The Great Horse Heist

 Old South Road - Dunland <>

The road runs here through a region of rolling grasslands, interspersed by the occasional grove of trees. In the distance you glimpse motion, and on gazing more closely you realize that you look on that rarity to Dunland - a horse. The Misty Mountains rear their heads to the east, and one snow-capped giant draws your eye. Here is Methedras, the Last Peak beyond it to the south the mountains diminish, as though they balk at touching the Forgoil-occupied lands. To the immediate south lies the dark bulk of Crebain Keep, Dunland's mighty border fortress.

Contents:
Nob
Gidon
Obvious exits:
 West leads to Valley <>.
 Northern Gate leads to Courtyard <>.
 NorthWest leads to Old South Road - Dunland <>.

============== Lord of the Rings Calendar ==============
IC time is:    Late Afternoon < About 6:50 PM >
IC day is:     Monday
IC date is:    February 21
Moon phase:    New 
Earendil:      Gil-Estel is not visible.
IC year is:    Third Age 3049
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RL time:        Sun Feb 07 21:16:57 2010
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[Nob(#16122)] It is a grey day clouds hanging low, and snow drifted over the hilly grasslands. Thankfully, no snow is falling and the wind has scoured some areas clean entirely, leaving only brown dirt and dirty yellow grass bent over it.

A small troupe is walking slowly across this land: a woman, 2 men and a boy - one man is riding a small, sturdy pony there seems to be something wrong with his leg. At least, it is wrapped with a cloth.

Beyond them, over a ridge and out of sight, are a few horses and 2 men standing guard over them. It is very cold, and both of them have their faces wrapped up well. It is surprising they can see anything at all! But it's surely better than frostbite.

[Sulgirion(#16643)]
Upon the bitter wind of late winter comes a darkling shape flitting high amid the gray heavens. From time to time it dips forth from the gloomy cloud cover, but from this height it is too difficult to discern its identity. Two long extentions of its silhouette stretch from side to side, as though great wings.

[Nob(#16122)] The guards shift, hunched in on themselves. It is clear they are very cold.

[Nob(#16122)] The small group has stopped and seems to be conferring together. The man on the horse points, and the other three move towards the ridge. Brev (horseman) guides his mount inexpertly towards a single tree, while Gidon, Owain and Saraid climb slowly, dropping to the ground near the top. Evidently, they don't want anyone on the other side to see them though it is uncertain if they actually know there is someone there to watch.

None of the humans below show any sign of awareness of the great predator overhead - but the horses throw their heads up, scenting the air - and this brings the guards to hyperalertness.

[Sulgirion(#16643)]
The mysterious outline overhead continues its lazy drift southward, and now it drops lower in the sky. Though the full size of this sky-demon cannot be accurately glimpsed from its airborne sailing, nonetheless if one were to glance up they would now espy a rather oversized bird.

Down even more the Great Eagle descends, and as it nears there comes into focus a elongated lump clamped between stiff beak: a cow leg perhaps? A faint whooshing sound can be heard heralding the creature's approach, though it has yet to pass over the stretch of land where the guards stand.

[Nob(#16122)] The horses are clearly uneasy, but as they are staring towards the northeast, the guards (fortuitously) turn away from Gidon and the other two. They also are uneasy - what is frightening the beasts? And even if the guards aren't looking their way, they can still see the horses quite easily!

Then one of them, Saraid it seems to be, does look up. She stiffens, grabs for Owain's arm, and points. And all three of them gape upwards, flattening themselves in a vain hope of hiding in the grass and snow...

[Sulgirion(#16643)]
A huge shadow, dark and menacing, is cast over the grassland where the horses dwell, and something streaks down from the heavens. Thump, the loud sound of something impacting the cold ground rises in the wary silence, and there it sits--a half-eaten calf leg upon the earth, close enough for the guards to observe, and yet not near enough to have flattened one of them.

A sharp avian screech rends to late afternoon air, a cry high and wild-toned as it resonates off the mountain peaks and rolls out over this part of flat land.

