A bear ... in the woods

Forest Path -- Through the Deep Woods

Birdsong touches the clear spaces of the forest where the woven path runs amidst the chill splendour of winter. That clean music rides the sway of great-limbed trees through mute dells, sudden groves of oak and yew. The path follows the same track as that of the sun save where it skirts the bole of a forest giant or where it dips down into a hollow where a crystalline pool mirrors the dappled sky. It is just past this point that the path greets another running uphill to the north before continuing onwards.

Where the paths meet the white snow is torn into piles of dark upturned earth, frayed roots are exposed to the wind, and the bare, icy branches of bushes are scattered all about having been ripped from their deep home.

Obvious exits:

North leads to Forest.

East leads to Forest Path -- East.

West leads to Forest Path.

================== Eldarin Calendar ===================

IC time is:    Midday < About 12:42 PM >

IC day is:     Orgaladhad

IC date is:    2 Rhiw

Moon phase:    Waning Gibbous

Earendil:      Gil-Estel is not visible.

IC year is:    Loa 22 o Yen 22, Nelandran o Endor

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RL time:    Thu May 14 10:14:21 2009

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================================== Bree Time ==================================

Real time: Thu May 14 10:14:28 2009

Bree time: Midday <13> on Monday of Winter - December 6,1446

Moon Phase: Waning Gibbous Moon

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[Mobeorn(#22365)]

A brittle autumn sun shines in the mid-day sky, sparkling down in its ever-feebler winter rays through the leaves and branches of this forest.Where the trees are thick and the sun does not fall, the forest is dark. It is precisely in the deepest, darkest part of the forest--off the path--that a great brown beast now lurks, a huge paw digging into dead leaves in the ground, a great nose snorting, sniffing into the leaves.

With so many of those wretched Elves in residence, is it any wonder that some of the visiting Dwarves have chosen to seek a bit of peace and quiet? Broddur is plodding along, his head down and his attention focussed mainly on the crunch of his heavy boots on the frosted earth. His hands are stuffed in his pockets, and his nose is red from the cold, despite the occasional puffs of smoke he gives from the pipe stuck in one side of his mouth. At the sound of snorting and sniffing he turns his head slightly, but not enough to really /look/ at what\'s beneath the trees. \"Those bloody Elves get everywhere,\" he mutters in a poor attempt at a whisper.

[Thari(#31038)]

\"Actually, it\'s a bear,\" mutters another dwarf. Thari happens to be under a tree that Broddur is passing, her russet hood pulled well forward and her dark cloak all around her. \"I think I know the bear, but I can never tell for sure, so perhaps we\'d best be off.\" The shorter dwarf is inching backward toward the path.

[Mobeorn(#22365)]

\"Ha ha ha ha ha...\" Is that a laughing sound coming from the bear? If the dwarves look that way, though, the bear will be gone...only darkness and trees where it was a second ago.

\"A /what/?\" Broddur\'s voice rises, incredulous, at Thari\'s words, and his pipe almost falls from his mouth - not quite, though. He peers in the direction of the laughter, his features creased with worry. \"Happen it heard us,\" he mutters, much more quietly now, waiting until Thari reaches the path. \"Likely we scared it off ...\" He, too, is inching backward, though.

Plop. A snow slides off one of the overhanging branches, and down upon his head, spraying him and anyone nearby in white.

[Thari(#31038)]

Bits of snow lands wetly on Thari\'s hood and pulls it down over her eyes. She shakes it off, then looks about with her weak dwarven eyes. \"Likely!\" she says. \"I\'d like to know where it is, though! And here\'s me without my axe. At least I could have carried my shield. Who might have guessed that the woods of this valley held anything more than slim deer?\"

[Mobeorn(#22365)]

A snort now comes from behind the two dwarves, though not right on top of them but rather in the tangle of trees off to the side of the path. The bear or beast or elf has moved closer to them and it snorts another time, loudly. Still, it is dark in the forest or at least dark where the bear-beast hides, so only a shadowy outline of its form is visible.

Broddur grunts and brushes snow hastily off his face, which is now redder and colder, not to mention the fact that his pipe has gone out ... his expression says it all. Blasted wretched Elf-cursed woods! As Thari speaks, his hand reaching toward the place on his belt where a pick ought to hang.

And then the Dwarf\'s grunt is answered. \"Guess it heard you,\" he mutters sourly, casting about him for something - anything - that can be used as a weapon, should need arise. He settles on a nice big stick, almost a branch, and heaves it up.

[Thari(#31038)]

Thari turns to face the shadow, her thick hands clenching into fists. She crouches a little. \"Oh, and you\'re saying this is my fault?\" she asks Broddur indignantly. \"Mobeorn, if that\'s you, I\'m going to give you a right ding around the ear!\" she calls out in a firm and cross voice.

[Mobeorn(#22365)]

There\'s another bear-like laugh from the dark woods, but then a man steps out and speaks in a very human voice. \"And why wouold you do that, Master Dwarf,\" Mobeorn grins as he comes onto the path. \"Are these paths reserved for dwarves only?\"

Mobeorn? Broddur\'s sullen brows furrow, as the name sparks recognition. \"And if it\'s not, I\'m going to give it a-,\" he begins, only to be cut short as the human figure appears on the path. The branch, already raised to whack any marauding bears on the nose, is lowered, and he shuffles his feet slightly, churning the snow into mud. \"Wasn\'t about to be anyone\'s dinner,\" he mutters defensively, letting Thari answer her own question.

