In An Age Before – Part 238
Helluin remained at the bow rail through the hours of darkness, resting her mind by watching the starlight on the water and the bright crescent of Ithil passing o'er the dark lands of Ithilien and Lossarnach as they slipped by. She remained unmoving and was ignored by the ship's watches when they changed at midnight and again four hours later ere Anor rose 'nigh the end of morning watch. During that night, Gwathui Gaer passed downriver one hundred forty miles at a steady twelve knots. Celeg stood off, slightly behind and to port, with Andaith and Limlug following closely. They appeared to be just another small flotilla of commercial cargo vessels, sailing together for safety's sake on the same course down Anduin, and none seeing them would suspect 'aught else.
As the water brightened 'neath the dawn of 10 Hithui, the Noldo smelt the smoke from the galley stove and wandered below to join the morning mess. She found the sailors of the forenoon watch preparing to come on duty, and a half-dozen of the Rangers starting their day.
"We passed the mouth of Erui just o'er six hours ago and Pelargir lies within sight to starboard," she told them. "The mouth of Poros is but five hours ahead."
"We make good time then, First Guardian," Sergeant Orodben said.
"Aye, the way has been smooth. How passed the night with the horses?" Helluin asked.
"They were nervous at first, especially those from the north, but they all settled after a couple hours," he said.
"They'll soon be content aboard," one of the sailors said. "None panicked or kicked, and they dozed whilst night lasted. We've seen the like oft enough aforetime."
Helluin nodded to him and offered a thankful smile for his tidings, then took a seat on the bench. The ship's cook brought her a plate with a thick slice of pan-fried ham to accompany the basket of biscuits and bowl of thick, lard gravy already gracing the table. She tucked into the meal with gusto, for 'twas the same ubiquitous galley fare familiar to her since she had ridden with Vëantur in ships out of Rómenna in Númenor.
Now after breaking her fast, Helluin went to visit Álfrhestr, for though she doubted not the word of the sailor, she knew the stallion might appreciate some encouragement. She found him, and the other Ranger steeds, terribly bored.
I have heard that thou art acclimating to life aboard ship, she said silently, eye to eye.
Huh? The horse said, slowly raising his head and meeting her eyes. Oh, 'tis thee, Helluin.
How fare thee, my friend, she asked.
Seventy-four, answered the stallion, nodding his head with certainty.
Huh? Seventy-four what?
Seventy-four nails affixing the boards of this stall, Helluin…and thirty-seven.
And thirty-seven what, my friend?
Thirty-seven knots in the boards.
I see, Helluin said, not knowing what else to offer.
Helluin, I believe I am bored.
I see, she repeated. Have none of the others 'aught to offer of enlivening conversation?
They did at first, but we have exhausted all topics of interest during the hours of the night. Perhaps I would be better off as an Orc, Álfrhestr bemoaned.
From a couple stalls within her peripheral vision, the Noldo marked nods of agreement from Draugrán's stallion and Dúnriel's mare. She groaned silently to herself, wondering what would come next.
Are we there yet? Álfrhestr asked, perking up in hope, and she marked the other two hanging on her answer.
Nay, we are not, Helluin said. Five hours hence, we shall turn in at the mouth of the river Poros and from there we must navigate upstream seven score miles to the Ford of Poros. Thereafter, we shall proceed on land.
That shall take fore'er, Dúnriel's mare groaned, I shall be old and grey.
Nonsense, Helluin replied, becoming exasperated with their whining, in the night, we came a like distance down Anduin. We shall come to the ford long ere any here are ready for the glue monger's cauldron. Take heart.
As she left the stalls to make her way back above deck, Helluin heard Draugrán's stallion commiserating with the mare, saying, I reckon I should be better off as an Orc than a pot of glue.
Now though they would have been loath to admit it, the morning passed as boring for the Rangers as for their horses. With the current propelling them downstream, there was 'naught for them to do and even the sailors were under challenged by that portion of the voyage. 'Twas not 'til they approached the mouth of the river Poros that much action was required. There the ships were forced to execute a turn to port 'cross Anduin's current and then enter the river channel of the Poros against its out-flowing water.
