[Child of the 7th Age]

The men had made rapid progress for the remainder of the day, riding the horses at a hard gallop for long stretches of the Great Eastern Road. They'd made as few stops as possible to catch their breath or take on water. By the time they'd reached the Brandywine, it was only mid-afternoon. Their mounts were hot and lathered and nearly falling in their tracks.

Ferny's henchman was waiting with fresh horses and took them across the River on a make-shift raft. From this point, they headed west through the deserted marshes that bordered on the northern bank of The Water. The thick patches of tall sedge and bracken growing there made slow going but provided ample places for the band to hide, even under the bright rays of the afternoon sun.

Only once did they hear some hobbit voices nearby. They'd stood perfectly still under cover of tall grass with their weapons poised as they waited to see if the voices came any closer. But they'd faded off into the distance, and the men had resumed their westward trek. By the time they actually reached Bywater Pool, the sun was dipping beneath the horizon and grey shadows were creeping over the land.

"I'm hungry," growled Shifty to Boss.

"Stop thinkin' of yer stomach. Ya think there's an Inn 'ere that's gonna feed the likes of us? Even if we could chance it, these hobbits hates men and won't give us the time o' day, let alone a flagon of ale."

"Hey Boss," Stoatie chimed in. "I got me an idea. Look over there!" Stoatie jerked his thumb over towards a small burrow that stood at the base of Bywater Pool. "Doesn't look like anybody's around. Betcha they've got some free food for the takin'. I hear hobbits eat purty good."

"Alright Stoatie, check it out. I could use somethin' myself. Jest be careful. Take Mithy with you and, if you see anything move, pound it into the ground."

A few moments later, Mithadan came riding back. "There's no one in sight, Boss. Whoever lives there isn't home now."

Mithadan inwardly breathed a sigh of relief to see that the burrow was empty. He forced down the familiar image of Cami and Maura that came creeping into his mind.

"Alright, then," barked Ferny as they headed towards the small burrow. "Let's get some dinner before we head out. Can't do nothin' till it gets darker so we might as well stay hid here. Shifty you'll stand guard, while we rustle up somethin'. Just holler if you see anybody." With that several of the men crammed themselves into the tiny space, ransacking the cupboards and overturning everything else in sight.

[ June 22, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]