WW XXVII: Wolf of the Rings

[Finnius]

Filk spent the next day packing, unpacking, repacking, unpacking again, checking his packs, and then repacking everything into much smaller bags because he'd overestimated how much he could carry to begin with.

 

After many tedious hours of checking straps and securing belongings, what Filk ended up with was this; a waterbag, a shovel, twenty feet of rope, a bag of potatoes, a change of clothes, a pair of scissors, a flint and steel, and a small sack of sweets. The last was the most important, of course, and Filk made sure to stow those safely in his pocket. Who knows what kind of people these big folk are, after all, might go rooting through a poor hobbit's bag looking for something to nibble on, and then where is poor Filk when he needs a shot of something sweet?

 

Disappointed, that's where.

 

After making sure his possessions were all in order, the hobbit left his room, his home for the last few months in Rivendell, and made his way around the village, saying goodbye to the elves and others he'd come to know and love.

[Sweetcherrie]

Stoomp’s eyes started to twinkle when he saw Karmoose walking down the street, and with his chubby arms wide open he wobbled off to huggle the hobbit tightly. So tightly in fact that the hobbit must have difficulties to breathe, but Stoomp was so happy to have found someone who would surely know where they had to go that he didn’t think of letting go for one moment.

 

Instead he started bouncing a little with his arms still tightly around the hobbit, dragging Karmoose along in his bounce, all the while giggling about how glad he was that he would now get to know where to go.

[Sinsor]

Still frustrated about not being able to attend the feast or present his invention Irvin Bartholomew Muskfoot started packing his things for the trip. Shortly before he arrived at Rivendell he started to feel unwell, when he arrived he was sick as a dog and took to bed almost immediately.

 

Thankfully, he had recovered in time to participate in the great journey that lay ahead of the Fellowship. "There'll be plenty of wonders along the road to see" he thought to himself.

 

When he finished his packing, he looked out the window and noticed a dwarf rushing by, fully packed, "Oooh a dwarf" he mumbled, afterwards he grabbed his pack and ran out the door after Stoomp.

[Guest Phoenix]

Megwyn looked over her bare room - it was suprising how few possessions she'd managed to acumulate since she first arrived. She chuckled to herself. Not really. She'd always been used to living light. her pack was resting by the door, everything tightly rolled and safely stowed. Packing never took her long any more, she'd been moving on for so long she could (and sometimes had) pack in her sleep.

 

Moving to the window, she looked out at the view she'd come to love. It was sometimes hard to believe she was in a city still, there was so much green. it was like having the forest right outside your window. she laughed, thinking of the trouble she used to get into for climbing trees. Leaning on the windowsill, enjoying the breeze on her face, she took in the atmosphere to sustain her for the road ahead. there was so much peace here. Considering some of the dirty and smelly dives she'd lived in, she could do a lot worse.

 

Hearing a commotion, her head flicked around, hand flying to her knife in its sheath at her side, but it was just Stoomp, bounce-hugging some poor hobbit to death. She relaxed, smiling. Thankfully her reaction times were still good. She'd need them soon.

 

The thought made her sombre. There would be a lot less laughter and singing where they were going now. She slung on her pack to leave her room. Then cursed and ran back to her bedside and her bracelet still hanging on the bedpost, where it always stayed as she slept. She didn't even want to think how much trouble she'd get into with Jagk if she left it there. She'd only been given it a few weeks ago. Wrapping it tight around her wrist and tying it off, she smiled. she wasn't one for ornaments, usually. but this somehow felt.. right.

 

Her mood lifted, and she went to search for Jagkatha

[Gyrfalcon]

Frerin strode down the middle of the street, ticking things off his fingers and paying little mind to the people who had to step out of the determined dwarf's path lest he run them down. "Got my axe sharpened... my armor's freshly oiled... I got all my travel supplies..."

 

his mutters were interrupted by a happily shout "Mr.... other dwarf!" someone shouted, and he looked up with an "Eh?"

