Chapter 37
A Long Walk Home
Sam awoken with a startled feeling of a sudden chill, when he realized that Rosie had placed her cold feet next to his feet to warm them. Sam looked at his sleeping wife and smiled. He rolled over and realized the fire in his hearth was going out. Climbing out of bed quietly, he took come kindling from the crate to place it onto the hot embers. Within moments a small fire began to burn. He carefully placed a couple of logs next to the kindling and watched it at the flames began to ignite the logs. When flames of the fire became hot enough, Sam placed more logs into the hearth and before long he had a roaring fire burning. The room slowly began to warm with the crackling of fire that gave a peaceful comfortable feeling of the room. Shadows danced against the far wall with the increase of light from the flames. Sam added another blanket on the bed to warm his sleeping wife.
He gazed down at the soft light brown curls of Rosie's hair that had began to show some streaks of gray as it nestled against the soft feather pillows. She slept in the center of their double bed so she could nuzzle as close to Sam as possible. After all these years and thirteen children, Sam loved Rosie more than he had ever. No graying of her hair or neither the deepest set of wrinkles nor age of time would ever lessen his feelings for his beloved. Sam smiled feeling so warm and loved.
He walked to the window and looked out at the night. Snow had begun to fall upon the ground and blew against the window. Worry knit his brow as he thought of the hobbits of the Far Downs. He had only hoped that they had done enough for them. At least in Sam's mind they were far better off then where he had first found them. He knew Fastred would keep a close eye upon them.
Sam opened his bedroom door and felt the cold draft of the hall and worried if the hearths in his children's bedroom had enough fire to keep them warm. He went from one room to the next placing logs upon the hearths. Robin, Sam's youngest son, who was a restless sleeper had his blankets half on himself and half on the floor. He grabbed an extra quilt and recovered his son before he tiptoed out of his room.
Sam headed to the kitchen when a loud knock came upon his front door and he wondered who could possibly be out in such a cold winter night. He rushed to the door and opened it.
Fastred wrapped in a blanket and almost fell against Sam as he pulled him into his house and shut the door.
"Fastred!" shouted Sam in fear thinking the very worse. "What has happen! Is everything all right with Elanor!" as he walked Fastred into the kitchen of Bag End.
"Yessss!" said Fastred as he shivered from the cold. "All is well in the Westmarch, except this blasted snow! I came to help you, Sam!"
Sam instantly relaxed and tried to slow his pounding heart. He sat Fastred down on a chair next to the stove and he rushed to fill it with logs.
Once the fire was burning and warming the room and Fastred. Sam began taking the blanket and wool cloak from him.
"Frodo was telling me about your election and the troubles you face with it. I thought I could help you. However, I did not count on this much snow."
"Then everyone is well at the Westmarch and the Far Downs!" asked Sam again.
"Yes, the Tooks are staying at the Smial with Elanor. Hilbrand, Basil and Moss have come with three wagons of logs for the Far Downs. We delivered the quilts to the folk of the Far Downs so they will be warm and comfortable this winter. Don't worry Sam they will all be fine."
"That is good!" said Sam. "And relieves the worry from my mind. I'll make us a pot of hot tea and we can talk a little more. Once you're warm enough, you can sleep in the guestroom. I'll have a warm fire in the hearth in no time. You must be exhausted from your travel, especially in this cold."
~*~
Basil's pony was exhausted climbing through the high drift from the Tower Hills, but the drifts lessened the further they got to the Far Downs. Hilbrand led both Basil and Pippin as they made their way across the land. Hilbrand noticed tracks in the snow and they followed them away from the road they would normally have taken as his worst fears were confirmed. There was more than one wolf pack in their lands. Hilbrand spotted the carcass that the wolves had feed upon during the middle of the night, but by the prints, Hilbrand did not think there were as many as he spotted at the Great Smial last night.
The sun was high in the sky when they found the carcass and they still had a few more leagues to go. Climbing upon their ponies they headed to the small town in the Far Downs.
