Night 2
Four wolves were running through the swirling snow, their breath steaming out into the dark sky. Tonight, there were no clouds. The moon shone brightly enough to cast their shadows on the ground. It was freezing.
”How much wood is there left in the house?” asked one suddenly.
”Not much, I'm afraid. We used it quite a lot yesterday.”
”Which is not surprising, given that it's ages since any of us lived in a real, warm house.”
”I actually find it surprising. Living like we did should have taught them thriftiness.”
”They are enjoying everything as long as it lasts.”
”Well, what I am thinking is that although we have it nice and warm now, what about tomorrow?” interrupted the first wolf. ”Remember that we won't be wearing our pretty furs then... And it will be a hell if we have to go to fetch more wood.”
”Don't argue,” said Death. She was standing on a high barrow and looking over the forest. ”I want to enjoy the landscape.”
”Hey, I got an idea!” said a wolf. ”We could make ourselves some nice warm clothes!”
”Of what?” asked another.
**
The room was full of sleepers. Their breathing was deep and their sleep looked comfortable and peaceful.
”I wonder how they can be so calm although they know what is happening here,” whispered one.
”But isn't it good if they are able to accept their fate?”
”Good for them. They are happy till the end.”
”They think it won't hurt,” said Death.
**
”Now, whom shall we take?”
”What about these?”
”Err... Are you sure? One is maybe a little too old, the other a little too small.”
”So what? I'm sure they are a good choice anyway.”
”Alright, then.”
**
It is told that geese have roused their masters if an attack is about to come, but unfortunately ducks don't seemingly have the same ability. Emily slept unaware on sally's lap when the wolves carried her to another room and put her on the floor.
Sally woke to voices whispering around her.
”I've got the knife.”
”Who brought the needle and the thread?”
”I did. Can either of you sew?”
”I could knit a hat of her hair, but I'd rather leave the sewing for you.”
”Is there enough material to make boots also?”
”Hey... what's this?” sally lifted her head and saw three white shapes in the darkness.
”Nothing, dear. Just sleep,” a familiar voice said in her ear.
”Give me a gag,” said another.
”Huh...? But hey, I know your voices... Hey... What are you doing?”
One put a gag in her mouth. Another cut her dress off her and took a knife. The third was about to clip her long white hair, but noticed soon that there was an easier way.
”Buddy, lend me that knife! I'll just take her scalp and then I can go there to knit and be out of your way.”
The last thing sally saw before she died of shock, loss of blood and cold was a wolf biting the furiously quacking Emily's head off.
”I can make this a tassel hat!” rejoiced the third wolf.
**
The night was already turning into a dark blue morning when the wolves were finally ready.
”What a beautiful coat this is! I must say I have excelled myself,” admired one.
”Indeed it is! But look at these boots of shiny shiny leather!”
”Plain gorgeous. And what about my hat! It's so soft and warm!” The third wolf shook his head so that the tassel with Emily's head pinned on it swung from side to side.
Suddenly, one of the wolves went pale.
”Did it possibly occur to either of you that we can't wear these clothes?”
”Eh? Why not?”
”Why not!? Surely the other beggars don't realise from where we got these, do you think?”
”Oh no. Of course you're right.”
”But we did beautiful work anyway. Maybe we can wear these sometime later.”
**
When the beggars woke up, they found sally's skinned and scalped body in the passage. The headless Emily was lying next to her. On the coat rack was a brand new leather coat and a grotesque white bobble hat with the duck's head hanging from it. Next to the wall was a nice pair of boots.
**
Alive:
Nogrod the Agreeable, the leader of the beggars
his wife, Nerwen
elderly couple; Rikae the Kind
and Durelin
Boromir88 the Silent One, an ex-pickpocket
his wife, Mithalwen the Perpetually Sane and Serene
their children Macalaure the Guileless
and Meneltarmacil
Volo, a young widowed man
his child, the Right Honourable McCaber
THE Ka, a blind old woman
orphaned little Thinlómien
and her little sister A Little Green
Dead:
Tom Bombadil (ranger) - killed on Night 1
Goldberry (seer) - killed on Night 1
The Barrow-wight (hunter) - killed on Night 1
Gwathagor, the child of Nogrod and Nerwen (ordo) - used as a battering ram on Day 1
Sally the Insufferable, a slightly mad crippled woman (ordo) - skinned, scalped and made to clothes on Night 2
It is now Day 2. Wolves stop PMing. Start talking.
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He bit me, and I was not gentle.
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