Dragon Sighting Number One

Bree, Outside the West-gate(#9091Ranto)

To the east and north lies the village of Bree which is nestled under the western flank of Bree-hill, a grassy mass against the skyline. The East Road crosses by a causeway, but where it pierces the hedge, it is barred by a great gate. The village of Bree itself looks to have about one hundred stone houses of the Big Folk, some above a road carved into the hillside with windows looking west. On the higher slopes, above the houses of the Men, are many hobbit-holes also looking west. On that side, running in more than half a circle from the hill and back to it, there is a deep dike with a thick hedge on the inner side. There is a good assortment of traffic going through the gate: men, hobbits, and sometimes dwarves.

                              Breelands Weather                               

The midday autumn air is cool but pleasant around you. The day sky is cloud-filled and gloomy. 

It's a cool day, with clouds blowing high and swift, now filtering the pale sunlight, now letting it shine clear. Outside the west gate, a young lad is playing - he looks to be about 11 or 12 - and, strangely enough for such a carefree place - he looks worried. Every now and then, he looks up from the town he is building with dust and twigs and stones, and glances nervously over his shoulder, or up into the sky.

[Marie(#28985)] A hobbit woman comes through the gate, a book in hand, and sits down on a boulder. Instead of reading, though, she watches the lad curiously. Finally she speaks. "There's nothing there," she says.

Lek jumps, startled, at her voice - he was looking the other way - scrutinizing a tree. He gives the hobbit a sheepish smile. "Thought I heard somethin'," he says. "In a tree or somethin'." He scrapes a hole in the dirt, carefully balances a twig across it for a bridge, and - unable to help himself - darts a look over his shoulder.

[Marie(#28985)] Marie stifles a laugh, and leaving the book on the boulder, she kneels beside the boy. "It was likely just a bird," she suggests, though she now casts a nervous glance toward the trees.

[Raugsaul(#29253)] High above the bree-lands a watcher the same from days ago. He glides high in the sky above the clouds sharp eyes peering below. He tilts his head spotting the small meeting and is that something a wolf prowling towards them? He dips below the clouds a moment and thus a mammoth shadow is cast but as soon as this is it's gone. Raugsaul has seen a shadow only for now he flaps hard a gush of wind and woooosh is send down below. He circles and will be coming around to look watch again.

The shadow - huge and swift and vanishing in an instant - makes Lek look up towards the sky, instead of a tree. And perhaps he catches just a hint of the motion of the great bird, for he shivers. Or maybe that was just the sudden gust of wind that swirls around his dirt city.

[Marie(#28985)] Marie, too, looks to the sky, but says again: "Just a bird." This time, though, she doesn't sound quite so convincing. She goes back to the boulder, tucks the book inside her apron nervously.

"Yeah," Lek says. He sounds equally unconvinced. But the hobbit lady's nervous actions catch his eye and he straightens his skinny shoulders. "Don't worry none," he assures her. "I'll pertect ya."

Raugsaul comes over the land once more on his large wing-span he glides on the air above as long as he is able he is a little ways from the town but fast approaching. This time on the pass around not visible but there is yet another strong beat of wings, and a call in the eagle tongue screeeeetch that echo's and pierces, perhaps he speaks to another of his kin or calls to them.

[Marie(#28985)] Marie jumps at the sound. "Oh, my," she says, looking up. "What bird makes that call?" she asks the human boy. "I don't recognize it, and I thought I knew all the birds around here."

Lek's eyes widen at the eerie, unrecognizable roar. The WHUMP of the wing beats comes through the air, even though nothing is visible of the creature itself. The boy's face is white under its freckles and he swallows hard, backing up until he is underneath the tree. "I... ain't never heard a bird like that," he says uncertainly.

The guard has come outside the gate and is peering up into the sky, one hand on his short sword hilt. He glances at the boy, and smirks. "Probly a dragon," he tells Lek, his voice entirely serious. There is a lurking smug humor in his eyes though - he thinks it's funny to tease the boy.

[Raugsaul(#29253)] This time there is no beating wings, and times passes between the screeech and the beating of wings. The eagle is circling back around but making sure to watch all the lands as is his watch. Raugsaul peers down looking side to side.

[Marie(#28985)] Marie glares at the guard. "That's not funny," she accuses. "There's no such thing." She glances skyward again, hoping to catch a glimpse of whatever they heard.

"B-but," Lek says, "Them dwarves... they told stories 'bout one. How it lived in some cave or other and ate people!"

[Lucille(#1660)] A pair of voices carry from beyond the wall - one is rough with age, the other a quiet more soothing tone. Soon a pair of figures wander closer, Victoria and a crotchety old man. He is hunchbacked by his years of hard labor, but it hasnt slowed him down a bit. He leads the charge toward the others, his walking stick raised high above his head. "Dag'um I dun toldja twice, woman! I knows I had four cows, and now I's only gots three of 'um. Somethin or someone took ol Lulabelle I just knows it!" 

Looking pained, Victoria simply nods to the farmer and looks toward the others as they approach - noting their expressions. "So.. it wasnt just my imagination. The strange sounds.."