Pippin chewed upon a dried jerky stick that Hilbrand had in his bag as their ponies slowly made their way through patches of drifted snow. After a couple of hours of traveling, they had finally reached the new settlement.
Pippin directed Hilbrand to Pema's house from what Frodo had told him. They had wanted to know if Emma was okay first.
Knocking on the door, Pallo answered it. Pallo greeted Basil with a warm handshake and invited them all in.
"Pema, get our guest some warm tea and prepare them something to eat!"
Pema was already in the kitchen and began to pull some fixings from her shelf while the tea began to boil on the stove.
"Where is Emma?" asked Basil.
"She insisted on going home this morning. There's no stopping Emma, once that lass has her mind made up to something. Old Brauto, being a kind soul and all, volunteered to take her. Seeing that the snow was only patches deep, I thought it'd be all right," said Pallo.
Basil looked at Hilbrand in shock and worried knowing that Emma would be in peril. Pippin's eyes darted up at Hilbrand and were about to say something, but Hilbrand gestured for him to be quiet by his fierce look.
Pallo caught their warning looks and said, "'Tis all right, isn't it?" Worry began to beat in his heart as he looked over the three who sat at his table in silence.
"The snow is very deep in the Westmarch area, we are just concerned is all," stated Hilbrand.
Thanking Pema for the tea, Hilbrand took a sip and continued, "Were there any activities last night? Loud noises or concerns?" said Hilbrand trying to see if the settlers had heard anything in the middle of the night.
"No, I don't think so," said Pallo as he watched his guest carefully and being suspicious of there actions. Pallo remembered the strange tracks he had spotted by the community barn that was not covered up the blowing snow. The cows, ponies and a few pigs that they kept in the enclosed barn were unharmed, but it still concerned Pallo. He had never seen a wolf and only heard stories from the older hobbits. "I'm not so simple of mind and thought to not know something is up, lads! You best be telling me! 'Tis not often that hobbits come to visit being so heavily armed!"
Hilbrand knew there was no fooling this hobbit and said, "There is wolves about our lands. They have followed the snow into our lands and the smell of fresh meat around."
Pallo sat up straighter in his chair as he looked over his shoulder at his wife, whose look of horror was clearly written on her face. "Emma is in real danger!"
"I'm going after her, Hilbrand! No matter what you have to say about it!" shouted Basil not wanting to keep his silence any longer.
"No, Basil! We can not spare you!" shouted Hilbrand. "With only two skilled bows and Pippin only learning to use his, I cannot protect this town without you!"
"I have some skill with the bow," said Pallo. "However, I do not own one anymore. Had to sell it to feed my family. If you have an extra, I'll help you. Let Basil go to find her!"
"Let's see what you can do with a bow, before I decide," said Hilbrand.
Pema put the sweet meat and bread on the table and sliced up a couple of tomatoes to feed her guests. Pallo squeezed Pema's hand to calm her nerves and worry.
"It'll be all right, Pema! Any wolf that crosses Emma's path will have more than what it can handle," said Pallo in knowing Emma's fighting spirit.
This did not calm Pema's worry and she continued to chew on her lip in worry.
After they had finished their luncheon, the four hobbits went outside as Hilbrand got an extra bow and arrows for Pallo.
Pallo missed his first mark, but told them that it was because he hadn't shot is sometime. Trying again he hit his mark and the other ones after that. Hilbrand was soon convinced that Pallo would be able to help him guard the folk of this small settlement.
Pema came out and handed Basil a bag of fixings to take with him and Pallo gave him a fresh pony.
Saddling this pony, Basil grabbed his gear from his exhausted pony he rode to the Far Downs and packed it on Pallo's pony. Climbing upon the pony, Basil took off in a flash to find Emma.
~*~
Basil pushed the little pony as fast as he could trend the snow. He would only stop long enough to rested briefly as he studied the prints in the snow left from the ponies that Emma and Brauto had rode.
On and on he pushed the little pony as its breath appeared to smoke in the cold air. When the sun finally set and the full moon shone across the open land, Basil prepared himself keeping his knife tucked into his belt and sword at his side. He adjusted the sheath of arrows to make sure he could get to them with ease and he placed the bow across his saddle in front of him.
