Môdig Earming

Disclaimer: Rohan belongs to the people who live there and its creator, Tolkien. I have no claims over either.

Chapter 1

Bravery

It was in a wooden crate 'neath the front steps of Aldo's home that I was born. The weather was bad and I snuggled closer to Môder as the thunder boomed o'er head. I was frightened, but Mô der was there and she told us all not to worry. So I drank her milk and slept.

It was three days later that Aldo came to see us. It was the first time that I heard his voice.

He plucked me from the crate and held me up. I squealed, for the sensation was not one I had experienced before, nor was it one I had been expecting.

He murmured something to me and held me to his chest. I nestled into the warmth I found there and waited patiently to be restored to Môder.

Soon enough, I was suckling on Môder's teat again, and she whispered to me, 'He likes you. Perhaps you will be the one to stay.' and it was not until I was older that I understood her meaning.

When my eyes opened, I felt the urge to explore. Yet the four corners of our crate were rather dull, though my brethren seemed content to remain therein. But I could see the sunlight, and it called for me to feel it on my coat.

One day, when Môder was busy with Georn (who had become her favourite), I scuttled over the side of the crate and ambled over to where the shade of the house and the sunlight met. It was strange, yet pleasant to feel the rays on my back, and I lay half in sun, half in shade for a moment, weary from my travels.

I then heard the door open, and Aldo emerged.

'Ai, dog! What are you doing?' he exclaimed, lifting me up. I didn't squeal this time. Môder emerged from the crate and eyed me reproachfully.

'You're a brave one, now, aren't you?' Aldo said with a smile. 'Môdig, I'll name you. Don't run away from Môder again now, you hear?'

Of course, I didn't listen. I escaped many more times ere I was grown. Môder often growled about what an ungrateful pup I was, so unlike her Georn who was bound for distinction.

Aldo lived alone and his house stood alone. He treated his hounds like his family: like the rest of the Rohirrim treated their horses.

As I understood it, Aldo could not bear to keep a horse, for a horse had killed his Lî tel Wif, his Little Woman, as he called his wife. Môder told me this one day as we stood beside Aldo before a large stone carved with runes as water rolled down his face.

As we grew strong on Môder's milk, we began to play together. Ellen, ever mischievous, would nip my ear slyly and invite me to chase her through the long grasses. Thus, a game of chase was begun, and our brothers would soon follow.

Snell was the ill-tempered one, prone to jealousy, and in play he sought more to hurt than jest.

Georn was the strongest and most handsome. His coat was short and the colour of honey. My own coat was brown, longer and wirier.

There came a time when we became independent of Môder. We learnt to hunt and Aldo would reward us if we brought back our prey.

Georn liked to make a show of his strength by dashing across the plains and leaping on his prey. I thought it all rather unnecessary, preferring stealth, myself.

Snell would use a number of tactics, each ending in the disembowelment of his prey. This didn't impress Aldo much.

Ellen lacked the discipline to catch anything besides rats. She would spend hours with one, batting it around with her paw until it died. Môder would sniff and say she was nothing more than a cat in a dog's skin.

Winter drew nigh, and Aldo let us all sit beside the fire in his house. He would hum old war tunes and smoke his pipe, occasionally reaching out a gnarled hand to stroke our backs. Môder always sat to his right. She would be true to him until she died.

It was on one of these nights, as we lazed by the warmth of the fire, that I heard something. I pricked my ears to listen closer, and Môder, ever sharp, did the same. I whined to let Aldo know something was amiss. It was then that I heard the harsh bark and the sound of claws scraping on the door.

Aldo opened the door and we all crowded around him, prepared to protect him.

'Wulfsef, you have come again, eh?' chuckled Aldo, and I sniffed this stranger cautiously. I later learnt that he was my sire, and he came and went as he pleased. Môder told me the wolf-blood ran in him, and that, perhaps, was why Snell was so ill tempered.

His coat was black flecked with grey and his eyes were brown. He tolerated a scratch behind the ears from Aldo and paused to butt his head against Môder in recognition ere he brushed past us young ones and sat to the left of Aldo's chair.

