Chapter 4 Bergil

Disclaimer yadah yadah yadah

They had all slept soundly that night but in the morning the sound of the waterfall was augmented by the sound of the rain falling. They had all groaned but they all wanted to get back home quickly so there was nothing for it but to shoulder their packs and to get on with it. As they walked the rain eased off and soon the sun came out. Then Mardil the scout came back with news that he had seen a figure dressed in orc rags and covered in filth in a clearing slowly the whole team gathered round the clearing in order to completely surround who or whatever it was. As one side of team came into position the team leader whistled to alert the others they were in place. No one ever knew exactly what happened but just when the first leader whistled the whatever it was suddenly got frightened and ran away. Mablung signalled to the group nearest to where it was to follow it. Bergil was in that group. As they ran the thing suddenly swung itself up into a large tree. As they debated what to do the others came up. As they debated what to do someone said that as the youngest Bergil should go up and see what it was. Although he argued for all he was worth finally he was made to go up the tree. Making up his mind to find out who it was that said he should go up and to "thank" him and thanking the Valar that he had spent most of his holidays with his grandsire in Lossarnach climbing trees like this one he reached the level just below whatever it was when he felt the tree shake and through the leaves he saw a flash of black go past him. There was a cry of surprise from down below and Mardil yelled up to him to come down. Dropping down with the skill that only comes from much practice and several broken bones he ran over to where to others were gathered. "What is it?" he asked. The others grudgingly moved over to allow him a view.

It was a girl dressed in orcish rags with matted and dirt encrusted hair, so thin that even through her rags you could count every bone, her skin so bruised you could barely tell what its original colour was and last her right leg bent at an angle that was not humanly possible.

Mablung looked up as he came along "I think we have found your mysterious figure, Bergil."