Pulling hard on the oars Gwaihir skimmed the little boat over the waves after Thendel. Isaebel had already taken the ship as far away as she could, much to the Ranger's distaste. But as Throin said the two elves were the last people on Middle-earth the young girl wanted to see right now. Everard was already telling Cassie, Thendel's cousin, all about the adventures she was likely to have when Gwaihir snapped at him irritably.
"If you do not quiet down Hobbit I shall have to make you. We do not need to go putting ideas like that into this young girl's head. As soon as we rescue Thendel we're taking her straight home."
Throin grunted his approval and bowing politely to the bright-haired woman he took the oars from her. As though she were proving her point, Gwaihir shifted places with him awkwardly so that she could sit between the Hobbit and the young girl. Everard bowed his head meekly but Cassie merely stared at the Ranger with an odd kind of regard that bordered on hostility.
Rowing in silence they soon made out Thendel once more amongst the waves. The ship had already disappeared over the horizon and to Gwaihir's discomfort they were moving in a southerly direction. As Throin pulled harder on the oars the Ranger called quietly to Thendel, trying not to startle her.
"Thend? Dear, we've come back for you. Will you not join us?"
Shivering hard Thendel looked up at them, barely registering their presence let alone who they were. Everard closed his eyes to hide his tears as her eyes completely swept over him; she had failed to even recognise her best friend. Her skin had turned a faint shade of blue and she seemed to be growing weaker.
"The spring water would have done little for her. It is coldest this time of year, apart from the winter ocean. It is remarkable that she is still conscious." Cassie murmured softly as Gwaihir pulled Thendel aboard. Both she and Cassie began to wring the water out of her clothes as Everard hunted for a blanket. Looking on helplessly Throin settled the oars down and handed the blanket to Ev absently.
"Get us to the shore dwarf! Quick, don't just sit there." Gwaihir ordered as she wrapped the blanket around Thendel's shivering body. Rowing with all his strength, Throin pulled the boat through the water and as they reach the shoreline both he and Cassie jumped out and hauled it the rest of the way. Lifting Thendel's tiny body carefully, Gwaihir carried her out and lay her down in the sun.
"Wood, we need to get a fire going. Do not worry about food just get a fire going." Grateful that there was something useful for him to do finally Everard dove into the undergrowth and immediately set about finding wood. Looking about Throin tried to get his bearings. They were much further south than they had been when they set out, in the opposite direction the others were going.
A dark forest stood behind them as far as he could see and extended almost to the shore. A thin strip of beach ran for a hundred feet and formed a sheltered cove; around the outside was two rocky points. The water in the cove was calm and a pale green color but outside of it the waves had grown choppier and the water was grey, crested with white foam.
He knew not where he was, nor did he feel he wanted to.
"Throin? Look I'm sorry for speaking to you as I did earlier…" Gwaihir said softly from where she was bathing Thendel's feverish brow. Cassie and Everard were trying hastily to get the fire alight.
"Think nothing of it my lady; I should have thought to head for shore instead of just sitting there." Shuffling his feet in the sand he smiled weakly at the woman. When she smiled back he sighed thankfully, he did not like to see sadness in others. Nor self blame. If anyone was at fault it was those damned elves…
A gust of wind blew against his cheek and he noticed the reason for the choppy water. Dark clouds dimmed the horizon and were already blocking the sun from view. Running down the short expanse of beach to where the boat rocked gently in the shallows he hauled it further up.
Thankfully Gwaihir had thought to set up camp as close to the forest as possible, he could only hope that dangers would not come from that direction during the night. Sweating profusely he managed to pull it up to where the others sat and began emptying the contents. At first he merely through them out but at Cassie's protest he began to stack them more carefully.
When Everard realised his intention he set about helping him, although neither spoke a word to the other. When they had finished Everard brandished a longish thick stick he had found that was too large for the fire. Gwaihir was about to jump up when Throin laughed gruffly.
"He knows what it's about my lady; do not worry about us."
With an effort they managed to tip the boat on its side, effectively shielding the party from the wind, which was growing stronger by the minute. Stabbing the branch into the ground, Everard knocked it in as far as he could as Throin held the boat up with his back. When Ev stepped back Throin released the boat and fell onto the sand, face first.
The boat knocked the branch in further but when Everard shook it they all noticed it had become more stable. Both he and Throin began moving the food and other items under the makeshift shelter as Cassie finished getting the fire alight.
Color began to return to Thendel's cheeks but to Gwaihir's dismay she still didn't recognise any of them and had begun to talk feverishly. As she was bending down to try and make sense of her words she was startled by Everard's whoop of joy, albeit a hushed one. In his hands he held a white piece of cloth that appeared to be a sail. Showing wisdom beyond his years he unfolded it and lay it down on the sandy ground.
"Thend has to have the blanket of course, she's sick, but now we won't have to freeze tonight."
"What are you doing Throin?" Cassie asked suddenly of the dwarf. He was hunting through the things that were in the bottom of the boat and he looked up guiltily.
"I know we should be worried about our girl here, but you can't expect us to go hungry. Nor thirsty. We were out at sea all day searching for her without food or water."
Moving over to the dwarf's side, encouraging a cry of protest from Ev as she messed up his makeshift bed, she opened a pack that lay near his side. A loaf of flat bread was inside, along with some apples and some dried apricots. Another bag revealed a small kettle and a flask of water.
"This'll do for tonight, we have enough rations for tonight and tomorrow but that is it. And no Ev, its not Hobbit size rations, you'll have to make do with the same amount as we're having."
About to voice his protest he caught the stern glance of Gwaihir. Again he bowed his head meekly and went back to laying out the sail. Satisfied Cassie went back over to the fire and set the kettle upon it. Throin joined Gwaihir over near Thendel and the pair settled down side by side to act as a secondary windbreak.
Leaning over Everard smoothed out one corner of the sail, his fastidious Hobbit side coming through. As he did a small bag fell from one of his many pockets. Picking it up he turned it over and over in his hands, trying to make out what it was. Just as he went to sniff at it Gwaihir glanced up.
"My tea bag! So that's what happened to it. Trust a Hobbit to pick it up. Now we can have something better than plain old water."
As Cassie passed around the rations and mugs of water, Everard handed out a small amount of tea to each of them. They ate in silence, trying not to notice the dark clouds that threatened overhead. Nor the white sheet of rain coming in from the ocean. While it was still on the horizon it would not take long before it hit the shore.
When they had finished, Throin and Gwaihir lifted Thendel up and placed her atop of the sail, which was comparatively water-proof and would hopefully protect her a bit more from the rain. Dousing the flames Everard and Cassie soon joined them inside the folded sail. It was cold, but at least they were dry and not sick as Thendel was. For that they were thankful as they closed their eyes to sleep.
Sitting up in his part of the bed Throin kept his thick hands tightly on the hilt of his axe. The rain would keep most foes at bay but it paid to be vigilant, and he would not request a lady to take her share of the watch. Nor did he trust the Hobbit or the child with the responsibility. No, it was going to be a long, cold night for one dwarf.