[Nob(#16122)] The horses panic and bolt, heading northwest as fast as they can run. The guards freeze, staring wide-eyed and disbelieving from the leg to the sky. One of them is quicker to throw off the paralysis than the other, and he grabs for his spear, heaving into the sky at the - the THING. Whatever it is!

Gidon and co have had a few minutes longer to get used to this thing flying in the sky and though they stay lying flat, pushing against the earth as if to burrow out of sight, Owain does lift his head enough to mark the path of the horses' flight.

[Sulgirion(#16643)]
The raptor's call turns into an even harsher caw of vague surprise as the spear soars upward from below. Piercing amber eyes flash, and wings are swiftly tilted to angle away from the steel tipped shaft a great beat of the feathered arms is sent to see the weapon's path redirected harmlessly to the side.

The fleeing horses do not escape Sulgirion's attention, no matter the issue of the human interference down low. There is a sharp twist to the right, and the eagle plummets westward, speed increasing as he shoots to cut off the equine escapees. The talons extend--not to grab yet, but purposing to herd the beasts back south.

[Nob(#16122)] One horse rears and screams as it tries to pivot frantically. It slips on the icy snow and struggles to its feet, racing after the others who have veered to the west.

Saraid shakes Gidon's arm, he nods, and the three of them scoot backwards, rising as soon as they dare to run bent-over back to Brev. Then they head off west themselves, as fast as they can, trying to keep to low gullies where the guards won't see them.

Those guards take off running also, after the eagle, not the horses. It is trying to eat their precious beasts! One stops to try and find his spear, hot-footing it after the second - but runners on foot are no match for wings in the air. They are far far behind.

[Sulgirion(#16643)]
For now the straggling guardsmen are ignored, too far off to be an immediate concern. As for the other humans, the gigantic bird has not noticed them as of yet, full attention now yielded to the sprinting horses.

Wings versus legs--it does not take long ere the bronze-gold form of Sulgirion overtakes them, and the eagle swoops. This time the splayed claws aim for one of the slower horses, to snatch the fleeing creature by the legs and haul him upward.

[Nob(#16122)] The poor horse who is the victim is the one who had fallen. It is an older beast also, and possibly wouldn't survive too many more winters anyways. There is a terrible shriek as the eagle's claws sink deep, and then, luckily for the horse at any rate, its head cracks against a rock and it is silent.

Gidon hasn't seen this, but he has heard it, and his face is white. The other horses have veered again, now coming almost directly towards the would-be horsethieves. But how they intend to either stop or catch the panicked beasts - that is another thing!

[Sulgirion(#16643)]
The blackened talons close tighter, sinking deeper, and the limp horse is hoisted skyward as the avian assails the air with several more mighty wing beats. Having claimed what he wanted, Sulgirion shifts his course back southeast, the game in tow as the eagle makes back over the place where the horses had previously been grazing calmly. The amber eyes scan the ground, watching as the running guards are brought closer as the distance between them and the giant raptor thins.

[Nob(#16122)] The first guard has found his spear, and he hurls it skywards once more, shouting words that surely are curses and shaking his now-empty fist at the giant, winged thief. The second guard throws his spear almost in time with the first, but he has a second waiting, and it only takes him a few minutes to grab it and hurl it afterwards.

Meanwhile, back in the ravine, the sounds of thundering hooves grows immediately and suddenly louder as the horses round a corner of rock ahead of Gidon, Owain and Saraid. Brev is yet behind them, waiting under the tree. Owain and Saraid dive to one side Gidon to the other. And again one of the horses slips, falling heavily to the ground as the others flee - heading back to familiar ground, now, to where they have felt safe in the past.

[Sulgirion(#16643)]
Not one but three flying spears cut against the cold wind. The first narrowly misses, while the second grazes the protruding leg of the dead horse that dangles from the curved claws. But the new shrill screech that comes forth signals the success of the final steeled shaft. For a moment, Sulgirion's course stalls in mid-air, coming into a hover. The talons jerk abruptly to ensure they do not drop their catch, and the feathery 'horse-thief' blasts the ground with his wings as he swerves the great feathed neck to the side. The beak opens again but no sound comes this time instead the hooked mouth goes for the spear that has now embedded itself in one shoulder.