The longer he traveled in the night he could hear distance howling and knew the wolves were about.
Basil saw a dark shape lying in the snow as the breeze flapped a corner of a blanket. He knew it was a hobbit as his heart beat wildly in his chest as he rushed almost jumping from his pony. Holding the reins he fearfully kneeled and lifted the blanket. Relief went across his expression as he saw it was not Emma. Relief was replaced with worry, as he knew that Emma was alone facing whatever peril was at her hand. The deep snow, wolves or the coldness of the night.
Basil climbed on his pony and kicking it to move onward to find her.
~*~
Emma screamed and ran fighting the deep snow as her legs leaped through the drifts. She could sense the hot breath of a wolf coming up behind her as she grabbed a low-lying branch and heaved herself upon it. Her arms burned with hot pain as she pulled herself to climb higher as a wolf leaped and caught a corner of her cape. Taking her cape off by pulling the strings and letting it fall to the ground, she moved her legs and arms faster getting higher in the branches. She would not allow herself to look down at the wolf that growling and snarled below her. Still further and further she climbed. Resting on a sturdy branch and holding onto the trunk of the tree, Emma looked down at the fierce wolf below her.
She could hear Velvet's screams as the poor pony kicked at the three wolves around her. But to no avail as the little pony's screams were soon silenced. Emma forced herself to look away not being able to bare witness to the carnage of the wolves.
When their stomachs were full, they tried to drag the poor little pony away, but couldn't. The wolves took their time to bury the pony in the snow for a later meal or the return of their pack for another feeding.
Forgetting about her sitting in the tree the wolves returned back into the woodlands, but she could still feel the evilness of their eyes upon her.
Her fingers began to go numb and she shivered uncontrollably holding onto the trunk of the tree. The cold wind wiped her hair about and chilled her to the bone. The pain of the cold was more than she could bare and she got her nerve up to begin to climb down and retrieve her woolen cape.
Just has her hand was about to touch the hem of the cloak she could hear thudding of feet coming closer to her. She snatched the hem and pulled it to her and she scrambled up the tree again. The wolf glared with its blue eyes upon her and snarled as it watched her intently.
Emma knew she had no chance of escape, but she was thankful for getting her cape. She wrapped it around her and brought her knees to her chest. Looking down upon the wolf Emma began to curse it. "You evil veil creature! You'll not get a meal of me! Be off with yourself, you vermit!"
Emma's eyes blinked heavily as another hour passed while she sat freezing in the tree. She could see the sun just breaking the morning sky. Looking at the bottom of the tree from where she sat and then all around the ground she finally spotted the four wolves just a few feet away, curled up among each other asleep under a nearby tree.
She heard an echo sound of a pony neighing and looked up towards the crest of the hill. A moment later, Emma spotted Basil as he slowly heading his pony down the incline of the snow backed hill.
She wanted to yell, but refrained herself knowing Basil was in danger if she made a word and awoken the sleeping wolves.
Basil saw the clear tracks in the light of the day long before he approached them. He saw the blood splattered across the snow. Taking his bow and arrow he nudged his pony closer all the while keeping his eyes on whatever movement would be around.
Looking up, Basil saw Emma sitting in the tree and his heart leaped in his chest knowing she had survived the night. He turned his pony to head closer to her, but she waved him back.
Basil knew the wolves were close at hand.
Emma saw the wolves jump to their feet and hunched closer to the ground as they watched Basil sitting on his pony a few feet away.
"Basil, run they have their eyes upon you!" Emma screamed.
"How many are there!" He shouted back to her, all the while watching for the faintest sign of the wolves.
"There are four just below the third tree from me!"
Basil raised his arrow and waited.
Minutes clicked by and still he did not hear or see nothing.
"Two are moving on the other side of me, they're trying to get behind you Basil!" Emma shouted.
Basil took a deep breath and backing his pony up by lightly pulling on the stirrups with his feet. His eyes now darted back and forth as he waited.
