Out of Cold Waters, and Into Cold Talons
============== Lord of the Rings Calendar
IC time is: Late Morning < About 12:30 AM >
IC day is: Monday
IC date is: March 26
Moon phase: First Quarter
Earendil: Gil-Estel is not visible.
IC year is: Third Age 3049
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RL time: Fri Feb 19 11:10:03 2010
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North-South Road - Approaching Tharbad
As the road descends into the lowlands of the Greyflood, it is surrounded by swamps, until it has become a mere causeway, and even that threatens to disappear into the surrounding fens: now and then one is forced to wade across places the road itself has washed out and disappeared. Not far across the Greyflood as the crow flies you can see the ruins of Tharbad, but it will take a major effort to get there, for there is no bridge any more, only a deep ford crossed by a strong current.
Contents:
Brev
Gidon
Nob
Obvious exits:
Marshes leads to Swanfleet.
SouthWest leads to Lower Gwathlo.
West leads to Swamps near the Greyflood.
SouthEast leads to North-South Road - South of Tharbad.
NorthWest leads to The Greenway, Near Ruins of Tharbad.
[Sulgirion(#16643)]
As the dawn light spills over the marshy landscape, it lights the murky fenny water into odd pale colors of pink and red. A wind blows the signs of the new spring, and with it flies flocks of water-fowl here and there.
True to his word, the same Great Eagle from the night before returns, skimming low over the land as he heads back to the place where last the humans had been.
[Brev(#30997)] The humans are still there, though all the signs suggest they will soon not be. The camp has been dismantled: the fire stamped out and its ashes scattered, belongings stacked in neat bundles, the horses untethered and readied to leave. Brev stands by the brown pony, busy rolling his cloak into a neat bundle which is tied across the animal's withers.
For a moment, unobserved by his fellows, he leans against its neck, a gesture of simple companionship - after all, here is one that will neither answer back nor complain .. mostly. He has packed his leather jerkin and instead wears a patched red tunic as the dawn wind whistles, he shivers slightly.
The sudden increase in that wind makes him look up warily, and the pony jerks its head up. Brev mutters under his breath, and does his best to restrain the beast from plunging about or tearing off somewhere. "
[Sulgirion(#16643)]
Indeed, stretching a little over ten feet in lenght, and wingspan at a massive twenty-five feet, the sky-creature glides downward, chosing a dry place some fair distance away from the nervous pony to land. Toward Brev the great head turns, and the amber eyes watch, silently.
Then, simply, the eagle says, "You are leaving. Have you made your decision yet?" A small piece of wool flits downward from that beak as it clacks open and shut.
[Brev(#30997)] Brev watches that piece of drifting wool, his features stiffly blank, and perhaps the tightening of his arm about the pony's neck is not entirely for the beast's benefit. The pony snorts, and he murmurs something soothing and sing-song to it before repying to the avian's question.
"We-" He stops, clears his hoarse throat and tries again. "We have. The horses need to cross, and they fear the river less than .. other things." For just a moment, one side of his mouth twitches. "So we'll need to lead them over on foot." A pause, then he adds, hesitantly, "They'd move better if they're not burdened." His gaze shifts over gold-brown feathers and pauses at the incongruous piece of finely stitched leather he can see protruding. "What-" he begins, frowning at it, then checks.
[Sulgirion(#16643)]
"I shall stand by for now," replies Sulgirion. "If you require help in the end, I will be here." The gold head cocks. "Unburdened? Are you suggesting you wish for me to carry your supplies across?" Then, the feathered brow furrows even more at the lad's odd look, and the even the avian glances down briefly to see what the matter is. "Ah, you mean this?" The beak indicates the pouch. "It was a gift from the Elves West of the Mountains."
[Brev(#30997)] "Elves." An odd, indecipherable look flits across Brev's features, and his grasp on the pony's neck slackens. The beast takes advantage of the moment to try to move away, and Brev mutters something dark in Dunael before resorting to Westron: "Stop it! Save your strength for the fords, that's work enough." He grasps at the pony's rope bridle and halts it once more.
Turning to the mighty Eagle, he speaks quietly. "I've met Elves. Can't claim we've always got on, they've no love for me and mine. But they treated Gidon well. They'd not let him drown." He lets his gaze shift to where his companions are standing ready to shift the packs, then back. "It would be a help, yes." He manages to keep his tone level. "But - Kiern, I hardly want to offend something half the size of a mountain, do I? Don't know if it's beneath your dignity." His mouth twists. "Put it this way. Owain and I will lead the horses across first, while the others wait. If- if you're willing to help them..."