 

Coming his way was... one of the hobbits, being held upright and trying to peer over his shoulder as whoever was holding him staggered back and forth. "No, left Stoomp! No, no... your other left! Now right... now straight... straight Stoomp!" he shouted frantically as they weaved back and forth across the road. Somehow, miraculously they managed to make their way to where Frerin was standing in shock. Stoomp let the hobbit go and leaped forward wrapping Frerin in a tight embrace and then managing to lift the dwarf straight off the ground!

 

"Ach, put me down, will ya?" Frerin said, trying to wriggle out of Stoomp's tight embrace as his ribs started to protest "You got a hug to put a bear to shame, that's for sure!"

 

Stoomp let him down, looking so abashed that even Frerin's gruff heart was touched. The beardless dwarf started to mumble an apology as Frerin clapped him on the shoulder. "Nothing to be sorry about, lad, but watch the hug on the humans and elves, I'm not thinking their ribs'll stand up to it!"

 

To distract Stoomp from feeling sad, Frerin changed the subject. "Now, you have everything you need to travel, right?" Stoomp looked up blankly for a moment and then grinned widely, nodding. "Why don't we take a look at it then, make sure you that you didn't forget anything."

 

As Stoomp swung his pack off his shoulders, Frerin remembered that he'd not introduced himself yet beyond the council meeting. "I'm Frerin, by the way. I saw you at the council... Filkiormous... er... I guess I forgot the rest of your name." he said to the hobbit, who was bent over, gasping for breath still. The hobbit waved a hand "It's more... then most non-hobbits... get on their first... try." he gasped.

 

Stoomp opened his bag and smiled widely at Filk. "Karmoose." he said firmly, before looking at Frerin, screwing up his face in thought. Stoomp wrinkled his nose and attempted to pronounce the name, "Frrr...frrr.." This was so not easy, "Frr....in." Yes, that was close! "Fwin!" he finally said triumphantly.

 

Frerin blinked and then sighed "Fwin works as well, lad." he said, bending over the bag, his nose twitching at the scent of... pulped banana? Reaching in gingerly, he pulled out the remaining half of Stoomp's breakfast. "I think you dropped something in here." he said, and Stoomp took the half of the banana, peering at it carefully.

 

"Let's get your pack cleaned out, lad, and then you'll be ready." Frerin said as Stoomp nibbled at the pulpy banana, making a face at the taste of road dust on it and threw it over his shoulder.

 

As bad luck would guide it, it splatted right into Jagkatha's face.

 

(Many thanks to Sweet for her help with Stoomp on this!)

[Finnius]

Filk took a moment to catch his breath, watching the dwarves disappear into the distance, and then turned to head back down the road, only to come face to face with a banana covered Jagkatha.

 

"Oh, ah... you have a spot of something there, didja know?" The hobbit motioned to his nose, grinned widely, took a few steps backwards, and then ran after the dwarves at hobbitish speed. "Wait up Stoomp, I'll help you pack!"

[Ayshela]

Linador left the council deeply disturbed. He'd returned intent on discussing with Elrond some of the unusual things he'd seen on the trails and rumours which flew through towns and villages. Those disturbances were, it seemed, but the leading edge of horror. "Unless we stop it," he muttered as he reached his room. "Good thing I never fully unpack." He tossed his pack up onto his bed and checked the trail equipment which was always kept there. Quickly refilling supplies of small items, he added in fresh clothes and supplies and, on a second thought, extra arrow making supplies. Be it repairs or completely new arrows, they'd likely need more than they could carry.

 

He left pack and bow leaned against his bed and left for the stables. Nervous people made for nervous horses - and the other way round as well, of course. He'd best be on hand to soothe and calm as many as possible, horses or people or both.

 

As he made his way to the stables he stepped around a cluster of "little people" - it seemed to be two dwarves and a hobbit, though their swarming around an opened pack left some question of who belonged to what and how many were together or innocent bystanders. As they left one part of that question was answered, a sadly squished banana flying onto a clearly innocent - and shocked - bystander. With a muttered curse at luck, Linador stepped in front of Jagkatha speaking quickly but quietly, and pulling his handkerchief equally quickly. "Accursed run of luck these days! Stay a moment, let me get that." Wiping the banana off her face before any dropped onto her clothes, he continued, "Trash belongs in bins, not on pretty faces. Half a sec and your pretty face will be as clear as your conscience and ready to meet the world. And there you go! May the rest of your preparations be easy and unmarred by others' carelessness." With a sweeping bow he stepped aside and let her continue on her way, then continued on his own way to the stables.

