[Estel the Descender]

'We have to journey fast, said Béowulf, 'and unless you can run as fast as a mearh you will be left behind.'

Corrin (and Léod) reluctantly agreed to this proposal. To show his displeasure of having a stranger ride him, Léod ran so fast that even Béowulf had trouble keeping his seat.

Izrênna saw the bay coloured lightning that was Léod approaching her. She smiled once more, a weary smile, for she was fatigued. Though she struggled to show that she was not bothered by the attitude towards her by the group she was with, it was beginning to affect her anyway. She was pleased somewhat when the bay mearh stopped in front of her suddenly (Corrin fell off because of the momentum: he was not to pleased by that) and Béowulf greeted her with an embarrassed smile.

'Greetings my lady,' panted Béowulf, 'I hope that my companions and I are not too late to join the expedition.'

'No, you are not,' replied Izrênna, 'We have just stopped to rest for a while to wait for stragglers.'

'That must mean us, Léod and Corrin,' laughed Béowulf, 'But I am so glad that we caught up.'

I would have been gladder,' grumbled Corrin, 'if your horse did not try to KILL us in his haste. Yes, Mr. horse, I said kill, murder. . .

'Gentlemen,' interrupted Anglachel as he came up to them, 'I am glad that you came as well. I was beginning to wonder if ever you would come.'

Léod suddenly whinnied and shied away: the group became aware that Wargs were attacking them.

As quickly as she can, Izrênna drew her bow and shot at one wolf, causing it to retreat in pain. Ælfritha and Malienna, barely controlling their mounts, began to hack or whip at gaping jaws. One of the pack horses was killed already by the wolves while the other horses were being harried by the rest of the wolf-pack.

Corrin, seeing a wolf lunge at him, swung his two-handed axe as quicly and as powerfully as he could, but the wolf was too quick, clamping down upon his right arm. Thank goodness I wore my mail, but OW! the bite still hurts. . . Angered by the pain, Corrin brought down his axe and severed the wolf's head.

Hading rode up to where Anglachel and Béowulf were, shouting, 'Mearh-hring!!! Mearh-hring!!! Forþ tó beadu!!!' Immediately, Béowulf and Hading took Anglachel in hand and formed a fighting circle. The hindquarters of their mounts were nearly touching and their heads and deadly hooves faced out from the center in a deadly formation. Three wolves circled them, rushing in as they could to nip and slash at the flesh of rider and mount.

One wolf leapt up to Hading, going for his throat, but instead the wolf met Hading's blade which cut deeply. The carcass fell down to be trampled by horse-hooves.

Another wolf sprang at Béowulf but his sword struck off the creature's foreleg. Léod, in bloodlust, sought to leave the protective ring in order to harry the stricken wolf but Béowulf reined him back, 'Ná, Léod! Bæc!'

Dúgoroth and his two Wolves had now joined the fray, and savaged the trio which had wounded one of their pack. Anglachel’s horse shied at the nearness of the Warg. Rolling his eyes in terror, the horse sought to bolt, and Béowulf pushed against the frightened animal with his and reached out to help the merchant steady his mount.

The disturbance, however, left Hading's mount unprotected. The Warg and the other wolves lunged at the Hading's horse. The Warg brought down the horse, while the wolves attacked Hading.

'Déað!!! cried Hading, a mighty shout from the depths of his fearlessness, and smote a mortal blow with his blade to the nearest wolf, 'Déað tó þé wulf-héap!!!

But even as he shouted, two other wolves went for him, one at his throat and the other at his shoulder. His blood ran like a river over the green field of his cape, and never again was his fair voice heard in Rohan.

Angered by the death of a fellow Rider, Béowulf charged the wolves who were upon the fallen Hading. Retreating from the sudden attack, Carchmoroth called to the pack and they rallied to him, disappearing as a dark cloud beneath the shadows of the dense trees. They pulled the carcass of the dead pack horse with them.

What are wolves doing in the Mark, thought Béowulf bitterly, If only we had arrived sooner! He was especially sorry for Hading: Béowulf decided that he will be the one to inform Hading's family of his untimely death.

[ January 06, 2003: Message edited by: Estel the Descender ]