[Sulgirion(#16643)]
"I will most likely leave this," Sulgirion nudges the front of the satchel with his mouth, "with one of the elders when I fly north to the eyries." The gold-crowned head rises, and he gives Brev that steady unblinking stare. "Elves..are curious creatures," the eagle admits, then shifts that gaze momentarily to the camp. "If you unpack the horses and lead them across, I shall wait. Is there anything breakable in those bundles?" The avian lifts a giant claw. "I would not wish to destroy something important."
[Brev(#30997)] Clear relief washes across Brev's tense features - his words do not seem to have been taken amiss. The question is considered for only a moment before he shakes his head. "Not that I know of. The two sacks have grain, would be a pity to spill it. They don't have much interest in farming round here." Again that twitch to his mouth, almost but not quite a grin. "And yon bag's heavy - some liquid in there. Can't think it'd break, though." He looks toward his companions, raising one arm in a wave to them, then offers to the Eagle - a little awkwardly, but the words are said nonetheless - "My thanks."
All is accomplished swiftly, and it is not long before the two men are leading the horses down into the swirling waters of the Greyflood.
[Sulgirion(#16643)]
"I will be careful not to puncture them then," assures Sulgirion, and nodding to the Man's thanks. The Dunlending's awkwardness is either missed by the avian or perhaps not understood for what it is.
For now the Great Eagle silently observes the progess of the humans and horses, making certain they should safetly cross ere he tends to the supplies.
[Brev(#30997)] The horses are led through the swift waters: first comes Owain with the grey mare and then Brev with the brown pony. Each of the men uses a spear as a makeshift staff. The currents are strong, and it is hard going, not to mention bone-chillingly cold progress is slow.
The grey mare is taller and also calmer she and her handler make the journey without incident. The stocky pony, however, is less happy, as evidenced by much snorting and head-tossing. Even the threat of Eagle behind him does not seem enough to hurry him. Brev, keeping hold of the bridle, encourages the animal as best he may, and every now and then resorts to the odd tug to keep the beast moving. They are half-way across when the disaster strikes. The pony's hoof slips on the weed-slimed bottom the animal neighs loudly and jerks free of its handler, legs thrashing. Brev has time only to mutter the start of a curse before the current seizes him and he is swept sideways into the rolling waters.
[Sulgirion(#16643)]
It seems to be a good thing the eagle has chosen to wait for lo - there panicks pony and slips Man.
In a heartbeat, mighty wingstrokes propel Sulgirion into the morning air, and he makes a dive toward the rushing current yonder. Both feet are brough low, and one seeks for the human, whilst the second grasps for the struggling brown pony. Gale-like winds from his wings churn the water below, but the sight of these feathered creatures is keen, and the added obscurrance does not seem to hinder Sulgirion's efforts.
[Brev(#30997)] Sulgirion's efforts do what all Brev's urging has not. The terrified pony has clearly realized it can swim it strikes out at an angle across the current. It is not long before its churning legs touch bottom and it is able to wade through the shallows, snorting loudly.
Brev's dark head dips below the water, then rises again, its curls slicked flat. Whether he could have evaded the Eagles grip even if he wished to is debatable, given his weak leg and the strength of the current as it is, he has no time to even attempt escape. Sulgirion's talon seizes his shoulder, and the man is suddenly rigid beneath the grip, features frozen in fear and shock. Perhaps there are worse fates than drowning ...
[Sulgirion(#16643)]
"At ease, youngling," calls the eagle to Brev, and he shifts his talon more to direct the main grip to the lad's tunic - to hopefully avoid harming him. The clench is tight, but not enough so to rip through fabric and skin. There is a loud splash as the second claw connects with the river waters, as the pony has now made its way ahead on its own. Sulgirion highers himself, wings stiff buffetting the Greyflood into a confused flurry of waves and foam. Up he goes, tugging the Dunlending up with him.
Onto the bank, the eagle releases him, ere the enormous bird also lands nearby. He watches the human, and though his stiff beak and unchanging expression remain the same, there could be perceived concern. There is a hesitation, and then the hooked mouth lowers to gently nudge the Man's side.