[Gryphon]

Mattias grinned as he dropped a couple of spare bowstrings in his pack which was all ready to go.

 

How very fortunate that something had come up to let him go adventuring at almost the exact time he'd decided he'd had enough of Rivendell.

 

After checking that he had everything in order Mattias slung his pack over his shoulder and strapped his daggers in place then went to see about getting some extra arrows. He had a funny feeling that he'd be needing them, and soon.

[Akallabeth]

Túrin took inventory of the items he had brought with him, and ensured that they were all in excellent condition for the journey ahead, that he may have no problems on the path they would take.

 

His mail was in exquisite condition, as he had taken it to an armorer in Rivendell who had cleaned and checked the entire shirt of ring mail, as well as his sword and a small knife he carried. Turin had oiled the leather of his cap, that it might be safe from the heaviest rains, and comfortable for long hours of wear, and had polished the silver metal pieces that were on it.

 

He had one set of clothing laid out for himself, and another two to take along, as well as a spare cloak. His boots he had also oiled, that they too might be able to take the damp weather that Túrin anticipated lay ahead of them.

 

A blanket, some rope, a large skin of water, and a quantity of food were also placed into his pack with care, along with utensils for making fire, and a small supply of tinder.

 

Hoisting the load onto his back, he found it to be a little too light, and so added some more food to the load, mostly more dried meat.

 

He then set down his pack, and glanced around the room, making sure that all was ready for departure. With evident satisfaction with his packing job, he walked down to the stables, to see that the steed he had come in on might be cared for, as he planned to go on foot with the Fellowship until their paths separated. When that happened, he planned to direct his steps to Minas Tirith and around the feet of the White Mountains, eventually reaching his home of Dol Amroth where he had an answer to deliver to his Prince.

[Mynx]

The impact of the banana on her face had surprised Jagkatha long enough for the dwarves to escape what would have for them been certain maiming. Before she fully managed to gather her wits about her, another stranger appeared and wiped the muck off her face.

Still clenching her fists, Jagkatha watched Linador continue on his way, leaving her with noone to vent her rage to.

Sighing with frustration (and muttering a death curse on Stoomp's name), Jagkatha turned around and headed back to her quarters to clean of the horrible sticky feeling on her face, hoping she would have enough time to get cleaned up before she saw Megwyn again.

[Venefyxatu]

Neriam didn't have much to pack, but he did pack meticulously. Every item perfectly in place, strapped tight enough under his clothes to keep it from moving, but loose enough to grant him easy access. He checked himself every now and then, adjusting what items gave themselves away through bumps in his clothes.

When he was satisfied that he didn't appear to be carrying anything, he nodded, put on his heavy cloak, and left his room without looking back. He'd made a habit of leaving quickly, without lingering on memories...

[GLJordan]

Baelesitmah was at the stables attending to his horses and making notes of any that reacted poorly to his companions. Ferret Brother was atop Brother Horse. Hawk Brother was resting in the rafters. Wolf Brother laid nearby with his backpack. His supply horse was long accustomed to them and Brother Horse considered them friends. He had packed what he usually brought and added some extra items that they might need. soon once more they would enjoy running free in the wind and wild and He would do his best to protect his lady and home. The Ring Bearer must reach Mount Doom and He and his brothers would do his best to make sure the bearer did.

[Sweetcherrie]

These people were so nice, helping him pack like this. Stoomp wanted to huggle all of them as tightly as he always huggled his teddy bear. He peered into his now empty bag; somehow they had emptied it all out. Apparently he didn’t need colour pencils, marbles, sticky candy, his toy bricks and toy hammer, and his clothes already weren’t clean anymore from the banana. He saw how Fwin took his teddy bear out, and Stoomp clung on to it, making sure that teddy would go with him.

