The Great Quest

[Mathron]

In the mountains nigh unto Fangorn Forest, a grave battle was fought. A foul Balrog, one of the fallen Maia that sought the corruption and conquest of the world, was foiled in his vile plans, and his menace forever ended. But in the process, the heroes that dealt him this grievious blow were to suffer their own calamity - two of their number were siezed and taken by mysterious warriors who called themselves 'The Watchers.' The two lost were Dania and Narsh, noble elves.

Of the adventurers remaining, three took it upon themselves to find and rescue their comrades, and discover what force was behind these Watchers, and what horrendous purpose drove it. Those who set out were Mal, once a powerful Maia, now a fragment of his former self; Faradin, one of the noble remnants of the Dunedain, a Ranger; and Slythre, who is simply a capable figure who gets the job done, now without a leige.

A fourth figure journeys along their path as well, but only one of them knows of his silent presence, and catches sight of the silhouette of a wolf at times, watching them as they make camp for the night.

The adventure begins as they walk down along the bank of a wide river, a river called the Entwash. Faradin takes the lead, bending down every few feet to investigate the ground.

As they walked, Mal glanced back every so often, seeing the trees of Fangorn Forest fading into the distance behind them, as they headed southwest along the Entwash.

Suddenly Faradin stopped, bending over the bank of the river, and running his hands along the crushed grass beside it.

He turned to the others, speaking up softly. "Here is where their path ends. They must have journeyed up the river in a number of boats or rafts, and then split up into a few parties - three, from what I can tell."

Slythre spoke. "We met one in the woods, Mal another in the castle," and here she glanced sidelong at Mal, for the question of how he had slain those was unanswered... as was how he had restored the arm he had apparently lost a while before. Shaking her head, she went on, "And the last was the one that stole off with Dania and Narsh. So they are all accounted for."

Faradin nodded, agreeing. "Aye, and that last party returned here, where they had left the boats. They must have split up, and took all the boats back, and now sail down the Entwash."

"Which means," Mal spoke grimly, "they are gaining even more of a lead, even as we speak."

"Aye."

Silence fell over them, and then they headed out once more, continuing on despite the hopelessness that they began to feel.

[Lief Erikson]

Vardor stared down on the city below, from his tower. Dania was on the way, and everything was going according to plan. She had eluded his capture long, but now was almost in his grasp. Already, Vardor's plans had spread out throughout the country, and he had gained his alliances, toying with all of these good and unsuspecting people like puppets to get where he wanted.

As this thought crossed his mind, he looked up longingly at the clouds. He would use whatever torture or coaxing neccessary, but he would have the information from that girl! Then, the pathway would be opened, and the key to the Valley of Ethrilien used.

As he looked down, Vardor's eyes fell upon Grima. The insidious little plant of Saruman's was bullying someone of a lesser status. Not that Grima, or Saruman for that matter had anything to do with Vardor. All they were were distractions to those who might hinder him. And any distraction would be useful.

[Lief Erikson]

The sun shown brilliantly down on the great meadow of green grass, covered with violets and small patches of other flowers. Nearby, off to one side was a pool of crystal clear water, reflecting the sun's rays. The valley seemed to the two elves that walked through it to be a paradise of nature's work.

They looked up as they heard the galloping of hooves, and were surprised to see a man gallop over the rise, riding down from the slope. He had a white horse and was clad in silver and green. He had long blond hair, tied back by a leather thong. He was handsome and finely clad, but just as obviously a man who was strong and capable of looking after himself.

"Good day to you," he said as he came to a stop a few feet from them. "Who owns this beautiful place?"

"None own it. Who can tame or control this place without destroying it?" was the first elf's response.

"I apologize, I didn't mean to offend," the man said. He looked out across the meadow. "Where do you come from?"

"We are from the village, over that way," the second elf responded, pointing towards the trees further away. "And you?"

"I come from Rohan on a mission from Lord Thaldsan. I doubt you've ever heard of him."

The first elf shook his head. "But we offer you a rest before you continue your journey."

"Thank-you, I appreciate your hospitality," the man said as he swung off his horse.

[Lief Erikson]

Ayna wore a light brown cloak, and was wearing loose fitting pants and shirt. She had a bow and quiver of arrows hanging from the horse's saddle, as her weapons. A jewel hung from a leather necklace around her throat. She was slim and strikingly beautiful, with light brown hair and blue eyes.

She rode swiftly through the muddy ground. Moss grew on it, and there were trees here and there, although all of them were gnarled and old. Her horse came to a stop as she reached the riverbank, and she looked out in surprise at the three travelers who moved swiftly forward on their small craft, using the tide to pull them along.

She set her horse to match their pace, and rode quickly alongside. "Who are you and where are you bound?" she called to them. "Travelers in these parts are rare, and you are heading in a direction few go."

*Later on, you'll find out just how amazing the coincidence of this meeting is.*

[Roland]

Ulrog cowered under the shade of the rockey overhang that protected him from the sun's harsh light. He pulled his ragged blanket tight around himself in a further effort to escape the sunlight, but it was no good. The sun still cursed Ulrog, just as it did the rest of his race. He was a small black orc, of a tracker breed. If it weren't for his skill at tracking Ulrog would have been killed a long time ago, but as long as he was useful to his master....
Sudenly, through the brightness of the sun, Ulrog caught sight of a raft travelling down the river. He threw down the bone he had been chewing on and leaned forward slightly, sniffing the air with his flared nostrils. It was definetly them. Ulrog had guessed right that they would come this way. But he had hoped they would be on foot. A raft wouldn't leave a trail that he could follow come nightfall. Up to now, overtaking them at night and then sighting them during the day had worked, but there was no way Ulrog could ovetake a raft. It looked as though Ulrog had failed. His master would not be pleased. As he started to imagine the cruel punishments that failure meant to his kind Ulrog smelt something different. Just as the raft passed by his hiding spot a woman on a horse pulled along side it and spoke to the people aboard. As she passed him, the woman on the horse seemed to look straight at Ulrog. Wrapping the blanket tighter around himself Ulrog slunk into the shadows and tried to make his body as small as possible. He didn't move from there until nightfall.

[Morkhon]

*How'd we end up in the river, I wanted to introdue a dwarven character of mine. At least I edited my post before anyone caught it*

[Mathron]

*Sorry, didn't realize the three travelers were us... no clue where the boat came from, but not gonna question the aid of fortune! Anyway...*

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"Hail and well met!" Mal calls out, gesturing for the others to help guide the craft to shore. As they approach the lady, she remains wary, but Mal explains their quest.

"It is true travel in this parts is rare - but we but follow the tracks of others. Some friends of ours, two noble elves named Dania and Narsh, were captured by mysterious foes, and escaped before we could rescue our friends. The villains, as far as we can tell, went farther down this river, and so we seek after them. And as for who we are, my name is Mal, and my companions are Slythre and Faradin."

[Mathron]

Meanwhile, aways down the river....

The three black crafts came to a harsh stop as the approach of riders was noted. Weapons were raised by those within the craft, dark figures in obsidian armor and with cloaked faces.

Soon the riders thundered up to them, coming to a harsh stop. A dozen of the Riders of Rohan stood, staring upon the craft in silence. One of them, their captain, approaches.

"Were you successful?" His voice echoes out, sibilantly, over the water.

The figures in the craft split up, leaving two boats entirely, and only two remaining to man the last one. They carry two comatose forms with them. The captain's eyes seem to narrow slightly. "I only ssee elves."

The voice that came back at him was hesitent, but when it spoke, it was even more snakelike than the captain's. "Aye. We were unable to get the oness the masster wanted."

"And you dared return!?" the captain cried out, anger echoing in his voice.

"Of thosse we ssought, one iss gone entirely, and we ssussspect as long as sshe remainsss off thiss land, the masster'sss goalss will remain the ssame. Asss for the other - he hass regained too much for uss to deal with him."

The captain scowled, but nodded at his words, for it made sense. "Then the master must be informed... he will want to send something... sstronger... to deal with the one he wishes."

A shudder echoed in the other's voice. "A b'rak?"

"Perhapss. Bring the elves here."

As they did so, he nodded, saying, "At least you accomplished this much. You shall not be allowed to fail again."

"Aye, broodlord."

The captain spun about, staring at the speaker. "Do NOT make a sslip such as that when cloaked!"

The offender took a sharp step back, and then bowed low in submission. The captain turned about, gesturing for the elves to be placed on some additional horses they had with them. He then spoke with those remaining on the last boat, and they soon pushed off from the bank and were speeding down the river once more.

He called for more extra horses to be brought over for the eight joining their company, and then tossed a number of uniforms at their feet. Saying nothing, they began to place the clothing over their obsidian armor, removing and casting their hooded cloaks back into the boats remaining. As their cloaks came off, the faces underneath were revealed - harsh, foul, and deformed visages that seemed in constant agony. While they put on the uniforms, the captain brought the rest of his men over to the boats, and set them aflame, watching them until only ash remained.

Turning back to the others, now garbed in the raiment of the Riders of Rohan, he raised an eyebrow. Bowing to him, they stood still for a moment, concentrating, and then began to shudder and twitch, though no moans came from them. Their faces seemed to ... melt ... and then their features were that of normal men, in the coloration and similar to the other riders with the captain. He nodded, pleased. "Well done. But speak little while under my command - you still need to adjust to thiss tongue."

They nodded, and then mounted their steeds, falling in line behind their captain. With a silent motion, he prodded his horse into action, and the squad, with the captive elves bound upon two horses, headed away from the river.

[Lief Erikson]

*Sorry about the addition of the boat. I was reading through your first post a little bit quickly, and I accidentally assumed that with all the talk about boats and transfers and such, I thought that they had one. My mistake. Although it probably doesn't matter much anyway.*

"My name is Ayna. Did you say one of the ones you seek was named Dania?"

"Yes," Mal called back.

She rode in silence for a moment.

"Why?" Slythre asked. "Do you know something about this?"

"I know there's an orc spy on the other side of the river," Ayna said with a slight smile.

"And there's a wolf on yours," Faradin answered.

She looked around and yelped as the sleek form of a wolf moved swiftly out from the trees.

[Mathron]

"Ah," Mal said dryly, "Allow me to introduce another friend of mine - a simple companion of nature who has deigned to join us."

Slythre, near Mal, looked inquisitively, for he was obviously remaining silent about Harnauro's true nature, but gave an inward shrug, and said nothing.

Anya looked warily at the wolf, but it simply approached, peering once at the figures on the boat, and then sat down, looking at Anya, its eyes peering intently at her. She looked back at it for a moment, and then glanced back towards Mal. "Well, it seems to mean no harm - you have him well trained. And it certainly looks nothing like the vile wolves that ally with the goblins and orcs, so maybe it is to be trusted."

Mal smiled. "I assure you, it only harms those who wish it ill. Now then, were you saying you knew Dania?"

[Lief Erikson]

Faradin dug his oar into the sandy river bottom, stopping their small craft. Then, he also looked over at Ayna.

"No," she answered Mal. "I don't know her. Not exactly. I heard her name spoken by some men back there," she pointed back in the direction she'd come. "They had captured two people, and I think they may be the ones you are looking for."

"Were they cloaked and wearing dark armor plating?" Slythre asked.

"Hardly," Ayna said. "Obviously, they were different from the ones your looking for."

"Appearances mean nothing," Faradin said. "Especially if they started heading in that direction. We already saw that they have unusual powers, and there could have been a prisoner transfer, as well."

Ayna shrugged. "Well, it's your decision. None of my business. Now, if you'll call off your wolf, I'll be on my way."

"What is your business here?" Slythre asked, leaning forward.

She instantly regretted having done so, as the boat tipped. Quickly, she shifted her weight and the small craft evened out again.

Ayna hesitated, looking as though she were searching for an answer. "I was . . . cutting cross country to a different city."

"There aren't any cities out here," Slythre said coldly. "Don't lie to us. You were sent to spy on us, weren't you?"

The wolf stood up.

"No, I swear I wasn't," she said vehemently. "But I can't tell you what I'm doing out here."

"Well, perhaps we should join company for a while, until we have proof of this," Slythre said.

"If she is a spy, then taking her with us won't earn us anything more than a knife in the back," Faradin whispered to her.

"But leaving her will let her go back to the one who sent her, giving information both as to our whereabouts, and purpose. We would be killed a lot faster that way. And if we take her weapons, she won't be any harm." She looked at the other two. "What do you think?"

[Mathron]

Mal took a long look at Anya, and rubbed his chin, considering. Slowly, a smile arose on his face.

"Perhaps I could suggest another idea. We shall let her go her own way but with some... company. Harnauro, if you please?"

The wolf grinned, and then took a step towards Anya, staring at her wickedly.

Her eyes widened, and she spun about, staring at Mal. "You can't mean you will make that, that THING, travel with me!"

Mal turned to Faradin and Slythre, lowering his voice so Anya couldn't here. "Surely, if her intent is innocent, Harnauro can accompany her without harm - but if she seeks to go to our foes, he will be able to either prevent her or learn of our enemy's whereabouts! It is either this, or to keep her with us - letting her go free, alone, is not a good option."

[Lief Erikson]

*Actually, that is a much better idea. I like it.*

Ayna stared at the wolf for a long moment, her face slightly pale. "Can it . . ." she hesitated. "Would it fight, if I came under attack?"

Mal looked surprised. This was not a question he'd expected. "Perhaps. That depends."

She looked at the wolf again, and took a deep breath. "Very well, I'll just have to trust it. And you."

Tapping her horse's sides with the heels of her boots, she moved off into the trees, the wolf moving along at an equal pace, alongside her.

"Well that takes care of that problem," Slythre said with a smile. "And a good idea that was too. Now, are we going to follow the lead she gave us, and pursue those men she said she saw that way, or continue following the river?"

[Mathron]

Mal stared down the direction of the river, tapping his fingers on his leg, concentration on his face.

Finally, he spoke. "Down that way lies... a foe I doubt we could face. Also, I doubt those we chased serve him, for they seemed quite different from his typical servants. If our foe lay farther down the river, it must be much farther, for once the river turns to the north, it continues through many lands uninhabited. We would not know if we were on the wrong paths for weeks, even months. I say we follow up what the girl mentioned, for if our path would lead elsewhere, it could be hopeless in anycase."

He gave a chuckle, shaking his head. "What morbid reasoning I have! Let us follow the lead, and trust in our luck. That has always worked for me." As he finished this statement, he flashed a grin at the others, then leaned back, awaiting their opinions.

[Lief Erikson]

"Sure, you've got the magic, Mal. We'll follow you."

Slythre hopped over the side of the boat, landing on the squooshy mud of the riverbank. Mal and the others followed, leaving the boat behind. The sharp cold nipped at them through the graying sky, and the mud spattered up onto their legs during the journey. Soon, Slythre was wishing hard for some horses, but she didn't say anything. Eventually, the trees grew more sparse, and the ground hardened. Dead grass littered it, giving a faint crunching under their feet.

After fifteen miles of such travel, the sky had darkened to night, and they decided to stop until dawn.

[Lief Erikson]

Ayna finally stopped her horse to wait out the night, and the wolf disappeared in the trees. She still felt its eyes on her, though, so she knew it hadn't truly gone.

She unbuckled her weapons and lay them to the side. Then, she curled up underneath her cloak and soon found sleep.

When she awoke in the morning, she started at the sight of two dead orcs lying on the ground a few feet away from her, weapons still clutched in their hands.

The wolf was sitting on its haunches, looking at her intently. It was as if it was studying or judging her, and she felt uneasy at the feeling.

[Lief Erikson]

"What was he doing here?" Elrov asked himself, aloud.

"Just what he said," the second elf responded. "Going on a mission to his Lord Thaldsan."

"But why is he going back the way he came?" Elrov asked with a shake of his head. "He came here on purpose. This valley was his destination."

"But . . . why?" his face paled. "You don't think that word has leaked out about the . . ."

"Yes, I'm afraid it has," Elrov said grimly. "But I must be certain. As one of the watchers of this village, it is my duty to ensure the safety of its inhabitants. I will go to the keeper of the key myself, and inform them of the danger they face. What everyone in all Middle Earth face if what we suspect is true."

[Morkhon]

Faradin heard a noise in the night and snapped awake instantly. His hand went to his sword hilt and he shifted in such a way that it looked only like he was rolling over in his sleep. Keeping his breathing deep and even he watched the in the direction of the sound. He saw a cloaked figure about 4 feet high enter the campsite and look around. Leaping to his feet he drew his sword and demanded, "Reveal yourself!"

His companions awakened upon his cry and tumbled from there sleeping places, Slythre somewhat sleepily and Mal as gracefully as the Ranger. The figure stopped and drew back it's hood and cloaked revealing a bushy black beard under bright eyes. He wore a shirt of mail and an axe hung at his belt. "I am Gungar, of the folk of Dain, King under the Mountain. I saw your fire and decided to investigate. There are orcs prowling this region and I thought that the fire may have been made by them."

Faradin relaxed slightly at the sight of a dwarf and then asked, "What are you doing here? This is far from the normal paths travelers would take."

"I travel to Gondor, my people have been asked to see what they can do for the defense of Minas Tirith in the days to come, for war is brewing. I saw the signs of orcs and decided to stray from the regular paths to see what I could of their business and to hinder them as I could."

[Lief Erikson]

"Your country might well be in need of looking to its own defense, if things keep up as they have," Slythre said as she sheathed the dagger that had been held poised for throwing. "But we will not hinder you on your quest. We ourselves are in pursuit of a group of men who took two of our friends captive." She glanced around quickly, and a thought struck her. "We're heading in the general direction of Gondor as well. Would you like to join us for a time?"

[Mathron]

Another day passed as Anya journeyed towards whatever goal she had. Her progress was slow, for she constantly checked her surroundings for signs of orcs and other villains, and moved cautiously and always through the cover of the trees. As well, in the woods, her horse was unable to move as fast as on the plains.

Most of all, though, she was still nervous about the wolf accompanying her. Constantly she looked about, for it often vanished while she traveled, though she always felt its eyes upon her.

Night fell, and once more she prepared for rest. She saw no sign of the wolf, and soon fell asleep.

Harnauro gazed at the girl from the darkness of the wood, wondering what to make of her. He knew why Mal had asked him to stay with her, but he did not like serving as no more than a watchdog!

With a growl, he found a comfortable spot, and settled into the ground, watching the surroundings nearby for signs of any foes. Though he could go for days without rest, the exhaustion of leaving the woods many days before, and staying on alert for so long was beginning to weary him. Slowly, he sunk into a fitful sleep.

Harnauro rarely dreamed in this age, but this night was one of the few he did. The exhuastion and changes in his life mixed within him, and nightmares plagued him. Scenes of fire, and deep burning pits within immense mountains and caves. he saw himself looking out over armies of thousands of orcs, marching to war, while great beasts flittered through the air overhead, even balrogs and dragons above the mighty host.

He saw that image fade away in smoke and fire, and saw another warhost, a mighty battle taking place within those caves, orcs fleeing from forces beyong their comprehension, and even balrogs hurtling to their deaths to great chasms within the stony caverns deep within the mountain.

His nightmare flickered once more, and he saw himself floating in the air, flames flickering about his struggling form. A figure, a hated figure stood staring at him. A handsome face laughed at his struggles, and then cried out harsh, arcane words that tore at him, burnt into his soul. He saw his body fall to the ground, and the figure turn away and leave him upon the blackened earth he lay upon. He saw his form shudder, and twist, and shake, and begin to change...

With a silent cry of rage, he bolted awake, and turned, quickly, gazing all about. His location and situation instantly returned to him, and a snarl emerged, unbidden, from deep within him. Quelling his emotions, he stalked back into the clearing, and was relieved to see all was as it had been before he had sunk asleep. Anya lay sleeping on the ground, cloak draped over her, and only a few strands of brown hair lay out from under it.

Harnauro sniffed the air, and smelling no orcs or any others nearby, returned to his spot of watching, to sit and wait for dawn.

[Roland]

Ulrog crept slowly from his hiding spot and made his way down to the river bank. What he saw there did much to lift his spirits. The three he was following had moored their boat, not much further down river than where he had been hiding. He could clearly see their tracks and could even detect their faint scent on the wind. He soon found another set of tracks and sniffed the ground there. The one on the horse had gone a different way, and it looked as though the wolf had gone with her. This was even better. That wolf had worried Ulrog. Mostly it seemed to be watching over the others and he had often worried about it knowing he was following.
Well now it looked as though his following of the three would continue. Even living in constant risk of being discovered was better than punishment at the hands of his master. Ulrog shuddered at the thought of that. Life in the mountains had been much better before the master had come along. His thoughts were interupted as something rustled in the grass near him. Ulrog quickly readied his bow and shot the small form which leapt past him. A rabbit. Grabbing his dinner he set off after the others.
Traveling swiftly through the night, stopping only occasionally for some raw rabbit or to get the scent of the three, Ulrog was able to catch sight of the fire, with a little of the night to spare. He saw the squat figure heading towards it and sniffed the air. A dwarf. Ulrog didn't like Dwarves much, and knew the feeling was mutual. He also knew they could see quite well in the dark. He saw the Dwarf challenged by the tall man and decided now was the best time to hide. He leaned foward, almost on all fours, and raced forward to take cover in some rocks nearby.

Gungar considered Slythre's offer. Some travelling companions might not be such a bad idea. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of some swift movement.

[Lief Erikson]

When Ayna woke, she saw five more dead orcs nearby. They had gotten so close, but had still been slain without her hearing a sound! She now felt nervous. Perhaps they hadn't been entirely taken in anyway.

Things were looking that way more and more. Both tonight and yesterday, orcs had attacked and been dispatched by her wolf companion . . . who was looking at her again right now.

She stood up, holding the cloak around herself, tightly. She looked down at the wolf, and then began collecting her things and saddling her horse. Strangely enough, her horse showed no concern at the presence of the wolf, and she puzzled at that for a moment. After a while, she shrugged and walked over to search the bodies. She found no identification on them, but that merely showed that whoever sent them didn't want to be identified. It probably was who she feared it was.

"This is the second time you've saved my life," she said to the wolf.

Then, she put her foot in the stirrup and swung up onto her horse, proceeding deeper into the woods.

The wolf was still looking at her as it loped easily alongside. But she caught something unusual in its eyes. Curiosity? It couldn't be. This was merely an animal. A smart animal, for certain, but it couldn't understand what she said. Could it? Eagles were intelligent, and wolves were also known to be. They were mainly evil creatures, even having their own language. Just because this one wasn't evil didn't mean it wasn't intelligent. And those travelers wouldn't have sent a creature with her which couldn't think for itself.

"Who or what are you?" she wondered out loud, looking down at the wolf.

[Mathron]

The wolfs jaws gaped wide, and Anyas eyes crinkled as she realized it was laughing. She stared at it some more, and then it was the one to turn its head away, vanishing once more into the woods - but she could still feel it there.
Shaking her head in wonder, she continued on.

Meanwhile, Harnauro kept alongside her, though out of sight both to her and anyone watching. ::Who am I... what am I...:: The questions echoed through his thoughts again and again, and the only answers he found were bitter and self mocking.

[Mathron]

As Gungar spun about, peering into the darkness, the others tightened grips on weapons.

The dwarf looked intently into the darkness, and mutters, "By Dain, I swear I saw something!"

Mal exhanged glances with Faradin, and then the two moved out, encircling the area the dwarf peered at, and keeping their weapons ready as they, too, looked into the darkness, wondering what they would find...

[Lief Erikson]

Elrov rode slowly out of the trees, and up the top of the hill. He looked more closely at the place, which should be full of life and activity, and cautiously rode a little bit closer.

Something was not right. He could sense that immediately, and drew a long sword from its scabbard, approaching cautiously, and scanning the territory around for movement. Suddenly, he came to a halt, and stared at the body of the dead woman lying on the ground. The woman had a light green dress on, and an empty water bucket was lying on the ground beside her. A slash wound had opened her back, and the blood was dry.

Elrov's face was filled with horror, and he swung off his horse, quickly tying it to a tree and running up the hill, past the body. He ran past several trees and large boulders, finding two more bodies on his way. When he reached the top, he stopped and stared. Dozens of bodies lay on the ground, all dead and mostly unarmed. No enemy bodies anywhere in sight. This had been a massacre.

"Is anyone here?" he said nervously. Soon, he was running from dwelling place to dwelling, shouting out the names of people he knew, and calling for any of them.

"Emroy! Naras! Tenrile, Ayna, Ildras! Someone!" He fell to his knees. "Anyone!" The sword dropped to the ground and he buried his face in his hands, weeping bitterly.

[Lief Erikson]

*Please delete this post, it was another of my repetition mistakes.*

[Lief Erikson]

Ayna stopped only once that day, and Harnauro could tell that she had picked up speed, moving faster now then before. A worried frown had creased her brow, and although she still seemed nervous, it now was for a different reason.

When she finally left the woods entirely, she sped up even quicker, galloping quickly across the plain towards the hill in front of her.

Harnauro didn't like to come into the open, but had to if he would keep up with her. With only brief hesitation, he stepped into the sunlight, and then ran after her, quickly catching up with her and riding alongside, his eyes scanning the brush quickly for signs of enemy.

