[Thenamir]

[[Since there is no one currently playing Guthrin, Leoden, or Flandhere, I am volunteering to write for their group as well as my own character -- anyone who wants to add for them is welcome]]

The "fire trio" took off on foot just before the rest of the camp, making their way running in a more northerly direction than Arenia, so as to intersect the course of the Dunlendings before they reached the same point.

They spoke little at first, out of breath from their running pursuit. Guthrin might have been a coward but no one could say he was not fit. He kept up with the fleet-footed Leoden and Flandhere with no trouble, and was not the first to call for a rest. When they did finally stop for rest and a bite, Guthrin felt himself being shunned by the other two, and he could only blame himself. He did try to engage them in conversation.

"Perhaps we should try to strike more directly for their trail, and then follow them north." Guthrin offered.

Leoden replied, "You don't know your triangles very well. We will have to cover more ground that way than by angling towards them as we are doing now." He then took another bite of the breadlike item in his hand and gave Guthrin no further attention.

"But if we get ahead of them," Guthrin retorted, "then we do not know where they will cross our path. I don't want to burn down any more forest than I have to." Flandhere snorted without looking up, "He shows more concern for the forest than for his friends!"

Leoden had in fact been thinking about that exact question. The Dunlenders had quite a bit of a start on them, but they were burdened and slowed by supplies and equipment. The Dunlendings did have scouts on horseback, but the rest were walking at the pace of the carts. While he tried to guess which angle was best to pursue thek, he mentally bid Arenia good speed and favorable treatment from the barbaric men. At least she had a horse with good sense, like all the horses of Rohan, even if it did not look like a Shadowfax...

Flandhere was not happy about being paired with this coward Guthrin, but Thenamir seemed to know what he was doing. He would do his part, but that did not mean that he had to be civil to Gurthrin unless and until he redeemed himself in the fhiornach -- which he doubted Guthrin would.

Guthrin, seeing that the others were finished with their lunch, such as it was, offered to fill their water-skins before they resumed the pursuit. They unslung the skin bottles and handed them to Guthrin, who filled them in a nearby stream. It was the least he could do for now to begin turning over a new leaf. Thenamir's judgement and threat had given him much new to think about, and he wanted at least to try.

With their bottles refilled, they sprang back to the pursuit, following Leoden's path which, though Leoden would not admit it, bent a bit more directly towards the Dunlendings than before...

[ May 01, 2002: Message edited by: Thenamir ]