Basil snapped he head to the right as he heard a growling coming from behind the trees. His arrow cocked and ready Basil saw the first wolf make a dash from the tree with the second following behind it. Quickly he fired killing the first wolf and reached his second arrow rapidly loaded and pulled back on his bow. Firing the arrow he clipped the second wolf as it howled out a loud yelp retreating back behind a tree.
The other two wolves pounced on the far side racing towards Basil with snarling long white teeth. Their growls echoed across the open field. Emma screamed watching the wolves attack. Basil barely had time to draw his bow back and fire as the wolf leaped towards him. From the short distance the arrow plunged deep into the wolf and instantly killed him. However, the last wolf easily pounced on Basil and knocked him from his pony, who took off running and jumping through the thick snow.
Emma, half way climbing and falling from the tree raced down the branches trying to get to Basil before the wolf would kill him.
She landed on the ground with a thud and grabbed a thick branch in her hands as she ran towards them.
The injured wolf jumped in front to Emma as she brought her branch down hard onto the wolf's head. Grabbing the branch in its teeth it snarled and growled as it shook the branch. Furious at the wolf, she shouted, "If you want the branch then eat it!" as she tried to shove it down its throat.
The wolf backed up and dropped the branch and made a lunging jump at Emma. Emma swung the branch with all of her strength and hit it across the side of its head. The wolf yelped out in pain as it fell back to the ground. Hunching over, the wolf's fur stood on end as the wolf snarled and growled. Emma stood her ground holding the branch and prepared herself to strike again.
Basil laid his shoulder on the wolf's neck pinning it to the ground, while its teeth came down hard upon his wrist. Basil lowered his other arm desperately fighting to reach his knife. Grabbing a hold of the handle of the knife he lunged the knife into the wolf's chest just under his front leg. The wolf released his wrist as Basil rolled off the wolf as it laid their bleeding to death.
He looked up in horror seeing Emma facing the last wolf. The wolf made a lunge at Emma as she brought the branch down with a loud thud hitting the wolf. With one hard smack the wolf ran back into the thickness of the trees and disappeared.
Emma turned seeing Basil running towards her with his knife in his hand.
He stopped just before her and looked around for any other sign of more wolves, but there was none.
"Are you all right?" asked Basil as he wiped his knife off on his pants leg and placed it back in the sheath at his belt.
Emma quickly nodded and burst into tears from the relief of stress and fear.
Basil quickly wrapped his arms around her as she began sobbing. "You're not as tough as you thought," he whispered in her ear.
Emma shoved him at his chest as she shouted with her tears, "'Tis not the time to be made fun of, you pot-headed, lily-livered cowardly bottom- dragging swiffler!" Her face now red and furious as she wiped her tears from her eyes.
"I'm not making fun of you, Emma!" said Basil trying to hold her hands still. "I admire you more than you think!" She lowered her arms and slowly looked up at him. "Not many a lass would have climbed down from a tree and fought a wolf to save me," said Basil in a gentle tone of voice.
"I wasn't coming to save you, I saw the pony run off, is all. I didn't feel much like walking all the way home," said Emma as she glared at him.
Basil burst out laughing, " a fighter to the very end!"
Emma saw the blood dripping from his wrist and it shocked her, "Basil, your injured!"
"Just a few bite marks, nothing to worry about," he said.
Emma pulled up his sleeve and saw the puncture wounds on his wrist from the wolf's teeth. She reached down and pulled her petticoats hem off and bandaged it. As she wrapped his wrist, she said, "My Da once told me, long ago. If you're bit by a wolf that you'd be turned into a wolf at every full moon, being half wolf and half hobbit!"
Again Basil burst out laughing, "Don't tell me you still believe in superstition?"
"Stop laughing at me!" shouted Emma. "And what is super.uh, stupersition?"
"Old tales that parents say to their children to frighten them. There is not a lick of truth in it, my dear Emma," said Basil. "It will be a full moon again tonight, care to sit up with me and see for yourself?"
"I wouldn't sit anywhere near you, if I had me own choice of it," stated Emma as she turned away from Basil and started her long walk home.
