[Mithadan]

After eight days of riding, Nardol had reached the Greenway southeast of Sarn Ford. It had not been a pleasant journey. Although he had not been set upon by bandits or any others since his encounter during his second day of travel, something was clearly amiss in the lands he had passed.

He had come across no less than three traps in the area between the Greenway and the South Downs. One had been a hidden noose ready to be sprung by a bent tree. He had triggered that hazard before anyone could be harmed by it. Another had been a concealed pit covered with a light layer of rushes and dirt. Rustal had refused to step upon it and Nardol had collapsed its fragile covering with a rock.

The last had caught him entirely unawares. The path he had chosen passed through a cutting in the side of a small hill. Rustal had stumbled upon a concealed rope which had brought down a fall of logs and stones upon the path. Fortunately, Rustal had recovered quickly from his misstep and dashed forward out of harm's way. If he had been on foot, his fate might have been otherwise.

Nardol did not doubt that he might have bypassed other hazards without noticing them as he rode along his way. These lands were usually only sparsely inhabited but had never been dangerous save for the occaisional bandit or rogue. It seemed that Glorfindel had been correct. Some ill will had taken hold of the countryside and was threatening the Free Peoples. But this was not his concern.

Rustal clattered along the stones of the Greenway in the direction of Sarn Ford as the day faded. Less than a day's travel remained and he was eager to deliver Elrond's envelope and be done with this journey. Rustal whinnied and slowed. There was some commotion upon the road ahead...

[ November 27, 2002: Message edited by: Mithadan ]