What sort of sane soldier would be here, alone, waiting for a chance to strike against a group of bandits? They'd killed at least fifteen of them - Captain Uthral had accounted for some, but not all - and there were bound to be more. It might take an entire company to finish them off. His thoughts on the bandits being well organized were coming back to the surface again. She might know more about them than he did, but it would be beneficial to share what he knew and ask her to do the same. One of Ithunvel's captains would not have come this far while uninformed and lacking in the understanding that would make quests such as this one possible.
"They say the bandits hit Posa two nights ago," Ulbarich would have preferred a map, but it was dry and sealed with wax on his horse's saddle. "As near as we could tell from the lieutenant who had command there, they came in the night, outnumbered his command three or four to one. Since his command is 50 men, the math is simple enough. There are thirty of us, and we've seen enough action to hold our own, but I would prefer to try and pick up another command along the way."
He didn't say, but implied, that he hoped she would help him in this. It was difficult enough to convince someone to follow your banner when they had their own troubles. Superior officer or not, if a pet project was threatened, then it would be the end of his attempts. Captain Uthral, on the other hand, would have no such troubles. A representative of the king - regardless of her rank - was always treated differently than a simple captain. Although in Ulbarich's experience, there was no such thing as a 'simple' captain. You did not attain rank by being a fool.
At least, not as he recalled it.
"Regardless, they'll try and retreat into the mountains," Ulbarich went on. "There are dozens, if not hundreds, of abandoned outposts up there. All of them designed to resist an orc attack. They could be hiding in any one of those outposts. That's why speed is of the essence. I doubt they'll try and strike again while they retreat; we can make it less likely by following close on their heels. What do you say to that, Captain Uthral?"
It was half-challenge and half-question, to see if she had a better plan than his.