A Long Walk Home
Sam awoken with a startled feeling of a sudden chill, when he realized that Rosie had placed her cold feet next to his feet to warm them. Sam looked at his sleeping wife and smiled. He rolled over and realized the fire in his hearth was going out. Climbing out of bed quietly, he took come kindling from the crate to place it onto the hot embers. Within moments a small fire began to burn. He carefully placed a couple of logs next to the kindling and watched it at the flames began to ignite the logs. When flames of the fire became hot enough, Sam placed more logs into the hearth and before long he had a roaring fire burning. The room slowly began to warm with the crackling of fire that gave a peaceful comfortable feeling of the room. Shadows danced against the far wall with the increase of light from the flames. Sam added another blanket on the bed to warm his sleeping wife.
He gazed down at the soft light brown curls of Rosie's hair that had began to show some streaks of gray as it nestled against the soft feather pillows. She slept in the center of their double bed so she could nuzzle as close to Sam as possible. After all these years and thirteen children, Sam loved Rosie more than he had ever. No graying of her hair or neither the deepest set of wrinkles nor age of time would ever lessen his feelings for his beloved. Sam smiled feeling so warm and loved.
He walked to the window and looked out at the night. Snow had begun to fall upon the ground and blew against the window. Worry knit his brow as he thought of the hobbits of the Far Downs. He had only hoped that they had done enough for them. At least in Sam's mind they were far better off then where he had first found them. He knew Fastred would keep a close eye upon them.
Sam opened his bedroom door and felt the cold draft of the hall and worried if the hearths in his children's bedroom had enough fire to keep them warm. He went from one room to the next placing logs upon the hearths. Robin, Sam's youngest son, who was a restless sleeper had his blankets half on himself and half on the floor. He grabbed an extra quilt and recovered his son before he tiptoed out of his room.
Sam headed to the kitchen when a loud knock came upon his front door and he wondered who could possibly be out in such a cold winter night. He rushed to the door and opened it.
Fastred wrapped in a blanket and almost fell against Sam as he pulled him into his house and shut the door.
"Fastred!" shouted Sam in fear thinking the very worse. "What has happen! Is everything all right with Elanor!" as he walked Fastred into the kitchen of Bag End.
"Yessss!" said Fastred as he shivered from the cold. "All is well in the Westmarch, except this blasted snow! I came to help you, Sam!"
Sam instantly relaxed and tried to slow his pounding heart. He sat Fastred down on a chair next to the stove and he rushed to fill it with logs.
Once the fire was burning and warming the room and Fastred. Sam began taking the blanket and wool cloak from him.
"Frodo was telling me about your election and the troubles you face with it. I thought I could help you. However, I did not count on this much snow."
"Then everyone is well at the Westmarch and the Far Downs!" asked Sam again.
"Yes, the Tooks are staying at the Smial with Elanor. Hilbrand, Basil and Moss have come with three wagons of logs for the Far Downs. We delivered the quilts to the folk of the Far Downs so they will be warm and comfortable this winter. Don't worry Sam they will all be fine."
"That is good!" said Sam. "And relieves the worry from my mind. I'll make us a pot of hot tea and we can talk a little more. Once you're warm enough, you can sleep in the guestroom. I'll have a warm fire in the hearth in no time. You must be exhausted from your travel, especially in this cold."
~*~
Basil's pony was exhausted climbing through the high drift from the Tower Hills, but the drifts lessened the further they got to the Far Downs. Hilbrand led both Basil and Pippin as they made their way across the land. Hilbrand noticed tracks in the snow and they followed them away from the road they would normally have taken as his worst fears were confirmed. There was more than one wolf pack in their lands. Hilbrand spotted the carcass that the wolves had feed upon during the middle of the night, but by the prints, Hilbrand did not think there were as many as he spotted at the Great Smial last night.
The sun was high in the sky when they found the carcass and they still had a few more leagues to go. Climbing upon their ponies they headed to the small town in the Far Downs.