The rudders were turned hard to port and the sails trimmed to tack up river. Their speed dropped from twelve knots to three almost immediately, and the crews were forced to fight for e'ery increase in speed. The wind continued to come from the north, but it remained weak, blowing at only a few knots. After an hour, Captain Dórvelethron told Helluin that four knots was the best he could coax from Gwathui Gaer unless the wind should increase. Helluin nodded, accepting his assessment, for no sailor could change the weather.
Their time sailing to the Ford of Poros would increase to thirty-five hours more or less, and recalling Beinvír's description of the river channel as becoming hedged by rising cliffs that would only diminish the wind, she reckoned forty hours more likely. She shook her head and wondered if she would have a horse or an Orc by the time that all was said and done.
During the afternoon, Celeg slowly passed them, and then Limlug, and finally Andaith. The smaller ships were making perhaps a half-knot better speed than what the larger schooner could achieve. When they passed, Helluin waved them on. As the hours went by, they grew e'er smaller 'til by nightfall, Helluin reckoned they had pulled three and a half miles ahead. By dawn of 11 Hithui, they would be out of sight, leading Gwathui Gaer by ten to eleven miles.
Dawn of the 11th found the schooner eighty-four miles upriver with the banks becoming stony and beginning to rise on both sides of the water. As expected, the winds began to diminish and their speed dropped further. Worse, the river was narrowing and the current growing stronger.
"Two and a half knots, First Guardian," Captain Dórvelethron apologetically informed her as they broke their fasts in the galley. "And I wager by noon, we'll barely be moving forward at all."
Helluin shook her head in reluctant acceptance for 'twas 'naught that they could do. The wind was what 'twas and it seemed that Manwë had no intention of increasing it for her sake.
"Captain, I bid thee search the southern bank for any place we can debark," she told him. "At this rate, t'will be faster to ride cross-country than sail the last sixty miles to the ford."
He nodded to her, snatched a biscuit, dunked it in gravy, and then clomped off up to the weather deck to inform his lookouts.
It seemed that the same problem had affected the other three ships, for ere an hour had passed, they came upon Limlug and Celeg anchored midstream and Andaith berthed beside a flat shelf of rock on the southern bank. Andaith's crew had set their gangplank and six Rangers were offloading supplies. Above them, at the top of a narrow path leading up from the river, their nine horses stood 'neath the watchful eyes of the remaining three Rangers. Helluin nodded in approval.
O'er the course of the next hour and a half, each ship came to berth by the flat rock and their passengers debarked with their horses and supplies. One after another, the ships took in their lines, and with the aid of their rudders, allowed the current to turn them downstream where they anchored to await the others. Two hours ere noon, Helluin and the Rangers waved farewell to the captains and sailors and watched the four ships begin their return downstream to Anduin.
Surcease from the torment of thy boredom and earlier than expected hast thou been granted, O Álfrhestr, Helluin said silently to the stallion ere she mounted. I am glad thou hast not become an Orc.
'Twas a close thing, O Helluin, he replied, completely serious. Could confinement and torment have had a part in the tale of how Orcs came to be?
Indeed the Elves believe 'twas just so when Morgoth first created that kindred long ago.
Álfrhestr nodded gravely and then asked, so the Orcs were horses once?
The Noldo gritted her teeth with the effort of restraining her compulsion to roll her eyes and throw up her hands in astonishment and exasperation.
Nay! Nay! The first Orcs were Elves once, she finally managed to grind out.
I see. Helluin, I hope thou dost not become an Orc, the horse said sympathetically. I shall do my best to keep thee from becoming bored.
Helluin nodded her thanks to the stallion and climbed onto his back. Once out of his eyesight, she thought, thou may drive me to madness, but not to boredom, Álfrhestr.
