[At the rest stop]
"Hello and Yes Ms Yulya, I'd love to!

Ashley pushes out of Alice's grip.
"This is the opposite of how you get candy in the future!"

Alice wakes everyone and reports her encounter with the guards during breakfast.

The temperature immediately drops as you move along the road. It becomes earily quiet and the wind picks up, a side draft that has gales of 10-15 mph. There are no chirping birds or skittering squirrels, many of the plants show signs of frostbite and hard freeze has killed some of the trees along the treeline or sent them back to dormancy after they were just coming out of their slumber.

[Saturday, Spring 22, 16:14, Partly Cloudy, 2C 27miles]
You see the Trees to the east, not more than 100 feet away, unnaturally covered in patches of snow. the north side of every rock, every dip, every bush, anything that doesn't get direct sunlight is holding on to fluffs of snow. And you're also becoming wary of this gale that seems to follow you and chill you as you walk.

Suddenly you're confronted with Two large Grizzies with a total of 4 cubs, they all look emaciated, as they would just exiting their dens after winter, but these Bears are far enough South that they wouldn't have hibernated, so the lack of food in Early spring are threatening their existence. They're headed North along the trail directly for you and stop as they spot you, sticking their noses in the air. Given the they can easily smell both you and the girls, they're considering what to do next but the look in their eyes says awfully hungry and cranky. They're wary but aren't backing down.[/i]

Past the turn off to Phandalin, you feel like this is the dead of winter and not well into spring. You continue and it just keeps cooling, by 10th hour, it's nearing freezing and it's taking a toll on the girls. They're still able to go a little further but not by much.

Suddenly you're confronted with Two large Grizzies with a total of 4 cubs, they all look emaciated, as they would just exiting their dens after winter, but these Bears are far enough South that they wouldn't have hibernated, so the lack of food in Early spring are threatening their existence. They're headed North along the trail directly for you and stop as they spot you, sticking their noses in the air. Given that they can easily smell both you and the girls, they're considering what to do next but the look in their eyes says awfully hungry and cranky. They're wary but aren't backing down.
Sandra skids to a stop, terrified by the bears ahead. Sophia hasn't seemed to notice them and keeps plotting along, tired but determined to pull.

Yulya is both amazed and frightened by the group of bears
Do not threaten them!
Let us slowly retreat. If they follow us we must defend ourselves but I do not want to hurt them. They have it hard enough!
Cat do you think you could lure them off the path with moose meat?

The bang reverberates through your lungs and the cubs scatter followed shortly by the mama bears. The smoke clears and the large black cat can't help but stare down the bears but by now the bears are already running off in all directions.

You arrive at Barthen's Provisions and Hobbie's sitting on the porch, smoking a long pipe, wrapped in a blanket. He hears you clopping up long before he sees you and when he sees who's trotting up he smiles, throws his hands in the air and cheers, "Look who's here!"

He squirms a bit and then says, "you're wrong Ms. Ashley, I have a full paying customer just today, she was happy to pay whatever I asked in fact! Well though not everyone can afford everything the same and you're not asking for me to take on finicky draft horses, so how long are you staying?"

Ashley takes a sigh, "Yulya? He says 50 flipping silver for these stinky girls and we only made 100, what a jip!"

Ashley summons Nixie 30ft ahead of the cart, and the corresponding loud bang and smoke.
The bang reverberates through your lungs and the cubs scatter followed shortly by the mama bears. The smoke clears and the large black cat can't help but stare down the bears but by now the bears are already running off in all directions.

Sandra's pulling the cart hard, a real champ though she's tired, but Sophia's had enough, though she's fine when you lead her, she's done and will probably not like being driven this hard in the future without another good uneventful day under her belt and in a warmer climate. Expect her to not make it all the way to the high road unless her mood has improved significantly.