Pippin chewed upon a dried jerky stick that Hilbrand had in his bag as their ponies slowly made their way through patches of drifted snow. After a couple of hours of traveling, they had finally reached the new settlement.
Pippin directed Hilbrand to Pema's house from what Frodo had told him. They had wanted to know if Emma was okay first.
Knocking on the door, Pallo answered it. Pallo greeted Basil with a warm handshake and invited them all in.
"Pema, get our guest some warm tea and prepare them something to eat!"
Pema was already in the kitchen and began to pull some fixings from her shelf while the tea began to boil on the stove.
"Where is Emma?" asked Basil.
"She insisted on going home this morning. There's no stopping Emma, once that lass has her mind made up to something. Old Brauto, being a kind soul and all, volunteered to take her. Seeing that the snow was only patches deep, I thought it'd be all right," said Pallo.
Basil looked at Hilbrand in shock and worried knowing that Emma would be in peril. Pippin's eyes darted up at Hilbrand and were about to say something, but Hilbrand gestured for him to be quiet by his fierce look.
Pallo caught their warning looks and said, "'Tis all right, isn't it?" Worry began to beat in his heart as he looked over the three who sat at his table in silence.
"The snow is very deep in the Westmarch area, we are just concerned is all," stated Hilbrand.
Thanking Pema for the tea, Hilbrand took a sip and continued, "Were there any activities last night? Loud noises or concerns?" said Hilbrand trying to see if the settlers had heard anything in the middle of the night.
"No, I don't think so," said Pallo as he watched his guest carefully and being suspicious of there actions. Pallo remembered the strange tracks he had spotted by the community barn that was not covered up the blowing snow. The cows, ponies and a few pigs that they kept in the enclosed barn were unharmed, but it still concerned Pallo. He had never seen a wolf and only heard stories from the older hobbits. "I'm not so simple of mind and thought to not know something is up, lads! You best be telling me! 'Tis not often that hobbits come to visit being so heavily armed!"
Hilbrand knew there was no fooling this hobbit and said, "There is wolves about our lands. They have followed the snow into our lands and the smell of fresh meat around."
Pallo sat up straighter in his chair as he looked over his shoulder at his wife, whose look of horror was clearly written on her face. "Emma is in real danger!"
"I'm going after her, Hilbrand! No matter what you have to say about it!" shouted Basil not wanting to keep his silence any longer.
"No, Basil! We can not spare you!" shouted Hilbrand. "With only two skilled bows and Pippin only learning to use his, I cannot protect this town without you!"
"I have some skill with the bow," said Pallo. "However, I do not own one anymore. Had to sell it to feed my family. If you have an extra, I'll help you. Let Basil go to find her!"
"Let's see what you can do with a bow, before I decide," said Hilbrand.
Pema put the sweet meat and bread on the table and sliced up a couple of tomatoes to feed her guests. Pallo squeezed Pema's hand to calm her nerves and worry.
"It'll be all right, Pema! Any wolf that crosses Emma's path will have more than what it can handle," said Pallo in knowing Emma's fighting spirit.
This did not calm Pema's worry and she continued to chew on her lip in worry.
After they had finished their luncheon, the four hobbits went outside as Hilbrand got an extra bow and arrows for Pallo.
Pallo missed his first mark, but told them that it was because he hadn't shot is sometime. Trying again he hit his mark and the other ones after that. Hilbrand was soon convinced that Pallo would be able to help him guard the folk of this small settlement.
Pema came out and handed Basil a bag of fixings to take with him and Pallo gave him a fresh pony.
Saddling this pony, Basil grabbed his gear from his exhausted pony he rode to the Far Downs and packed it on Pallo's pony. Climbing upon the pony, Basil took off in a flash to find Emma.
~*~
Basil pushed the little pony as fast as he could trend the snow. He would only stop long enough to rested briefly as he studied the prints in the snow left from the ponies that Emma and Brauto had rode.
On and on he pushed the little pony as its breath appeared to smoke in the cold air. When the sun finally set and the full moon shone across the open land, Basil prepared himself keeping his knife tucked into his belt and sword at his side. He adjusted the sheath of arrows to make sure he could get to them with ease and he placed the bow across his saddle in front of him.