[Brev(#30997)] It is as well that the Greyflood river is flanked by marshes. Fear-struck or no, the pony's progress through the shallows is necessarily slow, with much splashing and churning mud. Quacking waterfowl rise up in a dark cloud another time Owain would have brought down some with well-aimed arrows but now he has not one but two horses to deal with. The mare's bridle is swiftly looped round the nearest bush so that he can strike out toward the pony and bring it back to the road.
Brev neither speaks nor moved, nor gives any indication that he is made from anything other than unyielding rock, until Sulgirion releases him. Then, at the nudging, the man rolls over and doubles up, coughing up river water. "Kiern!" is the first clear word that emerges, followed by another fit of coughing. Then, as he gets his breath back, he murmurs without looking at anything other than the ground before him, "Now I .. know .. what .. rabbit feel like. Don't think I .. taste so good."
Something clatters on the ground beside him even in the moment where the river tried to swallow him whole, he has kept hold of his spear.
[Sulgirion(#16643)]
Sulgirion laughs with a harsh rasping noise as Brev speaks, and he raises his head again when the lad is revealed to be all right, albeit soaked, and perhaps sore. "If I had sought to eat you, I would have done so without pausing to check that you were not drowned," assures the eagle, though mayhap not very comfortingly. But his expression darkens only slightly as the spear falls, and for a second the avian eyes it warily, suspiciously. "Can you stand? If you are well enough I shall return for your supplies."
[Brev(#30997)] Brev is shivering, from simple cold and from reaction, but at the Eagle's question he lifts the spear again and digs the butt end into the soft ground so that he can lever himself up. Stand he does, leaning on his spear-cum-staff and grimacing. "Yes. It's all right, leg's not fallen off yet. Though I wish it would mend."
He looks across the river to where his remaining two companions have no doubt seen everything, and pulls a face. Then he turns his gaze on the Eagle standing by and watching him carefully. "I - uh, thank you for the help," he offers, a little hoarsely. "Was appreciated, if not enjoyed. Suspect others would appreciate it too." He gestures to the boy and woman standing at the Greyflood's southern bank. "Tell Saraid it's warmer than taking another dip." And he forces cold lips into a twisted smile.
[Sulgirion(#16643)]
"As you wish," nods the avian, and he angles his flapping sideways before taking to the skies once more. He reaches the what is left of the camp swiftly, and begins to do as Brev has bidden "Fear not," is all he says as he moves to take the remaining two up in his enormous claws. Once that is done, the beak is occuppied with snatching up the first of the bundles, and Sulgirion wings his way back over the Greyflood. His 'catch' is likewise put upon the riverbank beside Brev.
[Brev(#30997)] Quite how the remaining pair of travellers feel about their unsought-after flight is perhaps an issue Brev does not wish to discuss right now. Nodding his thanks to Sulgirion, and flashing Gidon and Saraid in turn a brief grin with something of its old fire, he sets his teeth and starts to limp toward Owain and the brown pony. "You and I," he tells the recalcitrant creature ominously, "need to have some words."
[Sulgirion(#16643)]
The rest of the baggage is soon brought over as well, and Sulgirion circles overhead. "There, you are all across, ponies, food, and all. I shall be off if that is all you require?" The bright eyes peer downward as he casts his shadow over the group.
[Brev(#30997)] All they require? Brev, his 'discussion' with the pony having consisted mainly of pats and reassurance - seems he's fond of the beast after all - blinks at that, and shakes his head impatiently. "Not 'require'," he mutters. "It's- you've helped us. You didn't need to. That's ... I don't know how to offer thanks. Plain words don't mean an awful lot. But we can't spare a horse ..." The brown pony, perhaps aware that it has caused offence, is standing by amazingly biddably.
[Sulgirion(#16643)]
"All is well," answers the avian. "I did thus in return for the sheep you gave I do not ask for anything more, for it would not be fair for me to do so. I wish you luck then, wherever your travels bring you. May your spears stay sharp," here the eagle flashes one last look downward.
Then, Sulgirion turns and is gone amid the crying of the winds on high toward the mountains he goes.
[Brev(#30997)] "May-" Brev falters, not quite able to bring himself to wish sharpness to eagle-talons. Then inspiration comes. "May the wind be with you and never against you," he proclaims easily. Momentary, briefly, he lifts a hand in a gesture of farewell. Then he's fully occupied in stopping the pony, which of course has stepped away the moment his hand was off it, from eating the nearest of the packs.
"Not at all like a troll," he mutters under his breath, dazedly. Quite what that cryptic comment means, however, he refuses to say.