[Raugsaul(#29253)] The sound or return to the strange sounds comes near'er the mammoth raptor high above the clouds. Raugsaul flaps his wings finally keeping his self aloft this is a bit father off but the whoosh is approaching the area where the group grows. High overhead one with really good ear may hear a *CRAAACK snaaaap riiiip* there is more silence until after about a minute a shape can be see coming hurling towards the ground. As it nears there is a faint whistle than slam it hits ground just a bit away from where they stand it's in fairly bad shape but still the fur would undoutably say a cow-leg this is

The guard flicks a look at Marie. "Sorry, ma'am," he says, and echoes her words, saying to Lek kindly, "Now don't you be worried none, boy, dragons is just stories an' tales from havin' too much ale."

Just at that moment, the cow leg hits the ground, and the guard is struck dumb, gawking at it in consternation.

Bill Ferny of all people appears now, approaching the fallen cowleg from opposite the old man and others. With a spry step he nears the butchered meat, apparently uncaring or unaware of the beast flying overhead. Anyone within earshot of a gasped exclamation might discern, "I'm headed to the butcher!"

[Lucille(#1660)] Victoria jumps at the sound from overhead. She barely registers the conversation at hand as her eyes quint toward the sky. As she sees the object falling, she takes an automatic step back - despite that she is well away from the landing point. When the dust settles, it takes several seconds before the scream bubbles up from her insides. A hand clamps over her mouth and she looks up to the sky again .. as if waiting for the rest of the beast to be rained down upon them.

There is a mournful groan from the old man, and he hobbles toward the leg of good ol Lulabelle. The last few paces he nearly crawls, having dropped to his knees. He glares toward Bill Ferny, with as much anger as his old brown eyes can muster. "You keep yer dang dirty paws off'n my Lulabelle you .. you hoodlum!" The old man starts swinging his walking stick wildly in the direction of Bill Ferny.

[Marie(#28985)] Marie backs away, toward the gate. She casts a quick glance at the guard. "Well, if that wasn't a dragon, what was it?" she asks no one in particular.

Lek, by this point entirely convinced that the creature shrieking overhead /is/ a dragon, despite the guardsman's retracting his words, presses his back up against the tree trunk, one hand white-knuckled around a stick. No fair weapon against such an evil.

[Ferny(#14469)] 

"Awwwwwwwwwww Lulabelle isn't like to feel a THING, old man!" Ferny exclaims, nearing the meat. "Jes' keep yer cane to yerself, hobble-cop! I have a stake of my own you know!" He keeps nearing the meat, having come now within a couple dozen paces of it.

[Lucille(#1660)] Victoria puts a hand to her forehead and swallows hard. Her voice is thick before she turns away. "I..Im going to go get someone.." she murmurs before stumble-stepping toward the gate - presumably to get more assistance. 

The old man takes another swing, two! He gets himself to his feet and nearly straddles the bloodied piece of meat as he shakes a fist toward Bill. "You been warned!! One hand touches my Lulabelle and it'll be the stickk for ye!" He whoops and cries out as he swings the walking stick a lil more wildly.

Ferny actually stops. He's about six or eight feet away from the old farmer, and he stops. A hand on his hip, the town scoundrel has quite the comical look on his face as he regards the old man before him. "Prove that it's yours. I've just as much right to it as yours. Best I can tell, it came right out of the sky. Can't see as someone can lay any claim to it over anyone else."

[Marie(#28985)] Marie watches the two men arguing with an amused look on her face as she sits down on the boulder again and begins to read from her book, occasionally glancing up at the others.

[Lucille(#1660)] The old man nods stubbornly, his face tightening up as he scoots back from the leg. "You got it.. I gots a brand on 'em! It a big circle with a line thru it i always brand 'em on the right hip.." The hold man drops his stick on the ground, and uses both hands to grab the severed leg of the cow. He flops it this way and that as he yammers on, but the longer he looks, the slower and quieter he becomes. Finally, he reaches for his stick with one hand and scratches his head with the other. "Well I'll be.. t'ain't no brand on it s'far as I can see.." He sounds a little sad as he takes a step away from it. "Reckon yous can 'ave it, sonny.."

[Ferny(#14469)] 

Ferny ALMOST looks dejected that he gets no fight. "What in the worl' were ya going to with it if it were yers, old man?"

He reaches down and grabs the cowleg by its hoof.

[Lucille(#1660)] The old man shrugs a shoulder as he turns, one eye to the sky before lookin back at the leg. "Lulabelle was a good 'un sonny.. deserves a right proper burial, she did.." He shakes, like a bird ruffling its feathers.. and the meanness returns to his eye. "Im gonna find that dragon! And when I does Im gonna make him pay for what he done did to Lulabelle!" Off he hobbles, stick back in the air as his voice rings out. "Now where didja get off to, ya varmit! I gonna make you pay fer wut you did to my cow!"

"DRAGON!?" Ferny's exclamation is accompanied by the dropping of the cowleg with a thump. "Sir, I believe you're due for a trip to the healers. You've bumped yer head or somesuch. Dragons are nothin but old tales from late nights at Barley's bar! Here now, let me help you back toward the healers' house."