[Alkanoonion]

*********Harad/ Umbar*********
The two ships moved slowly up the bay. Just ahead, Funiur saw the isle of Tolfalas. Further along was the mouth of the Anduin River. Now the difficult job would start. The two ships changed course heading for the mouth of the river. From the port side looking towards the back of the ship, Funiur stood, watching the landscape drift by.

Funiur was scanning the riverbanks for signs of the Corsair Ships passage. As of yet, the riverbank was peaceful. The land was bathed in warm sunshine. He watched the water birds flying down to eat the fish that the ships motion had disturbed, and smiled. There was purity in their actions. In the way that they could be happy at catching a smelly and slimy fish, so much so that with each fish caught and eaten, they would all pause and sing. The sweet simple sounds made him smile.
The smile was only momentary.
There had been little in his life recently to make him smile. The sounds of slaughter and death weighed heavily on his soul and on his conscience. If only he could return the sounds of happiness to the lands.

Funiur found himself imagining a more peaceful time. He could be on his own lands, working not towards a life of war, but working towards providing for his family and his people. He could see his men, rather then toiling with the tools of war, toiling over the rich soils to provide a wealth of foods.
They could all look forward to existing together in happy communities. His children could grow in a world were violence was not the norm, but the exception.
Funiur found himself trying to imagine a world of happiness, but the mental images were a brief relief.

As the two ships sailed up the Anduin, a call from the crows nest declared “Look to port’. Funiur looked up. The lookout was pointing ahead of the two ships.
Following the lookouts directions, Fuinur could see smoke funnelling upwards from a small village beside the river. Heading from the smoking remains of the village were a small fleet of angry fishermen.

Ordinarily, a small fleet of angry fishermen would be no hindrance to two ships in open water. They would just go around the smaller, slower vessels but with both ships being wedge at the mouth of the Anduin River, there was nowhere to go but forward.

Funiur found himself in a dilemma. Should he continue on course and fight the angry rabble, not only would he be placing his men in unnecessary risk, but he would be taking the life’s of ordinary and innocent people.
The decision was however, taken from his hands.

Oliphaunts, used in many of the previous battles had been transported to each conflict via ship. This particular Corsair vessel itself transported not only ground troops, but also two very valuable oliphaunts. Without them, there would be little chance of winning any future confrontations.
Normally the oliphaunts travelled well, having been breed for these traits (along with the necessary fighting traits needed in battel). Other than providing space for them in the hold area beneath the ships deck, they needed only the flimsiest of bindings.

As the Anduin River marked the end of a large expanse of salt water from the bay, meeting fresh water of the river, the oliphaunts violently express their need to both bath and drink. oliphaunts are fond of great expanses of water, this being their natural habitat. They broke free of their bindings to force their way from below deck. Above, they proceeded to stampeded all over the deck. Being trapped by the hight and solid riggings of the boats sides, the huge animals had nowhere to go but about the deck. Confusion and panic broke out.

The ship slowly drifted unattended towards the backs of the Anduin River. As the ship became beached against the bank, the small fleet of angry fishermen got closer.

Funiur observed the chaos around him. He looked across the river towards the approaching fleet, and so seeing all that which was out of his control, placed a hand over his eyes and said
“OH EXPLETIVE!”.