Josh turned and stared as an ear-rending screech filled the air. Unfortunately his feet didn't seem to want to stop moving and, not looking where he was going, he tripped over a tree root that didn't seem to be attached to a tree. His muffled protest called the toher Hobbit's eyes to him, and for a while there was chaos that seemed to belong to more than just five Hobbits as the others tried to decide what to look at, exclaim over or run from first.
Pulling himself upright Josh staggered over in the direction of the screaming, around a clump of scrubby bushes, followed by the others. There was a nameless dread filling his chest, and images of men with bows and swords, dragons and other monsters crowded his mind. It took willpower to force himself forwards but he did, unfastening his knife from his belt as he went.
Surprisingly all he was faced with was Cami, hands on hips, haranguing a red-faced Hobbit who seemed to be trying vainly toplacate her. His face was familiar to Josh, peeping from under a Shirriff's cockaded hat. Hob. Hob...Bolger? No, but a distant cousin anyway, he thought. Hob was, if he remembered aright, Cami's betrothed. Unless they were married now, which was possible. Josh tried to recollect family gossip, but eventually gave up. There was far too much!
Whatever had caused Cami- or Hob!- to scream seemed to have vanished, though. Josh was just considering whether to tiptoe away leaving the two of them to sort out their quarrel alone when a thought hit him like icy water. Hob, a Shirriff, was there behind them. Unless he was alone searching for Cami, one Shirriff meant at least one more. And why would Hob be wearing his hat if he wasn't on duty?
Carefully Josh looked around, peering at trees and bushes. Sure enough, there were two beady pairs of eyes visible through the foliage, as well as the outlines of two crouching Hobbits.
At least they aren't big men, Josh thought wryly. Although if there were we might all be dead by now...
The thought wasn't pleasant. Deciding to cover his nerves with action, Josh marched smartly over to the eyes waving his knife.
"All right" he said loudly. "Come out of there you. And no funny business"
[ October 12, 2003: Message edited by: Lyra Greenleaf ]
__________________
“Sylphs of the forest,” I whispered. “Spirits of oak, beech and ash. Dryads of Rowan and hazel, hear us. You who have guided and guarded our every footstep, you who have sheltered our growth, we honour you."
the Forbidden Link
|