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Old 06-02-2008, 11:38 AM   #128
Groin Redbeard
Ghost Prince of Cardolan
 
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Facing the world's troubles with Christ's hope!
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Groin Redbeard is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.Groin Redbeard is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.
Somewhere in the plains of the Westemnet

Traveler was out of sight down the hill from where he was crouching. Balvir had told him to take a position on this side of the basin where the deer would be driven along. His bow was at his side with an arrow already nocked and ready for shooting, he could see Balvir and Matrim side by side slowly moving towards the clump trees with absolute silence.

The plan was for the most skilled rider to flush the deer out on his horse and kill as many as he could while riding, the person just happened to be Lithor. Lithor would then try to steer the deer to the already waiting Balvir and Matrim, and then it was up to him, to pick up the pieces and shoot as many of the escaping deer as possible. He couldn’t help but feel that he was being excluded from the group, it seemed to him that he had the least out of all the roles that everyone played; he would be lucky if the deer even came in his direction, he might not get any.

Erbrand sat there on the hill watching Balvir and Matrim take their positions, Lithor was out of sight, and he thought about the excitement that they were feeling and how he would like to have his share of it all. He loved this part of his profession, catching the animals for hides that he would later craft into leather; the thought of being a mere spectator in it all was disappointing to him. He dismissed the idea from his head as being extremely selfish, and he cursed himself for pondering the thought for this long.

Just then Lithor appeared from across the basin galloping towards the trees with both of his hands clasping his bow. As he neared the trees, the tall grass within it stirred and nearly two dozen deer sprang from it and out into the open. Lithor drew his arrow back and let it fly, hitting one of the deer in the chest, but he did not stop when the deer fell, he quickly knocked another arrow and fired again, but this time his arrow was accompanied by Balvir’s and Matrim’s. Lithor drove the deer right in the direction of the two Gondorians, and their long bows sang in unison. The animals halted confused by the two figures that stood before them, but their confusion didn’t last long soon they were scrambling in whichever way to get out of the range of the flying death that surrounded them.

Three broke away and ran in the direction of Erbrand; now it was his turn. They were drawing closer to him as he raised his bow in readiness. He drew the string back so that the fletching of the arrow was at his chin, two slow breaths and on the third one he held in and let go of the string. The force of the pull drove the arrow hard into one of the deer’s chest and it fell rolling over in the grass until it lay still on its side. However, Erbrand’s part wasn’t over yet, there were still two deer on his side of the basin, it was his duty to catch them. He jumped to his feet as he saw the dead deer topple downward in the grass, and ran back to where Traveler stood. The horse had been stripped on any unnecessary gear, and he perked his head up as he saw Erbrand running back to him. Without hesitating, the man leapt onto Traveler, swinging himself on the horses back, and gave a loud whistle which the horse responded to by galloping hard in pursuit of the two deer. Erbrand pressed himself close to Traveler’s mane as the wind whistled past his ears, and they soon came close to one of the deer, while the other escaped. He drew himself tall in the saddle as he nocked an arrow for another kill, but when he fired Traveler’ josteling sent his arrow flying high. He drew another shot, and as he rose in the saddle he let go and the arrow went flying into the deer’s flank. The horse halted has Erbrand quickly fired another shot into the deer’s heart.

When he got back to the clump of trees the others were slinging the deer across their horse’s backs. Lithor gave a cry of triumph when he saw the two deer already slung across Traveler’s back.

“Good hunting,” Lithor said, his voice filled with enthusiasm “Well done Erbrand, I was afraid you wouldn’t get any.”

“I believed that myself for awhile,” he replied, smiling as Lithor shook his hand in congratulations.

“Yes,” Matrim said coming up and examining the deer, “Your lord Eodwine will be pleased when we return. His hall will not go hungry for a couple days more. I am anxious to get back and help with the real work around there.”

“Indeed, but our job isn’t done yet,” Balvir led two horses up to them, “Sixteen deer is a fine day of hunting, but it is the horses that will have to carry them back to camp, and they will be tired long before we reach there. Let us get what distance we can before we stop to rest.” And with that Erbrand led Traveler, who had two more deer slung to his back, after the others on their walk back to Scarburg.

Erbrand was also anxious to get back, to Scarburg. The Sun had risen high in the sky and there was no relief from its rays out where he was in the open, but not only for that reason did he want to get back. He wanted to see Dan again, and there were other people in the camp that he wanted to meet before the day had passed.
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