As soon as they reached the edge of the hill, Ayna stopped, staring at a horse, tied to a tree. "Elrov?" she asked hesitantly.

Harnauro bounded ahead, becoming invisible among the trees and boulders, moving swiftly and keeping an eye out for attackers.

Ayna quickly rode after him, riding swiftly up the side of the hill.

Then, Elrov appeared at its edge, holding his sword in one hand. "Ayna!" he cried, lowering the weapon and racing down towards her. "Thank the Great Lord Eru at least one of you is safe!"

"What do you mean?" she asked as she dismounted.

He wrapped her in a strong embrace, his shoulders shaking with sobs of both relief and sorrow.

[Lief Erikson]

Slythre smiled as she crept through the undergrowth. She was in her element, practically invisible and impossible to hear. The other two were cutting him off, being very competent hunters and trackers. But she had had been personally trained by Lord Unvar of the corsairs for this, and this spy would never know what hit him.

And indeed, he didn't, when the knife jammed between his shoulders, and he dropped with a grunt to the ground.

The others soon joined her as they brought him back to the campfire.

"Did you kill him?" Faradin asked.

"No, I was careful." She made a face. "Even though it would have been a pleasure to do so, I do have some patience. He won't be able to move for at least tomorrow, and will be in a good deal of pain when ever he tries to. We might be able to get some information out of him."

[Lief Erikson]

Lord Thaldsan paced the ground, his hands twitching from behind his back. "So they have no real leader who owns the valley?" he asked.

"No," this visiter of Ethrilien answered. "But I think they will resist if someone attempted to take the valley from them. They do no harm to any, and live a quiet existance of their own back there. I think that they should be let be."

"Your opinions, you'd be wise to keep to yourself, Evron. These elves are suspected of being in league with Dania and Narsh, the two elvish traitors."

"They can hardly be called traitors when they never swore alliegence to us," Evron responded boldly. "What proof do we have that they even are our enemies?"

"They have been arrested by order of the king," Thaldsan said. "It is my duty to see that the law of his majesty is done. I look after his safety, and that of all Gondor."

"As do I."

"Enemies of his majesty are those who would harm that safety, do you not agree, Evron? The king was given the report by a loyal source, and has acted upon it. Whatever your personal opinions are, they must fall aside when confronted with your duty to the crown."

Evron felt defeat, and looked at the floor. "Yes, my lord."

"Return to your position as captain of the outer guards. Make sure that these two prisoners are delivered safely."

"Yes, my lord," Evron said with a small bow, before leaving the hall.

"You handled that well," came a voice from behind him that sent shivers down his spine. "Now let us see if you can handle the rest of these politics equally well. I can always find another to take your place, if you show signs of wavering."

"I will stand firm, my master," Thaldsan said, staring straight ahead.

"Be sure that you do, Thaldsan," a threat in the voice.

Lord Thaldsan turned, but there was nothing there. He shivered and left the hall. He was growing to fear being alone and in the dark more and more lately. He wished he had never made this alliance, but it was too late to turn back now. Far too late.

[Mathron]

As they returned to the campsight, with the captive orc unconscious in tow, Gungar watched their approach with a distasteful look upon his face, as he saw the orc.

Mal walked up to him, and said, "You are free to share our fire and camp for the rest of the night - tommorow we shall head out, and you can then decide whether you wish to join us or not. We would certainly welcome the company of another stalwart soul on our way."


As Gungar considered the offer, Mal settled back down to sleep, letting the others settle with making sure the orc was safely kept from escaping. He had an odd feeling, and was much more worried than he let on.

[Lief Erikson]

Slythre woke up and climbed out of bed, to find the campfire had been started again, and some freshly caught meat was roasting over it.

She walked over to their captive orc and squatted down beside him, turning him over and inspecting the fowl creature's back. The blood was dried and the bandages needed to be changed, but her knife appeared to have hit directly on target. She pressed her fingers against certain parts of his back, and he groaned at the touch.

She nodded. "You'll be fine in a few days, unless we decide to kill you before then."

Standing, she walked over to the campfire that Gungar had going, and looked down at the dwarf. "That smells excellent. Where did you catch it?"

"In the undergrowth, earlier this morning. The ranger went with me part of the way, but he broke off from the rest of the group. I think he's scouting."

"Good, we're going to need to avoid enemies as much as we can."

Mal got up from his resting place and, after brushing leaves out of his hair, walked over to join them. "So, have you decided whether or not to stay with us?"

"I think that I will, at least for a while," Gungar said. "Although I would like to fight orcs and you're avoiding them, now that I've heard your goal, it seems we'll have some battle after all. And I couldn't do much harm to any of these villains on my own," he added with a contemptuous kick at the orc.

"It'll be good to have you."

"The food's done," Gungar said as he pulled it off the sharpened stick. "Take your fill, and then let's be on our way."

Soon, they were underway again, riding quickly through the undergrowth in pursuit of their quarry.

[Lief Erikson]

Narsh looked up and winced in pain from the wound to his forhead. He felt a bandage pressing against his head, but he didn't have any feeling in his arms or legs.

Dania stirred beside him, and he quickly looked over at her. She was bound just as he was, ropes binding her arms together behind her back, and more cords fastening them close to her. Her legs also were tied together, and there was a long sheet of rough cloth covering them both. From the bouncing and rolling motion, Narsh soon discovered that they were in a wagon, moving at a rapid pace towards an unknown destination.

There was a jolt through the wagon as it bounced up, and then the going became more smooth. They had gone onto a road, apparently.

Why were we even captured at all? Narsh wondered. Why didn't they just kill us and have done with it? Are we to be used as bait to bring in the others?

Horrible memories shot through his head, of their capture and desperate fight for safety. Of Faradin fighting three at once, and finally stabbed through by a sword.

Rage filled Narsh, and his arms went taut in a vain struggle against his bonds. "We aren't finished yet," he promised himself.

[Roland]

Ulrog's whole body hurt. The pain in his back was the worest, and movement was difficult, not only because of the ropes binding him. The woman had struck well with her knife. He had never heard her coming. But why hadn't he been killed? His wounds had been bandaged and the only real mistreatment he had received was a kick in the guts from that blasted dwarf. Ulrog snarled. He would repay that debt if he got the chance.
Ulrog's hate quickly turned to fear as he wondered what they would do to him. But whatever it was it couldn't be any worse than what the master would do to him for his failure. He had heard them talking earlier and had been able to understand only a little, but it looked as though they intended to keep him alive for now. He groaned in pain, as the horse he had been slung over moved into rough terrain.
Even through the pain of his wounds and the cursed light of the sun Ulrog's keen sense of smell was still working. Now that he was closer to the group he had noticed something a little different about their scent. It was barely there, but that didn't stop Ulrog detecting it, and it terrified him. He decided he would try to escape, first chance he got.

[Lief Erikson]

Narsh was jolted awake by a spear butt jabbing his ribs. The cover of the wagon had been pulled back, and he saw around him what looked like a palace. There were several guards, and surprisingly enough there were no orcs among them.

He was hoisted to his feet by two soldiers, and untied. Then, he was led into forward, past the palace and into through a lower door.

Narsh attempted to twist his head around to see if Dania was with him, but earned a slap in the face for his trouble.

A door creaked open and a moment later he was thrown forward into an empty cell. The door was slammed shut behind him, and Narsh heard the jailor fumbling with his keys.

Realizing that they'd separated him from Dania, he gave a cry and leapt at the unlocked door, slamming it open, the edge of it catching the jailor in the face and sending him spinning.

The two soldiers had been walking away down the corridor, but on seeing him, they turned and charged. Quickly, Narsh leapt over the fallen jailor and ran down the other passage. It was a few seconds later that he ran into another jailor, this one armed with a club. Narsh ducked under the swinging weapon and came up underneath, tackling the jailor to the ground, his hands tearing the club from the jailor's grasp.

But just then, the hilt of a sword smacked downwards from behind him, and everything went black.

[Lief Erikson]

Dania looked around at the room she'd been put in. It was a nicer chamber than she'd expected to have. She wasn't tied, and there was a reasonable amount of furniture, all relatively comfortable. Light came into the room through a glass window, keeping the room from the gloom that pervaded the rest of the place.

Better yet, they'd not searched her, and she was still armed with a dagger. She thought this rather odd, but accepted this as good fortune.

She whirled around as the bolts in the door were withdrawn, and it swung open. Her hand automatically reached towards the hilt of the dagger, but after a moment, she purposely shifted it away. Best to keep that a secret to reveal at her own time and place.

A figure cloaked and hooded in black stepped into the room. Fastening his cloak was a clasp of even deeper dark, which seemed to suck the light from the room. Beneath the hood she could see a pale face, with cold gray eyes. A horrible smile twisted itself on those lips, and he stepped forward.

"A pleasure to meet you at last, Dania," he said in a voice that sent shivers down her spine. "I have long awaited this meeting, as I'm sure you know."

"Who are you?" she asked, wishing her voice didn't quiver so much as she did.

His smile widened. "Ah yes, you still don't know whose been hunting you all this time."

She frowned. "All this time? I didn't have any idea that I was being hunted until just a moment ago."

His smile vanished. "Oh, yes you did. And I seriously dislike people who lie to me."

She decided it would be best not to pursue that matter, and changed the topic of conversation. "You were going to tell me who you are?"

"No, we are here to discuss you, and your decisions rather than mine. And the conversation from here on will be of a much more pleasant kind if you answer my questions truthfully."

[Morkhon]

Our enemy is, Darth Siduis, NNNNNOOOOO!!!!!

Ok I actually have nothing of worth to post right now.*

[Lief Erikson]

*Shucks. Actually, Darth Sidious is pretty close to this guy's appearance. Black robe and cowl is standard fantasy bad guy garb.*

[Roland]

*Oops. Messed up in my last post. No horses. Not sure where you guys want to go with this, but here we go.*

-----------------------------------------------------

They had stopped for a brief rest. Ulrog was glad of it. This forced march in the bright sunlight was exausting him, and movement was still painful. He was hungry too. His captors didn't pay him much attention beyond guarding him and Ulrog was glad of that as well. He still hadn't been able to work out exactly what it was about them that he suddenly found so disturbing, but it was still there, and all his instincts told him to get as far away from that scent as possible.

Night would be the best time to try and escape. He wouldn't last long in this land during the weakening light of day, especially with his arms bound.

Ulrog's thoughts of escape were interupted by his captors, some of whom were quickly getting to their feet. Their attention was on a small clump of dead trees in the near distance. Slowly, ragged feral looking shapes were emerging from the long shadows cast by the trees. Ulrog squinted to see them better.
Wolves. They looked hungry too. The woman turned and gave him a nasty look.
"Friends of yours?", she said.
"Nah. Don't mix with wolves", Ulrog replied, but then he realised that she hadn't really wanted a reply. The wolves began to close in.

[Morkhon]

Faradin cursed under his breath as the wolves slowly aproached the camp. The only good thing was that these were not the huge Wargs that sometimes accompanied orcs.
He drew his bow and notched an arrow and then began to issue orders. "Draw close together, facing outward, but not so close that you'll hamper each other's movements."

Just as he had finished speaking a wolf to his left leapt, Faradin spun, drew his arrow to his cheek and let fly in one smooth motion. The wolf died with an arrow in it's throat and one of Slythre's dagger sticking out of one eye. The rest of the wolves hesitated an instant as they saw the first one fall and then attacked. Dropping his bow Faradin drew his sword and prepared himself.

[Lief Erikson]

Slythre ducked sideways, avoiding a wolf and seizing her dagger back. That had been too close. Again, she wished she had more weapons on her, but the knife was her only weapon.

Suddenly they heard the thundering of hooves, and a rider galloped out of the trees with for men at arms behind him. Drawing their swords, they joined the company, making short work of the wolves and soon making their survivors flee into the woods.

Their leader dismounted and walked over to Faradin. "I presume you are the leader of this party?"

"No, our leader is right there," the ranger said, pointing at Mal.

The man recovered from his surprise quickly and walked over to him. "My name is Evron, captain of the guards on the outskirts. You are on the very edge of my territory, so you're lucky we heard you at all. So what is your business in Rohan?"



Urlog sawed viciously at his bonds with an arrowhead he'd extracted from one of the warg bodies. In a moment he was free, and ducked away into the woods.

[Mathron]

In the outskirts of Rohan, in the dark of night, a clandestine meeting took place. Soldiers of Rohan, one by one, drifted into a small, abandoned building. Within, only a small candle burned in one corner, and the rest of the building lay dark.

Soon, all had gathered. Their captain came forward, surveying them silently. He finally spoke, his voice the sound of the wind whispering through tombstones. "We have delivered the captivess safely, and I believe the one we sent them to is none the wiser. The masster will be pleased."

One spoke up, boldly, "Then why do we yet remain?"

"Our orderss stand! The master commanded, and we shall yet fulfill his purpose!" The captains eyes flashed, as he stared dreadfully at the one who spoke out.

Yet the questioner asked on, unaware of his danger. "Sso why do we sstay here? Ssurely elssewhere we could find thosse we ssseek."

The captain took a step forward, and then lunged, suddenly, catching the other by the throat, and snapping his neck with one sharp notion. "Sso is the fate of those who dissobey. As for hiss foolishness, those we delivered may be of no concern to uss, but they may draw the one we yet seek here, where we lay in ambush!" He looked around, as if daring another to speak out. When none did, he strode from the building, and slowly, one by one, the others left as well.

[Mathron]

Mal nodded his appreciation for the assistance to Evron, and said, "We have but recently come into your fair land, and are weary and on a quest of personal vengeance. We seek after those who have wronged us, and we seek to undo the harm they have done. Pray tell, would you know of two elves, named Dania and Narsh?"

[Lief Erikson]

Evron frowned. "Wronged you? I must tell you that these were counted enemies of the kingdom, and have been imprisoned by my ruler. No harm, so far as I know, has been done to them, but they will be held captive for as long as King Theoden and Lord Thaldsan say."

[Mathron]

Mal feels a moment of startlement, but easily cloaks it. And glad he was that this rider had mistaken his speech!
"This is surprising news, and quite interesting indeed. If these two elves have, indeed, been imprisoned in your kingdom, then I believe our journey shall take us there next, if at the least to perhaps gain the chance to praise your ruler's wisdom!"

[Lief Erikson]

"King Theoden has no need for people to travel there merely to praise his wisdom. But if you wish to travel there, I will by no means stop you. You are probably weary from your journey. We will escort you to Edoras, and perhaps you can discuss your business here with Lord Thaldsan."

Evron took the reins of his horse in one hand, and began to lead them out of the woods. It wasn't long before they left the trees and came onto a road, winding away among the hills and shrubs from here on.

"I will take you to the outpost I command for the night," Evron was saying. "And in the morning, we shall go to Edoras. I have a little business to deal with there myself."

[Mathron]

Mal said musingly, as though speaking to himself, "It should be interesting to see Edoras - I have been far from cities for some time now."

As the group stopped their trek, near nightfall, Evron led them down a side path to a small fortification, wherein a number of his men stood alert. Evron explained that these newcomers would be resting there, and some small areas were found within for them to sleep upon.

As they settled down, Mal turned to Faradin and Slythre, and said, "The goblin snuck off when the wolves attacked - I am quite curious who he is working for, indeed."

"Aye," responded Slythre, "and what do you think of our new companion?" She gestured towards the dwarf, who was already fast asleep upon the hard rock floor.

"Dwarves are known for their trustworthiness and loyalty," Faradin spoke up, "and this one seems a kindred soul and adventurer."

Mal nodded. "So it seems indeed. Now, I shall rest, and hope for no more strange nightly disturbances, which are becoming all too common for my liking."

With that, he found a spot for himself, and lay down to sleep.

[Lief Erikson]

For once, the night passed peacefully at without event. When morning came, they breakfasted at the outpost, and soon proceeded out of the outpost's gates, continuing their journey to Edoras.

Trees grew fewer, and soon they were passing through peaceful grassland, dotted with houses and farms. Within a few hours of travel, they passed over the rise of a hill and saw the walls of Edoras come into view.

"There it is," Evron said with a smile. "Beautiful, is it not? Inside it is the famed Golden Hall, in which sits King Theoden, and his high lords."

He spured his horse forwards and they rode quickly down hill, coming up quickly to its gates. As soon as they saw Evron's face, the guards stepped aside, permitting them to enter.

After leaving their horses with the guards, they walked up, passing the soldiers and soon reaching the courtyard.

The doors at the other end of the hall opened, and Lord Thaldsan strode out.

He glared at Evron for a moment. "What are you doing here? Your orders were to go back to commanding the border guards, and you return only three days later!"

"Forgive me, sir, but there are new matters that have come to light, which I must discuss with you."

Thaldsan straightened his blue cloak and turned his imposing stare on Mal, who looked back at him blandly, completely unintimidated.

"And who are these others that you have brought with you?"

"This is Malagar," he said, motioning with his hand, "Their leader. And these are Slythre, Faradin, and Gungar."

Thaldsan nodded to the others and turned his gaze back to Mal. "And what is your business in Rohan?"

[Mathron]

Malagar nodded to Lord Thaldsan, saying, "We are glad to come to such a place of esteem and culture as Edoras, good lord. My companions and I have spent many days in the wilderness, and have been under attack by dark and evil forces numerous times. We come to Rohan for, we hope, a measure of safety."

He pauses, and a dark light grows in his eyes. "As well, we
learn you have two elves here, named Dania and Narsh, who have been imprisoned. We have been hunting after these two individuals for quite some time, and would gladly see they meet their just fate!"

[Lief Erikson]

Thaldsan cocked his head, looking at them with surprise and slight interest.

"Executions are given by the crown, and their crimes against us have not been considered great enough as yet to warrant the death penalty. Interesting that they have offended to such a great extent. I assure you that they will be punished for what they have done, and are having their questioning now."

*Sorry I can't do a longer post, got to go!*

[Roland]

Ulrog crouched over the dead fox and greedily shoveled its remains into his fanged mouth. Until he found another bow and arrows he'd have to rely on carrion for food. But being an orc, that didn't worry him.
What did worry Ulrog was that now he would have to report to his master. He could no longer follow the group. Not only would they be watching for spies now, but they were with the men on horses. The master would want to know about that. There was a good chance he would get punished, but the punishment for running away would be far worse. There was nothing else for it, Ulrog decided. Tommorow night he would contact the master.

[Lief Erikson]

"So she wouldn't give in to your initial overtures?" the Nrake asked.

"It is hardly unexpected," Vardor said. "I expected to have to use more persuasive methods before we began."

The Nrake sniffed the air, looking up at the night sky before turning his dark head back to his master. "My lord, something is wrong about the scent. The shadow magic is near, I think. And its wielder does not have peaceful intentions."

"One who owns the shadow magic is dangerous, but hardly enough to cause harm to me. It would take a great deal more power than merely the shadow magic to destroy me. Now I have still one more embassy to make to the eagles, so I will not be here for much longer. You must take care of Dania’s questioning yourself."

The Nrake’s head nodded in agreement. "With pleasure, my lord. I have long looked forward to this meeting, where I shall again smell her scent, and we will force her to deliver up the key."

"You may use whatever methods you see fit," Vardor said with a thin smile. "Our great quest is almost over. I must go, that fool orc may have some information regarding the shadow magic. His sense did blur with its for a time, before they separated."

[Roland]

Ulrog quickly made his way into a dark clearing, ringed by sombre trees. This was the spot the master had told him to find, when he had something to report. It had taken him most of the night to get here. He waited for a short while and then a dark figure seemed to appear between two of the trees.
"Why have you stopped following?" The voice was icey cold.
"Well, Boss, they got me. I didn't tell them about you or anything, even though they tortured me. It was this dwarf that saw me. They can see really well in the dark, dwarves and...."
Ulrog was cut off by a sharp look from Vardor. He was going to get it now. When Vardor spoke his voice was strained. It was clear he had very little patience tonight.
"Just tell me everything you saw."
Ulrog took a deep breath and began.

[Lief Erikson]

When Ulrog finished recounting his misadventures and information, Vardor was silent for a long moment. "Strange I was not informed as soon as they entered Edoras," he said to himself.

Ulrog shifted his weight uncomfortably onto the other foot.

"You cannot do any more good looking after them in the city. But there is another job I have in mind for you." Vardor turned his head to the side. "Somewhere near the Entwash is a woman my orcs were following. I cannot say exactly where, as my men have failed to report for some time. She is quite beautiful by human standards, with blue eyes and light brown hair. She owns a bow and arrows, and . . ."

"I know who you're talking about sir," Ulrog interrupted. "I saw her meet the others at the river a couple days ago."

Vardor turned back to him. "You saw her meet them?" he asked in a quiet voice, actually overlooking Ulrog's rude interruption.

"Yes, sir. The tracks probably won't be too hard to find at this point. I could double back and find her in short order."

Vardor just stared at him for a moment before responding. "See that you do. And use caution. She is either a much better fighter than I thought or has found herself a guardian. I had sent a large group of orcs after her, and none of them returned. Be wary, and bring her to me unharmed."

"Yes, sir," Ulrog said, thankful at having actually avoided punishment, but not looking forward to such a dangerous mission. But what could be worse than the danger he'd just gone through?

[Mathron]

Malagar bowed low to Lord Thaldsan, and gesturing to his companions, said, "We thank you for the hospitality of Edoras, lord. It has been a long and tiring journey for us, and if it would be fine, could we find a place where we can rest later this evening?"

A thought seems to come to him, and he asks, "As well, if you are questioning the elves, and they prove to be difficult, if you bring us before them, we may be able to help you learn information from them. Now then, if you can direct us to a suitable place of accomodation, we shall remain thereabouts, should you need any assistance."

Once the party has left his presence, and is alone in a place they can rest in privately, he turns to the others, and says, "Well, things have certainly become a trifle more complicated. What are your thoughts on where we go from here?"

[Lief Erikson]

"Our path is pretty well set, already," Slythre whispered back. "You've done the best you can, but I'm not going to leave it entirely on his choice. We'll talk more when we reach our rooms."

Thaldsan soon showed them to a large building relatively close to the courtyard, but still passed the main amount of guards. "You may stay in these rooms," he said, pointing to one for each of them. "You'll find changes of clothing within, which I believe will fit you. Perhaps tomorrow we can discuss your reasons for being here. I didn't recieve an entirely straight answer from you before, but such things are better left for the morning. Would you like to go down for your dinner, or have it brought up?"

"It can be brought up," Gungar answered.

Thaldsan nodded, and grabbed Evron by the elbow, ussuring him out. "I have some private discussion to be held with you."




When they were gone, all of the companions joined in Mal's room. The sky had darkened to night, but the fireplace lit up the room.

"I think that we'll have to take more direct methods," Slythre said. "We don't know as yet how important of prisoners they are, but I doubt that simply waiting on Lord Thaldsan will get us anywhere. If we can find the location of this prison, I expect that we will be capable of breaking them out. I don't mean entirely by attack, some strategy will certainly have to be used."

[Lief Erikson]

The trio, an elf, a human, and a wolf were seated around a campfire, looking into the flames. Around them was a large meadow, and nearby a hill, its shape now ominous and sad, bringing tears to the eyes of the elf and human whenever they looked at it. Elrov stirred the fire with a stick, looking again into its firey substance, his thoughts far away.

The wolf's eyes glowed yellow in the darkness, and it looked around briefly, scenting the air before looking back at the other two, in its uncomfortably intelligent manner.

"So this wolf was left with you by the group at the stream?" Elrov asked.

"Yes, and it has been a great help to me," Ayna said. "It has dispatched two orc groups that were pursuing and attacking."

"How much longer will it remain in your company?"

The wolf shifted slightly.

"For as long as it wishes to," Ayna said. "And I'm not sure we should be talking about him in third person, on my journey, he has seemed to me of equal intelligence to a person."

"What are your plans now?"

She shrugged. "I'm not sure. I see that I arrived with my warning too late. I suspected that something like this might happen, and travelled here hoping to be in time to warn them. I guess that I'll return to your meadow with you, if you will keep me for a week or so before I continue my travels."

"Certainly," Elrov said as he stirred the fire once more. "It will be good to have you here."

"Thank-you. In the morning, we will start, but until then, I need some sleep."

Elrov stood up and walked out of the firelight, unrolling a blanket from the saddle of his horse and tossing it to her. Then, he sat down beside the wolf, looking up at the stars.

[Roland]

After Valdor had left Ulrog started to scrabble around at the base of some of the trees. Knowing that he would need to come back here Ulrog had stashed some of his spare gear and he soon found the small parcel, wrapped in rags. In it was another bow, some arrows, a rusty knife and a small wooden box containing some foul smelling grey paste. Ulrog smeared the stuff onto his arrow heads.
"This ought to do it", he muttered to himself, "One touch of this stuff and she'll be fast asleep."
But that didn't deal with the wolf. Ulrog had no doubt that it had killed the other orcs. He had seen the strength and ferrocity hinted at in its movements. His poison just wouldn't be strong enough to knock it out. Also it would probably smell him a mile off. The very thought of getting anywhere near the thing terrified him. But right now Ulrog wanted to get as far away from the master as possible. Somehow he had avoided punishment so far and he wanted to keep it that way.
There was only a few more hours before dawn. Gathering his belonings, Ulrog set off.

