Thoronmir had just returned to the settlement when Awyrgan came up to him.
"I really need to talk to you, Thoronmir. Something bad has happened."
Thoronmir could tell by the younger man's expression that it must have been terrible. "What is it?" he asked.
"It's Thorgil. He's...he's dead."
Thoronmir was shocked by the news. "Dead?" he said after a few seconds. "How did he die?"
"One of the hillmen surprised him and hit him with a rock," Awyrgan answered.
"If that's true, then we'd better watch our step from now on," said Thoronmir. "If there was one hillman out there, there are bound to be more. Excuse me a minute."
Thoronmir left Awyrgan and walked away from the settlement. He came to the top of a nearby hill overlooking the town, and sat there for a long while, thinking about Thorgil and what his death would mean for the Rangers now. Out of the 30 Dunedain from the north that had fought alongside King Elessar in the war, 11 were from the Hills of Evendim. 4 had died at the Pelennor Fields, and 5 more at the Black Gate. Only Thorgil and Thoronmir himself had survived from that group. Now Thorgil, the last of Thoronmir's generation of Rangers, was dead. Thoronmir knew now that his time was not as long as he had thought either. Back when he was growing up, the Rangers, at least the good ones, were all experienced men above 50. Now Tane had assumed leadership, and both he and the others were about twenty years younger than Thoronmir. It saddened him to know that he would probably never quite fit in among the Rangers again. Perhaps it was time to retire...
As Thoronmir came back down the hill, he saw that everybody was gathered around listening to Borgand. He joined in, eager to see what was going on.
<font size=1 color=339966>[ 10:00 PM December 15, 2003: Message edited by: Meneltarmacil ]
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