[Amanaduial the archer]

Fionel heard footsteps, but lay still. It could be one of the others....Valar, please let it be one of the others...

Then something heavy dropped on the ground less than a metre from her feet by the sound of it. No, not one of the others, they don't have anything that heavy. She reached out and grasped the nearest thing to hand, her eyes still closed so the moonlight could not reflect against them. Alright, Fionel, after three, stand and confront them...

One.
Two.
Thre-

"Stand slaves and speak to me."

The voice made Fionel jump and she swore. A man's voice, and an easterling at that. She turned and stood in one smooth movement, the sharp stone in front of her. Luckily it was quite weighty, and sharp enough to inflict some damage. But what she saw in front of her shocked her completely. She gasped, then managed to speak.

"You!" She exclaimed. "The...the man who gave m-us the map." She fumbled in her belt and pulled out the folded piece of paper. She looked back at the man, and his familiar features were quite calm, calm and handsome. But his voice...that too was familiar. Her mind's eye zipped back to the cloaked figure who had stopped the soldiers whipping her after the ceremony. She examined his face carefully. "What is it that you want?"

Envinyatar's post

‘I want you to wake the others and get them to eat. You will need the energy if you are to escape from the Hunters.’ He stepped closer to the edge of the overhang and threw down two small waterskins. She caught them easily and lowered them to the ground. ‘Drink sparingly,’ he warned her. ‘The nearest water is a small stream a half-days journey from here, where you can refill them.’

He motioned for her to climb up to where he stood. Taking her map, he pointed out their position. Then, moving his finger from there to a position south and west, he showed her the narrowing in the chain of mountains. ‘This is where the River Poros runs down to the Great River, the Anduin as those in the West call it. My boy and I are heading there, and then straight west to the Anduin and Minas Tirith. If you wish you may join us.’

Rhûnnaro directed her attention to the other sack he had thrown down. ‘Arm them. You will have need of them before the journey is through.’

The short, sharp call of a bush-bird made him crouch low – a warning signal from Tenzin. ‘Get down!’ he hissed. Grasping her arm, he pulled her close beside him. ‘Something comes. Go back and wake the others. I’ll see to it.’


[ May 19, 2003: Message edited by: Amanaduial the archer ]

[ May 19, 2003: Message edited by: piosenniel ]