Now ere they took to the road, Helluin asked if any amongst the Rangers had spent time in Harondor. They all shook their heads 'nay' and this was not unexpected, for in their lifetimes, the country south of Ithilien had been sparsely peopled with folk who were for the most part hostile.
As Helluin gazed 'round at the countryside, she saw mostly flat terrain, a low and sprawling pediment through which cut the river Poros ere the land sloped upwards to the foothills of the Ephel Dúath three score miles to the east. The vegetation was scrubby, with a mix of coarse grasses, low shrubs, and a few stunted trees typical of a semi-arid clime. Underfoot lay poor, flinty soil, patches of gravel, and bare bedrock where 'naught but lichens grew. So far as her eyes could see, 'twas no sign of habitation. Scanning the sky revealed no tell tale column of smoke attesting to a hunting camp or some settler's cabin. There were no paths or roads. Helluin nodded in approval.
"I find an advantage to coming ashore here, for we are far from the road and less likely to be marked," she said.
After searching through her travel bag, Helluin produced a splinter of iron wrapped in a scrap of cat's fur. Whilst the Rangers watched, she rubbed the metal with the cat's fur, renewing its magnetism 'til it clove to her dagger and could not be shaken loose. The Noldo plucked a sere blade of grass and lay the splinter upon it in her palm, and then poured a mouthful of water 'round it so that it floated.
The splinter slowly turned 'til it pointed to the north, obliquely 'cross the river, and Helluin compared its direction to the map of Harondor she had memorized. Finally, she shook the water from her hand, discarded the blade of grass, and put away the splinter of iron and scrap of cat's fur.
"We make our path southeast," she told the Rangers, pointing out the direction, "and in four days time, we shall find the Ephel Dúath turning east."
Helluin received nods of agreement from the Rangers and marked that they looked skyward to place the sun. She reckoned that they would check the position of their own shadows at noon.
They set out with 'nigh two hours remaining ere noon and rode 'til dark, eight hours less the time spent to rest their horses when they found small streams. O'er the course of the 11th, they made thirty miles and set a cold camp where Helluin again checked her compass. She found that they had deviated but little to the south and counted that no great hardship, for they would turn south 'round the end of the mountains anyway.
The company set out again shortly after dawn on 12 Hithui. By mid-morning, they grew warier and checked in all directions for any rising clouds of dust or smoke. They saw 'naught to reveal either travelers or camps. Helluin called a halt at noon and went forward in stealth with Dúnriel and Sergeant Húbion. From a low rise, they surveyed the Harad Road that lay 'cross their path and stretched away to the north and south. The Noldo assembled her viewing tube and saw no travelers upon the road, nor any camped along its margins for as far as she could see.
"The road is deserted for at least two leagues north and south," she reported to the Rangers. Let us cross whilst 'tis free of others."
They rode forward, but only at a trot, hoping to raise the least amount of dust whilst still outpacing any walking or riding in a wagon. As they came 'nigh, the sergeants ordered their Rangers to spread out 'cross a hundred yards so that no concentration of hoof prints would be left to reveal their trail and tell the tale of a company moving east. They drew together again after crossing, maintaining a trot for the first league and then accelerating to a gallop. With breaks for rest and water at each stream, they continued thus for the remainder of the day.
The 13th and 14th of Hithui passed in the same manner save that the Harad Road lay safely behind them. Helluin and the Rangers found none in that land. It seemed that the Haradrim followed the same wisdom as the Gondorim in this; Harondor was of more value strategically than economically, especially the areas 'nigh the borders of Poros and Anduin. 'Twas a dismal place to live, impossible to farm, and so poorly endowed as range land that herders avoided it just as farmers did. Perhaps 'twas only a land to be bypassed along a trade route, back when there had been sufficient trade to tempt caravans and wagoners to haul their merchandise 'twixt Umbar and Gondor. Of wildlife, they marked a few hares, some jumping rats, some smaller rodents, some snakes, and some lizards, none of them worthy of the effort of a hunt. Of game birds, they saw 'naught.
