View Single Post
Old 05-22-2007, 08:30 PM   #14
Firefoot
Illusionary Holbytla
 
Firefoot's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 7,646
Firefoot has been trapped in the Barrow!
"Very well, then," the mayor concluded. "Unless there are any other volunteers...?" None were forthcoming. "The general meeting is dismissed, but I believe that Toby would like to have a few words with the Defenders," he said, casting a questioning look at Toby who was standing near the front of the room. Toby affirmed this statement with a nod, and the mayor continued, "If those of you could meet right up here."

The Defenders, such as they were, made their way to the front where Toby was waiting, appraising the group of which he had been placed in charge. He was grateful that Madoc had volunteered; he was a stout hobbit whose situation was similar to Toby's own. As for the rest of the lot, Toby wasn't as sure. Many of them were so young - Toby was more familiar with their fathers than them; his children might be friends with this lot. And one of them was a young woman! Toby would never have let his wife or any of his daughters volunteer for this perilous venture. He hoped that these young folk really did understand the gravity of their plight and didn't just see the whole affair as a great 'adventure.'

Then there were those two strangers whom Toby had never seen before, one of them that Dwarf who had made some fuss about his mace being thirsty for bloodshed. What sort of talk was that? At this point, Toby was almost willing to believe that one of them had somehow been behind all these killings, and had only joined the Defenders to cover it up. But he supposed that was tomfoolery; surely no person had ripped apart his sheep and dog like that! Or so he hoped.

"Now, then," he said, clearing his throat as the last of the Defenders gathered around. "I suppose most of you have a fair idea of this creature's methods...?" There was some nodding. "I'd like to start by having you all share your experiences and propose any ideas you have on what might be behind it."
Firefoot is offline