[Nob(#16122)] Below, the guardsmen are frantically running to get their fallen spears and throw them again. (Perhaps they don't believe in bows! Lucky for the eagle, if this is the case.)

And behind, Gidon has jumped to his feet and is making his way to the fallen horse. It seems to have landed in a little hollow, between some upthrust rocks and a bush, and no matter how it rolls or thrashes, is unable to rise. The boy stops a little ways away - those slashing hooves could smash his head in, and the beast is too maddened by panic to realize that the humans are there at all, much less that they might help it.

It is Saraid who with casual efficiency yanks the Breelad's scarf from around his face and dodges in to wind it over the horse's eyes. And miraculously, as soon as it can no longer see, it is quiet. As fast as they can, with many nervous glances to the rear, the other two start cutting and pulling at the shrub to get it out of the way.

[Sulgirion(#16643)]
Alas, for the offending spear has lodged itself at an awkward angle, and the raptor cannot seem to pry it loose whilst airborne. The attempt is given up, and, bright keen eyes spotting the Dunlending guards scrambling for their weapons, Sulgirion resumes his path south. The poor horse is still clutched beneath, and the wings betoken their struggling but a little with the pricking wooden shaft. Soon, the eagle passes beyond range, his shape steadily fading off into the distance where he no doubt seeks for a safer place to land and partake of this equine meal.

[Nob(#16122)] There is a queer throbbing in the air, adding to the nervousness of the humans. The horse is trembling, sweating all over but with Gidon hacking one-handedly at the frozen dirt, and Owain sawing at the weedy roots, the bush is soon removed. Saraid is talking to the animal in low tones she slides the scarf down around its neck and tugs and with a lunge the horse is on its feet.

The guards are too busy chasing the eagle to worry overly much about their charges - but this error is called to mind when the surviving beasts come galloping towards them, breath steaming in the cold air. One glances over his shoulder, then stops, frowning. Perhaps he has counted and is noticing that there are two animals gone, though only one dangles from the monster's claws.

[Sulgirion(#16643)]
Indeed, this problem regarding the number of the beasts is confirmed by another guard, and for a moment they hushedly converse again it is likewise acknowledged that the eagle took one horse...one does not account for two missing.

Spears are handled warily, and some of the guardsmen glance upward in agitation as though expecting to find another giant bird bearing down on them carrying the second horse. The others peers about the vast expands, eyes shielded against the slight glare of the snow where it lingers over the earth in spots.

[Nob(#16122)] The horses are tiring it is cold and they are sweating and wet. They slow as they near the guards - the humans mean safety and comfort - and huddle together, heads hanging.

Still out of sight, beyond the first ravine, and hidden by the second gully Owain turns back and runs as fast as he dares without being too noisy, until he is where he can wave to Brev. When all of them are together once again, they start north and a little west walking fast, and continually looking back. They pick the lowest ground, trying to put still more of the low rolling hillocks between them and any unfriendly eyes.

[Sulgirion(#16643)]
As the horses come to a halt, the guards intersperse themselves amongst them, stopping now and then to pat on reassuringly, or to in a different way ease it back into calmness. Still, a couple of the men maintain their suspicious scrutiny of the surrounding land, eyes narrowed, brows furrowed.

Finally, one of their group makes sense of the northwest direction the horses had fled to, and suggests that it is possible one of the animals broke off from the main herd in fright and thusly became lost. Three guards begins trekking roughly in that direction, heads peering from side to side in the hopes of spotting the absent beast. For now, the ravines and hills hide the real horse-thieves from view.

[Nob(#16122)] They don't dare go too fast, three of them on foot and leading the 2nd horse. But they are going almost straight west, and a little north - so their paths diverge from the unknown pursuers. The gully they are following peters out, and they stop. Nothing is in view, and Gidon goes ahead to scout, coming back swiftly and leading them on a jog back to the southwest, to where another fold of the land waits.

[Sulgirion(#16643)]
Hidden in the folds of the grasslands, the stolen horse and its snatchers remain unknown to the guards, who continue their fruitless searching. Though they would never find the poor missing creature, the thieves likewise are not caught, for now at least and in days to come, the disappearance of the second horse was set with blame upon the giant winged monster from the skies.