During the 15th, the eastern horizon came to be dominated by the shadowy Ephel Dúath as the land began to entertain irregular lines of hills that rose e'er higher. It seemed that more rain fell, perhaps because the more frequent clouds were intimidated by the mountains into giving up their moisture ere rising to pass into Nurn. For whate'er reason, the Rangers now saw far more watercourses running down from the highlands, and along their banks, thin curtains of scrubby trees. To the horses' delight, the grass grew lusher, and in the late afternoon they saw a small herd of goats leaping up a low scarp of exposed rocks to the east.
After consulting with the Sergeants Renidir, Húbion, and Orodben, Helluin turned the company more easterly whilst remaining in the foothills a couple miles from the mountains. The way was still not so rocky as to impede the horses, but the undulating landscape offered some cover, greater opportunities to find water, and perhaps to hunt.
By 17 Hithui, Helluin and the Rangers had ridden east for another sixty miles along the southern arm of the Ephel Dúath. The land had changed little in that time, though they had endured several periods of rain on the 16th. They had seen no habitations of Men and did not deem this strange, for who in their right mind would want to live so close to Mordor?
"I reckon we draw 'nigh the pass," she said at that evening's camp, "and are probably no more than a score miles from the river Harnen."
"Then on the morrow we should seek a place, well concealed, in which to set our picket and establish a watch post," Sergeant Húbion said.
"Aye," Helluin agreed, "and preferably close to the foot of the Nargil Pass with a view of the river Harnen."
"T'would be prudent should circumstances force a rapid withdrawal," Sergeant Orodben said. "I would recommend we be no further than a mile from the pass, perhaps on a tributary of the Harnen."
"Then we shall needs be closer to the mountains," Sergeant Renidir said, "though perhaps that too shall work in our favor."
"Our camp shall be easier concealed amidst the higher ground and the water sources smaller and less likely to be visited by any others," Helluin agreed.
"A trail for retreat that is at least partly concealed would be a great boon," Dúnriel offered.
"And we shall need pasturage for three dozen horses," Draugrán added last. "Do we know of any vales at the feet of the mountains?"
"Alas, the map I saw showed not so much detail," Helluin said after consulting her memory, "and indeed I doubt if any accurate survey of these lands has e'er been made by Gondor. The pass has e'er been held by the enemy."
'Twas sobering, but expected. Even after their victory in the Great War, the Men of Gondor had ne'er walked the Nargil Pass, but long aforetime some Black Númenóreans from Umbar had. To bypass Ithilien and remain hidden from the Gondorim, Fuinor and Herumor had led their troops through those mountains to the Dark Lord's muster in the time of the War of the Last Alliance. Beyond the Ephel Dúath, they had passed through the lands of Nurn, perhaps finding a way to avoid traversing the Ash Plain of Lithlad, and then made their way to the dismal Plateau of Gorgoroth in the heart of Mordor. All the effort and suffering they had endured only led to death in battle on Dagorlad.
Now on 18 Hithui, Helluin and the Rangers approached the foot of the Nargil Pass. They rode closer to the mountains, within a mile of the scarp of the outermost ramparts, and they sent scouts both ahead and to the west lest they be flanked or find foes patrolling the lands 'nigh the entrance to the Black Land. Of need, they rode at a walk, cleaving to such cover as the land provided and doing their best to memorize the features they passed.
In the early afternoon, having encountered none, but seeing a line of trees in the near-distance marking the course of the river Harnen, they halted and Helluin brought Sergeant Orodben's dozen Rangers forward afoot. Within a mile, they began to mark manmade disturbances, faint trails leading to the river, and in one place, the abandoned ring of a campfire. Half a mile further on, they caught their first view of the pass.
The foot of the Nargil Pass lay in a vale so narrow as to be akin to the slot canyon leading into Imladris. Jagged walls of dark rock hedged either side of a rough track o'er scree and bare stone. 'Naught that they could see told of any improvements done, whether grading, widening, or smoothing. Paths in the sandy dirt outside of the entrance fanned out in all directions attesting to past foot traffic. The track led upward at a steep incline and soon passed from sight 'round a bend. From it, a chill air flowed down from higher in the Ephel Dúath.