[Morkhon]

"Before we make plans for a rescue we should take time to learn more about the situation here," the long silent Ranger said.

"I traveled in this land almost twenty years ago when I had just come of age and wished to prove myself. I remember seeing Theodon, and from what I saw, and more importantly from what his people said of him, he is an honorable man. This Thaldsan though I did not hear nor see when I was here, and something about the man troubles me. I don't trust him."

[Mathron]

Mal nods in response to Faradin's comments. "Aye, something strikes me as unusual about this entire situation - how Dania and Narsh came here, and why they are considered criminals. They last were captured by those foul figures that had been plaguing us, and I wonder how they came into the possession of this Lord Thaldsan."

Slythre spoke again, worry in her voice. "I wonder where those dark armored beings have got to, as well - their path led here, so they may well be nearby."

"Let us hope we shall have not to deal with them. We should try, tommorow, to meet with the king - and failing that, to try and gain entrance into the prisons."

He broke off, as servants entered the room with trays off steaming food. As the meal was placed before them, they broke off their discussion to delve into it, ravenously. It was simply fare, but warm and well cooked, and after days of cold rations it was a grand feast. After finishing a while later, the servants took the empty trays away, and the adventurers simply sat there in silence for a time.

Mal's thoughts drifted, and he wondered what had come of Harnauro, and whether the girl they had met had truly been a spy. Eventually, he shrugged the matter off, and realized the others had begun discussing plans again, turned to join back in.

[Mathron]

To anyone observing the pair walking through the middle of town, they would have looked like no more than a captain of the Rohirrim and his aid. Had anyone been close enough to hear their conversation, however, they would like have had a far different opinion.

"You are sure they are in Edoras?" The captains voice was as cold as normal, but it was also tinged with an excitement about the news.

"Yess, Thaldsan's lackey brought them in today. They are staying near the kings residence, and in well guarded buildingss."

"That shall be no problem. I can eassily see to having our men take up the watch of those buildingss tommorow night, and they will be none the wiser."

"Iss it wise to strike so ssoon, after what happened to our comradess?"

The captain paused in his stride, turning his deathly gaze upon his subordinate, who bowed his head low in submission. As he hurriedly spoke up again, his voice hissed and chattered in anxiety. "I am not quessstioning you, ssir, but should we not wait till the othersss reach the masster and ssend uss aid?"

The captain stared at him for a moment longer, then turned and continued on, the other breathing a sigh of relief. "You have a point, but we still must sseek to take him on our own. Only one is of import, although I sensed in another a strain of the ancient blood, though weak. Still, once we have the one, the resst will be left to you to toy with."

His companion bowed low in thanks, and said, cautiously, "Sso we sstrike tommorow night?"

"Aye. With all our force and the element of surprisse."

[Lief Erikson]

*When exactly did that take place? The next day, or earlier in the same one. It's night where Mal and the others are.*

"Requesting an audience will probably work, if we can get past his counciler, Grima. I've heard from many people the influence he is gaining over the king, and even to a degree over their everyday affairs."

"Do any of your magical properties include mind controlling?" Slythre asked Mal. "Fighting our way in would be totally counter productive, and only succeed in landing us in prison as well."

There was a silence, and then Slythre looked up at the others with a curious expression on her face. "Do you think that that would work?"

"What?"

"Perhaps as a last resort, we could brawl or something to get us captured and put into there. Even stripped of our weapons, we could probably escape from their control and rescue the others as well. Getting past the outer guards would be nearly suicide, but this way we'd be brought past them. We'd need a way out once we get in, or perhaps some distraction to keep the guards from getting us out."

At the look on their faces, she quickly raised her hands to forstall immediate arguments. "Don't worry, this is only as a last resort. If we cannot contact the king or find any other way, I think this should certainly be a possibility."

"It might work," Gungar said slowly. "But I agree, only as a last resort. Tomorrow we should contact the king."

Slythre stood up. "If there isn't anything else to discuss now, I'm quite tired after the journey . . ."

"Yes, we've done the best planning we can at this point," Faradin agreed. "Good-night, all."

Soon, they'd all gone to their different rooms. Night faded into morning, and they got up. Their meeting with the king awaited. If they could only get there.

[Mathron]

*The meeting of the watchers took place shortly after Mal and the others arrived, that same day.*

[Elysha]

*Okay. Well, it's your turn to post. And I'd like it if you did something with Harnauro as well. I'm a little tired of doing a solo in that area.*

[Lief Erikson]

*Ooops, sorry. I was logged in as my sister. That is actually my post.*

[Mathron]

Mal rolled out of bed as the sun blinked in through a window, quickly closing the shutters and blocking its light. Looking about, he verified that the room had not been disturbed while he set, and then prepared for the day.

As he prepared to leave his room, he met the others at the door, for they were already prepared themselves, and had some servants with breakfast behind them. Waving his friends in, and taking the food from the servants, Mal closed the door gently behind him as the others made themselves comfortable.

They ate in silence for a while, then Gungar spoke up. "What is the plan for the day?"

Mal responded, slowly, as though weighing the words as he spoke them, "First, let us try to lawfully gain an audience to the king. If that should fail, let us remain relaxed through the day, perhaps simply appearing to view the city, and then, just as night falls, before the changing of the guards, we can try and sneak into the dungeons. As shown before now, we are good at going unseen, and even our dwarven friend, like all his race, can walk with much greater silence than most men."

Faradin replied with a touch of worry, "If we go before the guard change, they may detect our absence - should we not go after it?"

"Nay, for they have so far not been checking that we remain, and if we reach the prison during the changing of the guard, it will be easier to creep in."

The rest nodded, for though the plan had risk, other options seemed even worse. Finishing their breakfast, they made a quick start to meet the king. The guards at the front of the building watched them carefully as they were leaving, and one barked, "Where're ye headed?"

Mal responded smoothly, "We but go to seek an audience with your noble lord, good soldier."

The guards eyes still were narrowed, but he made no objection as they walked by and towards the kings hall. Reaching it, another set of guards blocked their way. After they were told the parties desire, they conferred amongst themselves briefly. One said, "Wait here," and then went back into the hall alone.

Exhanging glances, Mal and the rest waited patiently and watched the sun creep into the sky. After a long while of waiting, the guard returned, and said curtly, "Follow this way."

He led them down a hallway, and into a room that was bedecked with a moderate amount of wealth and taste. At the front of the room, a small man stood with his back to them. As he entered, he turned about, smiling slightly, his hands rubbing together. The guard left, but this man obviously felt secure, for a number of other guards stood at attention about the walls of the room.

"How may I help you fine individuals?" asked the man, as they wondered where the king was.

The ranger spoke calmly, "We expected to have an audience with the king."

Smiling a wide and servile smile, the man responded, "Ah, but his majesty is laid low with illness, and has many other more important affairs of state to attend to when he has time. I am sure I can answer your questions and requests just as well."

"And you are?" Mal asked, an eyebrow raised.

The man recoiled, as though offended. "Why, I am but a humble servant of the king, Grima, a lowly soul who advises our great king." His voice grows a bit harder, as he tilts his head and asks again, "Now then, what may I do to help you?"

[Lief Erikson]

*Ooch, that's a nasty point to leave off. I'll sidestep the issue and proceed to more interesting things, if you don't mind.*

"Hardly a gentlemanly way to treat guests," Slythre remarked after they had been removed from the hall. "But I suppose we could expect no better from the likes of him. And it was a rather difficult circumstance."

"You handled it pretty well, considering," Gungar said to Mal.

"Then I suppose we'll have to move to plan B," Slythre said, looking in the direction of the prisons.

[Mathron]

*that had been about where I had been expecting the discussion to go anyway. I would have had more, but had to leave. :( Been fairly busy lately. Later I will post stuff for both Mal and Harnauro.*

[Lief Erikson]

*Good. I'll wait till then. You still have the floor.*

[Syntia]

Lufilla Galadon, leader of the resistance agains't Lord Thaldsan, was please. Her last prospect seams to be like the ideal spie. Well the fact that he was leprous only help and it also make sure no one would want to arrest him. he was perfect.

[Mathron]

Mal, Slythre, Faradin, and Gungar walked out of the king's hall, the guards frowning at them. The audience had NOT gone well, and they had never even gotten to meet the king. Returning to their rooms, they conferred together briefly.

"After that, they will surely keep closer watch upon us," said Slythre darkly.

"Aye, but it won't be close enough," Mal said with a smirk. "Truth to tell, I didn't expect much to come from the meeting, especially hearing about the influence this Grima has gained over the king. And from what I have seen of the guards so far, while good, our skills shall surely get us past them with ease."

"Let us split up for the rest of the day, then," spoke up Faradin, resting against one wall and watching for any who would approach.

The others nodded agreement, and split up, going through the city. The guards glared at them, but made no move to follow. However, as they all traveled their seperate ways, they would spot some of the soldiers trailing them. Mal wandered through the marketplace, perusing and commenting on various items, but remaining calm and inconspicious throughout. Eventually, night began to approach, and he returned to his room. He spotted Faradin returning, as well, and only nodded. Another pair of guards stood by the doors, but parted to let Mal in. Soon, he was resting in his room.

As the sky grew dark at last, he made his move. They would watch the windows, of course, so he simply walked out of the door to his room. Glancing down both sides of the corridor, he saw no guards. A sound to his right, hardly noticable, heralded the entry of the rest from their own rooms.

In soft tones that only the others could hear, he said, "There are guards at the main door and the back, and watching most of the windows. If we go down to the kitchen, however, and go out through that window, we should get out fine. They will be watching, of course, but in the darkness, likely will not see us."

"I don't like it much," said Gungar, "But it seems the only thing to do."

The rest nodded, and within moments, no signs remained they had ever been in the building. To the guards positioned to watch, the change in shadows as the group flowed over the wall and across the lawn looked like the simple flicker of clouds crossing the moon far above.

They stopped near the jail. A half dozen guards lounged outside of it, and doubtless more lay within. Mal and the rest waited in the shadows nearby, and when the guards looked up, seeing their relief coming across the lawn, and headed towards them, it was an easy task to slip within without notice.

[Mathron]

*Taking place about half an hour after Mal and the rest creep into the jail...*

The captain saluted the departing guards, and signaled to his men to fall into position. They stood at attention till the true guards had left, and waited to make their task seem truer. After a long while of waiting, they then swiftly turned and headed up the stairs.

Arriving near Mal's room, he gestured for the others to draw weapons, and then slammed the door open, jumping inside with his own blade drawn.

And staring about at the empty space. Eyes widening as he realized the absence of the 'guests', he spun about, scowling at his men.

"Let uss alert Lord Thaldsan! And ssee what he shall do about thiss!"

[Mathron]

Harnauro stared at the sleeping forms of Elrov and Ayna through the first hours of the night. After this new addition the day before, he had felt a foreboding sense of upcoming disaster, and wondered if it was connected to them.

As the moon reached its pinnacle overhead, Harnauro sat up, and began wandering around the campsight. He looked back down their path, towards the hill they had left behind they day before. A strange emotion stirred in him and he wondered at it, for it had been a long time since he had felt compassion for others.

A rumble passed through the ground, sending even the sure-footed wolf to the ground. He jumped back to his feet, rapidly, twisting about, looking for a source. He saw nothing, but another shake disturbed the clearing they were in, and he saw Ayna and Elrov come awake from the disturbance.

Suddenly, the earth before him billowed upward, and he dove backwards as a monstrous shape ripped out of the ground. Six limbs led from a bulk covered in an ebony skinned hide. The legs and arms were tipped with monstrous claws, apparently for digging - though they would serve as well to rend a creature with ease. The monstrosity turned its head upon Harnauro, and he recoiled in disgust, for a questing tongue poked out in his direction, from a toothy mouth that was the only feature of its face - eyeless, yet it rushed towards him with surety. As it appeared, Harnauro felt a strange feeling within him, but dismissed it as the beast lumbered towards him.

A snarl erupted from him, and he hurled himself above it, landing upon its back, and pulling his own lethal claws upon its skin. Yet, for all his power, he could do barely more than dent the skin, which felt as hard as rock beneath him. A strange gurgling noise came from the beast, and it bucked, trying to through him off. Claws digging in as much as they could, Harnauro held on, while Ayna and Elrov watched in horror.

Suddenly, weakness stole over Harnauro and the monster threw him from its back, to the ground. Stumblind back up, he realized his change as he stood on two legs, instead of four. He tried to will himself back, but nothing occured! His eyes widened in disbelief as one immense limb lashed out, slamming into him and hurling across the clearing, and into a tree across the way.

The monster 'looked' about once more, its tongue twisting and licking at the air, and then it dove once more into the earth, its hide shining with an internal dark glow.

Ayna and Elrov rushed over to the tree - broken when Harnauro slammed into it - and looked in horror at the broken form of a man, not a wolf. A low moan was the only indication that the twisted body still lived, and they froze in horror at the blood, and the bent angle the body lay at.

[Lief Erikson]

Vardor reached up, taking the scruff of the bat's neck in his cold fingers and pulling himself onto his mount. He glanced up at the night sky, and then nodded to himself. It was time to go. If he remained any longer, he had a feeling that things would get rather uncomfortable before long. Plus, he still had that eagle alliance to worry about. They were being rather stubborn, and sometimes he almost thought they could see through his plans.

The bat's wings spread, and the beast soared into the sky, turning into a dwindling speck and disappearing in the darkness.




Slythre approached, unseen and unheard, creaping up silently behind the first jailor and wrapping her cloak around his face, muffling his cries as she knocked him unconscious. The next was bound and gagged without any problem; he found Faradin's sword very convincing.

Moving silently from cell to cell, they continued their search.




The Nrake opened Dania's cell door and entered, his nose twitching at her scent. Something was wrong. He knew it even before he entered the room.

She sprang to her feet at its approach, and eyed him warily. It was staring at her with equal amounts of anger and surprise. Suddenly, it opened its mouth and let out a howl, fangs gleaming in the torch light.

"WHERE!" Its scaled hide tightened. "WHERE!" it screamed again. "TRICKED! DECIEVED! LOST, ALL LOST!"

It lunged, claws stretched out, incredible wrath written on its face.

Her dagger jammed into its waist, and she kicked up, throwing the creature over her. Rolling to her feet, she seized a stool from the floor and swung it with fierce speed at her assailant. The Nrake was holding the dagger with one hand, and defended itself from the stool with the other. The stool was smashed to pieces, and the Nrake stood, drawing the blade from itself and raising it to lunge.

Abruptly, the shadows of the walls leapt from their places, wrapping around its body in a deadly embrace. A second later, they shifted back to normal, and the body collapsed on the floor.

[Lief Erikson]

Even as Mal, Narsh, and the rest of the band entered Dania's cell, Ayna lifted Harnauro's head in her hands, looking into his face. "He's a . . . a man."

"Or was," Elrov remarked. "And he was a far better fighter than we are."

He glanced at the thin line of trees between them and the horror of the night, and then continued. "Come, we must get back to Ethrilien as soon as possible."

"We can't leave him."

Elrov seized the body and slung it over his shoulder. "I'll take him. Now go!"

Ayna swung up onto the saddle of her horse and galloped off, instantly disappearing in the trees.

Elrov heard the scream of a horse from behind him, and knew that his horse was no more. If it hadn't been for that slight distraction, he doubted that either he or Ayna would have been able to get away. Already he could hear the pounding footsteps coming nearer, as it began to search him out.

As quickly as he could, Elrov stumbled away into the trees, glancing fearfully over his shoulder every now and then.

The footsteps had gotten farther away, and fainter by the time Elrov sank to the forest floor, lowering the body and gasping for breath.

[Roland]

Ulrog had no trouble tracking Anya and her companion. The scent and the trail of dead orcs made it fairly easy. He paused from his work as he heard a horse galloping swiftly in his direction. Ulrog lept aside and readied his bow, with one of the poisoned arrows he'd prepared. As the horse flew past him he could see that the woman riding it was his target. A nasty smile crossed his face. Ulrog quickly loosed an arrow in her direction and saw it thud into the flank of her horse. The poor animal made it a little further before sinking to the ground. Ulrog drew another arrow and lined up his next shot.

[Lief Erikson]

Ayna turned around in the saddle to look for her assailant just as another arrow whizzed past, this one lodging in the bark of the tree right next to her.

Quickly dislodging her feet from the stirrups, she scrambled away from the horse, ducking behind the tree and stringing her own bow. She glanced to the side, and saw that her quiver of arrows was still attached to the horse. Many of the arrows had spilled when it fell, so she reached out from her hiding place towards one. Quickly, she moved in and out, collecting the arrow and nocking it on her bowstring. Just then, an arrow stabbed into her shoulder.

With a small cry, she dropped her weapons and stumbled to the ground. The arrow hadn't been fired by a very strong bow, though.

As she pulled it out, a wave of dizziness came over her and she stretched out her hand to the tree trunk for support. But the tree trunk wasn't where she'd thought it would be, and she felt a small flicker of surprise as the leafy forest floor rushed up to meet her.

[Mathron]

As Mal rushed into the cell, he cursed harshly, surprising the others, for any break in his calmness was unusual. He shook away his irritation, as Narsh, still limping from his own captivity, rushed to Dania's side. Mal watched for a moment to make sure she was well enough to come with them on her own, then darted back into the corridor. He had not wanted to use the power, but it had been that or let the elf die. He felt something stirring, and knew that something, somewhere had sensed him, and was on the way. Another low curse escaped his lips. '

It was only compounded as Slythre ran down the stairs where she had been watching for guards, and called out, "Soldiers are approaching in force!"

"So much for stealth," muttered Gungar.

"Indeed," came the soft snarl from Mal, "But we have those we came for. Let us be out of here as fast as we can!"

The others wasted no time acting on his words, bringing Narsh and Dania behind them and rushing out of the cell, in search of a way from the jail that would not be blocked by soldiers.

[Mathron]

Harnauro's eyes flared open. He sniffed the air, smelled only the elf laying on the ground near him. Harnauro spun over, sitting up and looking about. No sign of the girl. Or the monster.

As the memory of the fight came back to him, he reached down to his chest, and his hand came back sticky with blood. But it was old blood, and the hole that had been torn in his chest was gone. He stood up, and his back, which had surely been broken, was whole again. As he realized he had healed - as he did every time - light tears came down his cheeks, and a growl grew in the back of his throat.

When he had felt the beast suck away his magic, that curse that let him change form, that kept him whole and immortal - and suffering - he had hoped for an end to all the years of pain and misery. But his reprieve had been only temporary. He was still alive - still living, at least - and had to concern himself with affairs of the living.

He turned to his side, and saw the elf lying on the ground apparently collapsed from exhaustion. Harnauro's eyes narrowed, as he looked about, his nose twitching. Where was the girl? He smelled her scent nearby, and that of something else... an orc?

He took a step in the direction he smelled her, and nearly collapsed. A low laugh escaped him. So, he had apparently been able heal, rather than embrace the death he sought, but not healed enough to do what he wished while still bound upon this world, denied Eru's gift.

Iron will came upon his features, and he forced himself to walk forward. He reached upon his back, but found that his great bow was gone. It must have been left after the battle with the beast - he would hopefully have to retrieve it. He hoped it had not broken, but it had been crafted by expert elves, and was sturdy and strong. Dismissing it for the moment, he crouched, agony racing through him, and went in search of Ayna and the orc.

[Mathron]

The captain of the Rohirrim, or at least one who wore such a shape, stalked into the corriders of the jail with a scowl upon his face. With him were a dozen of his own men, and three of the jailers. As they came to the empty cells of Dania and Narsh, his face grew even more angry.

"They must sstill be here," he cried, "and we musst find them! The rest can be dismissed, but take the shadow man alive!"

One of the jailers looked at him, curiousity on his features. "Those aren't his majesties orders - the elves are the important ones, they have to be kept alive for interrogation!"

The captain turned to him, slowly. The jailer stared back, puzzled, until the captains arm lashed out, snapping the mans neck sharply, and the corpse slowly sank to the floor. The other jailers gave cries of alarm, and reached for weapons, but the rest of those under the captain drew blades lightning fast, plunging them into the bodies of the jailers before they could respond.

Without a thought, the captain turned away. "Ready your bowss - if we catch them in one of these long corriders, we can down them from a distance. The place iss not large, they should be near!"

[Lief Erikson]

Mal and the others quickly ran from passage to passage, hearing footsteps and shouts coming from behind.

Slythre pounded her fist against the wall in frustration. She knew there had been a backdoor around here earlier. They had planned to escape by it, but where?

"This may keep them sidetracked for a while," Faradin said as he split open a nearby prison cell, releasing a dozen wild eyed ruffians from their prison.

Just as they dashed out of their cell, the Rohirrim soldiers rounded the corner. There was a shout at the sight of the escaping prisoners, and Faradin broke in one more door for good measure, releasing a couple more before joining the others in their flight.

"We can't be too far," Mal said, frowning in concentration. He didn't have much time, now.

Just then, they found it. Six soldiers guarded it, but they were quickly dispatched by the trained fighters that opposed them. None were killed, but the aches and bruises they recieved would be difficult to forget the next day.

Quickly drawing aside the bolts, they leapt out of the doorway. A patrol of Rohirrim were just crossing the street. They stopped and drew their swords, ready for action.

Quickly Mal whispered to them where they should meet, and they split up, scattering and disappearing in the darkness.

[Lief Erikson]

Vardor dismounted from the bat and walked over to Esroth. "You have taken too long," he said coldly, ignoring the fumbled greetings.

"I'm terribly sorry, uh, my lord. You see, these winged birds take matters such as alliances very seriously, and there's little that can be done to get any of them to . . ."

He gave a strangled gasp as Vardor's hand clasped around his throat. Vardor released him, and the body sank to the ground.

"You've served as much of your purpose as you were capable of, fool," he said quietly. "I will need your contact to work to finish what you began, from now on. Having one of their own kind dealing with this will be helpul to their reasoning."

[Roland]

Ulrog watched as his target fell to the ground. It had been a good shot. For once things were going well. Quickly he went over to her fallen horse and rumaged through the saddle bags. Grinning, he found a coil of rope and went over to his captive and bound her arms and legs. She'd be unconcious for a good while yet, but it didn't hurt to take precautions. The master would be pleased.
Ulrog heard some movement nearby and spun round to see that it was only a hare. That wolf was probably around somewhere. Ulrog could just detect a faint scent. Whatever it was he would have to get moving soon.
The small orc slung the tall bound woman on to his back and began to half carry, half drag her along. Ulrog cursed himself for not thinking this far ahead. It was clear he wasn't going anywhere fast.

[Lief Erikson]

Soon, Ulrog realized it was almost hopless to go with this mode of travel. He would tire quickly, and when the woman came to, she'd resist, and that would keep him from taking her anywhere.

After dropping her on the muddy ground, he got a flare of inspiration.

The horse she'd been riding was much larger than her, and his potion wasn't exactly designed to cope with its inner systems. Already it was beginning to stagger to its feet, looking dazed. Quickly Ulrog grabbed the reins and led the horse over to where Ayna lay.

Picking her up, he slung her sideways over the saddle and led the horse by the lead rope. Now they'd be able to move at a much better pace, and keep the distance between themselves and that wolf a little wider.





Therefore, when Ayna came to, the first thing she saw was the ground and the side of the horse.

Funny way to be riding, she thought. Usually I'm upright. But then everything came back in a flood, and she looked sideways, seeing the orc leading the horse. She attempted to struggle against her bonds, but couldn't move either her arms or her legs. They were securely fastened.

"Where are you taking me, and why?" she asked the orc.

It looked back at her. "So you've woken up now, have you? Where and why are not questions that you can expect to have answered."

"No, I suppose they're not," she said in disappointment. "But I'd have thought that orc raiders would kill wandering travelers, not capture them. You were hunting me."

"That's my business," the orc snarled back.

After a moment, she realized what was happening. They had found her afterall. They had discovered that the fake identity was a ruse, and had come after her in the end. All she had to look forward to was torture and questioning of the evil ones. She didn't know if she could endure the pain that they would inflict on her. She would be forced to give up, and Middle Earth would end up like Beleriand; swamped in tragedy and destruction.

With a feeling of horrible forboding, she drifted into silence.

The orc had the same feeling as it looked uncomfortably over its shoulder again. The wolf was getting nearer. And something else . . . elf, probably, had joined it.

Thankfully, he was nearing an orc raiding party which was in league with his master. Combined with them, they might be able to escape and survive. Might.

[Mathron]

Elrov walked on, following the path the orc had took with Ayna. Leaning on him was the man, who had still not spoken to him since Elrov had caught up with him. When he had come upon Harnauro, the man had been struggling after the orc, pain and agony evident in his every step. Elrov had tried to converse with him, but the other simply shook his head and went on, finally accepting Elrov's help only after nearly stumbling to the ground.


