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Old 11-13-2003, 12:33 PM   #149
Nerindel
Spirited Weaver of Fates
 
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Sting

Léspheria

Night had fallen by the time they reached the cave to which the trail leads. Amandur had rode on to a bluff higher up the hill to see if any sight of their quarry could be seen, leaving her to search the cave. Outside the trail criss crossed in a mingle of foot and hoof prints, but from what she could make out, she could see that three groups had already passed, Naiore and her entourage, including the small feet of a hobbit. Toby perhaps, she mused, The Bounty hunter and his prisoners and then the rangers. Slipping her pack from her back she opened it and pulled a wooden torch from it then using her flint and tinder she carefully lit it and cautiously stepped into the inky darkness of the cave. The soft glow of the flames danced against the walls casting eerie shadows, but paying them no heed she ventured further, the trail was much the same as outside, but she had come across some rope and a seal to some kind of bottle.

Examining the rope, she saw the red staining of blood and a clean cut. Who ever it was, that was bound by the rope was now freed of this bond. But which prisoner had it been she mused, Vanwe or Benia…? She carefully stowed the rope in her pack, then picked up the red seal and raising it to her nose she gave it a cautious sniff, here was a hint of a smell that she was familiar with , she carefully ran her finger along the edge of the seal and dabbed her finger to her tongue tasting a sticky residue. "A healing potion!" from the south she thought as the distinctive taste of southern spices hit her tongue, she had never been south but she recognised the taste from the wine the ambassadors of Rhun often brought with them to the court of Gondor.

She then crouched down to examine the various prints on the dusty ground, trying to ascertain which prisoner had been cut loose, it was difficult, but she finally managed to find the unusual tread of the southern woman's boots and it went not near the rope, so the prisoner had been Vanwe she reasoned. She knelt there for a long while silently considering if this was a good sign or not. Vanwe's hands might be unbound but was her will? She sighed heavily and without realising, she had wound the rope and stowed it her pack.

"Find anything ?" she turned to see Amandur calling as he dismounted his horse, "Yes, they were here!" she answered lifting the torch and making her way to the exit, she then described what the various boot prints had shown her and about the rope and the healing potion. "Kaldir was here before the rangers," she finally said handing him the torch that he could look for himself. A few minutes later, he returned nodding his head in agreement with her assessment. "What of you, did you see anything from the bluff?" she asked expectantly, but he shook his head grimly, "No nothing!"

His brow suddenly furrowed as he knelt over a set trail of kicked dust, "What is it?" she asked seeing him studying the ground thoughtfully, "It might be nothing, but Dúlrain left here in haste." He told her pointing to the dusty trail, "You don't think he would have gone after Kaldir?" she asked her brow now creased with concern. He shook his head still frowning "I don't know... Perhaps... but I don't think he'll find him, well not the friend he remembers." She watched him thoughtfully, as he silently rose and remounted his horse.

"We will follow the trail a little further then we will make camp,” he told her as they moved off from the cave. Nodding her understanding, she followed, Losseserme's reigns in one hand and the lit torch rose in the other.

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Amandur

About a mile after passing Bree's north gate, Amandur paused looking up at the night sky, the stars winked in and out as dark formless clouds passed blocking out the light of the waxing moon. He then looked left and right deciding was best to find cover for the night. To his right stood the inky darkness of the Chetwood, still and silent and to his left lay scattered woodlands and gentle rolling hills. Looking back to the tracks, he decided to make their camp just under the eaves of the Chetwood in a spot still shadowed by the hill.

He built a pit fire, big enough to give warmth, but small enough not to attract unwanted attention in the deepening darkness. The dry wood cracked as it burned and he watched over the flames as Léspheria filled a small pan with water to make a soothing herbal tea, that he knew would dispel their weariness and ease the knots in their aching muscles. They had not bothered to hunt for supper it was late and they would have to rise early, before dawn if they hoped to catch up to the others. Their task at Tallas’ had kept them long from Naiore’s trail, he found himself wondering if this had not been her mind when she had sent her minion’s to kill the old man, but he abruptly shook them off as foolishness.

He looked up to see Lespheria smiling down on him, in her hands, she held the tea, and some salted meat and a piece of waybread. He took the offered food and gestured for her to sit next to him. With a curt nod she sat. He watched her for a moment, her dark hair waved in the mild north-easterly wind and her pale face glowed in the light of the fire as she sipped on her own tea. He had not realised how much he had missed her when he had went to Annúminas, until now! She looked up from her tea and looked at him concerned, but before she could speak, he smiled and turned back to his food.

He could feel the tea relieving his tension with every sip, and the waybread filled him up more than the tough salted meat, venison he thought though he could not be sure through all the salt needed to keep the meat fresh. Once finished and feeling refreshed he offered to take the first watch, she nodded and he waited for her to fall asleep before moving off to the edge of the camp. He climbed one of the tall trees so he could watch both the camp and the area surrounding it, then settled in for his watch, his bow knocked but loose, it paid to be cautious, especially considering the nature of their quarry!

Last edited by Nerindel; 03-14-2004 at 07:28 AM.
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