 

Then his eyes fell on some flowers that were standing in a garden, and immediately he had to think on how he had had made that ‘pwetty elven lady’ angry. Maybe some flowers would make her happy again. With the teddy bear in his arms he escaped ‘Karmoose’ and ‘Fwin’, and dove into the flowers. He grabbed two red ones and a purple one, and decided to add a yellow as well.

 

Then the window opened and some hobbit lady saw that he was plucking her beautiful flowers, and she started screaming. Stoomp looked up, and decided that she too needed a flower to be happy. The lady swooned as the stem snapped, and our little dwarf left the flower on her window sill (stamping on the flowers that were still left) for when she would wake up again.

 

He turned around, just in time to see Jagkatha walk away. With the flowers in his hand he started running after her, and bumped straight into Irvin. With his eyes on Jagkatha’s disappearing back, Stoomp fell over and dragged Irvin along with him, flowers still clutched in his hand.

[Sinsor]

Irvin tried to stand but for some reason there was a heavy weight on top of him. Looking up he saw a dwarf lying on top of him, Stoomp he realized, but there was something in the dwarf's hand. Stoomp seemed to be holding his teddy bear, 2 red flowers, a purple one and a rather sorrow looking yellow flower which appeared to have taken the fall rather badly.

 

Still a little dizzy from the fall, Irvin prodded Stoomp on his shoulder saying, "Say there, would you mind getting off me so I could maybe get up?"

 

Stoomp diverted his stare from Jagkatha’s disappearing back to the broken flower, and then to the face of the hobbit under him. He looked back to where Jagkatha had been just moments ago, and saw that she had disappeared. No! This was no good. He crawled up, and wanted to run after the lovely elven lady. But, halfway gone he realized that he was being very impolite, and turned around.

 

He put ‘Teddy’ down and grabbed the hobbit at his collar to pull him back on his feet forcefully, almost sending Irvin flying. With a rueful smile he stared at his feet, and picked up the teddy bear again. Then he remembered the flowers and stuck out the crushed bouquet towards Irvin.

 

“Hime sarwee.”

 

"That's ok dear boy, no harm done," Irvin said while feeling his pockets if he hadn’t dropped anything.

 

"Oh .... are those for me? Why thank you, I’ve never gotten flowers before. Now i can finally try out that 'Flower Fresh keeping Mixture' my friend sent me last month."

 

Seeing Stoomp stare at him with a sheepish smile on his face he noticed the dwarf was a little 'out of this world'. Irvin searched his many pockets for a gift for this friendly dwarf and with a quiet "Aha" he produced a large stick which seemed to be coated in chocolate.

 

"Do you like candy? Here, you can have this one, I made it myself," he said with a proud look on his face, and handed Stoomp the chocolate

 

Stoomp wanted to stick the chocolate in his mouth, but decided that he should probably keep it for the journey. He wondered where his bag was and the remembered he had left it with ‘Fwin’ and ‘Karmoose’. He stuck the chocolate in the pocket of his pants, grabbed Irvin’s hand, and started dragging him over to his two friends.

 

“Fwin! Karmoose! Look who I meet!” he yelled triumphantly.

 

Caught off guard by the dwarf's muscle-power, Irvin felt himself being lifted off the ground and half-flying, half-walking followed the dwarf to meet his friends.

 

 

 

Written by Sweetcherrie and Sinsor

[Lord Panther]

Being a man of the woods, and used to being alone for long periods of time, Garnorn stuck to himself mostly, collecting what supplies he needed. What had initially brought him to Rivendell anyways. He only hoped that the others would pack what they would *need* and not what they *wanted*. The lands between Rivendell and Mordor were treacherous, and if ill prepared, the journey could turn sour.

 

After sacking his supplies, Garnorn made sure to stop in at the elven smith's to have a clean edge ground onto his sword, and to the fletcher to get some precise elven arrows, just in case. The journey would be long and hard, and he wasn't about to be caught off guard.

[Vahktang]

Yeager looked at the assembling party.

It seemed most of the humans had packed simply, the hobbits less so.

The less said about what the dwarves brought, the better.

 

He had his two sturdy ponies, one with equipment, one with food, as normal.

Linador was making friends with all the horses, and had already done so with his pack animals.