"Pray await me here," Helluin whispered to Sergeant Orodben ere she slipped forward, silent and cleaving to the abundant shadows.
Helluin advanced warily and was soon lost to their sight. The Rangers hunkered down on either side of the entrance and went still 'neath their cloaks with only their eyes shifting to survey the surrounding land. Save for the cold air, 'naught came down from the pass, not even a hint of the wind or a rumor of cracking stone, pebbles rolling, or trickles of water. 'Twas as if the land itself were long dead rather than moaning in its dying torment. The nature of the place set frigid fingers 'round their hearts.
Long ere Helluin reappeared after an hour's absence, the Rangers were fraught with worry. They imagined a thousand calamities, yet had heard no sound suggesting 'aught. Just ere the silence became unbearable, the Noldo reappeared. Rather than speak, she simply gestured them to follow her, and then they withdrew to rejoin the rest of the company. When they arrived, they found the horses, but only a dozen Rangers. Sergeant Renidir had taken his company to search for a campsite. Whilst a half-dozen kept watch, Helluin reported her findings to the other dozen and a half.
"I scouted the first mile of the pass and found none traveling upon it," she began, "and indeed if any have used it of late, they left no trace, very unlike Yrch."
"Didst thou mark any foes guarding or watching o'er the pass, First Guardian," asked Sergeant Húbion.
"Nay, I did not, good sergeant. It may be that 'tis not regularly used, or perhaps 'tis considered so remote and forbidding that fear of intruders is deemed too slight to require continuous guardianship o'er it, I know not," she said. "The way ascends steeply o'er broken ground so far as I went, and it continued thus so far as I could see. I know not to what heights it scales, nor what length it runs, howe'er, t'will be easy to waylay, for places of concealment abound. 'Tis just that so far as I came, 'twas also so narrow as to constrain the size of companies either seeking to pass, or seeking to stay them."
The Rangers fell silent, thinking on Helluin's description of the pass. 'Twas like a rough-hewn corridor of stone, and only a few could hide along such a narrow way. As they continued to think, Sergeant Renidir and his Rangers reappeared with good tidings.
"We have found a dog-leg coomb, long and narrow, and cloven 'twixt two arms of the mountains," the sergeant told them. "We deem it hath ample pasturage and more than enough space for the horses. A rill runs through from higher up. Its only down side is that the mouth is more exposed than would be ideal, yet if all remain 'round the bend, none can be seen save by entering."
The waiting Rangers nodded in approval of his report. By then, only a couple hours of daylight remained and passing the night in the open so close to the pass left all feeling unsettled.
"I deem it as good as we might hope," Helluin said, "and with the grace of the Valar, we shall not abide it for long. Very well, lead on sergeant, and we shall establish our picket and camp."
Sergeant Renidir led the company three furlongs back from where they had met, and there lay the mouth of the coomb. It opened a fathom above the surrounding ground on a flat shelf of rock, clearly visible, but hard to see into save by ascending the shelf o'er several broad, natural steps. T'would do nicely for a temporary camp in an area where foes still had yet to be seen.
Now the coomb's mouth measured perhaps a score rangar in breadth, narrowing by half beyond it where the walls of the mountain rose in steep, unbroken cliffs as if riven by the stroke of some giant axe. They marked a small trickle of water dripping o'er the lip on one side of the shelf and then running off downslope, soon to be lost amongst loose boulders.
The company entered and rode forward thirty-odd rangar ere the coomb hooked to the left in just shy of a right angle. There the floor climbed several steps, in a succession of low shelves of bare rock, much like the ones at the entrance. Beyond lay a spacious, blind alcove, larger than expected, bounded on three sides by precipices, and sheltered from the wind. Perhaps that protection had allowed for the slow accumulation of soil in which grew the ubiquitous coarse grass of Harondor, but no plants larger. The rear wall was damp and water stained, and 'neath it had gathered a shallow, bathtub-sized pool from which the rill ran. 'Twas as a gift of refuge in a hostile place and all felt sincere thanks to find it.
