, if you can get the stolen bride back to your clan before she is rescued, then she becomes your wife. If the groom-thief is caught before that, he is given the chance to pay the bride-price, which is determined by the rescuers based on the status of the stolen bride, or if the price can not be paid fight in a single combat with knives until an opponent's hair has been cut, with the winner receiving the stolen bride.     When Creek, his brothers, and fellow clansmen caught up with the Hearth Smoke raiders, they were all dead, as were several of the stolen brides. The remaining women were taken by a group that left the Druthain Woods and headed towards Iron Watch to the East. When the clan reached the edge of the woods, the clansmen spoke and voted to give up the chase as the women were taken out of the clan lands. Creek disagreed and implored his brothers and his fellows to continue the pursuit, but they majority decided to return to the clan. Creek stayed with his band and they turned for home, but later that night, after tossing and turning for hours, Creek snuck away from the camp, and headed for Iron Watch.     Once arriving in Iron Watch, he spent several days asking around about his sister with any who would speak with him. He finally heard from a patron at the Black Steel tavern, that he saw a woman matching Creek's description tied behind a wagon that was at the caravan staging grounds outside of town. When he got there that caravan had left several days earlier. Creek found a caravan that was leaving Iron Watch and headed to Hilltown, so he joined the train of merchants and other travelers as they began their journey.     As he moved with the caravan, he met several others who quickly became his friends on the long journey to the south. He does what he can to keep the caravan moving as fast as possible, but caravans seem to have a will of their own.