 

And speaking of dwarves...

 

"Now, who's this then," said Frein, approaching, "I didn't see you in the Council."

"I was in the back. Yeager Tickle-Bottom," he said.

Frein snorted but the hobbits within hearing (all of them) looked up at mention of his name. They knew his families.

"Looked like you packed enough," Frein said, looking over the packs, with Baelestimah coming to join him.

"Well enough," said Yeager.

"No weapons," said Baelestimah, I thought you were a hunter."

"I am. Snares. Nets. Ambush. And rocks."

"Rocks," said Frein. "What can you do with a rock? Especially against armor?"

"Ah, come over here and see," said Yeager, taking the two away. The hobbits tagged along, as did several elves, but stood out of the way.

In a nearby open space, bordered by trees and full of grass that came to the hobbits shoulders, he bid Frein to stand at a point and walked about 10 yards away.

"Now, take out your weapon."

Frein did so as Yeager continued.

"Your an enemy, coming towards me to do me harm. So I do this."

Almost faster than an eye could follow Yeager whipped out a smooth stone from a pouch and flung it at the Dwarve, hitting him squarely in the hand.

"Youch. Nearly broke my finger."

"Yes, and that was a glancing blow. Imagine how hard it would be to wield a weapon with broken fingers."

Frein wandered back to the meeeting place, muttering "could still kick you, though."

Baelestimah held in laughter but was then more serious.

"That's all well and good against a Dwarf with an axe or sword. But what about an arrow."

"Then I hide until I can get quite close. Then throw."

"Good thing we're will not coming up against elves, then. Our senses are quite keen."

"Yes, it is a good thing. Good morning, Lady Arwen," said Yeager looking at the area behind Baelestimah and bowing.

"Yes, right," said Baelestimah. "I'm supposed to turn around and give you a chance to sneak away."

"A servent usually does turn around when his mistress approaches," said Arwen's voice behind him.

He turned quickly and started a bow of his own when he saw that his Lady was not there.

"You little," said Baelestimah and he turned around.

And saw an field empty of Yeager.

"What?"

He scanned the area and saw the other two hobbits standing there, leaning against each other, whistling and trying to look casual.

"Ah, a fair mimic," said the elf.

He heard the grass move on the opposite side and turned to confront his opponent when he felt a sting on his hand.

There stood Yeager less than 10 ft away, looking at Baelestimah warily.

"Do I carry my weight in this party?"

Baelestimah rubbed his hand and nodded.

"Yea."

Yeager strode up and held up his hand, showing no hard feelings.

Baelestimah shook it and all went back for last minute pack adjustments and farewells.

[Patrick]

Everyone seemed to be preoccupied with packing, and no one marvelled at the cultural riches amassed here in Rivendell. One could get lost in the arched passageways under trees which had seen more history than any human, dwarf or hobbit here. Seothen had never imagined, being a man of the plains himself, that trees could hold so much beauty, so much grace. Little did he know that the groves of trees in Imladris were naught compared to the great forest of Lothlorien or the dark woods of Mirkwood in the north.

 

For a Rohirrim, his horse and his weapon were at times his only companions and while Seothen had brought warmer clothes with him for this journey, he hadn't even unpacked, having arrived barely before the feast. All of his possessions were either in his saddlebags or fixed to his saddle, leaving his hands free to guide his trusted friend, and at times only companion Warud or draw a weapon if the need arose.

 

Seothen had never seen any of the little folk, or hobbits as they called themselves prior to arriving in Rivendell, and had heard of their existence only from distant tales and legends and so seeing the real thing with his own eyes had possibly been an even greater surprise than the beauty of the trees. The little folk seemed to be a cheery lot, talking merrily among themselves and, as Seothen had seen at the feast the night before, they were quite capable in eating as much, if not more, than any of the bigger races.

 

Seothen glanced over his companions before heading to the stables. For him the most important before leaving on a journey was not checking whether he forgot to take anything or not, but whether Warud was well fed and ready himself. Items forgotten could always be obtained later, but if his horse was in need, now that was a much graver problem. Seeing how happy Warud looked Seothen had to admit that the elves did know something of how to care for horses. He seemed to have been recently fed and even his mane had been cleaned from the dirt it had gathered during the long ride to Rivendell.

