A/N: Finally! I'm updating again. Thanks for sticking with me through my sabbatical; I had the worst writer's block ever. The long-awaited chapter 37! Read on!
Chapter 37- In the Spider's Nest
She had only two options, that she could see: One, jump up like a lunatic and start firing at random, or two: lie there until they found her, and stab at random. Both involved too much chance for her liking. But she wasn't going to take it lying down, no she wouldn't. Her mother wouldn't have done so, she was sure. So she wouldn't either.
Without any conscious planning, she got to her feet hastily and let an arrow fly in the direction of the sentries. She heard the sound of it hitting wood. She had missed.
"Gah! Where did that come from?" she heard someone say. She couldn't distinguish who was who; Men's voices sounded so similar. Plus, she was trying to translate very quickly; she had gotten some practice speaking Westron with Benvenue, but it was one thing to speak it, and quite another to do a rapid translation of a conversation.
"Use the wits bestowed on a turnip, Demelin. That's obviously our quarry. Elf, unless the local squirrels have started fletching arrows?" Probably Bain said that, sounded official enough. Now that she had a better location on the speakers, she let fly again. This time, she got a desired result.
"The bastard!" cursed someone, "ahh, my arm!" She began to run.
"There, it's running! Irithmacar, get Luin back to camp, and send others after us. Demelin, come with me!" She had harbored brief thoughts of staying and fighting, but that wasn't her job. Her job was to find the Warlord and kill him, not start fights with the subordinates. But could she outrun them?
Most likely. She had a decent headstart, and she knew a thing or two about dodging attackers, mostly picked up through trial and error. She cut a zig-zag course deep into the forest, into a part she hadn't explored much. It would have been wiser, perhaps, to stay in the territory she knew, but it was too close to the town. She pressed onwards, hearing them pursue her. It was no good; this goose chase was just wasting time. She would have to stand and fight--
Something landed right in front of her. A very large something. Stifling a shriek, she slowly retreated backwards. She had run blindly into a spider nest.
The spider population was another problem Awaren did not see fit to deal with; the number had been growing by leaps and bounds. It was common enough knowledge that if left unchecked, they would soon overrun the forest.
Why this occured to her at that moment was a mystery; she never seemed to be able to grasp important concepts in the face of danger, instead her mind wandered to stupid things like that. Fortunately, the spider was taken by surprise almost as much as she was, and didn't immediately attack.
Rosellyn continued backing away, craning her neck up to see the creature's many eyes. ~Sweet Jesus on a stick!~ screamed Della. -Della, hush, right now, I need to think-- But Della was in too much of a panic. ~Mary, mother of God! Why is it so big? I HATE spiders!~ This was not a good time for that revelation. -Then hush and let me deal with it.- Della was gibbering, so Rose pushed her to the outskirts of her mind. But Della was not so easily deterred. ~I don't care if there's an entire regiment on your tail, Rose, get out of here NOW!~ Just as Rose was forming a reply, eyes still locked onto the giant spider's, she tripped flat on her bottom.
"The Elf trips, yes," came the spider's whispery voice. ~It TALKS?~ asked Della faintly. "I thought Elves never tripped...what a young, tasty Elf." ~Tasty?~ echoed Della. She seemed in no hurry to shut up. Neither did the spider. "Are there more Elves? The spiders grow hungry, yes, hungry." Rosellyn scrabbled backwards on all fours. She desperately wished she had a sword; knives wouldn't be much use in this situation. One hairy leg after another, the spider followed. Then, it stopped. "What? Did the Elf bring friends? That's very thoughtful. Perhaps I shall bring some of my friends..." ~No, no friends! No friends! Why can't we get the social outcast spiders?~ her own friend moaned. Rosellyn kept backing up. She needed to stand, to loose an arrow, to get out before the Riders tripped over her.
"Ow!" Too late. Two grown Men running at full speed weren't looking at the ground, at least, not enough to locate the transfixed Elf maid, staring at the giant spider. Men could be singularly blind sometimes.
"I've found the Elf, Bain, I've found the Elf!" And stupid.