Harnauro limped on, with the aid of the elf, breathing heavily, a low rumbling in his throat arising every time he though he smelled the orc. Suddenly, he perked up, grabbing onto a nearby tree branch for support, as he glanced from side to side. Yes... the orc was near. His eyes narrowed as he saw the shape of a horse moving along the road in the distance, a figure lashed to its back. He broke free of Elrov, and in a half limping, half loping stride, hurried towards the orc.

[Mathron]

As the captain came upon the released convicts, he was taken aback for a moment at their ferocity and hatred. One of them got past his guard, slamming a makeshift stone dagger into his chest. As it shattered upon the armor he wore beneath his garb, he slammed his fist into the man's chest, crushing his ribcage. He flung the wreck at some of his fellows, and then gestured for his men to make short work of the scum. Not even drawing weapons, the false rohirrim waded through the prisoners, snapping necks and breaking arms, and leaving bleeding, broken bodies behind them.

Farther along the corridor, they came to the exit, and the slowly reviving forms of the guards. In the distance, many more troops were approaching, having been alarmed by the sounds of the fight. The captain grabbed one of the guards who had been left unconscious, and slammed him up against the wall. "Where are they!?" he cried.

"I.. we tried to stop them... they got away!"
The guard stammered at him, flailing uselessly in the air.

With a snarl, the captain drew his sword and thrust it into the guard, who stared down in disbelief. Tossing the dead man to the ground, he looked at the other guards, who had drawn weapons, and at the approaching soldiers, who outnumbered his men five to one. Lord Thaldsan approached, in their midst, and stared at the dead guard, and the drawn weapons of the false rohirrim.

"What means this?" he called out in puzzlement, and then as he realized what had happened, he cried to his men, "Traitors! They must have aided the prisoners escape!"

The captain laughed, a hideous and wet sound, and then his face twisted and turned into a deformed and repulsive form, features mixed like stirred clay. The true soldiers all stepped as his men, too, changed features, and the captain cried out words in a strange tongue, and his men charged the guards.

A combination of fear and skill drove the 'watchers' past the guards and soldiers, and they wasted no time, simply knocked aside those in their path and fled off into the alleys of the city. Two of their number were cut, and wounded, but none fell, and by the time Lord Thaldsan organized pursuit, there was no sign of them left.

[Xivigg]

The group were busy trying to foind his way out when a portion of the wall move revealing a secret passage. A hand covert with old tongue of cloth apears and a rough voice great them

-In here quickly before they found us.

[Mathron]

*Who is this to? Mal and the rest split up into the city already - is this to only some of them? Or to another group?*

[Mathron]

In a small stone room, a man sat, hunched over, and stirring a variety of noxious liquids together. His gaze was focused on the chemicals he mixed, but whenever something else distracted him, his eyes would roam free and relaxed.

During one such distraction, his hand tipped the pot of liquids, and he looked down worriedly as it began to melt a hole in the rock beneath him. "Drat and bebother! I'll have to start over now, won't I?"

The man stood up, revealing a shaggy, unkempt beard, that matched bushy eyebrows beneath a bald head. His eyes were sharp blue, but, while they glinted with an inner light, showed no focus on his surroundings.

He scratched at his beard, looking at the bubbling puddle of green ooze on the ground, when a knocking on his chamber door disturbed him. Spinning about, he squawked, "Who's there??"

The door slowly opened, revealing a man wearing black armor from head to toe, only his eyes peering out from behind an obsidian visor. "Father, I have news."

The old man stared at him blankly, and then slapped at his loose robes, as though a fly had bitten him. "Tarnation! More orcs crawling around here, is it? I didn't want to take over this place, but the last owner had left, you know, had his own business, and I thought the place would be perfect for my work, nice and out of the way, no distractions..."

The other man cut in, saying, "No, not orcs, father. One of our own has returned to us."

The other's eyes brightened. "Joyous day! Happy day! Who has returned, and where has he been?"

"He was sent on one of your missions, to the forest lands. He regrets to inform you of his failure to find what you desired, though some of his brothers have remained behind to continue their search."

"Oh! Oh, that place. I thought they were a while returning. Its of no matter, I sent another already."

Had the face mask not completely covered the other's face, he surely would have shown puzzlement. "You sent another?"

"Yes, yes, one of my pets, should find it easy, bring it back, no trouble at all."

The eyes visible, till then simply glowing slits, widened. "A.. B'rak?"

"Yes, one of them, should be there already, actually. Still, just to be sure, I might send one of my birds. Make sure things go smoothly."

The old man waved his hand, dismissing the matter. "Make sure our returning son is well rewarded for his efforts! And send someone in to clean up this mess!"

The armored form bowed, turning away, saying, "He has been rewarded already, father." As he strode away, he spoke softly under his breath, "The same reward all failures recieve."

[Lief Erikson]

*I thought that thing was a B'rak. I just hesitating in making Elrov mentioning its species. He couldn't have known.*

Slythre glanced behind her and smiled to herself. Her pursuers were already drifting far behind in their search, and totally off target.

It still amazed her that they'd actually managed to pull this off. Whoever was in charge of the prison security would surely be in for it for allowing such a fiasco.

After they'd regrouped, escape would be relatively easy. They were finally finished with the wild adventuring, once and for all.

She frowned. But why had Dania and Narsh been imprisoned in the first place? Whoever was in charge of the operation also was connected in some way with the evil creatures who had been hindering and fighting them before. Worthy opponents, she thought to herself. Too difficult to defeat for comfort. And something told her that neither they nor their master would allow things to be finished at that.

[Lief Erikson]

"You knuckle brained fool!" Sethris nearly shouted at him. "Who cares if they killed a couple Rohirrim! Their the best we have, and you have caused them to be attacked! Shall I report to our master that the only ones who have a chance of hunting down those interloping meddlers have been chased away by you!"

Lord Thaldsan bit back his anger. There was some truth in what this pompous idiot said to him. Vardor would never let this go. No way. If he wasn't such an important tool to him, he'd surely be flayed for this. Dania escaped. One of the all too valuable Nrake hunters dead. All of the enemy who'd entered the city unaccounted for.

Thaldsan looked over at Sethris. "All right, so your saying they didn't really betray us."

"Of course they didn't! It was the Maiar's shadow magic that caused it!"

"You have always had more experience with their kind then I have. All right, just do what you can to smooth this misunderstanding over. Get them back on the job, but tell them not to kill Rohirrim soldiers unless it is absolutely neccessary."

Sethris' lip curled, but he nodded his head. "Very well. But don't think I'm going to tag along repairing the damage that you've done always." He pointed a finger at Thaldsan's face. "Next time, you're on your own, and I'll leave you to the fate that our master will prepare for you. I shall enjoy watching you die in agony."

[Mathron]

*Yeah, it was a B'rak - and there is probably no one who has ever heard of it, or the evil guys hunting Mal (save for maybe a few of the powerful Maia) - which is why I avoided naming it as other than 'beast' or 'monster'.*

A score of soldiers marched down the street, and Mal melted into the shadows of a closed doorway, pulling Narsh, still injured, against the wall beside him. The soldiers walked on without notice, and Narsh let out a breath he had been holding.

"We aren't out of this yet," whispered Mal, "but we are close. They will be watching throughout the city, but the one place they won't be able to keep an eye on everything is the marketplace. Once we meet the others there, it should be simple to find a way out."

The elf nodded, eyes glinting with anger as he watched the departing soldiers. Mal gestured to him, and he followed down an alley, and into yet more darkness.

[Mathron]

*Hmm, don't quite know much about this Sethris, hope I portray him well - if I fail, mine apologies!*

"Broodlord, where go we now?"

The false captain, now having discarded his uniform, as had his men, was a gruesome sight to behold. His armor, like his mens, was obsidian, but had runes and grinning skulls carved upon it as well. Now revealed strapped to his waist was a glimmering red sword, with a ruby topping the pommel. He took a while before answering, looking back and forth down the alley they stood in. He opened his mouth, and his tongue licked the air as he looked around.

"The one we hunt is still here, I can tasste him. We remain."

"We no longer are welcome by the puny rulerss of thiss land..."

The broodlord turned to look at the one who spoke to him, gazing fiercely at the individual, who bowed his head and took a step back.

"You are not as unwelcome as you believe." The voice came from the head of the alleyway, and the broodlord spun around, sword flying from his scabbard and almost striking down the man who entered, before he recognized him as the contact he had made with the dark force in the city.

He smiled grimly, hissing at the intruder as he said, "Ahhh, Ssethrisss, you call being attacked welcome?"

The man stopped his approach, a bit taken aback, but still confident. "What happened was an accident. The one responsible already greatly regrets his mistake, I assure you."

The broodlord laughed. "Were he one of uss, he would not live to regret failure! But if it iss a mistake, maybe we can sstill work together..."

Sethris smiled at his words. "Of course we can remain in cooperation! You have been wellpaid for your services throughout this time, have you not?"

The broodlord's eyes suddenly grew angry and he took a step forward, startling Sethris back, as he said, "Wellpaid? You think we care for moneyss?? We nearly had them, but your men let them esscape!"

Sethris, confused, and starting to feel a bit frightened near this unpredictable being, responded, "Who do you mean? We have had the elves in captivity for days - you brought them, after all!"

This calmed the broodlord somewhat, and he grew quiet. "Yess... Very well. Still, our nature has been revealed to the soldierss of your city - we shall have to hunt in secrecy."

Breathing deeply, and still cautious, Sethris gave another smile. Putting his hands together beneath his chin, he said, "But of course. And the soldiers are positioned throughout the city, keeping sight of the intruders."

More laughter. "Your soldiers will see nothing that does not wish to be seen. But we have other... ssensses... to track them, and they will not expect our appearance. Fear not - I shall try to keep the elf alive." He laughed again, and then with a gesture, he and his men wrapped capes around them and ran off into the alleys and shadows. Sethris stared after them for a moment, lips pursed, and then slipped away himself.

[Lief Erikson]

*That was a fine character for Sethris. I can't post now, though. My sister has school to do, so I'll post in the morning.*

[Roland]

"Hello Snaga!"
Ulrog hated that name. He hated it almost as much as...
"Snotty nosed tracker!"
He watched as some of his lager cousins approached. Unlike him they were of one of the larger mountain breeds. They wore some armour and carried curved swords.
"What's that you've got then Snaga?", the lead orc asked, looking at the horse and Anya. He was a bit larger than the rest and carried an axe.
"The one the boss was after. The one you fighters couldn't get!", Ulrog sneered back at him.
"You watch that toungue of yours Snaga", the orc replied, giving his axe a bit of a shake.
A sly smile crossed Ulrog's face.
"Sorry chief. You know, there's another the boss is after. Following me. Too tough for me to handle. Thought you lot might make a better go of it."
"Right you are Snaga. Fighting's not for you and your little snotty nose", he looked over at the other orcs who laughed on cue.
Just as this happened a large man burst into the clearing. Ulrog looked at him in suprise. The man's scent was almost exactly the same as that of the wolf.
"Right then lads! Let's show Snaga how it's done!"
The largest orc led the others in a charge towards the man. Ulrog pulled the reigns and set off again, as quickly as he could. Hopefully that lot would slow the wolf-man down long enough for him to get the start he needed.

[Mathron]

At the sight of enemies, some of Harnauro's weakness fell away. He felt as though he was moving lethargically, still, but what seemed as slow to him was easily fast enough to match the orcs.

They laughed wickedly at his approach, and the chief stepped forward, prepared to deal with this lone, injured, human. As Harnauro stepped in range, the orc, in one fluid motion, slammed his rusty blade into the mans chest, directly into his heart.

Harnauro's hand lashed out, ripping open the orcs throat.

The other orcs gave a cry, but still confident in numbers, and thinking the blade sliding harmlessly from his check a trick of the light, charged him, two breaking off in glee at the sight of an elf coming to a halt as he entered the clearing.

Harnauro's mind was filled with rage, and he felt the bloodlist begin to overtake him. Still though, not enough of his nature had returned for him to assume his other form, and he would have to deal with these filth with only skill. Snatching the blade from one of them, and ripping it from their hands, he swung it around, disembowling the orc behind him.

He felt more orcs draw their blades across his back as he beheaded the sword's owner, but gave it no thought, his wounds reclosing as soon as the blades went past. He hardly was in danger, unlest the orcs had looted some powerful weaponry - and most such weapons were elf-forged, and would burn the hands of orcen wielders.

A spin around took him past the two orcs behind him, but only killing one, as his rusty scavenged blade snapped off as it sank into the firsts belly. Baring teeth, he leapt forward and snapped his head into the second's face feeling the orc's nose shatter, and hearing the snap of its neck. Shaking bloody remnants from his face, Harnauro looked around. A few orcs were fleeing into the woods, and two more were attacking the elf, who was managing to hold them off. Harnauro tensed, wanting to hunt the fleeing forms, but shook it away, and a few long strides brought him to the elf. He slammed one elbow into the back of an orc, dropping it to the ground with its spine broken, and as the other spun about, he grabbed its own sword and sunk it into its chest, to the hilt.

Ignoring whatever the elf was saying, Harnauro turned about. The battle had revitalized him, but now the scent of orcs was thick, almost overpowering! With the fleeing of some of the orcs, he couldn't tell which way the one with the girl had fled! With a snarl on his lips, he walked into the woods and began hunting the first orc scent. One of them would be the right one.

[Lief Erikson]

The creature moved slowly across the ground. Few indeed of his kind were out here; he was one of the last. He raised his head towards the sky and drew in a deep breath through his nose. Instantly his whole body tingled with the different scents, and his mind flared to life on one area, blocking out all distractions. Focusing to a point.

The Nrake's eyes narrowed and he took a hesitant step forward. Then the hunter instinct took complete control of his body, and he leapt forwards into the undergrowth, whipping towards the target.

[Lief Erikson]

Sethris had no doubt that they were right; those fool soldiers under Thaldsan's command were attuned to nothing. But it was still good to have them here. When the real hunters attacked, the soldiers would be able to see, and their numbers would at the very least be helpful a distraction.

He glanced around briefly towards the different sides of the street. Now that this was patched up, things were almost entirely shifting back to on schedule. Although Dania's escape had almost completely stopped his plans, as soon as she was recaptured, everything would be back in place. The Valley of Ethrilien was ripe for the taking, and the key would soon fit the lock.

Sethris' smile made the soldiers guarding the gates cast worried looks at each other.

[Lief Erikson]

Evron looked down at the map of the city. It still seemed incredible to him. The prisons, a highly guarded section of the city, broken into! High security prisoners rescued! And, to cap it off, not a single person was killed, except those who were slain by the group of people that followed after, disguised as Rohirrim. And the descriptions! These were the very same people he himself had escorted in.

Lord Thaldsan had punished him for that. Of course.

Grimacing, Evron glanced out the window of the tower, towards the city below. They were out there, somewhere. But they'd rescued prisoners who he believed to be innocent. And he just couldn't make himself believe that elves, men and rangers were all in league with the enemies of the realm.

He looked again at the map. Where would they be? Where would they hide?

He looked at the section of broken down alleys in the poor section of the city. It could be there. A very dangerous area, but very easy to hide a few vagabonds in. Except that for the right price, just about any of them would be willing to betray the fugitives to the law.

No, it would have to be somewhere else. Did they have an accomplise who had a house waiting to recieve them? How many were there, and where?

Evron sighed and let the map curl up on itself. It was impossible to tell.

Perhaps a walk in the marketplace would help clear his foggy brain. Picking up his sword, he buckled it on and went out the door.

[Lief Erikson]

The fight was still visible as the horse jerked back into the woods, let at a fast pace by her small captor. They were getting close to their destination, which by now she had guessed. And those who pursued in the hopes of rescuing would not know where she was. A couple minutes later, she gave out a scream, echoing around the forest.

Cursing, the orc whirled around, slapping his hand over her mouth and stifling the sound. Then, he quickly tore a strip of cloth from her own sleeve and gagged her with it.




But it was too late. Where they were hunting, Harnauro and Elrov shifted their gaze in the direction of the sound, and picked up the pace.

Elrov raised his bloody sword blade, and the look of anger and determination increased. They were close. That rotten orc would not give them the slip again.

[Mathron]

The broodlord stalked through the city, following the traces of the wounded elf. They had carried him captive for days, and his taste was familiar to them. Daylight had come, but he and his men now wore the visages and garb of a merchant and guard. The broodlord walked with a steady pace, his cloak trailing behind (the previous owner no longer had need of it - corpses seldom do.)

As he and his men entered the swirling mass of people that formed the marketplaces, smells and sounds drowned his search, bringing an angry grimace to his face. He signaled for his men to fan out behind him, infiltrating silently into the crowd, and searching in all directions. As he looked about, he nearly passed over a form standing in the shadows of one booth, and then his gaze darted back to it, seeing that a slim female shape stood next to it. A grin tugged at his mouth as he recognized the female elf. Either, alone, he would have dismissed, but they must have started to regroup.

The others of their band would soon regroup, and indeed, as the thought drifted through his mind, he saw a dark shape drifting gracefully through the crowd, towards the ranger and elf. A harsh laugh erupted from his throat, and he saw that the closest exit for the one they sought was blocked by his men. He fingered the ruby on his sword, strapped to his waist. The man had dark magics, but his blade would afford him some protection... and if they could take another captive again, as a hostage.

As he pondered, he saw the ranger and elf start to head across the market, towards the shadow man, and he knew he had to act before they got away. Throwing secrecy to the wings and dropping his encumbering cloak aside, he charged forward, drawing his blade, and hurling aside any citizens in his way.

His men drew weapons, and began to viciously slice and slam their way through the crowd. Without mercy they cut down any of the innocent populace in their path, letting out eerie cries and, within moments, all in the square were panicking, and fleeing from them.


Mal turned about at the start of the commotion, seeing a black armored form coming towards him, a gleaming red sword blazing in the air, red with its own power and the blood already upon it. His eyes widened as he saw more of the 'watchers' circling around him, and his friends, and with a mass of people between them and the exit from the marketplace. They would have to scatter again!

He yelled out for Faradin to get Dania out of the city, hoping the others were close enough to hear, and then drew dagger and short sword, intending to lead off the ones after him. He charged straight towards the leader of these foes, making as though to engage with him, and at the last moment, veered towards the side, trying to get to a place he could get up a wall and away into a side streets.

A glance upward showed the sun was at full height, and his powers were at their weakest. He dodged under the blade of one of them, having only time to trip the foe, but not fell them, and then dived through a hole between the two of them, coming up on the otherside, and charging towards the exit they had entered from, directly opposite where his friends would, hopefully escape.

[Mathron]

The B'rak burrowed through the earth, smelling the sweet scent it was looking for. As it dug through the ground, it felt another force tugging it to the north, but faint, like the last snack it had hunted down. Still, it couldn't go on any more side trips, or master would be displeased.

It stopped for a moment, quivering in the earth, and felt stone walls up ahead. It paused for a moment, confused, and then decided to sit and wait, until the scent left the stone place.

[Lief Erikson]

Slythre just stood and stared for a moment at the obsidian armored figures lunging after Mal, Faradin and Dania. Mal sidestepped and escaped while the others fled into the crowd, their opponents in hot pursuit.

Rohirrim soldiers drew their blades and attacked the figures, only to end up in crumpled heaps, killed in seconds. However, their fall did give the group valuable seconds in which to make their escape and disappear in the crowd.

A little bit later, a larger squad of soldiers rounded the corner, weapons drawn. They attacked angrily, using skill and wrath and somehow managing to press the warriors back. One of the warriors slumped to the ground with a half dozen slash wounds in him. Already, seven of the Rohirrim had fallen, and the rest were falling back.

It was none of her business now, Slythre realized. It was better to fight them later. Now was the time to run.

Even as she decided this was the right course of action, the obsidian armored figures came to the same decision, quickly disengaging and escaping down alleyways.

[Lief Erikson]

"You ssshould keep better control of your men," the broodlord snarled at Sethris. "I lost one of mine because of thisss, and they are not as replacable as yours."

"They aren't my men," Sethris responded. "If you had had better control of your warrior instincts, this would not have happened. Your slaughter of the populace was what forced them into action. They would have aided you, otherwise. You dragged failure down on your own head."

The broodlord nearly killed him for that, but somehow managed to restrain himself. Sethris was his only link to Vardor, besides Lord Thaldsan, and he couldn't afford to have that severed. "We won't kill your weakling civiliansss again."

"That will help you in this," Sethris said. "Besides that, our quick discovery of their location has proved your abilities. But now they will be more cautious. I would like to offer you a companion. He will not be an annoyance, and his tracking abilities will make him worth having, I think."

"Who is thiss companion?" the broodlord asked suspiciously.

Sethris beckoned to the figure who stood behind him. "He is our second to last Nrake. We have one other, but he left, going outside Edoras for a time."

"I can find this Dania. I smelled her once before, and know her scent." He spoke in a low, rasping voice. He wore brown and black garments, with a short sword at one of his sides. But he rarely used this weapon, usually merely attacking with his hands and teeth.

His scenting skills were called into doubt however, when he led them to the city gates, and insisted that she was not in Edoras.

[Roland]

Ulrog looked over his shoulder. The sounds of combat had died away moments ago. He had never expected it to go in the orcs' favour but he had hoped it would buy him more time than this. He cursed himelf for not thinking of gaging her earlier. That little scream would surely have put the wolf-man back on his trail. He led the horse down onto a small track which led to the clump of trees where he had met the master before. He could see it in the distance. Here was where he was to bring his captive. The master would know when they got there. He always did.
Already Ulrog could smell the wolf-man getting closer. He was running out of time. Slowly an idea formed in his mind. It was risky but it was all he could think of.
"I'm not done for yet", he muttered.
Ulrog quickly tightened the ropes fastening his captive to her horse. Then he grabbed a fallen branch and hit the animal as hard as he could. Ulrog watched in satisfaction as the horse bolted down the track, heading straight for the meeting place.
The wolf-man's scent was getting even stronger now. Ulrog ran off at an angle from the track, planning to to circle round to the meeting place. Hopefully this would work.

[Lief Erikson]

Suddenly, the orc heard a loud whinny from the horse somewhere ahead. Quickly running forward, he saw through the branches as a black scaled and brown clothed creature leaped out of the undergrowth, streaking toward the horse.

Was this the one who'd been sent out to the meeting place? It didn't look like it, but nevertheless, there was nothing he could do to stop the creature now that it had met its target. It slammed into the horse, bowling it to the ground. Then, it tore away the ropes attatching it to the captive and seized her in its arms, letting out a howl of triumph.

Fool! Ulrog nearly said aloud. You've just announced your location to the trackers!

Quickly drawing his bow, he removed an arrow from the quiver. He looked over his shoulder, careful to make sure that the wolfman was not already bounding out of the woods. Then he closed in on the creature, not intending to shoot it, but at least find out that it was the one who she was to be delivered to.

The creature suddenly bolted into the brush, holding the struggling figure over its shoulder as if she were weightless.

Then the wolfman and the elf did appear, dashing out of the woods close behind. After stopping for a bare two seconds at the horse's body, the instantly turned and dashed after the creature.

[Mathron]

Mal crouched from a rooftop, watching the obsidian form and the man he was talking to as the argued at the gate. He had seen Faradin slip out of there but an hour before, Dania with him, right past the watch of the guards. Obviously the arrival of these men, and that strange creature that led them here, was not coincidence.

As they argued, Mal sat back on the roof, twirling a dagger in one hand. Faradin and Dania had gotten out, and he had glimpsed Gungar helping Narsh hide in a small abandoned building in the city, though Mal hadn't revealed himself to them. At the moment, they had to keep as split up as possible. He had not gotten a chance to see where Slythre had gone, so she was likely hiding out in the city as well.

Looking down at the conversation taking place, he saw that they were splitting up. The 'watcher' lord sent all of his men with the, the lizard, or whatever it was, and then went back into the city on his own. The man he had been arguing with gave a vexed stare at his back, and then headed towards the palace.

Mal slid down the wall, and dropped to the ground silently behind the figure. Utter silence, utter secrecy. He walked across the street no more than a shadow - one might have thought it the use of his magic, but was truthfully no more than the excelling of a skill to an art. He walked right by a figure in broad daylight, without the man ever knowing he was there. He followed, trailing unseen and unnoticed, the man the 'watcher' had conversed with. This conspiracy reached high, and he was through being the one hunted. Let them beware - he would have answers.

[Mathron]

Harnauro flew through the woods, leaping over low branches and bushes, dashing around trees after the creature that fled from him, lightning fast. Even burdened with carrying the girl, its speed was amazing, springing across the overgrown woods.

Beside him, Harnauro glimpsed the elf starting to fall behind, but turned his attention solely to the chase as the creature tossed on a burst of speed, leaping deeper into the brush.

A wicked grin grew on Harnauro's face, for as he ran, he felt adrenalin burning away the last remnants of the touch of the creature from the day before. Still hesitant to take wolf form, he instead bunched his leg muscles, and hurled himself into the air, grabbing a branch and swinging himself up into the tree, barely pausing, and then running on. Instead of dodging across the overgrown earth, he raced along the tree limbs, agile and sure as he began to overtake the creature.

Soon, nearly overhead, he threw himself from above, hurtling straight towards the creature, which somehow sensed him, and sprang aside. Harnauro crashed into the ground at a roll, coming back to his feet and pushing off from a tree he landed near, swinging back around into the creature's path.