You finally arrive to the small town of Phandalin.
You arrive at Barthen's Provisions and Hobbie's sitting on the porch, smoking a long pipe, wrapped in a blanket. He hears you clopping up long before he sees you and when he sees who's trotting up he smiles, throws his hands in the air and cheers, "Look who's here!"

An exhausted and shivering Yulya turns to Hobby using Persuasion

Hobby kicks at the ground then looks up at you, "I'm sorry to say it but it's been rough and the cold snap is the worst anyone's ever seen. This town is on the brink of failure! At this rate we'll have no food let alone extra coin to give discounts. We were promised a prosperous mine, fertile land, and freedom from bandits, we're worse off than we ever were." He has nothing left to give, "Pardon me Ms Yulya, but I gave you all a heck of a deal on Gundren's shipment, you might ask him for a bit of a cut of that when he turns up."

Ashley and Cat unload Hobby's supplies and lead the girls to the barn with the cart in tow, soon to be under Hobby's care. Regardless of price it had to happen. Ashley gave them each half an alfalfa block and they seemed relieved that they were going back into an enclose space. The biting below zero wind was probably the main reason.

Their supplies are right where they left them and parked inside is an old cart Hobby had in the back, Gundren's cart is missing as well as his horses, presumably taken by Sildar and his brothers, and next to Hobby's old cart is indeed a royal carriage.

Ashley's eyes widen, "holy heck... oooh" Ashley touches it, she runs her hands over the fine wood, gold, frills... "Cat... forgive me Cat for I am about to sin." She looks around and seeing no witnesses she hops in the driver's seat and grabs the reins. She sits on the fine leather cushioned seat and bounces in place, "Oh Cat, can I have it pleassseeee??????!!!! Oh..." She slumps back and then lays across the driver's seat, "oh... this is nice, it even smells nice."

Hobby kicks at the ground then looks up at you, "I'm sorry to say it but it's been rough and the cold snap is the worst anyone's ever seen. This town is on the brink of failure! At this rate we'll have no food let alone extra coin to give discounts. We were promised a prosperous mine, fertile land, and freedom from bandits, we're worse off than we ever were." He has nothing left to give, "Pardon me Ms Yulya, but I gave you all a heck of a deal on Gundren's shipment, you might ask him for a bit of a cut of that when he turns up."

He hands Yulya a sack with 600sp silver, from that she pays him back 50sp. Ashley is very disappointed but not too disappointed to take her cut from the top. Ashley takes 25 silver as part of her delivery quest payment.

Alice looks at the sack of silver with disapproval.
Can't I have that in gold? I can't store any silver you know and the lolibank is nearly empty. I'd rather not have you run around with over 500sp...

Alice's face lights up hearing Stonehill. Warm friendly atmosphere, great food, Expensive though.
Hey, I could go there while you deliver the supplies to Harbin.We don't wanna miss Summer or Elmina.  I promise I won't order anything without asking for the price first! They fooled me last time, but not again...

Nya come one let's deliver the supplies to that fat noble Nya so we''ve got that out of the way Nya!
Cat takes Harbin's supplies from the cart and stores them in her pack

Alice and Yulya exchange 300 silver for 30 gold.

Alice forges ahead through the dusty streets of Phandalin toward the Stonehill Inn, looking forward to warmth and relaxation after the long journey.
And what a welcome site it is to see. The beautiful architecture, the smell of smoked meat and fresh bread wafting past her, and the clank of ceramic mugs as she approaches the main doors, has left her every opportunity for feeling good despite the cold. She pushes through the door and with a little ring of a bell she enters.
Toblen's at the bar right where you left him with a fresh crate of cider sitting right next to him. He sees Alice enter and cheerfully announces her. "Ahh! Look what the cat dragged in! Where's your sisters little Alice?"

Alice looks around and finds Elmina sitting with a small figure with golden locks munching away on something that looks delicious. She glances over, then smiles and waves Alice over. It's Summer of course. Wearing a fine set of leisure clothes.