 

Seothen sighed happily, knowing that his companion was well looked after. After all, for a Rohirrim nothing was more important than his trusted steed.

[Tanuchan]

"Many others of Elrond's household stood in the shadows and watched them go, bidding them farewell with soft voices. There was no laughter, and no song or music. At last they turned away and faded silently into the dusk. They crossed the bridge and wound slowly up the long steep paths that led out of the cloven vale of Rivendell; and they came at length to the high moor where the wind hissed through the heather. Then with one glance at the Last Homely House twinkling below them they strode away far into the night.

 

At the Ford of Bruinen they left the Road and turning southwards went on by narrow paths among the folded lands. Their purpose was to hold this course west of the Mountains for many miles and days. The country was much rougher and more barren than in the green vale of the Great River in Wilderland on the other side of the range, and their going would be slow; but they hoped in this way to escape the notice of unfriendly eyes. The spies of Sauron had hitherto seldom been seen in this empty country, and the paths were little known except to the people of Rivendell."J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Fellowship of the Ring"

 

 

The company traveled fast, and silently. The night was their friend, and the Moon lit their steps even though the terrain was rough and sometimes unyielding. Their sleeping hours were spent in hiding, during the day - something that made some sigh and wish for the comfort they'd had in Rivendell. Their guide was Falmar, one of the Elf lords of Elrond's household. Well-known by everybody from the Company who had been in Rivendell for more than six months, he had the elven wisdom in his light-grey eyes and the ranger's skill in himself. He had travelled far and large.

 

A morning about two weeks into the journey south, with the Misty Mountains looking closer ahead of them, all the company was fast asleep but for the two watchers. Falmar pointed at the dark patch in the sky, moving northwards. Irvin, who happened to be right behind him, asked what they were. "It doesn't look like a cloud..." he whispered, feeling something weird.

 

"Lie flat and still!" hissed the Elf lord, pulling him down.

 

A whole flock of birds broke away from the main host, and came flying low, straight towards the ridge they were on. They looked like crows of a large size, and passed overheard in so dense a crowd that their shadow followed them darkly over the ground below.

 

Falmar waited until they were gone and the sky was clear and desert again before hastily waking up some of the Company.

 

"Regiments of black crows are flying over all the land between the Mountains and the Greyflood", he told Garnorn and Megwyn. "They have passed over Hollin. They aren't native here, they are crebain out of Fangorn and Dunland. I think they are spying out the land."

 

Jagkatha nodded. "I think we should move out again. Hollin is being watched."

 

"If the Enemy is on the watch, then we must be even more careful." Linador eyed the low fire. "Luckily our fire made little smoke and has burned low. I don't think it should be lit up again."

 

So it was that in that afternoon, to the dismay of the Hobbits and Stoomp, they received the news that they were moving again as soon as the sun set and there was to be no fire. Not even for meals, as Filk soon discovered.

 

All that day they remained in hiding. The dark birds passed over now and again, but at sunset they disappeared southwards. Then the Company set out, and turning now half east they moved toward Caradhas, which still far away glowered red in the setting sun. For the mountain signaled their way, through the Pass of Caradhras into the Dimrill Dale, and then onwards towards their goal.

 

For two more nights they marched on, climbing steadily but ever more slowly as their path wound up into the hills and the mountains towered nearer. And small mishaps started to crop - the pack mule with a shoe lost, a stumbling dwarf - who would almost swear there was nothing to stumble on, or a tricky patch of rocks causing more than one to slip and threatening bones and muscles. Baelestinah's companions showed signs of unrest, and the elf had trouble calming then down most of times. Wolf Brother would growl at the shadows, while Ferret Brother skittered around nervously.

 

On the third morning, Caradhras rose before them, a mighty peak, tipped with snow like silver, but with sheer naked sides, dull red as if stained with blood.

 

And blood the Company also found among themselves, finding the pack mule slaughtered where they had tethered her. Linador looked at the poor beast in shock, while Stoomp cried and hugged Teddy. Turin and Seothen examined the little beast, and shared their opinion.