It gave a hideous cry, and flung the girl at him, forcing him to catch her as it leapt away again. Harnauro wasted no time, his anger pushing him on, and dropped her form to the ground as he ripped apart the rope binding her with one hand, then jumped after the fleeing form.

It moved quickly, but Harnauro bent down low as he ran, grabbing up a large stick, and jumping into the air for better aim, sent it flying into the creatures back, tumbling it to the ground.

It quickly regained its feet, but by that time Harnauro was there. It sliced at him with its claws, but he ignored the scratches, which healed even as they were made, and grabbed it by the throat. Slamming its back against a tree, he bared his teeth before its face, a rumbling snarl echoing from him.

"You will tell me all you know," he growled, his teeth an inch from its face, "Or you will die a thousand tortured deaths!"

[Lief Erikson]

A wild look entered the Nrake's face. He was pinned by a well nigh invulnerable being! The Nrake saw that fighting was useless, and this creature would probably end up killing him. But that would only be once, and if he did give away his mission objective, then he would be taken to those who really could make him die those thousand tortured deaths. Loyalty to his master was a must, and anything less than a full answer to this being would probably mean a horrible death.

He looked at Harnauro through his black eyes, blazing with hatred. "Then there is only one option."

With a sudden effort, he jerked upwards, his scaly hand slipping out of Harnauro's like a snake. Then he slashed his own head off.

[Mathron]

Blood spurted over Harnauro, who cursed at the enemy's end. I'll have answers yet, he thought, and turned back down to slip, unseen and unheard, among the trees. The orc was back their somewhere - he would have answers from it!

[Lief Erikson]

Sethris entered the courtyard and entered a sidedoor, hurrying up a flight of stairs until he reached the top. He was still wondering at the Nrake's strange behavior. Perhaps they could have escaped, he thought doubtfully. He just hoped that his best warriors weren't being sent on a wild goosechase.

"Perhaps it's best they go, though," he muttered to himself as he entered his room, closing the door behind him.

At least now they wouldn't be attacking civilians and soldiers at will. The countryside was wide, open terrain, perfect for their hunt, without anyone getting in the way.

The table was large, made of dark polished oak. Walking over to the other end of it, his cloak swishing around his feet, he carelessly picked up a dagger, tapping his hand with the blade. And whirled around, sending the dagger flying through the air, aimed straight for the intruder's heart.

Only to be knocked aside by the man's hand, which moved up impossibly fast, hitting the hilt and batting the weapon off course.

It hit the wood of the door with a thunk and stuck there, quivering.

Mal gave a wry smile. "You have good reflexes. But perhaps not good enough."

"To face a wielder of the shadow magic, a Maiar."

"When did you hear me following you?"

"No matter how quietly you move, my door's hinges are rather good at letting me know such things."

Mal walked around the table and crossed the room until he was close to Sethris. "You will tell me everything you know of the group you work for at once. What connection do you have with that group of armored warriors which attacked us in the market place?"

"A business association, mostly. They are working for us at present, partially for their own reasons and partially for ours."

"And what are your groups? Why have you had Dania and Narsh imprisoned, but tried to kill the rest of us instead of taking us to? What makes them so special to your plans?"

"I'm surprised that Dania didn't tell you. She'll be in need of a guardian such as you, before long."

"You haven't answered my question. I give you one last chance to do so."

Sethris raised his head, looking into Mal's eyes. "To do so would mean a horrible death. Worse than anything you could or would do to me. I will answer none of your questions."

[Mathron]

Mal looked long and hard into the man's face. He seemed confident of himself, and Mal had not the time to try and pry deeper into him.

"Very well. Then I will bargain. I will let you live, and in return, I wish only a meeting with your superior."

Sethrin raised his eyebrows. "I can scarcely see any reason you would wish to meet my superior unless you planned treachery."

Mal laughed at him, a sneer on his face. "Fool! I once served Melkor himself! What do you think to presume of my motivations?"

[Lief Erikson]

Sethris paused, considering. "I'll inform him of your request," he said hesitantly, with an edge of fear in his voice. But Mal could tell it was not fear of him. "Where will you be if his answer is yes?"

"The question is where will he be. I have the power to know whether or not he is alone."

"You have no power he does not have, I think," Sethris said. "How about at the castle Iron Heart. Spies have recently informed me of its location, and the fact that it is currently deserted. It is near Helm's Deep, I can show you exactly where on . . ."

"I know where it is," Mal said sharply.

Sethris blinked. "All right. If he agrees to your request, he'll be there a week from now."

[Mathron]

Mal nodded sharply, and then vanished out of the door. Sethris watched carefully, and then closed and locked it. Vardor would be informed of this, indeed.

Meanwhile, Mal slipped along his own course, into the castle itself. Dania had only been one reason for entering the city, and he would need all his trength for this mysterious foe.

The guards at the palace entrance simply glanced from side to side, at what sounded like the hiss of the wing moving past, but paid no more heed. Soon, Mal was within the palace proper, and on his path to the treasury.

It was guarded a bit more harshly, and the door allowed for no easy entrance. Frowning, he realized that it would be no easy task to enter there at the moment. Rapidly changing plans, he snuck back out of the palace as easily as he had entered.

Once back into the central part of town, he went looking for Narsh and Gungar. He found them, still hiding in a building, and saw that Slythre had joined them.

"You're safe, I see," she said as he entered. He nodded.

"I may be safe, but I have some business to attend to as well."

The others looked at each other, puzzled, and asked, "What do you mean?"

"I hope to deal with what goes on here, and the force that captured Dania. All I know, however, is that this city is not safe for you or the others. Leave her as soon as you can, and see if you can help Dania and Faradin - they were being pursued by those who keep attacking us."

Startled glances were once more passed around. Mal continued, as he backed up into the shadows of the room, "Once you meet them, and if you can escape pursuit, take the river east and north. If you go far enough, and fast enough, they may turn aside - certainly they will shy away from Lorien, if you go near that place."

Slythre whistled low. "That is a long journey you describe."

"Aye. But what we deal with has a long reach. For now, though, simply try and meet up with the others. I will rejoin you when I can." His gaze turned away from their's, as he continued to back up, and soon his form was completely engulfed in the wall's shadow. Slythre lunged forward, but there was only air remaining.

---

Mal opened his eyes. He looked around - he was in the king's vault. The place was dark, no windows, no openings, save the giant locked doors. His eyes could see, though, and he looked around at wealth and riches - though less than one would have expected. Shrugging, he began his search.

Minutes later, he held a bracer in his hand. Dark leather, dyed black, and inset with various gleaming black gemstones. He set it on, fitting like a tailor-made glove, and a sad smile flickered about his lips. He closed his eyes once again, letting the darkness dance around him, and when he re-opened them, he was in Castle Ironheart.

No signs of any living nearby. The last who had remained were nevertheless long gone. He looked about, at the walls so recently washed with blood. He had a week to prepare the place. A grim smile came upon his lips. A week, and then he would have some answers.

[Lief Erikson]

Ayna got to her feet, rubbed her wrists painfully and walked over to the wolfman. "What was it?" she asked, motioning to the creature.

"Something so completely given over to the enemy that it will die before giving away secrets. We have no time to bury it. Elrov, do you and Ayna wish to join me and our company or go your own way?"

"They might have more spies around and I'd rather not lead them to my home. It could easily end up the same as Ayna's." When Ayna looked away, head lowered, he bit his lip angrily, wishing he hadn't mentioned the place.

"Very well. Dania and Faradin are nearby. We can join them and find out what happened the others."

Ayna's head lifted as she heard Dania's name mentioned. Harnauro gave no sign that he noticed the abrupt recognition, but wished that he knew exactly how she fitted into all this. Elrov sheathed his sword and they set off. Soon they might have some answers as to what was going on.

[Lief Erikson]

*Whoops! Sorry, I didn't realize that Harnauro had already gone off chasing down the orc. Perhaps we should say this is after they capture him.*

[Mathron]

As they walked, Ayna finally found the courage to ask the question gnawing at her insides.

"You have saved me from death - and worse - many times now... and yet, I know not who, or what you are. As a wolf, I thought I sensed intelligence in you but... not this. I never foresaw this."

Harnauro sealed his lips, continuing forward at a hard stride. For a while, her words hung in the air, and he finally broke the silence. "I was once a man. I earned the emnity of someone powerful. He cursed me, and made me what I am. Best you know no more than that."

Ayna bit her own lip, before saying anymore. She stared at his back as he walked on, and let the matter drop. Up ahead, she heard the sound of others talking, and one voice sounded familiar to her. As she noticed this, Harnauro quickened his stride, leaving the clearing and approaching Faradin and Dania.

[Mathron]

*Well, if Dania and Faradin are nearby, he would probably go to them before hunting the orc. So, once they all meet again, they can go a-hunting.*

[Lief Erikson]

Vardor's face appeared in the fire, an image, not truly there but still a part of this kind of communication.

"My lord, in one week he will be there to meet you at the Castle Iron Heart," Sethris said.

"And who exactly is it?"

"I don't know his name. But he wields shadow magic of the kind you sometimes use."

Vardor was motionless for a moment. "Very well, I will meet him there. The eagle alliance is going according to plan, although they won't know who they serve until it is too late. I suppose my new operative there will keep things moving on scheduale. Have you pinned down Dania, yet?"

Sethris cowered for a moment. "No, my lord. She continues to elude us, and the Nrake says she's left the city."

Vardor snarled, and twin lines of fire flared from his eyes, cutting through Sethris' head.

With a scream, he fell back on the ground, agony filling him.




Vardor released the connection and the fire before him was quenched as if doused with water, although nothing really touched it. This man was probably there now, already plotting how to trap him. But it would take a great deal of power for him to move there, unless his shadow magic was stronger than he thought.

Perhaps in his weakened state he would be the one to answer questions, not Vardor. On the other hand, he may already have prepared the place, and used his mental influence on Sethris to make him suggest Iron Heart, still thinking it was his own free will.

With so little information, it was impossible to know what to expect. Preparing for the worst, he faded from the rock tower, reappearing far away. Right next to Malagar.

[Lief Erikson]

Slythre and the rest of their band left the woods, only to stop in their tracks. Ayna, Harnauro, and another man they didn't know were just leaving the trees as well, moving towards Dania and Narsh.

After hesitating a moment, and then joined the rest of the band as well.

[Mathron]

The B'rak awoke, confused. The scent had vanished from the stone place, suddenly, and it couldn't tell where it went. It sniffed about, and then perked up. It smelled it, faint, but there, back along the way it had come. Burrowing through the ground at a rapid pace, it accelerated towards its source.

[Mathron]

Mal froze, as a form stepped from the shade to his side. Slowly rotating, he turned and looked into dark eyes, as puzzled as his own.

Mal showed no reaction at all, but inside, shock coursed through him. This man had the touch of shadow magic about him! Mal had known it had spread, as a lore, in the ages since he developed it, but had not expected to find a foe using it. And what was more, this one was strong, maybe stronger than him, in his still weakened, near mortal state.

Mal saw the other was a tensed to burst into motion as he was, and decided now was a time for diplomacy. He let a smile grow on his face, and bowed low to the other. "I think," he said wryly, rising back up, "we have much to talk about."

[Lief Erikson]

Vardor and Malagar seated themselves opposite each other, on pieces of fallen rubble.

"Sethris tells me that you worked for Melkor, before his fall," Vardor said quietly. "If it wasn't for our kinship in this, and that of our both using the shadow magic, I would not have come to answer your questions. But I am here now. What would you like to know?"

*Sorry, but this is the last post I can send. I'll try and post again in two or three days. And this does have to be a relatively blow by blow conversation. Vardor has a proposal to make, as well as answers to give.*

[Mathron]

*OK - the rest should be fine, as it is the others mostly running from the enemies I am controlling. We can do this convo whenever you have a chance.*

"Aye," responded Mal, "I once worked for Melkor, quite shortly before his defeat. Though I was less one who served. I worked with him, perhaps is a better term, for I did a number of tasks he needed done. An ally, more than a servant, and only one other matched my power under him. Do you say you served him as well?"

[Roland]

Ulrog moved quietly through the trees. Everything had been going so well until that ugley looking thing had snatched his captive. He doubted very much it was a servant of the master. He had been expecting to see some of the master's giant bats or even some men on horses. Whatever it was it was probably dead now. Ulrog had seen the wolf-man leap after it. A battle with a rather large orc raiding party and not a scratch on him! Ulrog had found someone to fear as much as he did the master. Mission be damned. The wolf-man could keep Anya, he was getting as far from here as possible.
Slowly Ulrog became aware of a scent, carried on the wind from behind him. It seemed someone was following him. It was a mixed scent but he knew it. Wolf-man had met up with his friends, the ones who had captured him so easily before. Ulrog suspected it would be useless to try and hide his trail from the wolf-man. Already he could see the dawn forming on the horizon. He cursed the sun with a clenched fist. There was no way he could outrun them during the day. Everything had been going so well....

[Lief Erikson]

"I was. As were you." Vardor leaned forward. "What would you say if . . ." he hesitated. "Never mind, perhaps I will ask you later, when I know more about you. What is your name, what is your history, and what are the questions you would ask?"

[Mathron]

Curiosity ran through Mal, but he kept it hidden.

"First, my questions. I wish to know of you, as you wish of me, your name and history. I wish to know your interest in this region, and with the elf. I wish to know your association with those who plagued me and mine."

Mal paused, weighing Vardor with a long look, before continuing. "As for my history, I am a Maia, of ancient times. I have lived off of the Valar's isle for nigh unto all of my existence, and have been many places in Middle-Earth, and elsewhere. I have been known, through times past, and now, as Malagar."

[Mathron]

Harnauro nodded grimly at the approach of Faradin, and as he glimpsed Slythre entering the clearing, waited for her and the rest to come closer.

Faradin looks grimly on Harnauro, still not trusting him completely, but says, "We have had some eventful times, but our goal was completed."

Harnauro's gaze passed over Dania and Narsh with only brief acknowledgement. Then he spoke. "Where is Mal?"

Slythre gave a sigh. "We don't know. He went off, speaking of private business, and then vanished."

"I see." Ayna, to his right, fidgeted, rubbing her arm where the rope had s****ed her, and Harnauro, noticing her presence again, said, "The woman was not a spy, nor does she mean us ill. Strange forces seem after her as well, and some strange lizardlike being tried to take her."

Faradin frowns. "A lizardlike beast? Sounds eerily familiar to something we faced, that was working for those who captured Dania."

Eyes turned toward Dania, who was distracted, as Ayna was staring at her quite noticably...

[Lief Erikson]

*Actually, I'm afraid you'll have to edit those last two sentences. They don't know each other. Ayna sidestepped the question on page 1, and never really admitted knowing her, although she showed interest and surprise in hearing her name.*

Ayna quickly averted her gaze when she saw the others watching. She really was doing this badly. Everyone was noticing her interest in Dania, and that was not good. Although she sensed they probably were friends and worthy of probably worthy of her trust, she couldn't put them in the great danger they would certainly be placed in if she gave them the answers they sought.

"So what do you suggest as our next move?" she asked, addressing Harnauro.

*Sorry to drop the decision on you, but I really have a lot more ideas for other areas. You can take them wherever you like, involving them in your plot, or delving them deeper into mine.*

[Lief Erikson]

"And I am called, by the few that know my name and dare to speak it, Vardor." He smiled slightly, an unpleasant curling of the white lips. "Not a name that strikes fear at the sound, is it? But now we are introduced. And I will tell my history with equal brevity.

"I am also a Maia, like you. I had the powers of one, combined with the strength of Istari, and other magic wielding beings. My research in this area made me into a sort of recluse, not well known as one of the greatest warriors of Morgoth. When they attacked Morgoth's stronghold, Angband, his forces were scattered, much of my powers weakened, and Beleriand ripped apart. Since then, I have rebuilt some of my strength, enough to gain dominion over many creatures, who now serve me.

"As Sethris told you, my reasons for joining with your companies' attackers is almost entirely business. My feelings for your band of followers is only that they are a nuicance, and I would leave them alone if they would stop meddling and hand over Dania."

"Why is she so important to you?" Mal asked.

"I cannot tell you that unless you ally with me, and join my side, as giving that information to an enemy will give them the ability to destroy my master plan. My mission that I have worked for many, many years to complete. My great quest."

[Mathron]

Mal looked, long and slowly, at Vardor. The situation grew ever more complicated... and he faced one who was once a servant of Morgoth. Not to ber trusted. Still...

"What would be my gain, should I choose to ally with you?" Mal spoke cautiously, and Vardor was a moment in replying.

Before he could do so, a tremor rocked the ground, shaking the walls of the castle. Both Mal and Vardor leapt to their feat, prepared for treachery from the other, but it was soon apparent that neither was responsible. After a moment, the quaking stopped, and for a number of minutes nothing more happened.

"I did not know this place was prone to quakes," Mal commented, wryly.

"Nor did I." Vardor's words were much darker, and he know looked about with a good deal of suspicion - but felt nothing nearby the castle, no other signs of life, and turned back to answer Mal's question.

[Mathron]

*I have an idea for exactly what to do.. though it might start to take em a bit far from your plot. Still, I might find a way to tie our plots together....*

Before Harnauro could respond, Gungar spoke up. "Before Malagar left, he told us to head to the river, and find a craft and a way up to the north."

Harnauro frowned. A long journey, and through many ill lands. He was familiar with them, but wondered what destination Mal sent them towards. But... it did bring him, at least initially, closer to... He cut off the thought, and said harshly, "Then let us see to that. With those hunting us, we do not want to stay around here for long."

The party exchanged gazes, but recalling the warriors on their tales, they decided to go with that decision as speedily as they could. Exhausted and worried, they headed towards the river.

[Morkhon]

Fardin mused on the situation as they headed to the river. If they headed north it would take them towards Rivendell. Elrond and his house would wish to know of this activity and so would Aragorn, the chief of his people. Perhaps even Gandalf would be there, he had been spending alot of time in Rivendell recently.

* * * *


Gungar thoughts were dark as he trudged onward. He felt that what he was doing with these people were important; but he also had his errand to Minas Tirith to complete and every step he took was one step further from that city. As he considered leaving his companions his quick eyes caught something in the brush. He bent down to look and then called to his companions. Faradin and Harnauro looked at the small footprint in the soft ground and then Harnauro frowned. "That's the same orc that captured Ayna," he said without explaination of how he knew. He half-growled and then quickly starting walking in the direction of the scent of the orc; the others following quickly after.



*The first part is an explanation for why my two people may leave the party as I'm not too sure how long I can continue playing.*

[Lief Erikson]

"The reward would be given after the great quest was completed. And it would be a great one as well, important to you personally." Vardor looked at him more closely, gaging his reactions. "The return of all the powers that you've been trying to regain. You may wonder how I could possibly offer you this, but be assured that as soon as the quest is accomplished, it shall be easily possible.

"But before I inform you of what my quest is, I will need you to swear an oath that you will not betray me, give my secret to the world, or hinder my progress in any way. I know that this is a large leap in the dark, but the decision is yours. I do not ask for an immediate answer; you may have some time to think on this."

The rumblings came again, closer and more intense this time, and Vardor glanced at the ground. "A b'rak, do you think?" he asked calmly.

[Lief Erikson]

"Is it really necessary to chase this one orc?" Slythre asked. "Long before it can report, we'd be safely away. It's more cunning than most of its species, and I think it would be a large waste of time."

[Roland]

*I don't mind if Ulrog gets captured again. It's either that or linking up with some of the bad guys in some way. An interrogation could be cool, except that Ulrog doesn't know a lot about Vardor. I'll leave it up to you.*
------------------------------------------------------
Ulrog trudged wearily through the trees. He hadn't slept for a while and the cursed sun was weakening him further. He pulled his ragged blanket around him in an effort to block the sun out. He had to keep moving. He could still smell the others. The scent had gotten a little distant. It looked as though they had stopped moving, for some reason. It didn't really matter though. The odds were certianly stacked against Ulrog in this chase. He was being followed by a tracker with greater skills than his own and it was during the day.

[Mathron]

*There is basically no way Vardor would knoew of any creature called a B'rak, unless he was considerably more powerful than Morgoth at his height, or on the level of the reigning Valor at the moment. And sorry about my delaying a day or two in posting - spent the last 48 hours gaming, and such, and have had no time for food, sleep, or internet. ~grin~*

Mal sinks into a deep contemplation. Indeed, was this not what he sought? How, though, could he know this one spoke truth? And what of Mal's companions... still, when had he felt such in the past...
His mind swirled back and forth, and he softly said, "Give me a few moments of thought... this I must consider deeply..."

[Mathron]

Harnauro thinks, at Slythre's question, but says, "My bow was left behind as well, in the direction the orc fled. It should be simple to capture it along the way, and surely it could tell us much. What ye do I care not, but my path goes this way."

[Lief Erikson]

*I couldn't post either for that amount of time, or even check. Now about the B'rak, Vardor studied dark magic and all the other offshoots of it from dozens of different angles. He has a network of spies that even links into the good guy civilizations, like the eagle kingdom and Rohan. I hesitated in making Elrov know of the B'rak's existance, but Vardor is a very different matter.*

"Think as long as you wish," Vardor said calmly, ceasing his stare at Mal's face. "You may contact me through either the fool Sethris, or the obsidian armored mercenaries. I shall inform them not to harm you on sight. They will lead you to where you can find me. When you've made your decision, contact me. But do not take too long. A great climax reaches the world and everything will draw together at a point, before the great change. If you still have not joined me by the time that happens, it is likely you will be forever lost, like most of the other inhabitants of Middle Earth. I do not mean to threaten you, merely warn you. I am sure we shall meet again, but until then, farewell."

He folded his cloak around himself, and shades of darkness swept up around him, cloaking him in blackness. The shadows parted and Vardor was gone.

[Lief Erikson]

Slythre sighed but nodded slightly. "All right, I'm just tired of that little orc spy, and wish we could be rid of him. We have little information to give away, should he lead anyone else to him."

She picked up her pace, and the others moved more quickly too.

After a time, the orc fell to the leafy floor, exhausted. He curled up in a ball, hidden from the sun by his cloak. And it was in this position that his pursuers found him a couple minutes later.

[Mathron]

*I really would have to say the B'rak wouldn't be known to Vardor. I will explain more later, but truthfully, there are maybe half a dozen beings that may have ever seen one (other than the things it works with, who are utterly immune to being infiltrated.) As well, the B'rak, as a being, is something completely and utterly unrelated to magic. I can pretty much guarantee that Vardor has no real chance of knowing about this.*

Mal looked at the inky blackness marking the spot Vardor had vanished. A sigh rumbled through him, as he continued to ponder this dilemma. He wandered through the castle, eventually coming to the entrance of the mines, where they had broken into and stormed through the place. As he ran his hand along one wall, where the stain of blood had nearly faded away, a rumbling shook the castle. He spun about, now that Vardor was gone, suspecting treachery, but sensed nothing of the other. Another rumble shook the castle, and the mine he stood in began to collapse!

A dive took him back out the entrance and into the castle proper, but the stone walls still shook uncertainly as tons of rock buried the mine entrance.

Mal stood back up, as the trembling stayed constant, and gazed about, extending his senses. Nothing.

After so long trusting in his power, he was utterly shocked when it failed him, and a large monstrous form burst out of the rock pile that had been the mines. Mal jumped back as it leapt forward, clawing at him as its eyeless head spun in his direction.

Mal cursed, and his hands flickered between his garb and the beast, and a half dozen masterfully worked dwarven daggers flashed towards the creature - only to shatter completely upon its hide.

Noting how little the blade had effected it, Mal decided to risk using his power before fleeing. A flickering veil of shadows spun from his hands, but the creature lunged forward, ignoring the darkness. Eyes narrowing, Mal strung his hands together, adn all the darkness of the passageway grabbed at the beast, clutching it for a moment in place.

Then, the shadows seemed to pulse lightly, and then fade back to normal. Mal's horror was as great as the pain that suddenly racked his form, pain he had never felt before. Not physical, not mental, it was the pain as part of his soul was being ripped from him, part of his very essence drained and weakened within him. A gasp of agony burst from his throat, and he feebly tried to turn and run. Something hit him from behind, and he dropped to the ground, falling into a darkness not of his making.

[Lief Erikson]

The obsidian armored figures moved through the trees with a quick and stealthy grace, following the lead of the Nrake as it arrowed in on its target, growing more and more eager every minute.

"We're getting close," it said excitedly. "We will contact them any moment."



Harnauro lifted his head, smelling their opponents closing in. "We'll be trapped if we stay here much longer," he said. "The enemy close in."

"Will we take him with us?" Slythre asked, pointing at the orc.

"He'll slow us up," Elrov said.

"What type of enemies approach?" Slythre asked, fingering the hilt of her dagger.

"The obsidian armored warriors that attacked us in the market place," Harnauro said. "We'll need all the speed we can muster, and I fear that may not even be enough."

"Then let's get started. Lead the way."

[Mathron]

Harnauro glanced back, hearing the motion through the trees, and than grabbed the orc and handed him to Faradin. "Take him with you," he said softly, "I will lead them off."