The longer he traveled in the night he could hear distance howling and knew the wolves were about.
Basil saw a dark shape lying in the snow as the breeze flapped a corner of a blanket. He knew it was a hobbit as his heart beat wildly in his chest as he rushed almost jumping from his pony. Holding the reins he fearfully kneeled and lifted the blanket. Relief went across his expression as he saw it was not Emma. Relief was replaced with worry, as he knew that Emma was alone facing whatever peril was at her hand. The deep snow, wolves or the coldness of the night.
Basil climbed on his pony and kicking it to move onward to find her.
~*~
Emma screamed and ran fighting the deep snow as her legs leaped through the drifts. She could sense the hot breath of a wolf coming up behind her as she grabbed a low-lying branch and heaved herself upon it. Her arms burned with hot pain as she pulled herself to climb higher as a wolf leaped and caught a corner of her cape. Taking her cape off by pulling the strings and letting it fall to the ground, she moved her legs and arms faster getting higher in the branches. She would not allow herself to look down at the wolf that growling and snarled below her. Still further and further she climbed. Resting on a sturdy branch and holding onto the trunk of the tree, Emma looked down at the fierce wolf below her.
She could hear Velvet's screams as the poor pony kicked at the three wolves around her. But to no avail as the little pony's screams were soon silenced. Emma forced herself to look away not being able to bare witness to the carnage of the wolves.
When their stomachs were full, they tried to drag the poor little pony away, but couldn't. The wolves took their time to bury the pony in the snow for a later meal or the return of their pack for another feeding.
Forgetting about her sitting in the tree the wolves returned back into the woodlands, but she could still feel the evilness of their eyes upon her.
Her fingers began to go numb and she shivered uncontrollably holding onto the trunk of the tree. The cold wind wiped her hair about and chilled her to the bone. The pain of the cold was more than she could bare and she got her nerve up to begin to climb down and retrieve her woolen cape.
Just has her hand was about to touch the hem of the cloak she could hear thudding of feet coming closer to her. She snatched the hem and pulled it to her and she scrambled up the tree again. The wolf glared with its blue eyes upon her and snarled as it watched her intently.
Emma knew she had no chance of escape, but she was thankful for getting her cape. She wrapped it around her and brought her knees to her chest. Looking down upon the wolf Emma began to curse it. "You evil veil creature! You'll not get a meal of me! Be off with yourself, you vermit!"
Emma's eyes blinked heavily as another hour passed while she sat freezing in the tree. She could see the sun just breaking the morning sky. Looking at the bottom of the tree from where she sat and then all around the ground she finally spotted the four wolves just a few feet away, curled up among each other asleep under a nearby tree.
She heard an echo sound of a pony neighing and looked up towards the crest of the hill. A moment later, Emma spotted Basil as he slowly heading his pony down the incline of the snow backed hill.
She wanted to yell, but refrained herself knowing Basil was in danger if she made a word and awoken the sleeping wolves.
Basil saw the clear tracks in the light of the day long before he approached them. He saw the blood splattered across the snow. Taking his bow and arrow he nudged his pony closer all the while keeping his eyes on whatever movement would be around.
Looking up, Basil saw Emma sitting in the tree and his heart leaped in his chest knowing she had survived the night. He turned his pony to head closer to her, but she waved him back.
Basil knew the wolves were close at hand.
Emma saw the wolves jump to their feet and hunched closer to the ground as they watched Basil sitting on his pony a few feet away.
"Basil, run they have their eyes upon you!" Emma screamed.
"How many are there!" He shouted back to her, all the while watching for the faintest sign of the wolves.
"There are four just below the third tree from me!"
Basil raised his arrow and waited.
Minutes clicked by and still he did not hear or see nothing.
"Two are moving on the other side of me, they're trying to get behind you Basil!" Emma shouted.
Basil took a deep breath and backing his pony up by lightly pulling on the stirrups with his feet. His eyes now darted back and forth as he waited.