"Well done, Sergeant Renidir," Helluin said in praise, "thy company has found as fine a redoubt as could be hoped."
Now after removing their saddles and settling the horses, Helluin left it to the sergeants to assign watch details. A dozen Rangers would split the night and day in three shifts 'til those sent to waylay the pass took their leave. During that time, 'twas hoped that the character of the surrounding land would become better known and its threats revealed. Half of each watch would guard the entrance to the coomb, whilst the other half would range beyond, taking up elevated positions from which to keep a lookout o'er the approaches from the east, west, and south.
Those not on watch set out their bedrolls, and after their evening mess, sought a few hours' sleep. Ere she went to rest her mind for the night, Helluin came to Álfrhestr and they shared silent speech.
I hope thou find these accommodations satisfactory, she asked.
Whilst it feels safe enough here, I and the others remain a bit unsettled, for we cannot see what threats may come, nor from what direction, the stallion said, speaking for the other horses.
I see, Helluin said, but in this coomb there is only one direction from which foes may come.
Perhaps I spoke but half of our concerns, the stallion admitted. Dangers must appear from the mouth of the coomb, but there is no escape save past them, unless I have o'erlooked something.
Nay, thou hast not, and yea, thou art correct. There is but one way in and the same way out. We must trust to our concealment from unfriendly eyes, and to that end, I pray ye remain silent.
So we must remain silent and still, Álfrhestr said, to which Helluin nodded 'aye'. I hope that we shall not be forced to long abide hither, for t'will quickly become boring.
On the morrow, I shall take two dozen of the Rangers to the pass, I am not sure for how long. The remaining dozen shall stay with thee to guard this place. Pray be patient, my friend.
The young stallion nodded, though he was obviously unhappy with the arrangement.
I had no idea that being a warhorse would be so trying, with the hardship of so much boredom to endure. It hath me actually hoping for battle.
Of that, we shall see, Helluin said. If such comes to pass, then I hope t'will be on open ground where thou can see in all directions and run when the need demands. In the meantime, I bid thee take this opportunity to rest.
Now after seeing him nod his agreement, the Noldo walked off towards the mouth of the coomb. There she found Sergeant Húbion and three of his company ensconced behind boulders on either side of the entrance. Their eyes were sweeping o'er the surrounding terrain, and their bows were loose in their hands. The sergeant nodded to her as she approached.
"There are two just beyond the shelf, and another six ranging in pairs beyond, First Guardian," he reported.
"That is good, sergeant. I shall do a bit of scouting of my own. Expect my return after dawn."
Helluin drew her hood up o'er her head, and then after gathering the folds of her cloak close 'round her, slipped away into the darkness. She was silent, and in a few paces, she was invisible. On her way from the mouth of the coomb, she passed two of the three pairs of Rangers, but they ne'er marked her. Then, weaving amongst the boulders and cleaving to the darkest of the shadows, she made her way three furlongs east to the Nargil Pass. There she began to retrace her steps of the past afternoon, climbing through the stillness of black rock.
Now whereas aforetime she had spent but an hour in the pass, traveling a mile in and a mile back out, Helluin intended to make a longer foray, having roughly thirteen hours remaining ere dawn. She cast her senses out 'round herself, hearing 'naught of life and seeing 'naught of movement. That did not change, and she found only the unfamiliar trail continuing onward before her to offer 'aught of interest. As she climbed, she memorized the way so that she could retrace her steps with the Rangers and waylay the pass to their best advantage. She hoped to find a place where the approach to their ambush could be easily watched so that no foes could appear too close and too suddenly before them.