The others looked a bit unhappy with the decision, but Harnauro gave them no time to decide, rushing off into the trees towards their foes.

The others exchanged glances, and then, with grim faces, began rushing off towards the river.


Harnauro darted through the trees, and then came up upon a hill. Looking down from it, he saw the approach of some of the warriors. Not so many to deal with, he thought. Slowly, he drew back his bow, and let loose a number of shots. Two of the warriors, staggered back, looking at the arrows that had blasted with force through their armor in disbelief. Another struck the Nrake in the leg - not killing it, but certainly hindering it, and hopefully preventing it from tracking as well.

A grim smile flickered on his lips, as he strung another arrow. Before he let it loose, however, a sound behind him alerted him to another presence, and he dove aside as a sword slammed to the ground where he had been.

He rose back to his feet, tossing the bow back over his shoulder, and noted he faced three of the warriors, all now wearing dark, fanged visages. He snarled back at them, showing his own teeth, and darted forward, laughing as one expertly twisted their sword into his shoulder.

His laughter cut off as pain flooded through him, and as the other blades sought him out, he barely dodged aside and backwards. As the first sword slid out of his shoulder, he glanced in disbelief at the open wound. Looking back at them, he saw them advance slowly towards him. With no weapon, he would be hard put to take them on, especially if they wielded such incredible weaponry, forged with some dark might.

Harnauro darted forward, startling them backwords, then spun about, fur spreading across his form. As a wolf, he landed on the ground, and as he heard them lunge forward, he sprang away, darting into the woods - but slowly. His injury hindered him slightly, but not as much as he made it look - and he made certain it bled across the ground, and he left a visible path as he ran off - in the exact opposite direction the others went.

[Roland]

Ulrog came round to the jolting feeling of being slung over someone's shoulder. He twitched a little, but was too exausted to do anything else. From scent he could tell that wolf-man's friends had caught him, but he could also tell that wolf-man was heading off in the other direction. At least that was comforting. Ulrog thought about his options. Best to be still for now, until he had his strength back, and the sun had gone down.

[Lief Erikson]

"That way," the Nrake said, pointing in the direction of the river. He limped along with them, but he was now slowing their progress. His species were quite hard to kill and their wounds healed quickly, but this dart had driven in deep. He felt pain with each step, but also grew more and more anxious. The distance between the two groups had widened, because of the distraction the wolf had caused. It had taken little effort to convince the armored warriors that this was a ploy to lead them off track, but they had seemed regretful at leaving an enemy who had slain two of their men, if they could be called men.

One of the figures finally walked over and slung the Nrake up onto his back. Then they all picked up their pace, moving with greater speed and closing in on their targets.




The group reached the river and came to a stop.

"We'll have to make rafts if we're to use the river's speed to our advantage," Slythre noted.

"Then we need to hurry," Faradin said. "I just feel a need for haste; I'm not sure whether or not Harnauro managed to hold them off for long, or lead them astray."

"We'll do it as fast as we can," their dwarf companion said as he unslung his axe from his shoulder and set to work on the nearest trees.

[Mathron]

Narhauro slunk through the grass, watching the rafts moving down the river. He truly wished the arrow had slain the lizadr being! Still, he had bought some time, and his companions had gotten crafts onto the river. He could keep up, but thought his presence best if undetected, especially as he could check on the pursuit. Worry filled him, and his more primal self now had a measure of respect for this warriors - he had faced a few, before, but had been at full strength, and with allies. Now that nearly a dozen were still chasing them, the danger was great. Still, nothing left to do but keep watch and keep aware.

[Mathron]

The broodlord wandered through the city, towards the palace. Nothing! He had found not a sign of the party, in days of searching. Obviously the Nrake had been correct, and his men would now be tracking them down. Still, they were too far ahead for him to catch up.

He stormed into the sidedoor leading to Sethris' room, and burst into it, startling Sethris, who rolled across the ground and grabbed up a dagger before realizing who it was.

Standing back to his feet, and dusting himself off, Sethris asked dryly, "Can I help you?"

"None of them are in the city!"

"Did the Nrake not say they had left?"

The broodlord hissed, and then said, "I have no other taskss here, and musst get to my men quickly!"

"And am I supposed to be able to help you?" Sethris raised an eyebrow, bordering on amusement.

The broodlord nearly leaping upon him in anger removed that amusement, but fortunately the attack was restrained. "I know that the one you sserve can travel quickly... I would sspeak with your master Vardor!"

Sethris grew cold at the request, not wanting to outright rebuff the request anymore than he wished to incur Vardor's anger. "I will speak with my lord, then," he replied coldly, "but can promise nothing."

The broodlord's lip curled up in disdain, and he snarled, "I will return tommorow, to ssee if he will meet me!" With that, he stormed from the room, and back into the city.

[Lief Erikson]

Vardor nodded slightly and Sethris winced, fearing another punishment. He still bore the twin burnmarks on his forhead from his lord's previous lashing out at him, and it was only Vardor's strong control of his magic that kept it from destroying him in that slight gesture. But Vardor didn't waste lives, only used them up to fulfill the purpose he set out for them.

"Very well."

"He would like to join his men, but I believe that he has other things to discuss as well."

"We shall see." Vardor's image faded and the fire became extinguished, disappearing in smoke.

[Mathron]

The next day dawned, and as Faradin, Slythre, and the others were keeping ahead of their pursuit, and Mal was soon to be finding himself on a most unexpected, and unwanted journey, the broodlord was entering Sethris's small room.

"Well," he asked, seeing Sethris sitting there, obviously awaiting him, "Iss it settled?"

"My lord would be glad to meet with you," replied the savvy man, "After all, we must keep our allies thinking well of us!"

The broodlord narrowed his eyes, and simply stood and waited to learn more.

[Lief Erikson]

"If you will follow me?" Sethris gave a brief and infinitismally small bow, and then walked over to a door behind him. He led him quickly up some rough steps toward the top, going two stories up before stopping and opening one of the side doors.

"This was Lord Vardor's apartments during his stay at Edoras," he said as he led the other inside. "He will be here shortly, if you would care to wait."

The broodlord nodded curtly and brushed past the other, taking a quick surveillance of the room. Although he disliked the idea of being the one to wait, as it could be a trap or anything else, he knew it was his only option if he wanted to establish this contact.

He glanced out the window at the courtyard below, and beyond that at the weakling villagers, going along their normal lives. But now he noticed an edge of fear in their movements. They had not forgotten either the previous slaughter, or the fact that his men were still at large, possibly in the city preparing for another demonstration. The broodlord almost smiled. The complete fools.

"What is it you want?" asked a cold voice from behind the broodlord, almost making him jump.

He turned around, his movements fluid and his face calm. Vardor was standing not far from him, his black cowl almost hiding his face, but not quite. It was tight, cold, and ruthless, but had an air of complete control about it as well. Control of itself and most everything around it. Perhaps that was what the broodlord admired most.

Vardor's eyes lowered down, looking the broodlord straight in the face as he awaited a response.


*I hope I didn't paint your broodlord wrong, but considering what you've posted before, this can't be to much off the mark.*

[Lief Erikson]

"We're getting closer," the Nrake said. Its wound was now completely healed, and it was walking on its own. "I can smell her, all of them now, actually."

"Good."

"But that's not all," the Nrake said, a frown creasing its scaled face. "The wolfman is here as well, still. It has been watching us, monitering our progress and most likely preparing a trap. Unless we get to them soon and force the wolfman to act, he will on his own, and at his own time. And the consequences of that could be deadly."

[Lief Erikson]

Ayna glanced over her shoulder, wishing for what must be the hundredth time that Harnauro was still with them. Hopefully he had destroyed their pursuers. But these were different from orcs, and had a far more deadly air about them. If Harnauro had died, they all surely would. Except Dania, she thought with a rueful look. She would be brought back and tortured until she gave them what she wanted to know. What they must not have, she added to herself with grim determination, clutching the oar more closely. This Lothlorien they were headed for would hopefully be a haven of safety for their group. And perhaps there she could gather her wits together enough to figure out what to do next. Perhaps she could go to Rivendell, and tell Elrond . . . No. Such an action would perhaps give momentary aid, but those who pursued her now would change their target to him. He'd be able to resist, but for how long? An assassination or theft, anything could happen. She dared not risk it.

She buried her face in her hands. "What hope have I?" she asked herself quietly.

[Mathron]

*nope, that is basically just as he would act, or fairly close.*

The broodlord nearly stopped breathing at Vardor's presence, and felt the sword by his side pulse eagerly. It took all his willpower not to betray a reaction, and block his swords hunger from his mind.

He gave a nod of his head to Vardor, a sign of respect, and said, "My men have been sserving for your goals for some time now. At the moment, I ssimply wished to confer with the one behind thiss operation, as I have noted we have become involved in something more than firsst expected. Before we aid any further, I would learn more of what we do."

[Lief Erikson]

Vardor considered the broodlord for a moment, weighing him in his mind and wondering how much he could safely tell.

"I can tell none the full scope of my plans, until they are completely and entirely on my side. You have served me well thus far, but until your master makes an alliance, informing me of all his plans as well, mine will largely remain hidden.

"But I will not leave you to rely on this alone, and will tell you a part of my reasons." Vardor sat down on an ornate dark chair and looked out the window for a moment before proceeding. "I began my hunt for Dania a couple months ago, as soon as I learned of her existence. I had searched for some time for the the one who owned the information concealed from me by the Valar. She actually owns that which was long ago hidden, and it has taken me years and years, decades to finally unravel the Valar's secret. Dania owns a magical item, or power, which I must possess. I have uncovered information that she may have hidden it among the eagles, and hence I have begun to use subterfuge in that area, and have launched a massive undercover search.

"Once my quest is achieved, you will benefit greatly, as will your master and all who have allied with me in its completion. I can tell you no more than this, and I hope it will suffice for the time being."

[Mathron]

*Just a note - The broodlord and his men would not reveal to anyone they are serving another. They had basically picked up this job working with Vardor as mercenaries. It is possible Vardor could have found this out, if he spent a lot of time tracking their actions, but unlikely. They wouldn't have told him, though. Anyway, back to the story.*

The broodlord's face wrinkles for a moment, into an expression Vardor can't decipher.

Then he resumes his normal features, and says, "Well, then, I will aid your dessignss. I need reach my men, however. I ssent them out while I searched the city, but have found that all those being chased already gone. They have a head start on me, and would ask for ssome... aid... from you." The broodlord is obviously disgruntled at having to ask for assistance, but asks nonetheless, a canny glint in his eye.

[Elbreth of Carhouth]

Dania tossed her head spasmicly (sp?) in her drugged sleep. In her mind's eye she saw her friends faces, one by one. Each had a mask of perplexion, as if something were just out of their reach. Then, just before the face faded, the expression would turn to something else. Each different. Fear, determination, horror, whistfullness, contentment, even love. Each face had thier own story, and some many, but they moved too fast for Dania to make out...

[Lief Erikson]

Vardor raised his hand and laid it on the top of the broodlord's head.

Shades of darkness descended over the broodlord's vision, lifting and twisting him, finally unraveling and lifting away, leaving him standing in the forest among his warriors.

[Mathron]

The broodlord drops to the ground, gasping. Pain racked his figure, but he ignored it. He had accomplished what he needed to do. His men looked in surprise at their lord, who staggered back to his feet, though he was a few moments in regaining his breath.

As he surveyed the situation, and had one of his men explain what went on, he debated within himself... but upon learning how far they were to the city, and how closely behind those followed, he decided to keep on. Let the other matter wait.

Right now, let the goal be to catch those ahead of them.

[Lief Erikson]

The Nrake came to a stop when they reached the river. He peered out over the water for a moment, and then suddenly stretched out a hand, pointing a finger outwards. "There," he said, barely able to contain his excitement.

The broodlord followed his gaze and saw the group being carried along the river, barely a quarter mile away but traveling fast. But certainly not too fast.

"We can catch them in a matter of minutes," one of his warriors said.

"We'll have to get past and cut them off," the broodlord said, but the Nrake was already off, trotting through the undergrowth at a speed just a notch less great than running.

Quickly the others followed, catching up and moving at an equal speed.

And a pair of gleaming wolf eyes watched them from a nearby thicket. Harnauro monitered their progress a little way, glanced up at the rafts and ducked back into the trees.

[Mathron]

As he drew closer with his men, the broodlord began to grow worried. He didn't sense the one they sought! In the darkening twilight, their shapes were but shadows on the raft, even to his enhanced eyes, but still, he did not feel the shadow man.

That angered him. But he was commited now, and perhaps he was mistaken.

---

Harnauro knew he did not have much time before the warriors took the boat by surprise - he had to give them warning, and hopefully even turn the ambush upon them. Still, he was worried, especially after they were rejoined by this new one, who was apparently more powerful than the rest.

He glanced towards the raft, and hoped the capable warriors on board would be enough to turn the fight in their favor.

In a split second, he made his choice, and rose from where he was trailing behind the warriors, shifting into human shape and drawing his bow in one fluid motion. Within moments, arrows were flying towards the warriors backs, as he gave a great shout into the air!

---

At the sound, Faradin spun about on board the raft, and his eyes widened as he saw figures rising up alongside the bank, though still a good bit back. Farther down, another figure stood, shooting arrows at them. A number of the warriors charged towards him, but the majority now abandoned stealth and rushed the boat. "Ware!" cried Faradin, as he drew his own weapon and prepared for thier approach.

[Lief Erikson]

Slythre wished again that she had more daggers to call upon as she pulled harder at the oar. They'd be cut off, she was sure of it. The enemy had almost reached them now, swimming strongly out toward the rafts. Elrov drew his blade and moved to the edge of the raft, preparing to stab at any who got within range. Ayna moved to the back of the raft, followed by Slythre who finally released the oar and drew her dagger. Elrov's arm stabbed out, slashing and swinging with vicious speed.

He would have been no match for these warriors, though, if it weren't for the water. Fighting came naturally to them, and they could normally have killed him with ease, but fighting while they struggled to remain afloat was another matter. And now Faradin, Narsh and Gungar had also joined the fray, keeping them back with long sweeps of their weapons.

Dark blood spattered through the water and one of them slipped, headless, into its depths. Gungar pulled back his axe and swung again, forcing one of them to duck backwards.




The Nrake lunged through the water, plowing a steady course with his strong arms and soon catching up with the others. He looked into the raft at his target and then glanced at the defenders, searching for a weak point in their positioning.

Ducking underwater, he swam underneath the raft like a fish, coming up on the other side. Then, grasping the edge of the raft, he heaved himself upwards, tipping the raft perilously. He was up. Dania gave a startled cry and drew her dagger, but the Nrake was already leaping forwards.

Its hands closed around Ayna's throat and it yanked her towards the water with, dragging her halfway off the raft.

Gungar twisted around and swung his axe, cutting it deep into the Nrake's side and almost tearing it loose from Ayna. The Nrake held on with vicious determination, ignoring the fact that it was on the verge of being split in half.

Ayna was on her knees now, holding the hand that gripped her neck with both of hers, trying in vain to tear it free.

Slythre and Dania closed in with their daggers, stabbing it repeatedly from both sides and finally forcing it to accept its fate. The hand released Ayna and the Nrake's body collapsed into the water.

[Roland]

Ulrog winced as he was kicked around on the hard surface of the raft. He struggled to his feet just in time to see the lizard-like being sink into the water. Then he noticed the dark forms of the mercenaries. He had heard about them from some of the other orcs. They were allied with Vardor but had little regard for his servants. Ulrog had no doubt that they would kill him as well as the others, regardless of who his master was. He considered leaping into the water, but quickly decided against this when he saw that the mercs were slowly encircling the raft. Grabbing a piece of drift wood Ulrog began to frantically help the others repel them.

[Mathron]

Harnauro shot down one, and injured two more, before they were upon him. Slinging his bow across his back, he darted around the one before him, rolling into the river itself. When he came back up, after passing the submerged body of the warrior he had taken out with an arrow, he wielded its blade in one hand. Two of the warriors came at him, and he immediately set to parrying their weapons, but at the same time found himself without a moment to strike them down himself.


Meanwhile, upon the raft, the fight went strong, less than a half dozen warriors still trying to get aboard. Realizing the futility of their position, they withdrew, and for a moment the defenders thought themselves safe. In moments, the warriors ran up onto the bank, and then began to hurl themselves onto the raft! The first one across was taken down with a well placed dagger throw by Slythre, but the second one landed right behind him, using his comrades corpse as a shield, and thrusting the body at Faradin, set to the fight once more, as the others came across behind him, rocking and shaking the craft wildly. Only four of
them were left, but the fight was by no means determined for either side.


The broodlord looked about him, scowling. The lizard beast was dead, and his men had already suffered great casualties. They would have had them, had not the wolf man interfered. The more he hunted, the more unexpected foes appeared! And he was now sure that the shadow man was not with the others! Angered and furious, he drew his blade and charged Harnauro. Harnauro barely managed to register the new threat before having to leap away, a flurry of blows driving him back. He had almost gained an advantage against the other two, but this one was much faster and skilled then them - and wielded a blade that Harnauro felt pulsing with some malevolent force.

Stumbling back up to the bank, Harnauro kept the broodlord at bay, but finally the ruby blade slipped past his defenses, though it only opened a scratch across one arm. Harnauro flinched from it, and then gave a gasp, as he felt a sensation spread from that spot, a sensation he had felt only a few days before, as though his very soul was being sucked away. But as the weakness spread through him, a newfound rage burned against it, and he thrust all his energy into driving the broodlord back, and hurling him into the waters.

Spinning about, Harnauro dashed towards the boat. With a cry, he threw himself across the waters and onto the craft, slamming into the backs of two of the warriors and dashing them overboard. The other two, alarmed at his presence, faltered in their stances, and Faradins blade plunged through ones neck. The last one gave a cry, and made a dash out of the craft, vaulting over the Gungar's head, and slashing his blade across Elrov's arm before diving, as well, into the water.

Within moments, the raft was cleared of enemies, and the party had survived, though not unscathed. Scratches adorned them all, and Elrov had a nasty gash on one arm, while Harnauro was pale-faced, and staggering. Fortunately, the warriors seemed to have stopped the chase, and a they all had a moment of peace.

[Lief Erikson]

Slythre drew her dagger from the body of the warrior before kicking it into the water. She nearly sheathed the weapon, but caught herself and laid it down on the planks instead. Putting it away would make a mess which would probably make a mess taking at least an hour to clean up.

"So we've scored a victory," she said, looking up at the rest of them. "But this can hardly be the last of the fight. I don't think they'll take to being defeated in this manner without coming back for revenge. And they also are on a mission, to capture Ayna or Dania or both. Something tells me they won't slow down now, and they will probably not be taken in by a surprise attack from Harnauro, either. Only a fool attempts the same tactic twice against the same opponent."

"Matter of opinion," Elrov muttered. "Depends what opponent your facing."

"So what will be our next move? Do we continue on the raft and hope for the best, change direction and go on land, or do something else entirely?"

"Personally, I'd feel a lot better if Mal were with us," Narsh said.

"Well he isn't, and we'll just have to take care of ourselves as best we can." She glanced over at Harnauro, waiting for him to decide.

It seemed a unanimous unspoken decision that he was taking on the leadership of their group. As he opened his mouth to speak, a shadow fell over the whole group. Ulrog cringed and covered his head with his hands, uttering a cry of fear.

Looking up, Ayna's jaw dropped in amazement as a great eagle swept downwards, flying low and matching its pace with there's.

"Well met, good people," it said in its high pitched voice. "I was flying over the territory when I saw your valiant fight with those creatures, and swept down for a closer look. I overheard you were at a loss for direction. If it is a safe haven you seek, I would be honored to have you stay at my eerie for as long as you are hunted."

"How can we trust you?" Slythre called up, craning her neck to maintain eye contact with the massive creature.

"Eagles do not associate themselves with . . ." it trailed off as it noticed the orc. "What are you doing in that creature's company?" it demanded harshly. "Perhaps I will withdraw my offer. As I was about to say, we do not associate ourselves with orcs or creatures of evil."

"He is merely a prisoner, who we haven't found the time to question," Elrov shouted up to the great bird.

"I believe you. What is your decision?"

[Roland]

"...we do not associate ourselves with orcs or creatures of evil."
If he hadn't been so afraid Ulrog would have laughed at that remark. He had heard that his master was forging an alliance with these very creatures, although probably by trickery. Ulrog knew only too well how little eagles thought of orcs, and now he was going to their home. But their was hope. Perhaps he would see another agent of his master in this place.

[Mathron]

As the others look to Harnauro, for a decision once again, he shakes his head. "Don't look to me to lead you - I am not sure why I am even still aiding you, and not searching after Mal. The only reason I am not going after him is because if he doesn't want to be found, he won't. Since staying with you is the best option till he rejoins you, I will go where you go - but I won't speak for any other than myself." He stops speaking, the unusually long speech having startled some of the others.

He glances at the large bird, then sits down near the back of the group, obviously not going to be saying much more for any amount of time. As the others look away, to confer amongst themselves, he lets a bit of the pain he still felt show through, clenching his teeth. It had passed last time - though he had been mostly unconscious throughout. He waved it away, giving a small shake of his head, and glanced upward, at the eagle. At least it kept the curse dulled down somewhat, or else the bird would surely sense its darkness about him.

*Guys, I may or may not be active for the next few days, just a warning.*

[Lief Erikson]

"Very well, we'll go with you," Faradin said as their discussion ended.

"I will get a couple of my brothers to help carry you all. I cannot do it alone."

Then the eagle swept away, quickly dwindling into a speck and vanishing from sight. When it returned a few minutes later, the others assisted it in lifting the raft straight out of the air and carrying it upwards through the air.

*Hey Roland, I thought Ulrog wasn't supposed to know much important information. That alliance is top secret. But oh well, it actually doesn't matter too much whether he knows or not.*

[Lief Erikson]

As the eagles set down their burden on the rocky ledge, two days later, a young man came out of the rocks, clad in green. Beside him was a large eagle with stronger, gold feathered wings and a sleek, powerful body.

"We welcome you to our kingdom," it screeched out at them.

"Thank-you," Narsh said as they bowed. "We are grateful that you have allowed us to remain in your realm for a time."

"We will find an eyrie for you to sleep in."

"Sir, you forget yourself," the green robed man beside him quietly admonished, speaking for the first time. "They are humans, and should probably like to sleep without the risk of fall down a cliff. They have no wings, and are not used to the . . ."

"You've made your point," the eagle interrupted, before turning back to the group. "Very well, you may stay with the cliff dwellers. Arnon will show you the way."

"Once again, we thank you," Narsh said. "If there is ever any way for us to repay your kindness . . ."

"We will tell you," the eagle said. It gave a final, slightly sharp look at Arnon before dismissing them all.

Arnon turned his eyes back to the group; a commanding gaze. Then, he beckoned with an arm, and they fell in behind him. He moved with a smooth assurance, and Slythre marveled at how he had actually repremanded the powerful eagle lord, and gotten away from it unpunished. She put herself on her guard, carefully keeping an eye on him. He was a potentially dangerous man, and all such people had to be kept under your eye, or they'd take you unawares.

[Roland]

*Lief, Ulrog knows very little about Vardor and has no idea of what he is actually trying to do. However, a combination of being smarter than he looks and the fact that he is one of the few orcs who reports directly to Vardor and his immediate cohorts allows Ulrog to overhear the occasional bit of info.*

Ulrog looked around him unhappily as they were led to their dwellings. There was no hope of escape this high up, and he had failed to spot anyone he recognised as an agent of his master. But as Ulrog knew, that didn't mean they weren't around.

[Lief Erikson]

Vardor looked down at the group and considered them. How had this happened? Had they uncovered his plans and come here to sabatoge them? There were too many possibilities for his liking, and all of them were dangerous to his plans.

He looked closely, and saw to his surprise that Mal was not with them. But that didn't end his unease.

[Mathron]

Harnauro follows Arnon along the cliff, staying near the back of the group, and wondering how he had ended up in this place. He glanced warily at Arnon's back, but no more than he looked upon most of those he traveled with...

He still felt a strange sensation, about these adventurers, but repelled it, avoided the fellowship and comradery they shared. He knew all too well where that path led.

Rubbing one arm that had been s****ed by the sword of one of the warriors, he continued on along the cliff, silent and contemplative.

[Mathron]

Lights flickered in and out of Mal's eyes, and he slowly blinked into awareness. A faint pain pulsed through his entire form, and it felt as though his entire body had been beaten and pummeled.

He tried to move, and found his muscles unresponsive. His body refused to shift, and as he strained, to no avail, he took notice of his situation. He was looking up at the sky, or rather, through the foliage of trees into the sky. The trees and leaves were moving past, and he felt the wind sweeping over him - whatever constrained him was being moved rapidly through these woods.

He rolled his eyes about, trying to see what he lay upon, but without success. He back, amid the pain and agony, felt as though it was upon something hard and scaled, but more than that he could not tell.

Trying to clear the pain from his mind, he concentrated, amid the bumpy, jerking moving, and began to summon up an escape. Scarcely had he touched the shadow force within him when all movement stopped. An ill feeling forebode about him, and then the pain and agony redoubled, and he felt the sensation of something sucking his force from him once again, and returned to the darkness.