 

"Killed - very skillfully to not let her scream and wake us. No accident, no wild animal."

 

Falmar looked around, fire in his eyes for a moment. Then he shook his head. "The Enemy is tracking us. We don't have time to waste. If we are to try the Pass, we have to go now. Otherwise, our only other path goes through dark and unforgiving ways... " In spite of himself, Falmar shuddered.

 

 

As they prepared to start the slow climbing, a silent question remained - how could the pack mule have been killed, when they always had set a watch of two of them?

 

Falmar looked troubled, and in his mind he was dismayed. Someone among us... the lure of the One Ring is strong. I can only hope that Elrond's fears don't come true, and we are not lost to Its calling...

 

 

 

 

" 'From signs that we have seen lately, I fear that the [Pass of Caradhras] may be watched; and also I have doubts of the weather that is coming up behind. Snow may come. We must go with all the speed that we can. Even so it will take us more than two marches before we reach the top of the pass. Dark will come early this evening.'

 

'I was born under the shadow of the White Mountains and know something of journeys in the high places. We shall meet bitter cold, if no worse, before we come down on the other side. It will not help us to keep so secret that we are frozen to death. Whe we leave here, where ther are still a few trees and bushes, each of us should carry a faggot of wood, as large as he can bear.'

 

The twisting and climbing road had in many places almost disappeared, and was blocked with many fallen stones. The night grew deadly dark under great clouds. A bitter wind swirled among the rocks. By midnight they had climbed to the knees of the great mountains. The narrow path now wound under a sheer wall of cliffs to the left, above which the grim flanks of Caradhras towered up invisible in the glom; on the right was a gulf of darkness where the land fell suddenly into a deep ravine." J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Fellowship of the Ring"