[Thari(#31038)]

\"Bend over here, Mobeorn, and look me in the eye. I\'ve something to tell you,\" Thari orders the tall man.

[Mobeorn(#22365)]

\"Now what in the world?\" Mobeorn snorts, quite amused by something. \"Why would a dwarf be frightened of anything at all, much less anything in the woods of Hir Elrond\'s lands? Do you think that anything that dwells here would cause harm to you--truthfully?\" he frowns, then wags a finger at Thari. \"Master Dwarf, I can hear you fine up here and I have no desire to be smacked on the nose by the stick your kin crries.\"

Broddur grunts once more. \"With all that trouble Outside, doesn\'t hurt to be careful,\" is his response, as he eyes Thari curiously. \"You seem awfully well-acquainted with this fellow.\" The end of the stick is rested on the ground, and he leans on it.

[Thari(#31038)]

\"Oh yes,\" Thari says crossly, fists on hips. Luckily she\'s got the beard to make her look male to counteract this pose. \"I\'ve saved his life dozens of times and here he\'s playing tricks on us and then acting smug.\" She glares up at Mobeorn.

[Mobeorn(#22365)]

\"Hrmph.\" Mobeorn snorts loudly, glaring down on the dwarf, but it is with good humor in his eyes. \"I do recall dragging you, bleeding, to the village for care. If you really would like to count these things, Thari so of....\" He scratches his chin, not able to recall the rest. \"Master Thari,\" he settles for instead.

\"And who said I was playing tricks?\" he continues, makign a face at Broddur and the stick he rests on. \"Why, I just arrived, here for a walk in the woods.\"

This time Broddur\'s snort is more thoughtful. \"You have?\" he queries Thari, not quite skeptical. \"Course, the Dwarves always were the strong ones.\" He puffs out his chest a little. \"Like to hear the tale sometime, over an ale. Specially if it\'s got lots of blood!\" Now, instead of scowling, he leans forward almost eagerly.

Mobeorn\'s face is noted, for he glances down at his stick, then up at the man. \"There\'s plenty more of \'em lying round, if you wanted one.\"

[Thari(#31038)]

\"Balur,\" Thari says sternly to Mobeorn, head crooked far back. \"Balur is my father. And don\'t you try to fool me, Master Mobeorn. I\'ve known you for years, and been travelling with you for months now.\"

She breaks off and spends a moment looking speculatively at Broddur. \"Never taken the high pass before?\"

[Mobeorn(#22365)]

\"Thari son of Balur,\" Mobeorn grins, cheekily executing a bow to the dwarf. \"Me? Try to fool -you-? I\'m hurt, Master Thari, thoroughly hurt. Why, can\'t a man go for a quiet winter walk in the woods at noon?\" he asks, trying to sound hurt but grinning impishly. \"And you may know me but....\" his eyes go to Broddur, \"not all your kind do. And often I prefer to keep it that way, you understand. The more that honest folk like yourself know about me and my kind, well...the word spreads, innocently so, and pretty soon even the Enemy knows. And they come lookign for me, curious.\"

Broddur looks outraged at Thari\'s question. \"Course I have!\" he asserts. \"Just not recently. Why, when I was a young fellow ...\" The words trail off as he harrumphs into his beard, ill concealing the fact that perhaps he does not have as much experience of the world beyond the Misty Mountains as he might make out.

Mobeorn\'s first words bring an odd look from the Ered-Luin dwarf, but it is the final ones on which he picks up. \"Now, why would the Enemy come looking for the likes of you, Master Mobeorn?\" he asks, the Beorning having sparked that very curiosity he had been hoping to avoid. \"Done something in particular?\"

[Thari(#31038)]

\"Young fellow?\" Thari laughs at Broddur. \"You can\'t tell me you\'re older than me!\" There\'s a quiet pause, with Thari frowning, making her moustache bristle out. \"No, nothing like that with Master Mobeorn. He\'s just sort of a chieftan of his folk. Gets his head all puffed, him.\"

[Mobeorn(#22365)]

\"I ...uh....\" Mobeorn stumbles, flustered, then gives Thari a gracious look. \"Right. We guard the High Pass, collect the tolls. It\'s strategic, you know, and the Enemy tries to trap us between the Forest and the Pass and win our lands. It\'s a hard life.\"

Broddur scowls at Thari\'s laugh, and peers at the other dwarf suspiciously. \"I know better than to ask a l- a lad about age,\" he states, bristling. \"Got /some/ manners.\" Even if he doesn\'t show them.

The explanation is accepted at face value - there\'s even a chuckle at Thari\'s assessment of Mobeorn\'s head - until, that is, tolls are mentioned. \"Now then, don\'t you go arguing about tolls,\" he admonishes the Beorning. \"Haven\'t had a chance to take it up with the rest yet. There\'s some as might not want to journey over the mountains. And,\" he pauses in his speech to rub his cold-reddened nose, \"I can see why. Instead of standing out here debating it in the cold, I\'m off somewhere warmer.\" With that, he gives a curt nod of farewell to the pair and stomps away.

[Mobeorn(#22365)]

Mobeorn grunts his disapproval of Broddur\'s wrigglign out of a discussion of tolls again, and then--with a look to Thari--he slips back into the darkness of the woods.