[Child of the 7th Age]

Child had spent the day helping Zira with Abar and wth the family's small household tasks. Now they sat down together to share dinner.

"Auntie Nitir," laughed Abar, "Why didn't you bring your crow with you.? I saved lots of food for him."

Child smiled and said, "Perhaps, he will visit later." Her heart felt sad with longing for Bird and Pio.

Child dutifully pushed her food from one side of her plate to the other. Yet all the time her ears strained to hear the noises of the night, waiting for the first hint of what was to happen. As the hobbit burrows stood just east of the North Gate, Child suspected that they would be the first to hear the sound of battle and bear the brunt of the attack.

But the first indication did not come quite as she had expected. Just as they were finishing the meal, Abar ran from the table over to the window and pointed out toward the north. "Grandfather, look, someone has turned the sky from black to red, and the stars have all disappeared. Let me go out and see."

The child ran towards the door, but Nitir ran after to grab him by the arm and pull him back inside. "No," she commanded, "You must not leave this house."

Maura got up and looked out the window and went to his mantle place and pulled down a sword. Then he picked up his bow with its quiver of arrows. He turned and looked over at Nitir, and whispered softly, "You told true, woman. For I heard in your words more than you said. The beast has come to Gondolin."

Outside the gate, in the distant hills, they could hear the screams of the guards in the distant night as the enemy had their way with them.

[ August 09, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]