[Arry]

Carandû was pleasantly surprised at his first face to face meeting with the Lossoth. He’d only been on a very few trading voyages into the Ice Bay, and those only near the opening to the inlet. He was a mere seaman, and so he had not been sent out in the longboats with the traders who made the deals with the Lossoth hunters. None of the Lossoth had come aboard on those voyages, either. And all he could recall from those trips was that the men were broad in stature and maneuvered their boats deftly in the frigid waters as they came out to meet the trading boats (or at least he thought they were men – they were all clothed in thick furs and often had their fur-lined hoods pulled up around their heads). He’d often wondered what sort of creatures lurked beneath the layers of fur and leather.

Annû and he had gravitated toward a younger man, Galhardir, and his young nephew who accompanied him. Like the two Elven brothers, Galhardir was a merry fellow. Easy in strange company. A quite charming man, really with an infectious laugh. His small, deft hands flew like quick birds in the air before him as he spoke, emphasizing points and almost drawing pictures for his listeners to see.

And Rodhal, his nephew, was a rare treat for the two brothers. A skinny little thing, nine year’s old, with green eyes and freckles scattered across his nose and cheeks. A delight for the two brothers because among the Elves living in the havens, there were very few children. Like his uncle, he was quite charming in his own quiet way. And it was engaging how the lad followed his uncle’s lead in his interactions with the Elves.

‘I wonder,’ said Carandû, finishing his mug of tea, and noticing that Rodhal was making a vain attempt to hide his tired yawns from them. ‘Since you’re staying aboard and setting out with us for that cavern in the morning – would you like to bunk in with us?’ Annû nodded his head at this suggestion. ‘We’ve a small cabin below deck – but it’s got 2 pair of bunk-beds,’ continued Carandû. ‘You would be most welcome to use one of them, while we use the other.’ He smiled widely at Galhardir and Rodhal. ‘What do you say?’

Galhardir was about to reply when Annû spoke up. There was something that had been nagging at him ever since Luindal had spoken of the plan he and the old woman, Alahseey, had agreed on. ‘One other question, Galhardir, nothing to do with sleeping arrangements, though . . . I noticed that when Captain Luindal said Alahseey had suggested we search the Great Cavern – many of your peoples’ faces blanched, and there were some looks of fear on a number of them.’ He paused for a moment not wanting to upset the boy, but wanting more information than had been given. ‘The House of the Dead, someone called it. Just how dangerous a place is it do you think?’