[The Barrow-Wight]

Once again, Akaaw woke before the rest of the murder, stirred by some internal mechanism that refused to let him get the rest he deserved. The early morning sky was still as black as the feathers of his tail, and a blanket of dark clouds hid the stars. The temperature had dropped below freezing, and a thin, icy frost clung to the trees and coated the flock of still-sleeping crows. Old Fingot, huddled miserably beside him, shivered violently and moaned at the nightmares that haunted him.

Akaaw left the wounded crow to sleep a while longer, and flew to where Pip’kha roosted. He nudged the bird gently to wake him and then waited a moment until he was fully aware. Pip’kha rose slowy and shook the ice from his wings, then whispered a ‘good morning’ to his leader.

“You have honored yourself and this murder, Pip’kha,” said Akaaw quietly. “Sparrowbane is a great crow, and his loss would have been a terrible loss to us all. One such as he should never have been left behind, and I regret having done so. I was sure he must be dead, until I had more time to ponder it. I thank you for the risk you took to secure his safe return. It is time that you know exactly what we crebain are doing in Dunland so far away from our roosts in the confines of Isengard.”

The younger bird nodded but remained silent.

“The master has given us a great duty that we are privileged to be a part of. It is our task to find something for the White Wizard. Someone, actually.” He motioned with his wing to the rest of the horde. “Pass the word to my captains that we will be scouring the land, searching for any group of Men, Elves, or Dwarves. The lands we will be flying over are almost completely empty of settlements, and the further north we fly, the less often we will encounter any two-legs. But we are not looking for villagers or those stray hunters that linger in the woods. We are looking specifically for a band of adventurers, particularly one with children.”

Pip’kha looked at Akaaw in amazement, “Hatchlings? What kind of beings would bring their young into such a wasteland as we are flying to?”

Akaaw grunted and answered, “Barbarians, no doubt. The kind intent on the ruin of the White Hand. Go now and wake the captains. We must be on our way by sunrise.”