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Ealasaide · 12-07-2003, 08:19 PM

Kaldir

Upon arrival back at the location where the orcs' trail had crossed his, Kaldir dismounted and studied the ground. He ascertained quickly that there had been five of them, traveling at great speed. Deciding to follow the trail for at least a short distance, he remounted his great gray horse and rode along the heavily trampled way. Ahead in the distance, he could see a black mass against the dull brown ground. As he neared, the mass split apart and took wing.

"Vultures," murmured Kaldir, spurring his horse forward. By the time he reached the place where the vultures had been feeding, he noticed that the course of the orcs' path no longer led into the northeast. From the point where he had joined it, the trail had made a steady, though subtle, curve until it led almost due east. Arriving at the place where the vultures had been, he dismounted again. The vultures had been feeding on a very large, very dead orc, who had been run through the chest with an iron pike. Kaldir circled the area, studying the tracks, all the while speaking softly to himself.

"This one stopped...wanting to go north... the others reluctant. An argument... he was slain suddenly. The remaining four..." he turned. The tracks took a sharp turn to the south. "The remaining four went south."

He hesitated. If he were to proceed on the trail of the orcs, that would leave Benia and Gilly vulnerable for that much longer. If he went back, he would still not know what the orcs were about at broad daylight on the open ground. His worry was that they were on a straight course to intercept Naiore. Finally, he decided to follow the trail only a short distance farther before breaking off and returning to the campsite where he had left his companions. He had used the campsite many times in the past and knew how to reach it from the east. If the orcs continued southward, they would soon be out of the area and not of any concern to him. If the trail turned eastward again... well, that was another issue entirely.

Kaldir squinted into the west. The sun was sinking lower in the sky. He would have to move quickly if he hoped to be back in the camp by the time darkness fell. Remounting his horse yet again, he started forward along the trail at a trot.

*************************************

Benia

Benia was troubled in her heart. Gilly wanted to sit at the back of the briar-rimmed campsite between the horses and tell stories, but Benia felt restless and reluctant to sit still. Unable to concentrate, she found herself completely at a loss for stories. Finally, with an apology to Gilly, she stood and walked to the edge of the campsite. Late afternoon was upon them and still Kaldir was nowhere in sight. Her shadow stretched out before her as she stood at the opening to the campsite and gazed into the east. She hoped the orcs were far distant and only a few minutes' wait would bring the sound of the returning hoof beats of the bounty hunter's horse. The longer she waited and watched, however, the more troubled she became. He had been gone far too long. Perhaps he had been ambushed and taken. Unconsciously, Benia shivered and closed her hand around the hilt of her sword.

Behind her, Benia could hear Gilly talking anxiously to the horses, who seemed suddenly restless. Despite Gilly's best efforts to calm her, the bay mare struggled to her feet, snorting nervously. Benia felt the fine hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

She saw the first orc at the same instant he caught sight of her. As his head crested a small rise some fifty yards distant, Benia's breath caught in her throat. For a moment, she froze. She had never seen an orc before, though she had heard many tales of them. The black and befanged visage of the orc was far more frightening than anything she had imagined. Instinctively, she tightened her grip on her sword.

"Gilly!" she hissed as soon as she found her voice.

The orc turned and said something guttural behind him and three more heads appeared. Benia looked around wildly for any sign of Kaldir, but found nothing. She startled as Gilly touched her elbow. Looking down at her friend, she saw that Gilly already held Benia's dagger drawn in her fist. Her dark eyes were wide with fear.

Finding that the four orcs had already begun to close the distance between them, Benia drew her sword, but she knew in her heart that fighting them would be futile. All four of them were huge with curling yellow tusks and bulging muscles. Clad in black armor, each carried a pike or an axe. She could perhaps hold them off with her sword for a short while, but a sword was hardly a match for well-handled axe. Neither she nor Gilly had any armor or even a shield. Behind them, the horses stamped and snorted with fear.

"The horses..." Benia whispered, watching the orcs advance. Reaching into the neckline of her dress, Benia withdrew the whistle Dulrain had given to Kaldir back on the street of Bree. Dulrain had said that all one had to do was blow the whistle once and his horse would lead him to them in their moment of need. Kaldir was gone, but Dulrain had extended the offer to her and Gilly, too.

"Oh, Benia, the whistle!" she heard Gilly whisper.

Without hesitation, Benia raised the carved wooden whistle to her lips and blew with all of her strength. The sound that came forth was a clear note, closer akin to the chime of a bell than the shrill of a whistle. Behind her, the horses calmed noticeably. Fear filling her face, Benia dropped the whistle. Surely it wasn't loud enough for Dulrain's horse to hear! She and Gilly were on their own.

Her hands shaking, Benia stepped forward to meet the orcs head-on. She had already decided that she and Gilly would not be taken alive.

"Halt your advance!" she called out in her most commanding voice. She raised her sword. "You have no business with us!"

The orcs sniggered amongst themselves and continued forward. One of them, the largest of the four, took the lead. On his head, he wore a jagged helm. He raised his axe.

"Wave your little sword, pathetic creature," he roared at Benia in the common tongue. "You're no match for Lugburz!"