[Lief Erikson]

Arnon led them down some stone steps and to large platform. Several large rocks had been positioned so that they formed small dwelling places, and there were also several holes in the sides of the cliffs. People bustled in and out of the caves, busy with different jobs, and it wasn't uncommon to see eagles among them.

"You may take your ease at the guest dwelling," Arnon said. "It probably won't be as soft as you weakhu'ne are used to, but that will simply have to be lived with for the duration of your stay."

He threw them a cool smile before leading them to an opening in the cliff which was set apart from the others because of its size and design. He passed through a relatively large room with a large wooden table in the center and led them up a flight of stairs at the back. At the top was a large opening in the rock wall, shining sunlight into the hallway. There were three different openings in the rock there, each with a cloth covering over the entryway.

"These are your rooms. We don't have enough for each of you to have your own, you must understand that living space is a little scarce up here. You may divide the space up among yourselves as you wish." After giving them a brief nod of his head, he turned and walked down the stairs, leaving them alone.

After waiting a moment in uncomfortable silence, Slythre pulled back the cloth hanging which served as the door of one of the rooms. The rock room was small, with the only furniture being three large rock slabs covered with straw, probably intended to be beds, and a long shelf covering the far wall.

"Don't see how anyone could sleep very well there," Slythre snorted when the other rooms were revealed to have the same decoration. "But we still have a couple more hours till nightfall, so this isn't exactly a dillema we need face now. I still want to know a little more about these cliff dwellings and Arnon. He's a bit too cold for my taste."

"Compared to Unvar?" Narsh asked with a slight smile.

"No," Slythre responded, pushing past him and walking down the stairs, perhaps a little too stiffly.

[Mathron]

Harnauro looked about the dwellings, with a smirk almost reaching his immobile face. Whatever Arnon meant by "weakhu'ne", Harnauro doubted he was what the man expected.

He glimpsed Slythre heading down the stairs, likely to learn more of this place. A wise idea, and one he set to as well, also heading back down, with the thought in mind of learning the layout better - and knowing the best way out, should it come to that.

[Mathron]

The broodlord surveyed his men, who were fishing the Nrake's dead body from the river. When they dragged it over to him, he spent a few minutes looking it over, hoping it carried something of its masters, but he found nothing, and tossed it back down in disgust.

He looked about. Of his men, a number had fallen, leaving him with only eight left, quite weaker than the force he had come here with. He frowned, and his men gathered about, awaiting his words.

"Shall we sseek a way to purssue the birdss they left with?" The words came from one of his men, but which one he paid no heed to.

He was a few moments responding, but eventually said, "No, the one we sought was not among them."

"And what of the elf we were asked to retrieve?"

The broodlord gave a bitter laugh. "Forget her. I have a new target for uss, and one that may pleasse our master's goals even more than the shadow man!"

His men showed a few glances of shock, but quickly recovered, as he started walking away from the riverside. He gestured them after him, and they followed, heading back towards the city, and he explained their target on the way.

[Mathron]

In the depths of a massive stone fortress, thought abandoned by the wise who cleansed the evil that used to house it, now was home to an elderly looking man, who was currently sleeping upon an improvised bed, a stone slab with a few blankets piled upon it.

He sprung from the bed, suddenly, as though stung, and looked about the room with his mouth hanging open, his eyes still glazed with sleep. "Wha- who... uh, er!"

After a moment, he regained his senses, and calmed his muttering, nodding his head in understanding, and sprang from the blankets, striding across the room, with a light robe flapping about him in the breeze that ran through the chamber. He walked over to a small alcove in the wall, where a strange, oval shell-like object was pulsing. His eyebrows, (the only hair he had, other than a long scraggly beard), rose in puzzlement, but he gave a bemused shrug, and lifted the egg in one hand, then hurled it to the ground, where it shattered.

A mist rose from the broken remnants of the item, and coalesced into an image he recognized, the cold and dark form of the broodlord.

"Oh! Uh, er, this is most unexpected! But why did you use the contacter? They are hard to make, you know!" The old man's tone was that of a chastising but not truly upset parent.

The broodlord bowed his head, and said, "It was necesssary, for I have important news. There is another that could become one of your... guestss... and I thought you should know of him."

The old man clapped his hands together in glee. "Excellent! Who is it?"

"He callss himself Vardor, and I have ssensed even more power in him than in the one called Malagar."

"Oh, delightful, wonderful!"

"My men and I have lost track of the shadow man, however, and are going to sseek out Vardor to... invite him to join you."

At this news, the man's face darkens, and he shakes a finger at the image. "Well, you do that! And maybe you need some more help, too, eh? I might send one of my birds along, yes, to help you, eh?"

The broodlord once again bows his head, and says, "Any aid may be needed here. As well, the friendss of the shadow man were taken from our grasp, carried away by great birds, the kind called eagless."

The old man scratches his beard, and nods sagely at this news. The mist abruptly dissapates, and he blinks at the empty space for a moment, and then shrugs his shoulders, and heads back to sleep.

[Lief Erikson]

The rest of the band soon followed Harnauro and Slythre out of the dwelling, soon dispersing among the rest of the people. There were many new things to see, here, although the people looking down their noses at them and calling them 'weakhu'ne.'

Gungar eventually got mad enough about it to sock one in the stomach, and that hushed them up about him. But it also ended all possibilities for him to talk to, or learn anything from any of them.

It wasn't long before Harnauro found Arnon, and as he moved over to speak with him, Slythre walked to the side, joining Dania.

"Hot day," she said nonchalantly, looking up at the sun.

Dania raised an eyebrow, seeing clean through the attempt at casualness. "What do you want to ask?"

Slythre saw it would be impossible to start this from an easy going angle. She never had been very good at that. "So when you were . . . captured and questioned, did you learn anything about our enemies? Anything we could use against them, at all."

Dania frowned. "Not really. He asked me a lot about my recent activities, and where I kept the key. I didn't know what he was talking about."

"Still, it could be useful. Is there anything from your past that might give us a clue as to what this is about? Anything at all?"

She concentrated hard. "I don't think so. No, I can't remember dealing with anything magical until we ended up in Fangorn Forest. And nothing else, even not magical, which I can identify as having linked me in some way to all this. I'm truly sorry if I have caused it, unwittingly."

"It's all right," Slythre said softly, hiding her disappointment. "Well keep trying."

"I will."

[Mathron]

Harnauro approached Arnon, who turned to meet him, a cold look of strength upon his face.

"Can I help you?" he inquired, his tone implying that Harnauro - and the rest - obviously needed help.

"Doubtful," responded Harnauro harshly, narrowing his eyes, but continuing, "but I had some questions. About this place."

Arnon looks displeased at Harnauro's attitude, but responds curtly, "What questions did you have?"

"Tell me about this place, and these people."

[Lief Erikson]

"All right," Arnon said briefly, turning his gaze away from Harnauro and out at the slowly setting sun.

His face betrayed none of his emotions, except perhaps distaste. And judging from his previous actions, that was most probably an emotion that he was indeed feeling.

"Our people are one third of a group which has existed long, in peace with all. One third of us live here, another third at a valley called Ethrilien, and the last third near there, in a hill area. We split our civilization a long time ago, after we were forced to flee from the darkening kingdom of Beleriand. We do not know the reason for this splitting, it took place many, many years ago, and the reason has been forgotten. One specific family in our three part kingdom has always been protected because of a covenant given us by the Valar around the time of the splitting. The secret of why has been passed down through that family, never leaving it. But for an unknown reason, and by an unknown enemy, that family has been completely destroyed. A couple of the bodies were never found, but all of the search efforts were in vain, so the hunt was stopped a couple months ago.

"One person commands each of the three sections of our country, but on very important decisions, they always gather, and the majority vote rules. A voting has not taken place in many years. About three years ago. The eagles allowed us to live up here because we could work together with them to make the civilization better for both groups. There are certain things that our fingers can do which eagle's feathers are incapable of. Our way of life and lack of weakhu'ne comforts has hardened us, making us more than what we were." His lip curled as he looked at Harnauro. "What your company are."

With the same smooth grace as he had previously shown, he moved away, his feet making no noise on the solid rock. Harnauro waited a little longer before rejoining the others.

The sky was getting darker and a cool breeze had picked up. It probably was a good bet that it would be more than merely 'cool' by the time the night was fully underway.

[Mathron]

A valley, and a hill nearby, where a family was slaughtered by an unknown foe... these thoughts turned over in Harnauro's head. Strange games, Eru played, if these events were more than coincidence with some of his own recent travels.

If the hill Ayna, and the elf, had weeped over was indeed the same this man spoke of, than more forces were at play than Harnauro had previously thought.

He turned, heading back towards the quarters they had been given. He had some questions to ask Ayna.

[Lief Erikson]

As he joined the others, they had just finished agreeing on the sleeping arrangements.

But just as Ayna was joining Dania and Slythre in the other room, Harnauro took her arm.

"I have some questions to ask, before you turn in for the night."

She hesitated, looking away for a moment. "Ask away."

[Mathron]

Harnauro looked at Ayna for a few moments, without speaking, and she turned away from his gaze, shivering, and said, "What do you want?"

He finally spoke. "I spoke with Arnon. He said this place was part of a larger kingdom. The other parts were a vale called Ethrilien, and a hill area near it. That sounded very similar to the lands I escorted you through. He also said that a family important to them was recently killed. I recall the slaughter you found at the end of your travel. I don't believe in coincidence. What do you know of this?" His speech, filled with short, clipped phrases, was still more words than he usually spoke in a day, and as he finished, his eyes burned into Ayna once again.

[Lief Erikson]

She thought for a moment. These questions weren't as bad as she'd expected, although the answers could lead to more questions. Worse questions, which she could not answer without forcing them entirely into this, no turning back. And if they knew, those who pursued would be forced to kill them all. Except, of course, for Dania.

She gave another small shiver. "That was the hill area which Arnon was talking about, although you cannot believe that all of those villagers were one family."

Tears came to her eyes, but she blinked them back. "No, the destruction of that family took place a while before then. Five or six months before. I was one of the people from that hill area, which was very close to Ethrilien. Elrov is the watcher of that valley, and when we were young we would play together, at secret hiding places, or other things children do. We were childhood friends, but our meeting at the hill at the same time was purely coincidence. When the people there were slaughtered, life for me was shattered."

Harnauro had long since released his grip on her arm, and she raised it to her eyes. But in a moment she had lowered it again, and looked up at him again, meeting his gaze. "Are there any other questions?"

[Mathron]

Harnauro stared back at her. She had faced some harsh times. But so had many people...

"I don't like being involved in things I do not know about. If there is more that would affect me, I will wish to know." His words were harsh, but the tone was softer, and he looked away now, turning and striding back down the corridor, settling down against the wall outside the room, to think and contemplate throughout the night.

[Lief Erikson]

Ayna lay back on the straw which covered the rock bed, putting her hands behind her head. What will affect him, is what he wants to know. He wants answers, answers that if he has would cause him to become solidly on the enemy's hit list. Although I would normally not have doubted that he could take care of himself, against what we face, there is little hope that even his magic could prevail. Am I wrong in continuing with this group? They will protect, and that protection delayed the ultimate of destruction of Middle Earth. That and the private protection she'd wrought for herself. But was using them in this way wrong? She risked their lives, merely to protect her own, and that which she protected. But would it be better to strike out on her own, and find her way to Lothlorien, Rivendell, or Isengard, or one of those places which still had the wise and powerful, those who could help her now that she needed it? The Valar were gone, having shut away the Blessed Realm and left Middle Earth forever. Without them, she had to look to the next strongest. One who could lift the weight of this burden from her shoulders and stop the danger forever.

She frowned and shifted position again. No, going by herself would be near suicide. She needed them, and it was because of this that she was forced to use them as a shield between herself and utter darkness.

She shook her head slightly, looking up at the solid rock roof and simply lay there, waiting for the morning.

[Roland]

Ulrog lay on the stone floor. Being an orc, he was no stranger to hardship. He wasn't sleeping in any of the rooms but had instead ended up with a section of floor in the chamber connecting them. There was no fear of him escaping in the night. These harsh mountain people had many guards posted, and there wasn't really anywhere for Ulrog to go, except down the cliff. He was sure there were other ways out of this place, but those only the eagles and mountain people knew.
He had been able to get some sleep during the afternoon while the others had gone exploring, and had even been able to catch a large rat as dinner. All in all Ulrog was feeling better. His captors had been paying a lot more attention to their new surroundings than to him, but he knew an interrogation was inevitable. Wolf-man had been keeping an eye on him, but even he seemed preoccupied with something else.
Ulrog's thoughts were interpupted by a slight change in the chamber's scent. It was coming from behind Ulrog, on the stairs. Suddenly he was grabbed and lifted off the ground. Ulrog stared into a hooded face and then saw the glint of a knife.
"You'll tell no secrets now!"
The man thrust his knife forward but Ulrog twisted his body at the last moment, bending forward to bite the man's wrist. Ulrog's sharp teeth sheared through veins and the man threw him aside, as he staggered back. He didn't scream. Angered, Ulrog lept at him, latching on to his other wrist and tearing it open with his teeth. Ulrog tasted more blood as he heard his assailant's knife drop to the ground. Releasing him Ulrog went for the knife, his orc-eyes finding it easily in the dark. His opponent was bleeding badly from both wrists and hadn't uttered so much as a groan. He was also unarmed, but still he attacked, rushing Ulrog and trying to grab hold of him. Ulrog thrust the knife into his lower body, and watched in satisfaction as his opponent finally slunk to the ground. Ulrog stood over the body. He had found an agent of his master.

[Lief Erikson]

Ulrog was not the only target that night, however.

Harnauro raised his eyes as he heard a very slight movement from the bottom of the stone stairs.

His bow was out in a flash, with an arrow nocked to the string.

Three shadowed figures reached the top of the steps, naked blades gleaming in the light of the moon from the stone window.

Harnauro's hands became a blur, and the first took an arrow through the chest, falling backwards out through the window and hurtling downwards off the cliff. The second took an arrow in the side, snapping him around and against the wall. The third leapt forward quickly enough to avoid a similar fate, his blade moving in swift, short blows, all of which were easily blocked or avoided by its adversary.

Harnauro's hand changed into a paw just as it swept upwards towards the creature's neck. It moved its sword to block, but in a sharp twist, Harnauro's paw moved to the side, avoiding the blade and severing the hand. To his surprise, it ignored this loss and lunged upwards with its second hand, burying a dagger in Harnauro's side. The wound closed and Harnauro moved again, his paw shifting into a hand and seizing the creature by the chin. Lifting it bodily off the ground, he slammed its head into the wall, knocking it out.

He heard shouts from down below and turned around to see several cliff dwellers rushing up, swords drawn.

"It's all right," he said, raising a hand to stop them. "It's already over."

"One attacked the orc, too," one said. "What are they?"

Harnauro casually flipped the hood away from one its face with his boot, and froze, his face registering shocked surprise.

"Call the others," he said grimly as he stared into the face of the Nrake.

[Mathron]

Harnauro's lips were pressed tight together, anger coursing through him now that the fight had ended. He looked the body over, but found nothing of use - but its features and form told enough of who it came from, regardless.

He lifted it up against a wall, and carefully broke its arms and legs, ignoring its twitching groans and the shocked stares of the people milling about. Then, he lifted it up against the wall, and gripped its face, trying to slap it back into consciousness. He had seen its companion move before, had cornered the beast and yet it had escaped him through death. He would not fall for the same action twice. When this one awoke, he would have answers of it.

Upon seeing it was lost in unconsciousness, and would be some moments reviving, he carted it over his shoulder and strode into one of the rooms they had been given, to gain some privacy from the cliff folk watching them.

[Lief Erikson]

Narsh sat up in his bed, swung his legs over the side and stood up. "What happened?" he asked.

The battle had taken place in complete silence. The first two had died noislessly, and this one had only groaned slightly as its arms and legs had been broken. They were either remarkably in countrol of themselves or immune to pain. Or both.

The Nrake's eyes fluttered open and it looked up at the two faces its features betraying a trace of fear. Its torso moved slightly as it struggled briefly, but broken bones wouldn't get it anywhere, and it was forced to lie still, staring up into their faces.

Just then, the flap was opened and Arnon stepped in. "What has happened?" he asked sharply. Then he noticed the Nrake. "One of these attacked your orc prisoner as well, but it managed to kill itself to avoid questioning, even with both wrists having been mawled by the vile creature."

The flap opened again, this time admitting Ayna, wrapped in her cloak although she was still fully clad underneath.

"Another attack attempt," Narsh said. "These things may be good trackers, but they're a poor choice of combatants."

"Depends who they're fighting against," Ayna said quietly. "They seem brave enough, and careless of both pain and their own lives."

"They can feel it," Harnauro said. "And even if they can't normally," he turned to the creature, "I'll make you feel it unless you answer all our questions."

Arnon's cold gaze turned to the creature as well, and he crossed his arms, waiting for Harnauro to begin.

[Mathron]

Harnauro looked at the creature. This wouldn't be easy, but he would have answers from it.

First things first, thought Harnauro, and asked the simplest question, "Who do you serve?"

[Lief Erikson]

"Vardor," the creature said. "I'd have thought Mal would have told you days ago."

The name didn't register in Harnauro's memory, but that didn't truly matter. The second sentence was of more importance, even if the Nrake hadn't thought it would.

[Mathron]

Harnauro's face showed no reaction, as he spoke softly, "And why would you think that?"

[Lief Erikson]

"My master met with him then, at an old castle called Iron Heart, I think. I should have thought you'd have known that already. But I assume Malagar never rejoined you after this conversation."

Seeing the expression on Harnauro's face, it quickly proceeded. "That is all I know on that topic, but it is no secret. If it was, you would never have heard it come from my lips."

[Mathron]

Harnauro blinked, unperturbed.
He turned, facing some of the others, and said, "Some of you may wish to leave. This may prove...unpleasant."

After any leave, Harnauro glances back at the Nrake. "You seem unusually talkative, beast." Harnauro, looking it in the eye, and grabbing it by the neck, and holding it up against the wall. "What secrets do you know?"

[Lief Erikson]

The creature's expression stiffened. "Nothing you can do to me will come close to what was done to me long ago, when I was taken into Vardor's service. He showed me then a fraction of what I would go through if I revealed any secrets, and I will not undergo such torment. What my master wills happens, and nothing can be prevented for long. If he had known of your existence, Dania would have been taken tonight, as would have Ulrog's life. You've prevented us for a while, but against his presence you cannot prevail for long."

[Roland]

Ulrog watched as some of the mountain men carried his attacker away. He hadn't managed to kill the thing. It had done that itself when the guards had tried to question it. He had mistaken it for a man, but it clearly wasn't. What the creature had said to him assured Ulrog that it was a servant of Varodr's, yet he had only seen these strange lizard things recently. He wondered what other nasties his master had hidden away.
It was clear he would get no help from any of Vardor's agents now. He had been marked. No doubt his master was worried Ulrog would give away his secrets. Escape was even more urgent now. As long as he was a captive of this lot he was a threat to Vardor, and would be hunted by the same people who hunted them. Ulrog shuddered at the thought of what would happen to him if he was caught. But unfortunatly escape was no easier now than it had been before. One of the mountain men now watched over him. They all looked at Ulrog a little differently after thay saw what he'd done to the lizard thing.

[Mathron]

As Harnauro scowled at the creature, he paused for a moment, as it said its masters name again. Vardor... it rang a bell in Harnauro's head, but he could not recall details. Placing it in the back of his head, to ruminate on at a later date, he said to the thing, "I doubt Vardor has the might to plague the dead. Should you tell us what I wish, I will kill you. If not, I will leave you to your master's mercy - I doubt he will reward failure. Also, you have already told us information we did not have - perhaps that was how your master wished it, for how are you to know what he deems secret and not."

Harnauro smiled grimly, and asked again, "Now, then, what is your master's interest in Dania?"

[Lief Erikson]

"If you want to know that, ask her yourself," the Nrake spat. "Regardless of what you think, I do know what is not safe to tell and what is not. So far what you have learned, my master does not care about. If Dania has the coldness of heart to tell you, that's her decision." His lip curled. "Although I doubt she will."

[Mathron]

Harnauro slammed the Nrake facefirst into the wall with a snarl, hearing its nose break, and dropped its body to the ground, knowing that his anger probably wouldn't get it to talk, either. He lifted it back up, and its eyes remained defiant despite the blood streaming down its face.

Turning to Arnon, he said, "Do you have a place to store this one? Or better yet, know of any way to get it to talk?"

[Lief Erikson]

Arnon hesitated. "I've never seen this species before tonight, and your methods don't appear to be having that much effect. I don't know if we can do much better."

"Well then store it," Harnauro growled, shoving the creature across to Arnon.

Arnon beckoned to a couple guards and gave some quick orders to them. Soon, they had lifted the creature and were carrying it out.

Although caught by surprise at having been noticed at the doorway, he recovered quickly. "You weakhu'ne have brought something rotten into our cave dwellings. Pursuers, and evil ones at that. Before you go, I'd like to know more about you and your company."

[Mathron]

Harnauro crossed his arms, and said, "Go ahead, ask what you will. But I'm not sure I know much more than you do. The name Vardor mean anything to you?"

[Mathron]

Meanwhile, as the night reached its peak, the broodlord and his men were making camp. The broodlord said, while the rest sank down upon the ground, "Tommorrow, we shall reach the city again. Let uss be ready to meet up with our," and a laugh, "alliess..."

The others quickly picked up his meaning, and in moments, they broodlord resembled a merchant, and his men scarred and hardened bodyguards. The broodlord laughed, softly, an eery and primal sound, as they prepared for the little rest they would need until the next day.

[Lief Erikson]

Arnon's mouth thinned. "Who's the one asking questions?" he asked coldly as he raised an eyebrow. "Now I would like to know why your people are pursued by those creatures, why they wanted to stop the orc talking, and who all of you are, and who you serve. These . . . these . . ."

"Nrakes."

"These Nrakes and those creatures that attacked you at the riverbank are all unfamiliar to us. Have you awakened some ancient evil from the past, or is it the Dark Lord of Mordor's rising power that we have put ourselves at odds with?"

[Mathron]

*Would Harnauro know they are called Nrakes? He might, if, say, Ayna or somewhere had told him, but I wasn't sure.*

Harnauro gave a dark laugh. "I would like to know why these creatures are after me, too. But they haven't been exactly forthcoming. Both these beasts, and the warriors we fought earlier, have been plaguing us. They seem to be working together, but as to their goal, I don't have a clue. I first ran into one of them which had tried to take one I was guarding, the girl, there." He points towards Ayna, who was standing in the doorway, looking into the room with worry, and is taken aback as he points her out.

"As to what they want, as I said, I don't know. Ask the ranger, he might know." He turns to stride past Arnon, as though exhausted by his words, and doesn't spare another glance for any of those in the room.

[Lief Erikson]

*I don't know if he would have known, now that I think about it. I didn't know if he knew, and I didn't feel like going over all ten of the pages we've filled up. Perhaps Mal could have figured it out and told him. Plus he's got good hearing, if it is anything like a wolf's normally is, and he might have heard the conversations between the broodlord and his Nrake.*

Arnon snorted softly at Harnauro's last sentence, and after a brief glance at Ayna, followed him out. But that was as far as their paths continued together, as Harnauro entered another of the rooms, and Arnon went a different way. He walked quickly down the stairs and left the cavern, walking out into the night air, across the stone plateau, not appearing to notice the biting cold of the wind.

He soon entered a side cavern, his eyes rapidly adjusting to the greater degree of darkness.

He quickly passed a couple guards as he entered the cave inhabited by the imprisoned Nrake.

Their eyes locked and Arnon calmly drew a cloth from a pouch at his side. Shoving it into the Nrake's mouth, he instantly after dug in.

Stepping back, he wiped the bloody dagger on the damp cloth, looking down at his victim.

"Get rid of the body," he said calmly to the guards. Then he sighed. "I suppose the orc will have to be left alive for a little while longer. Until the weakhu'ne are through with him. When they leave, if they don't take the orc with them, dispose of it as well."

[Mathron]

Harnauro stalked through the corridors of the cliffside, searching for where the Nrak had come in. He did not like how easily it had found them, and he still knew little more than before they had captured it.

And the name it had spoken, Vardor... it lingered on the edge of his mind, reaching back into memories long undisturbed... Harnauro ruminated on it, in the back of his mind, as he tracked the Nrake's pathway into the cliff dwellings.

*By the way, did Vardor have any relationship with Sauron? It could make a difference in how well Harnauro knows him.*

[Lief Erikson]

*Perhaps only the vaguest of connections. Vardor was working almost entirely by himself, and although on occasion he might have seen Sauron, as they were both serving Morgoth, they never were very connected.*

The scent and trail led down to the entrance of the cave, and there was lost amid all the other scents from all the other people who had passed through that area just a few hours before. Almost impossible to pick out, and absolutely impossible to follow.