Ellen's curiosity got the better of her, and she approached him, nose outstretched. But he bared his teeth in warning and Ellen hurried away.

Aldo went back to his pipe and his chair, and we, more warily than before, resumed our places by the fire, keeping one eye on the newcomer.

We grew used to Wulfsef, and trusted that he would do us no harm. Yet we steered clear of him, just in case.

When the weather became better, I went back to my wanderings.

One day, I found Wulfsef hunting a rabbit, and I crouched down so I would not disturb him.

I was somewhat pleased to find his hunting style akin to my own. He did not make a show of his finesse, as Georn did. He waited quietly, patiently in the shadows and pounced without warning. Quick and clean.

He spotted me.

'What is it that you want, little Môdig?' he called.

'I want for nothing that I cannot provide for myself.' I replied haughtily.

'An excellent answer.'

'I admire your skill.'

'Skill? We all have skill. Nay, say rather that you admire my respect. Some words of advice, Môdig. If you do not wish do die a slow, painful death, then do not kill your victims in such a way.' and he grasped the rabbit in his teeth and left.

I spent the rest of the day pondering his words and wondering what kind of end Snell would meet.

When I was almost two years old, Aldo took Snell and Ellen away, and I had the feeling they weren't coming back. Môder was sulking under the steps and she wouldn't tell me what was happening. It was Wulfsef who told me Aldo was taking them to a Marshal in the Eastfold who liked the look of his dogs.

Aldo returned several days later. Alone.

It was quiet after that, and I feared that Aldo would take me away, too. I shuddered at the thought of parting with the kind old man. Yet it did not happen.

Life was good. I hunted during the day, and sometimes Aldo would accompany me with his bow and quiver of arrows, shooting down birds while I hurried to retrieve them.

Then one day, while I lay in the sun beside Wulfsef, and Môder was out hunting with Georn, Wulfsef sat up suddenly and muttered 'Change is in the air.' and left.

He was right. I learnt he had the unusual ability to sense these things.

The next day, a band of soldiers rode up. We barked to Aldo.

'Old man!' the foremost one called. Aldo emerged from his house. As Wulfsef was absent, I took his place on Aldo's left.

'How can I help you?' Aldo asked.

'The townsfolk yonder have complained of animals going missing. And yester-night, we found a broken body splayed out over rocks and left for the carrion fowl. Tell me, have you noticed anything strange around?'

'Nay. My dogs would alert me to the presence of any good or evil doer. And I've heard nought from them. Milord Eomund, you know of the quality of my dogs. They are to be trusted.'

The man nodded.

'Tell me, how go the two I gave you?' I saw Aldo's eyes begin to shine with eagerness.

'They go well, indeed. Though the female goes more for the smaller game, as you foretold, and the male is very aggressive, as you also warned me. But I think I should add another of your charges to my collection. I've had my eye on that dog there-' he pointed to Georn, 'He has an unusual colouring. Is he any good?'

Aldo puffed out his chest indignantly. 'The best.'

'Name your price.' and in no time, they had Georn and we had a heavy purse of gold coins. Môder was appalled. She went and sat under the stairs again while I sat beside Aldo in the house.

'Môdig, I had to do it. We need the money for oil and preserves for the winter.' he sighed.

A week later, Wulfsef was back, and he sniffed at the news.

'Fool. He went for looks and not ability. If he had any brains, he would have chosen you.'

Yet I was glad he hadn't.

As it turned to winter again, Môder began to slow down. She said she was tired. Wulfsef warned this might be her last winter.

'I've known her long. It saddens me, yet her years are many and her time little.'

She still sat on Aldo's right, and that's where she was the night ill befell us all.

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A/N: The names are Anglo-Saxon. Here are their meanings:

Môder: Mother.

Môdig: Brave

Georn: Earnest

Snell: Bold

Ellen: Zeal

Wulfsef: Wolf-mind

Aldo: Old

I *hate* finding names. I did the best I could.

This kinda just came to me one night and it demanded to be written. So…is it too weird?