[VanimaEdhel]

*****Rhûn Nation*****

The men rode, making haste towards Vakuf. They could still hear howlings and other unfriendly sounds in the distance.

"They sound as if they care coming nearer," Lovek said, "I suggest we send out a small search party ahead. Just so that we know that we are not running right into a trap. At the first sign of trouble, they can return, and we can seek alternate paths."

Kasteni complied to this, reluctantly. Khuleln, about two guards from Kasteni's group and about five men from Ninos's army rode ahead.

*********

Khuleln and the other men rode ahead cautiously. They looked around, nervously. Suddenly, they found many more were-bears surrounding them.

"We must fight to get out!" one of the guards shouted.

"Is that not obvious?" Khuleln shouted back.

The men drew their arms and prepared to fight. The were-bears quickly moved in and attacked.

Two were-bears fell, and Khuleln felt himself knocked down. The were-bear on top of him suddenly collapsed. A guard pulled the bear off and Khuleln quickly rose to his feet again.

The men fought for about fifteen minutes. One horribly injured guard fell, having lost too much blood, immediately passing out. One by one, the others fell too, until only Khuleln and another guard were left, defending their lives.

"We cannot take them!" Khuleln shouted.

"We should die with dignity, though!" the other guard shouted back, "We must go down fighting and not give up!"

Khuleln felt himself knocked to the ground. He felt warm breath on his neck. He closed his eyes and awaited his fate, which soon came...

The last guard lasted five more minutes, before meeting the same horrible end. The were-bears had their feast...

**********

At the first shouts, Ninos, Kasteni, Lovek, Ulwyte, and all of the men stood, preparing for the others to come back so that they could flee. They waited a good while, and, when the last shouts had died down, they waited for a minute in silence, in memory of the dead, then quickly road Northward for a few miles. They determined that the path there should be safe.

They continued on in silence for a good hour. They then went South a few miles, to get back on course for Vakuf.

Soon, they saw the town in the distance as a tiny glimmer of light on the horizon-line.