Harnauro's wolf vision cut through the darkness almost as easily as Agravigan's could have, and it was because of this that he saw two of the cliff dwellers dragging a limp body out of a dark cave a hundred or so yards away.

As he got closer, the scent returned again. A Nrake.

Harnauro's bow was in his hands in an instant, an arrow nocked on the string. He moved quickly up to the guards, and they started at seeing his dark form loom up out of the shadows.

"Who are you?" one barked, putting a length of cold steel between them as he moved his sword.

"What are you doing with the prisoner?" Harnauro responded, ignoring the question.

"It is none of your affair," the man responded.

He made a strangling noise as Harnauro moved with impossible speed past the sword blade, seized the him by the neck and snapped the sword to the side with the other hand. The guard was good, though, and it took a great deal of effort to hold him down. His companion looked uncertain, but after a moment he drew his sword, too. That wasn't good. Harnauro wanted answers, not dead bodies.

"I'm making it my affair."

"The prisoner has been executed by our commander, Arnon," the man gasped, both hands fastened around Harnauro's wrist. "We were just disposing of this creature's body."

[Mathron]

Arnon. Harnauro had disliked that man from the start. He tossed the guard down, who gasped for air can rubbed his throat as Harnauro turned and strode quickly from the cave, searching for Arnon, or for any of his companions, to warn them treachery might be at work.

[Lief Erikson]

Arnon fastened a stronger cloak, one that would keep out the wind, around his throat as he walked to the cave entrance. He looked out briefly in both directions before slipping silently out into the night.

But he was not the only one out that night, as became obvious to him when the wolfman appeared out of the darkness, directly in front of them.

"Are you nocturnal by habit, or simply my shadow?" Arnon asked, apparently not at all disturbed at Harnauro's sudden appearance.

[Mathron]

Harnauro ignored Arnon's question, instead matching him with one of his own. "Why is the captive beast dead?" he uttered, in a low growl, placing his hands across his chest and staring starkly at Arnon.

[Lief Erikson]

"I executed it," Arnon answered simply. "I have every right to make such a decision. You couldn't get anything more out of it, I couldn't, and the enemy would be sending more creatures to silence it before long, which means more of the people of this village will likely die. You are all being targeted, for an unknown reason, and we thought that here would be a safe haven for you. It appears that it isn't any safer here than it was out in the wilderness, and here whatever threatens you also endangers the lives of all the people here. I am responsible for those lives, and if the death of one useless enemy captive will help to lessen that danger, than I would gladly do it. Any day."

He fingered his sword hilt with one hand as he spoke. "And if you have gotten all you can from that orc, I think its death would also be helpful in avoiding more bloodshed. Who knows, if it is slain and you still know few of these enemy's secrets, perhaps your lives will also be made a degree safer. And you would be less important of targets, if you are even targets at all after that. Then it would be your decision whether you become thorns in his side that need rooting out, or unimportant people who can merely slip into the background."

[Mathron]

"For one responsible for so many lives, you seem quite eager to ignore any dangers to them," responds Harnauro. "Of course, you also speak as though you know quite a bit about whoever plagues us - maybe that's why you ignore the threat to your people, eh?"

Arnon's eyes widen in anger, but Harnauro brushes past him, heading back towards the dwellings.

[Lief Erikson]

*I'm not sure that Harnauro understood what Arnon just said, because his response doesn't make all that much sense to me. Everything Arnon was saying was confirming that he knew his responsibilities and was going to keep his people safe, even if it meant sacrificing valuable prisoners.*

The black night sky was beginning to show streaks of light across it, a pale golden glow showing that dawn was coming fast upon the inhabitants of the cliff dwellings, as they struggled to pull apart the mystery that surrounded them and save their own lives as well.

Slythre looked out towards the faint light in the horizon, her face deceptively calm, showing nothing of the turmoil that filled the brain behind it. Unanswered questions filled the corners of her mind; it seemed that the few answers they had only led to more questions. They were being targeted, hunted and forced to flee along a narrow precipice, and to fall meant death.

She turned away from the faint lightening of the sky in the distance and turned back to the still dark caves where the rest of the cliff dwellers slept, unaware of the happenings of the night, the fighting and questionings that had filled the few cliff dwellers that did know with awe and fear.

Harnauro was just leaving the caves, his face also a mask over his own feelings. He had apparently just abandoned his long night's hunt for clues.

"I believe we've only got one lead left," she said as soon as he came close enough to hear. "We must question the orc."

[Roland]

Ulrog yawned and tried to find a corner with as little sunlight as possible. He was tired after his struggle with the Nrake, and hadn't slept during the night for fear of more of the things coming to kill him. He had a feeling he was safer during the day. Wolf-man and his friends would keep their prisoner safe. Just as Ulrog started to get comfortable two long shaodows fell accorss him. Looking up he saw Wolf-man, and the woman who had stabbed him all those nights ago.

[Lief Erikson]

"What do you know of these enemy's activities?" Slythre asked as she squatted down beside the orc.

Ulrog sighed, and cursed inside. He'd known this would have to happen sooner or later.

"Speak up. I'm afraid we couldn't quite catch that." Slythre pulled her dagger casually from its sheath and played with it in her fingers. "What do you know of these enemy's activities," she said again, prodding its chin with the knife point.

He was already on their hit list. Telling them now would simply avoid death and torture now, which he surely would recieve anyway at his master's hands. "He keeps his information very secret," he said in a sly voice. "But I do know perhaps more than the average person under his command. It'll be worth your while to keep me alive."

"I'm very glad to here that," Slythre said with a frosty smile. "And now is your big chance to prove it."

[Roland]

Ulrog looked nervously at the dagger and at the tall imposing figure of Wolf-man.
"I don't know what my master wants to do in the end. None of us do. Us orcs always thought he wanted to be master of everyone, but I'm not so sure. He'd always send me out spying, like I was on you, but why, I never knew. Those lizards were definetly from him, even though I've never seen them before. Wherever you are, you aren't safe. Here is not safe. I promise you that. Do you think those things just got in, past all the guards? I doubt that!"

[Lief Erikson]

Slythre frowned. "You're suggesting that the Nrakes were allowed into the cliff dwellings? By Arnon or some other commander?"

[Roland]

Ulrog sighed. He was really in for it now.
"Yes. Once I was reporting to one of my masters men. He seemed quite important. He didn't dismiss me when the master contacted him, and I caught the beginnings of a conversation. A planned alliance with the eagles",Ulrog almost spat the word out, "was mentioned but then the master saw I was still in the room, and he punished us both. It wouldn't suprise me if my master has recruited some of the men here. He has done such things before."

[Lief Erikson]

"Seems strange he didn't kill you both instead," Slythre said dryly. "Harnauro, perhaps you would like to proceed from here?"

She stepped back, sheathed her knife and crossed her arms. Harnauro stepped forward, and Ulrog cringed.

[Mathron]

"You say," Harnauro's voice seemed to boom around the goblin, "That your master planned an alliance with the eagles, and has done such things before. What can you tell us of these other allies your master has?"

[Lief Erikson]

*Roland, your turn. Slythre isn't quite as good at this sort of thing as Harnauro, so I'll watch until either it ends or I decide to have a character interject.*

[Roland]

Ulrog cringed and stared back at Harnauro. He had no doubt that the wolf-man would kill him without a moment's thought. Ulrog then did something he very rarely did. He told the whole truth.
"I don't know!", he shrieked, "the master is very secretive. What I know I am not supposed to! I know he has allies amoung men. Not the tarks. I don't think he wants them. But he does have agents and spies in many places. Where and how many I don't know. I swear that's the truth."

[Mathron]

Harnauro sighed in disgust. "Well then, if you can tell us nothing about your master's allies, then tell us about him - this Vardor, I assume. Who is he, and what are his goals?"

[Roland]

Ulrog glanced up at the menacing figure of Harnuaro, and then spoke.
"I don't know exactly what he is trying to do. He is searching for something, although what is unclear. He goes to great measures to spy on people. I am only one of many spies. You lot must be important to him in some way, beacuse he has steadily increased his efforts to kill you.
"When he needed me to report, all I had to do was visit the spot he told me to and he would appear. He has always had orcs as his slaves. We have little choice in the matter.
"Exactly what he is, I don't know, but his scent is not that of a man. I noticed the same scent around you when I was first captured. He is very powerful and is not afraid to show it", at this Ulrog shuddered. He still remembered the pain of his first failure.

[Mathron]

Harnauro frowned at learning this Vardor was more than a man, though it did not surprise him. It seemed that a time of trouble was coming about, and many powerful beings stirring. He turned to Slythre, and said, "Any questions you have for him?"

*This will be my last post for about 4 days or so, so you can have thing proceed a bit without me - Harnauro will just tag along where ever the group goes.*

[Lief Erikson]

She shook her head slightly. "No, I guess not. It wouldn't be logical for this Vardor to allow spies like this one to possess very important information." She frowned slightly. "What he already has surprises me. But we will have to find a way to make use of it. At least we know a few things now. Vardor is making an alliance with these eagle people. He is apparently obsessed with capturing Dania. Killing us is also something that he would have done, although I can't help but feel that we're only an afterthought. He really wants Dania." Slythre sighed loudly and slammed her fist against the rock in frustration. "I just can't see how any of this can possibly fit together!"

*I don't know if it can proceed very well without you, unless I'm doing a solo performance. Roland is the only other person playing, and he's being a minor character.*

[Elbreth of Carhouth]

*Do you want to give me an easy spot to pick up? I can guide things from the opposite end. Although I don't post often, I'm still around. More of a lurker these days. :) *

[Lief Erikson]

*You still have Dania and Narsh to use. They are in the cliff dwellings of the eagle people, at this point. You may join in at any time, and it's good to see that you're still here. I thought you'd given up on this RPG, along with Morkhon and Xivigg. If Xivigg is really gone (Nobody is being very clear to me on how connected they are to this game except for Mathron, Roland and Morkhon).*

[Mathron]

As the B'rak continued towards its goal, which it would have reached days ago had it not been forced to trak across land due to its burden, it was watched.
It crawled across the ground, trundling trees aside with its might, and slowly moved through the forest it was in. The only things it disturbed were the animals of the woods, and a few of the monstrous spiders that plagued the place, but it had not yet reached any lands under the rule of civilized folk.
Nevertheless, as it passed, eyes gazed out at it from the darkness of trees, paying attention both to it, and to the unmoving body upon its back.

[Mathron]

*OK, I am back!*

Harnauro nodded in agreement at Slythre's outburst, and then looked at the orc. He shrugged, and said, "Let us keep onto this one for some time. It may have further purpose for us, and I doubt it will live long among these folks. Let us gather the others, and plan where to go from here."

[Lief Erikson]

Slythre wordlessly nodded her agreement and stepped out of the flap.

Morning light was already lighting up the rock hallway. She tapped lightly on the rock wall beside the other of the men's flap doorway. "We'll be meeting in the lower hallway in five minutes to plan out our next move. See that you make it."

They came out in a few seconds, not having anything to pack that wasn't already on their backs.

"Perhaps we can forgoe the five minutes," Faradin said with a bland smile.

As the women came out in the same record breaking time, Slythre saw no point in refusing.

[Mathron]

Harnauro walked down the stone stairway, and turned about once reaching the lower hall, to await the others. He had not long to wait, and soon the rest arrived, gathering about with varying looks upon their faces.

"I see a few options before us," said Harnauro, breaking the silence. "We still know not where Mal has gone to, and if he met with this Vardor, I fear his meeting may have gone ill. I suggest we continue onward, up the river, towards the elven kingdom and mirkwood beyond, and who knows how far. In any case, I recommend putting as much distance between this Vardor and ourselves as we can."

[Lief Erikson]

"We thought we'd put Vardor well behind us when we came here," Ayna said. "And yet they pursued us with impossible speed, catching up with us on the first night. If they can chase us in such a fashion, how can we possibly merely put distance between us? As a matter of a fact, here is a far more protected place then out in the open, and they'll come for us there. We can be sure of it.

"What I suggest is that we go to Rivendell, or perhaps Lothlorien or Isengard. One of the places which still holds the wise and powerful, and who can advise us. They probably will know far more about this Vardor than we do, and will be able at least protect Dania and the rest of us for a time."

"Perhaps . . ." Slythre hesitated. "Never mind," she said with a slight sigh. "I think we should find out what has happened to Mal, the leader in this endeavor. If we could manage to get him back with us, we would have a much better chance of uncovering what has happened."

"So instead of taking Dania to safety, you would have us leap directly into the center of danger," Ayna said angrily. "We know that she is threatened, and while she is, all of us are."

"If we are to survive, we must no what we are up against." But Slythre looked a little bit surprised at the vehemence with which Ayna spoke. "It is the only way we can know how to avoid it. I believe Mal is in danger. He wouldn't leave us for so long without a very good reason. You said yourself that when someone digs deeply enough into this, they put themselves on the enemy's hit list. And that person rarely maintains his life after that."

"Throwing ourselves . . ."

"Are you so afraid for your life?"

Ayna sighed in frustration.

[Mathron]

Harnauro watched the others debate, and finally spoke softly, "The problem with going back in search of Mal is that he may arguably be the most powerful of us. And, for all our talents, he left us without notice of where he went - if he covered his tracks to start out, we would have a hard time following them. Continuing north gives us a number of options - the river winds up towards Lothlorien, so perhaps he intends to meet us there. It would not be my favorite place - nor his - but strange times make strange allies, it is said."

[Lief Erikson]

"Are you sure you've gotten everything you can out of that orc?" Gungar asked.

Slythre looked at Harnauro and shrugged. "Pretty sure, yes. We don't have the time to go through a drawn out questioning, in which we'd collect every s**** he knew and didn't know . . ."

Ayna involuntarily shuddered.

". . . but we are pretty sure that Vardor is smart enough to not give his spies much news of what is going on. We've hit a bit of a wall on that end." She glanced over at Harnauro. "That's why we have to decide what to do now. We've followed up on every lead we have, so now we simply have to make a decision."

"A guess, more like," Ayna muttered.

Slythre looked at her coldly. "You have something to add?"

Elrov sighed loudly. "Will you two please stop squabbling? We are about to make an important decision, not fight like children amongst ourselves.

"Harnauro knows Mal better than any of the rest of us, and he knows how easy it would be to track him down at the same time as avoiding enemy soldiers. By his information, it is pretty much impossible. We don't have the time, and I doubt we could hold off our enemies long enough for us to find him, even if he wants to be found, which I doubt."

Harnauro nodded silently.

"Therefore I think that our best choice is probably to go to one of those safe havens and get either assistance or information. I expect they can give us both, there. Who knows, perhaps what we learn there will help us find out where Mal is as well?"

Gungar's snort showed plainly what he thought of the odds of that happening were.

"Regardless of whether we do or not," Elrov continued, ignoring the dwarf, "It will be a launch point from which we can proceed to whatever we do next."

He struck the center of the map which was spread out on the table with his finger. "So, shall it be Lothlorien?"

A flicker of understanding passed between his and Ayna's face, and was gone the same instant, so quick it might have been imagined. But the grateful look that showed on Ayna's face afterwards was not imagination.

Harnauro smiled to himself. Now here was a woman who did not know how to hide her emotions.

[Elbreth of Carhouth]

*Am I with you guys? And now Mal is missing? Or are we still separated? My posts will be few, I've gotten to busy to be around much, but I've not given up. :) *

[Mathron]

*You are with us, and it is basically everyone *except* Mal, who is still being carted through the wilderness by a rather large and slow-moving (while landbound) monstrosity. And a few posts are better than none, so welcome back!*

[Mathron]

Harnauro looked about, and it seemed they were decided. Without further discussion, he walked out of the room, searching for Arnon.

He found the man, walking the hallways, and as he approached he heard the rest of his own party catching up to him. Arnon looked over the group, and then, turning to Harnauro, said, "What do you wish?"

"We believe it is time for us to leave. If you can directed us towards the nearest way out, and the quickest way north..." Harnauro let his words trail off into the air, crossing his arms and awaiting a response.

[Lief Erikson]

*Why is it one of them crosses there arms whenever they talk?(Brief smile)*

"Certainly," Arnon said, and there seemed to be a note of relief in his voice. "We can provide you each and eagle to hasten your flight in whichever way you intend to go. When they see fit they will set you down and return here. Don't count on their assistance for more than a day, but I think one will be sufficient."

Harnauro bowed his head. "Most generous."

Arnon cocked his head for a moment and just looked at Harnauro. "You are not weakhu'ne like the others, as I have found out quite plainly over the time you are here. You are skilled as a warrior and a guide, and they have chosen well in your leadership. Or companionship, if you will."

The praise seemed strange coming out of Arnon's mouth, and took a moment to digest.

"Strength and honor be with you and your friends," Arnon said, clasping his arm to his chest in what seemed to be a symbolic salute. "Return to us again when all is ended, we have smaon."

He then turned and walked out of the cave, never glancing back. Just outside of the cave, Harnauro noticed a small group of eagles gathering outside on the rocky ledge.

Slythre appeared beside his arm. "What was that about?" she asked.

[Mathron]

Harnauro glanced at Slythre, "It appears our we shall have some helpful accomodations for a stage of our journey," gesturing towards the eagles.

Slythre nodded, but still wondered what else Arnon had said as Harnauro headed towards the eagles, the rest close behind him.

They mounted upon the eagles, and Faradin directed the eagles as to their path with only a few words. They would go to the north, as far as the eagles could take them - and from there, find their own way.

With a flap of wings, and rush of air, the eagles soared off, the companions upon their backs. Harnauro glanced backwards towards the cliffs, glimpsing a few dwellers watching them. Perhaps he would return, one day. Perhaps.

Soon, all thoughts were washed away in the beat of the wind upon their backs, and all sounds lost to the whistling of the air about them. The land fell away beneath them, and rushed by at a tremendous pace, as the continued into the north.

[Lief Erikson]

Vardor watched them go with a mixture of feelings. Relief, anger, and regret were only a few of the thoughts which filled his twisted mind. A great opportunity was lost, yet at least he had gotten them out of the most touchy of his weak points. Raw, and open to a deep probing. All could have been uncovered. On the other hand, all could have been ended right then and there as well, for the better.

The key fitting into the lock. An eternity of darkness opened.

All could indeed have been drawn to a point, and only things beyond his control had managed to give him back his breathing space.

[Lief Erikson]

The eagles landed on the ground with a gentle thud. About three fourths of the distance between themselves and Lothlorien covered with such speed and ease.

The eagle's leader looked at them with his sharp peircing gaze. "Farewell. Wherever you fare, till your eyries receive you at the journey's end."

"May the wind under your wings bear you where the sun and moon soar," Faradin said.

The eagles looked at each other, and one of them rolled its eyes. They however opened their wings and flew off, intending to find a good place to land before darkness came.

[Mathron]

Sethris was sitting, in his tower and at his desk, when he heard a sound behind him. He rose quickly, spinning about and hurling one dagger as he drew another.

The first dagger flashed across the room, bouncing off the chest of the broodlord, without even denting his armor. Sethris' eyes widened, and he said, "Why are you here? Have you completed the hunt?"

He got no response, but his amazement grew as a few of the broodlord's men filtered into the room behind their lord, weapons drawn.

Sethris spoke again, anger warring with fear in his voice. "What is your purpose here?"

The broodlord laughed, as he drew his own blade. "We wish to meet with your masster again. And, to insure an agreeable meeting, we thought to have some trophiess. While the rest of my men gather Lord Thaldssan - in the guise of his own personal guards, who won't be coming to his aid any time soon - I thought to fetch you mysself."

A short laugh escaped him as he and his men moved in.

[Mathron]

Harnauro and the rest were soon ensconced in a campsite, and already relaxing from the flight. The eagles had vanished away already, and there was little sign of any inhabitants of this land. Most, at the moment, were simply sitting and thinking.

Harnauro looked about at the party, seeing the contemplation upon the others, and slowly rose and walked away, seeking his own peace in the woods.

Once out of sight of the fire, his shape blurred and altered, and soon he was wolf once more. He stretched, hating the release his body had been craving the last few days, amid the stone cliffs.

While the others garnered much needed rest, he was roaming the woods, and losing himself within the wilderness. His peace was not to last long, however, for as he returned, midway through the night, a new scent was nearby.

Stalking near the edge of the camp, he glimpsed Faradin standing about, bow near his feet, and watching the woods, alert and on watch as well.

Both of them were startled, however, when a strange winged figure stumbled into the clearing, staggered towards the camp, and collapsed in a heap upon the ground.

Faradin rushed forward, blade at the ready, with a cry rousing the others, only to stare at the strange form before him - a figure the size of a man, save with elfin features of face, and most of all, wings spreading from his back, and connected to him where a man would have hands. S****es and scratches covered his form, and light rivulets of blood ran across his form, which was clothed only by a pair of light trousers. His eyes were closed, and the figure was apparently unconscious - and no other signs of who he was, or where he had come from.

[Lief Erikson]

Faradin checked its pulse and stood quickly when he saw the wolf leave the shadows.

Harnauro quickly reverted back to his human form and helped Faradin move the large and bulky being back towards the camp.

"We found him in the wilderness," Faradin said in quick explanation.

"A spy of the enemy?" Slythre asked.

"Possibly. We'll find out when it wakes up."

"We can't use any of our water to awaken it," Elrov began.

"That doesn't seem like it will be necessary," Ayna interupted as it opened its eyes.

[Lief Erikson]

"You honestly believe that my master cares enough about either of us?" Sethris asked incredulously.

He pulled his wavy hair back from his scalp, revealing twin burn marks on the top of his forhead. "My master gave me these for a mistake, and it wasn't that big of a mistake either. Do you know what it is like to feel as if your body is on fire from head to toe, even when it isn't. Every pore burning, burning, burning . . ."

Abruptly he realized that one of the creatures was holding each of his arms, and they were dragging him toward the broodlord.

"You will tell your master that we wish to meet him. Act as if nothing were unusual about this meeting or you will be punished. By both your master and ours." The broodlord's grim smile made Sethris shiver, and its hand twitched towards its sword. But abruptly the smile faded and it snatched its hand away.

"I will contact him," Sethris gasped.

The two creatures released his arms and he collapsed on the ground.

"Get up," the broodlord said, kicking him ruthlessly.

A fire irrupted in the back of the room and the broodlord's eyes flicked up from Sethris to the fire. In its depths appeared the face of Vardor, his black hood shadowing his face in the flame.

The broodlord's eyes widened in surprise. "How . . ." He stopped himself and willed the surprise to vanish from his face.

Vardor's eyes moved from Sethris to the broodlord, and then back to Sethris again. A look of fury contorted his face. "You fool!" he roared. "You have revealed . . ."

"Sir, I had too . . . NOOO!" Sethris' eyes widened in horror as twin darts of fire left Vardor's eyes and peirced him, rapidly turning his body to ash.

Vardor snarled as his eyes flicked up to the broodlord again.

"We wanted to arrange a meeting . . ." the broodlord began cautiously . . . a bare instant before the room turned into an inferno.

[Mathron]

The broodlords sword twirled up and around, iand the ruby in its pommel flared with a vicious light, growing blinding, as the flames flickered and wrapped about the room. With a last, furious flash from the ruby, the flames died away, and the broodlord heard a distamt cry fading away.

Even as he noted that at least some of the power was turned back upon Vardor, he cursed and had to drop his sword, which now glowed with heat. Looking down at it, he cursed again, for the ruby was dark, and doubtless would afford little protection for days.

Glancing about the room, all the men with him were burnt corpses, which meant he only had the four that were fetching Thaldsan. The broodlord looked at the corner where the fire had appeared. Now, only a charred crater marked that side of the room. The meeting had done little save to warn Vardor of his purposes, and Vardor's location was still unknown.

As the broodlord reached down, and picked his sword, now cooled, back up, he hoped that Thaldsan would know something of where Vardor made his lair.

[Mathron]

The figure on the ground looked up at Faradin with shining, elven eyes. It blinked, and then looked about in confusion.

Its mouth opened and closed a few times, as though unsure of what to say. Finally, it spoke. Its voice was high pitched, and it chirped almost like a bird, "I am Seetoo. Hello. Where I am?" as it finished speaking, it cocked its head in curiousity and looked up at the group.

[Lief Erikson]

"We are between Lothlorien and Fangorn Forest, pretty nearby the Anduin," was Faradin's quick and accurate response. "We are headed for Lothlorien. But what happened to you?"

"And what are you?" Elrov's blunt and utterly untactful question butted in.

[Mathron]

The creature seemed confused by Elrov's question, and responded, twittering, "I am a..a me..."

Shaking its head, it then turned to Faradin and said, "I was flying... over the forest, I think, and something... big... knocked me down, and sent me into the trees. That hurt."

[Lief Erikson]

"A tower?" Slythre asked doubtfully. "Or a pinnacle of some sort? Although I never saw one from our eagle mounts."

"This is pointless," muttered Gungar. "We're wasting valuable time. Those Nrakes can probably follow us even here, they seem to have very good noses, and all we can do is sit here and gabble like tinkers to a silly woodland creature?"

"You're too harsh, and never turn away what could be an information source," Faradin said quietly. Then, looking back at the creature, "Did you see any sentient creatures on the ground, while you were in flight?"