 

~~~~~~~

OOC: So the adventure begins. A poor beast was killed, a clear warning that the Company might harbor trouble among, and within, themselves. While climbing towards the Pass of Caradhras, there is the thought - who might have fallen into the Shadows?

 

It's now Day Phase. You have 48 hours (until roughly Wednesday, 10pm EST) to try to find one of the Fallen (wolves). Good luck! Check the OOC thread for extra info.

 

 

Edit: typos

Edited May 9, 2006 by Tanuchan

[Finnius]

Filk was in an uncharacteristically dark mood as they scaled the pass... for one thing, when they had left Rivendell, he hadn't been exactly sure of where they were going, or why. Having... ah... nodded off during the Council of Elrond, he'd quite missed some important information.

 

Now that he knew, he wasn't so sure he wanted to be here. Still, there were his fellow hobbits to think about, and Stoomp, and, until recently, the poor pack mule. He may not have been made of fluff with a core of iron, but Filk was definitely marshmallow with a core of rock hard caramel.

 

Speaking of which...

 

The hobbit snuck a few candies out of his pocket, making sure the other members of the Fellowship weren't looking (after all, he was generous, but not that generous), popped one in his mouth, and then sidled up beside each of them in turn, offering a bit of sweet to ease the long, tedious climb.

 

As he passed each one, whether they took a piece or not, he gave them a hobbitish smile and a short (haha) pat on the back. Their returning gazes, friendly or otherwise, filled the hobbit with an unplaceable sense of dread.

 

It would be bad, he knew, if one of the new members of their party had fallen to the lure of the Ring, but he was more worried that it had effected those he already knew, and had grown close to.

 

With a shiver, Filk pulled his cloak tighter around his shoulders and let himself fall back towards the middle of the line.

[Savage Dragon]

Raus was feeling stupid. He hadn't told anyone, but he had seen the dead mule before anyone else had, save the killer he supposed. But he had told no one.

 

it was this stupid isolation that he was keeping himself in. for so long he had longed for the love of his Claire, he had forgotten the love that could be shared in friendship. Here he was on what was steadily becoming a more and more dangerous mission and he didn't even know all the names of his companions.

 

that in itself was dangerous. he was so out of touch, that he hadnt even realized it when things went awry. if he had paid more attention he might have realized earlier the attatchement the others had for the mule. instead he saw the slain best and had assumed it was killed for meat. what did he know of butchering. he felt so foolish

 

still he must do better to get to know the other travelers. when one of the others, Filk was it?, offered him a candy, he accepted it with a smile.

[Mynx]

Jagkatha shook her head in distaste as she collected her pack and bow staff. The stench of the slaughtered beast's blood climbed into her nose, the memory clinging long after they had started walking again.

 

Who was idiotic enough to butcher a pack beast? Jagkatha held no qualms about murder but only if she could justify it. The beast had not been lame nor ill, and they were not in need of food...

 

Sighing softly, the elf joined the line of travelers, her eyes searching the faces of those she went with in hope of finding an answer.

Moving up to join Megwyn, Jagk slipped her free hand into the ranger's and kissed her cheek gently, falling in perfect step as the two walked in silence amongst the Company

[Vahktang]

Yeager looked over his animals and belongings.

The travel had been fast, his food was lighter, more so since he shared unstingingly with the rest of the fellowship.

Now one of their animals were dead.

He had feared for a moment it was one of his own.

He reviewed thinking what he could and would carry if he only had one animal.

Than started as he thought on what he would do if he had to carry on without a pack animal at all.

Hard choices would have to be done if that came to pass.

Hopefully it would not come to that.

But, someone of their fellowship did the poor beast in.

The only way.

Somebody didn't want the bearer to get to the crack of doom.

But which?

Probably of the same type. Easier to get along with one's own. Usually.

The humans?

The Elves?

The Dwarves?

That walking tree by their lonesome?

Not his fellow hobbits, surely.

Because why didn't they include him if they did?

Hmm.

He had been ostracized by his fellows before. They had not liked the alone ways of the hunter.

The Muskfoots especially. Very clannish.

Just the type to slay a dumb animal in the night, quiet like, to slow them down.

Irvin would bear closer watching. Unobtrusively, of course.

That was his quarry now.

[Gryphon]

Mattias's normal good mood had been spoilt somewhat by the events of the morning. Quietly he moved up through the pass falling into a stride that matched Jagkatha and Megwyn who were walking hand in hand a few paces in front of him.

 

Who amongst those gathered could have killed the mule? Could it be that once again someone was falling under the influence of the ring?

 

Mattias's thoughts wandered back to the early morning hours when he thought he'd seen Raus moving away from where the pack animals were tethered. Could it be possible that he'd seen something? Could it be that he was the killer? It wouldn't be the first time a human had fallen to the influence of the one ring.

 

~~~

 

OOC: I'm accusing Savage Dragon / Raus Tanathos from the reasons and thought processes in character above.

[Sweetcherrie]

Stoomp had been looking for good flowers all day long already, but they all seemed not colourful enough or they were half dead, and Stoomp was decided to give Jagkatha a pretty bouquet of flowers. He looked around, saw Irvin walking more in front of them, and suddenly remembered that he still had the chocolate in the pocket of his trousers. He stuck his hand in and pulled back, but all he pulled out were chocolate covered fingers. Whatever it had been that Irvin had given him, it was not that anymore.

 

He wobbled faster and walked over to where Irvin was walking, and pulled the hobbit’s sleeve, leaving dark brown stains.

 

“Izze not good.”

 

The dwarf said and held his sticky hands up in front of the hobbit’s face, “Izze not good at all.”

 

OOC: I don't think I could ever come up with an IC reason for Stoomp to dislike someone...so here go some dice...vote for Gryphon - Mattias

[Sinsor]

Ever since he saw the dead pack mule Irvin was lost in thought.

"Who would kill such a cute animal?" he thought

"Must be one of those rangers, perhaps that Garmorn" he thought, "He's pretty secretive"

 

Feeling someone tug on his sleeve, interrupting his thought process, he turned around and saw Stoomp hold out both his hands covered in something brown and sticky.

"Stoomp, what's that on your .." he started saying but stopped when smelled chocolate.

"Oh i see, you forgot to take it out of your pocket, come along lets get cleaned up with some snow"

 

 

 

OOC: i vote for Panther =>Garnorn, human Ranger (male) (long live the dice)