The Rohirrim and their friends did not stay long in the village after the burial of Aspida. Some of them were hot to pursue the Dunlendish band to the ruins. But they all needed rest after the tragic night and the funeral the next day.
It was before dawn of the day after that they set out. Ulfwine led them out of the village and back to the encampment of the Dunlenders in the darkness. They arrived just as a red morning illumined the sky.
"It will mean bad weather," said Thenamir, remembering an adage of his sea-faring ancestors.
"Very bad weather," agreed Elwood.
The camp was abandonned. Dwarin felt the coals and the earth underneath and said, "Stone cold. They left a day ago at the latest."
"Then they left soon after we found them," said Elwood.
"Then we may have been seen," said Thenamir.
"Not necessarily," said Taradan. "They may have already planned to leave early yesterday morning."
"Perhaps," mused Thenamir. "Is there a trail to follow?"
Ulfwine was perplexed. He cast about the rough encampment and sighed. "They might have seen us. They took extra care to cover their tracks. I think that they have headed north, but I cannot be sure."
"Do you think you can pick up their track again?" asked Dwarin.
"Maybe, maybe not. And if we find them, we may lose them again," replied Ulfwine.
"At least we know where they are going," said Kalohern, hopefully.
"But we do not know where Ost-in-Edhil is," said Elwood. "And none have been there in ages."
"You forget my northern kindred," said Thenamir.
"If we can find any of them left," said Taradan.
"We won't find them here!" said Dwarin. "Let us find the old South Road. That leads to their lands, and by it the dwarves once had commerce to the lands of Eriador, where there are a few men to be found, of a different sort than these Rohirrim, and these Dunlenders. More like Taradan and Thenamir here, though taller it seemed to my eyes. They are Rangers in the land, and we may find some at their southernmost outpost. Tharbad it is called."
"You call it the South Road," said Ulfwine. "Our name for it is different. If it leads to Tharbad and Rangers, I cannot say. But we can find it easily enough."
And easily enough they did find it, and that day they passed out of the lands that Ulfwine knew and into a region long abandoned, seldom traveled, and shrouded in legend.
~~~
Far ahead, and now well off the South Road, Storwolos led his band north across the wilderness, striking directly for the river where Ost-in-Edhil was said by Old Sharkey to have been situated.
Only Storwolos knew what they sought there, and his men complained when they thought he was out of earshot. Nevertheless, they followed their leader for league after league and day after day until Storwolos was sure they had found the river...