Basil snapped he head to the right as he heard a growling coming from behind the trees. His arrow cocked and ready Basil saw the first wolf make a dash from the tree with the second following behind it. Quickly he fired killing the first wolf and reached his second arrow rapidly loaded and pulled back on his bow. Firing the arrow he clipped the second wolf as it howled out a loud yelp retreating back behind a tree.
The other two wolves pounced on the far side racing towards Basil with snarling long white teeth. Their growls echoed across the open field. Emma screamed watching the wolves attack. Basil barely had time to draw his bow back and fire as the wolf leaped towards him. From the short distance the arrow plunged deep into the wolf and instantly killed him. However, the last wolf easily pounced on Basil and knocked him from his pony, who took off running and jumping through the thick snow.
Emma, half way climbing and falling from the tree raced down the branches trying to get to Basil before the wolf would kill him.
She landed on the ground with a thud and grabbed a thick branch in her hands as she ran towards them.
The injured wolf jumped in front to Emma as she brought her branch down hard onto the wolf's head. Grabbing the branch in its teeth it snarled and growled as it shook the branch. Furious at the wolf, she shouted, "If you want the branch then eat it!" as she tried to shove it down its throat.
The wolf backed up and dropped the branch and made a lunging jump at Emma. Emma swung the branch with all of her strength and hit it across the side of its head. The wolf yelped out in pain as it fell back to the ground. Hunching over, the wolf's fur stood on end as the wolf snarled and growled. Emma stood her ground holding the branch and prepared herself to strike again.
Basil laid his shoulder on the wolf's neck pinning it to the ground, while its teeth came down hard upon his wrist. Basil lowered his other arm desperately fighting to reach his knife. Grabbing a hold of the handle of the knife he lunged the knife into the wolf's chest just under his front leg. The wolf released his wrist as Basil rolled off the wolf as it laid their bleeding to death.
He looked up in horror seeing Emma facing the last wolf. The wolf made a lunge at Emma as she brought the branch down with a loud thud hitting the wolf. With one hard smack the wolf ran back into the thickness of the trees and disappeared.
Emma turned seeing Basil running towards her with his knife in his hand.
He stopped just before her and looked around for any other sign of more wolves, but there was none.
"Are you all right?" asked Basil as he wiped his knife off on his pants leg and placed it back in the sheath at his belt.
Emma quickly nodded and burst into tears from the relief of stress and fear.
Basil quickly wrapped his arms around her as she began sobbing. "You're not as tough as you thought," he whispered in her ear.
Emma shoved him at his chest as she shouted with her tears, "'Tis not the time to be made fun of, you pot-headed, lily-livered cowardly bottom- dragging swiffler!" Her face now red and furious as she wiped her tears from her eyes.
"I'm not making fun of you, Emma!" said Basil trying to hold her hands still. "I admire you more than you think!" She lowered her arms and slowly looked up at him. "Not many a lass would have climbed down from a tree and fought a wolf to save me," said Basil in a gentle tone of voice.
"I wasn't coming to save you, I saw the pony run off, is all. I didn't feel much like walking all the way home," said Emma as she glared at him.
Basil burst out laughing, " a fighter to the very end!"
Emma saw the blood dripping from his wrist and it shocked her, "Basil, your injured!"
"Just a few bite marks, nothing to worry about," he said.
Emma pulled up his sleeve and saw the puncture wounds on his wrist from the wolf's teeth. She reached down and pulled her petticoats hem off and bandaged it. As she wrapped his wrist, she said, "My Da once told me, long ago. If you're bit by a wolf that you'd be turned into a wolf at every full moon, being half wolf and half hobbit!"
Again Basil burst out laughing, "Don't tell me you still believe in superstition?"
"Stop laughing at me!" shouted Emma. "And what is super.uh, stupersition?"
"Old tales that parents say to their children to frighten them. There is not a lick of truth in it, my dear Emma," said Basil. "It will be a full moon again tonight, care to sit up with me and see for yourself?"
"I wouldn't sit anywhere near you, if I had me own choice of it," stated Emma as she turned away from Basil and started her long walk home.