"Forget the Elf, we've found a Mirkwood spider!"
Chapter 37- In the Spider's Nest
She had only two options, that she could see: One, jump up like a lunatic and start firing at random, or two: lie there until they found her, and stab at random. Both involved too much chance for her liking. But she wasn't going to take it lying down, no she wouldn't. Her mother wouldn't have done so, she was sure. So she wouldn't either.
Without any conscious planning, she got to her feet hastily and let an arrow fly in the direction of the sentries. She heard the sound of it hitting wood. She had missed.
"Gah! Where did that come from?" she heard someone say. She couldn't distinguish who was who; Men's voices sounded so similar. Plus, she was trying to translate very quickly; she had gotten some practice speaking Westron with Benvenue, but it was one thing to speak it, and quite another to do a rapid translation of a conversation.
"Use the wits bestowed on a turnip, Demelin. That's obviously our quarry. Elf, unless the local squirrels have started fletching arrows?" Probably Bain said that, sounded official enough. Now that she had a better location on the speakers, she let fly again. This time, she got a desired result.
"The bastard!" cursed someone, "ahh, my arm!" She began to run.
"There, it's running! Irithmacar, get Luin back to camp, and send others after us. Demelin, come with me!" She had harbored brief thoughts of staying and fighting, but that wasn't her job. Her job was to find the Warlord and kill him, not start fights with the subordinates. But could she outrun them?
Most likely. She had a decent headstart, and she knew a thing or two about dodging attackers, mostly picked up through trial and error. She cut a zig-zag course deep into the forest, into a part she hadn't explored much. It would have been wiser, perhaps, to stay in the territory she knew, but it was too close to the town. She pressed onwards, hearing them pursue her. It was no good; this goose chase was just wasting time. She would have to stand and fight--
Something landed right in front of her. A very large something. Stifling a shriek, she slowly retreated backwards. She had run blindly into a spider nest.
The spider population was another problem Awaren did not see fit to deal with; the number had been growing by leaps and bounds. It was common enough knowledge that if left unchecked, they would soon overrun the forest.
Why this occured to her at that moment was a mystery; she never seemed to be able to grasp important concepts in the face of danger, instead her mind wandered to stupid things like that. Fortunately, the spider was taken by surprise almost as much as she was, and didn't immediately attack.
Rosellyn continued backing away, craning her neck up to see the creature's many eyes. ~Sweet Jesus on a stick!~ screamed Della. -Della, hush, right now, I need to think-- But Della was in too much of a panic. ~Mary, mother of God! Why is it so big? I HATE spiders!~ This was not a good time for that revelation. -Then hush and let me deal with it.- Della was gibbering, so Rose pushed her to the outskirts of her mind. But Della was not so easily deterred. ~I don't care if there's an entire regiment on your tail, Rose, get out of here NOW!~ Just as Rose was forming a reply, eyes still locked onto the giant spider's, she tripped flat on her bottom.
"The Elf trips, yes," came the spider's whispery voice. ~It TALKS?~ asked Della faintly. "I thought Elves never tripped...what a young, tasty Elf." ~Tasty?~ echoed Della. She seemed in no hurry to shut up. Neither did the spider. "Are there more Elves? The spiders grow hungry, yes, hungry." Rosellyn scrabbled backwards on all fours. She desperately wished she had a sword; knives wouldn't be much use in this situation. One hairy leg after another, the spider followed. Then, it stopped. "What? Did the Elf bring friends? That's very thoughtful. Perhaps I shall bring some of my friends..." ~No, no friends! No friends! Why can't we get the social outcast spiders?~ her own friend moaned. Rosellyn kept backing up. She needed to stand, to loose an arrow, to get out before the Riders tripped over her.
"Ow!" Too late. Two grown Men running at full speed weren't looking at the ground, at least, not enough to locate the transfixed Elf maid, staring at the giant spider. Men could be singularly blind sometimes.
"I've found the Elf, Bain, I've found the Elf!" And stupid.
"Forget the Elf, we've found a Mirkwood spider!"