The hours of the night slipped by and Helluin continued to climb. By the positions of the stars, she reckoned the passage of time. Midnight approached. She deemed that she had come a dozen miles in six hours. The initial miles, wherein grotesquely sculpted walls had hedged the trail, had given way for the last eight to a barely discernable path running along the side of a cliff, or crossing cols 'twixt peaks. From some of these, she had gauged the increasing altitude and mostly consistent direction of the pass. One further observation had brought a smile to her lips. Here and there, she had found rough cairns marking the way.
Helluin came to a place where the trail led 'twixt many boulders large and small. By starlight and moonlight, intermittent views of the mountains and the deep clefts that lay in darkness at their feet were revealed. Here there were many crevices and hollows 'neath the toppled stones, and here she felt the first sign of life. A single spirit lay close ahead. For long she stood still, reaching out to discern its kind. 'Nigh immediately she was sure 'twas no Elf or Man. Only a few moments later she also discarded the notion that 'twas an Orch. Still uncertain, she realized that she felt no evil.
Finally, she sighed and whispered, "With whom do I share this night in so remote a place?"
"Whoooooo," came a reply in an unearthly voice that echoed amongst the bare rocks.
Strange as 'twas, Helluin relaxed, for she had heard similar voices in the past, though far from this place. With that realization, she emitted a dim glow of silver and gold and came forward into a patch of moonlight, looking to the place whence the voice had come. She marked a large owl with plumage of white speckled with broken grey bars standing Man high on a ledge of rock, still as the rock itself whilst it stared at her with unblinking eyes. She met its glance and established a silent rapport.
Fair night to thee, O hunter on silent wings, the Noldo offered in greeting.
A fair night to thee, O bright one. 'Tis a thing strange to me, to meet one of thy kindred in this lonesome place.
I have come seeking those that I have heard travel this pass on two feet. Hast thou seen 'aught of any such come hither of late?
The owl bobbed its head up and down and said, I have seen some coming from the land beyond at whiles.
Did they return thither? Helluin asked.
Nay, they did not, but more followed at times, though I know not why. Only can I say that they held themselves like prey.
Saw thou their hunters?
Nay, I did not, but I deem they were in flight, though without wings.
To this Helluin nodded in understanding. They fled afoot. They had come from Mordor, but the owl had seen none to pursue them. Still, 'twas 'nigh certain that they were Yrch.
Think thou that if I waited, I might meet some of these prey?
T'would be a long wait, for they come not oft. It hath been seven sunsets since I saw the last. Thou might wait seven sunsets yet. After a pause, the owl added in a confidential tone, they make poor fare so I hunt them not.
I would hunt them not for sustenance, but rather, to hear their tale.
To this, the owl bobbed its head again, though it likely did not share her interest in lore.
Know thou a place whence their approach could be easily marked? Helluin asked.
Of course. I know all such vantages along these trails. I shall show thee…follow as thou can.
The owl broke eye contact and swept up into the air, then coasted further ahead down the pass. Helluin followed in haste, paying no heed to stealth, for she knew they were alone. Half a furlong ahead, she saw the owl sitting atop a boulder and marked that they had come to a downslope. The owl launched itself into the air again, disappeared behind some rocks, but returned shortly with something grasped in its talons. When she finally reached the boulder, the Noldo found the owl ripping some creature into hunks and swallowing them.
Helluin looked ahead down the trail and saw it crossing another col, visible for perhaps a hundred yards ere it climbed to pass amongst the boulders where she stood. The owl finished the last of its meal and looked Helluin in the eyes.
This is a good place and I have caught many meals here. Is this what thou desired?
Indeed so. Thou hast my thanks, O hunter on silent wings. I shall return to await the inedible ere sunset next, but I shall be bringing a company with me. I shall tell them to disturb not thy hunt.
That would be well, O bright one. I bid thee a fair night.
A fair night to thee with my thanks.
Thereafter, Helluin retraced her steps down from the pass to its mouth with such haste as safety would allow. Just after sunrise, she returned to the mouth of the coomb, bypassing the Ranger sentries and leaving them none the wiser.
To Be Continued