[Thenamir]

The same seething anger that fueled Akaaw's singleminded purpose lent strength and speed to his wings even as it drove caution and reason from his mind. He thought only of overtaking the traitorous fragment of the murder ahead and meting out vengeance and judgement on them. Was he not strong? Was he not still leader of the murder? Did they not vastly outnumber the upstart hatchlings? Would they not swoop down upon them and destroy them all? As such thoughts ran through Akaaw's mind, his wings pumped faster, harder, until he was outdistancing the murder, heedless of landmarks or signs in the rocks and trees below, or the cries of the rest of the murder who could not keep up. Only Pip'kha and Hardclaw were close enough to speak, and Pip'kha was quickly tiring -- Hardclaw's mindless strength kept him at Akaaw's right wing.

"Akaaw! Slow down! Consider what you are doing!" gasped Pip'kha. "You cannot allow personal vengeance to outweigh the good of the murder! What you are doing is not right!" Akaaw's only response was a screaming croak as he savagely attempted to peck and bite at his would-be counselor.

Pip'kha fell back to the main murder, exhausted, seeing his efforts were vain. As he rejoined the others, he shook his beak, saying only, "we must remain loyal to the murder and its leader, but Akaaw is driven by rage. Beware his actions."

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Eglaedhel was a ranger abroad alone, on no particular mission but reconaissance and watchfulness, seeking anything unusual. Not many weeks before he had run into a search party from Imladris, seeking news of the Nine Riders of Sauron. His blood had run cold at the news that they had attempted to assault Rivendell itself, and he breathed a great sigh of relief when he had been told of their defeat.

He had had no news to offer them. He was left with an urgent request that news any activity of the servants of Sauron should be sent to Rivendell with all speed. Now he drew his bark-hued cloak around him and gave thought to hunting for his next meal. It was not an area good for deer, for the ground was rocky in places, and though there were clumps of trees here and there, there was not much grazing foliage.

Eglaedhel laid aside his bow and unpacked his sling, and the rounded fowler's net he carried. When rolled properly so as not to tangle, he could use the sling to hurl the weighted net high into the air, where it would unfurl and hopefully catch a tasty bird or two in its web before it plummeted to the ground again.

He was almost prepared to cast when a small murder of a few dozen crows passed almost overhead. A missed opportunity, but perhaps there would be more.

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Akaaw, with Hardclaw at this side, now flew nearly a half-mile out in front of the fastest part of the main murder, showing no sign of slacking. His adrenaline had redoubled upon sighting Brak and the other traitors, and he paid no concern to the fact that he did not have the rest around him. He would catch that miserable Kadwyr by the throat in his talons and squeeze it until his last croak gave him the location of the men and their hatchling companions...

...WHACK!!...

One of the edge-weights of Eglaedhel's net caught Akaaw square in the beak, stunning him momentarily and tangling both him and Hardclaw in the intricately woven netting. "NO!!" he screamed as he tried in vain to beat his wings against the strong cords and prevent him from falling to the earth. Hardclaw also ripped with his beak at the netting, to no effect. They hit the ground with a sickening thud which stunned them. Eglaedhel rushed over to the fallen net and quickly slit their heads from their bodies with his knife, so that they would not suffer long. Before the main murder flew overhead Eglaedhel had resumed his covered and disguised position in the rocks, but he did not strike his fire until they had all passed. Hardclaw he found plenty meaty, but Akaaw was tough and stringy, though he never knew their names...