<font size=1 color=339966>[ 9:22 PM December 07, 2003: Message edited by: Ealasaide ]

12-07-2003, 08:19 PM	#174
Ealasaide Shadow of Tyrn Gorthad Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: The Fencing Lyst Posts: 810	Kaldir Upon arrival back at the location where the orcs' trail had crossed his, Kaldir dismounted and studied the ground. He ascertained quickly that there had been five of them, traveling at great speed. Deciding to follow the trail for at least a short distance, he remounted his great gray horse and rode along the heavily trampled way. Ahead in the distance, he could see a black mass against the dull brown ground. As he neared, the mass split apart and took wing. "Vultures," murmured Kaldir, spurring his horse forward. By the time he reached the place where the vultures had been feeding, he noticed that the course of the orcs' path no longer led into the northeast. From the point where he had joined it, the trail had made a steady, though subtle, curve until it led almost due east. Arriving at the place where the vultures had been, he dismounted again. The vultures had been feeding on a very large, very dead orc, who had been run through the chest with an iron pike. Kaldir circled the area, studying the tracks, all the while speaking softly to himself. "This one stopped...wanting to go north... the others reluctant. An argument... he was slain suddenly. The remaining four..." he turned. The tracks took a sharp turn to the south. "The remaining four went south." He hesitated. If he were to proceed on the trail of the orcs, that would leave Benia and Gilly vulnerable for that much longer. If he went back, he would still not know what the orcs were about at broad daylight on the open ground. His worry was that they were on a straight course to intercept Naiore. Finally, he decided to follow the trail only a short distance farther before breaking off and returning to the campsite where he had left his companions. He had used the campsite many times in the past and knew how to reach it from the east. If the orcs continued southward, they would soon be out of the area and not of any concern to him. If the trail turned eastward again... well, that was another issue entirely. Kaldir squinted into the west. The sun was sinking lower in the sky. He would have to move quickly if he hoped to be back in the camp by the time darkness fell. Remounting his horse yet again, he started forward along the trail at a trot. *********************************** Benia** Benia was troubled in her heart. Gilly wanted to sit at the back of the briar-rimmed campsite between the horses and tell stories, but Benia felt restless and reluctant to sit still. Unable to concentrate, she found herself completely at a loss for stories. Finally, with an apology to Gilly, she stood and walked to the edge of the campsite. Late afternoon was upon them and still Kaldir was nowhere in sight. Her shadow stretched out before her as she stood at the opening to the campsite and gazed into the east. She hoped the orcs were far distant and only a few minutes' wait would bring the sound of the returning hoof beats of the bounty hunter's horse. The longer she waited and watched, however, the more troubled she became. He had been gone far too long. Perhaps he had been ambushed and taken. Unconsciously, Benia shivered and closed her hand around the hilt of her sword. Behind her, Benia could hear Gilly talking anxiously to the horses, who seemed suddenly restless. Despite Gilly's best efforts to calm her, the bay mare struggled to her feet, snorting nervously. Benia felt the fine hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She saw the first orc at the same instant he caught sight of her. As his head crested a small rise some fifty yards distant, Benia's breath caught in her throat. For a moment, she froze. She had never seen an orc before, though she had heard many tales of them. The black and befanged visage of the orc was far more frightening than anything she had imagined. Instinctively, she tightened her grip on her sword. "Gilly!" she hissed as soon as she found her voice. The orc turned and said something guttural behind him and three more heads appeared. Benia looked around wildly for any sign of Kaldir, but found nothing. She startled as Gilly touched her elbow. Looking down at her friend, she saw that Gilly already held Benia's dagger drawn in her fist. Her dark eyes were wide with fear. Finding that the four orcs had already begun to close the distance between them, Benia drew her sword, but she knew in her heart that fighting them would be futile. All four of them were huge with curling yellow tusks and bulging muscles. Clad in black armor, each carried a pike or an axe. She could perhaps hold them off with her sword for a short while, but a sword was hardly a match for well-handled axe. Neither she nor Gilly had any armor or even a shield. Behind them, the horses stamped and snorted with fear. "The horses..." Benia whispered, watching the orcs advance. Reaching into the neckline of her dress, Benia withdrew the whistle Dulrain had given to Kaldir back on the street of Bree. Dulrain had said that all one had to do was blow the whistle once and his horse would lead him to them in their moment of need. Kaldir was gone, but Dulrain had extended the offer to her and Gilly, too. "Oh, Benia, the whistle!" she heard Gilly whisper. Without hesitation, Benia raised the carved wooden whistle to her lips and blew with all of her strength. The sound that came forth was a clear note, closer akin to the chime of a bell than the shrill of a whistle. Behind her, the horses calmed noticeably. Fear filling her face, Benia dropped the whistle. Surely it wasn't loud enough for Dulrain's horse to hear! She and Gilly were on their own. Her hands shaking, Benia stepped forward to meet the orcs head-on. She had already decided that she and Gilly would not be taken alive. "Halt your advance!" she called out in her most commanding voice. She raised her sword. "You have no business with us!" The orcs sniggered amongst themselves and continued forward. One of them, the largest of the four, took the lead. On his head, he wore a jagged helm. He raised his axe. "Wave your little sword, pathetic creature," he roared at Benia in the common tongue. "You're no match for Lugburz!" <font size=1 color=339966>[ 9:22 PM December 07, 2003: Message edited by: Ealasaide ]