[Galadel Vinorel]

While Gaddy and his company were travelling along the road to Chetwood, the scout party began to make their way to Weather Hills. Elfred knew the way the best, so he led them most of the way, then he traded off with Olo, who then traded off with Autumn, after his time was done. After about forty-five minutes into her tracking time, Autumn yelled and began running ahead of the rest of the scouting party; they had reached Weather Hills.

As the hobbit lass turned the corner she was confronted with a horrible sight and smell which rocked her senses and made her sick to her stomach. Autumn collapsed onto her knees trying to breath through her mouth instead of her nose, and, though this helped a little with the smell, it did not take away the horror of the sight. The rest of the scouting party ran over to Autumn and then nearly became as sick as the hobbit lass at the sight.

There, lying strewed all over the grass, were the torn apart bodies of the missing sheep of Bree. Most of their heads were ripped off and their guts thrown wildy over the area. The sheep's blood stained the grass completely red, and there was a horrible smell in the air of rotting flesh. The poor hobbits could see maggots crawling over the bodies of dead animals.

Next to Elfred, Nop howled and buried his head in his master's side. Slowly Autumn stood up and saw wolf and a few wargs tracks leading away from the horrible scene. The scout party decided that they would soon follow the tracks, but they nedded something to eat first, preferably nothing to do with meat. Choosing a spot not too far away, but far enough not to smell the dead sheep, the scouting party sat down and began to eat their meager meal of bread and dried fruit.


Further away Gaddy had just stopped at a farmer's house with his company for a light (for hobbits) lunch. The nice hobbit farmer had been so kind as to allow Gaddy and his comapny to dine with his wife and himself. There they had a very delicous and satisfying meal of mutton, mushrooms, bread, and dried fruit. After lunch the women in the company helped the wife to collect the dishes and wash them, while the men sat down to discuss their plans with the farmer. Then the company, along with the farmer began to leave.

As Gaddy turned around, from where he stood in the street looking at Chetwood not too far away, to check that everyone was there, he saw the farmer's wife slightly crying on the farmer's shoulder. it seemed that she did not want him to go and fight the wolves, but he thought that it was his duty to help save Bree. While Gaddy watched he saw the farmer's wife turn away from her husband, sobbing more than ever, and run back into her house. The farmer, looking quite sad, turned and went to join the group.

Then the company began to march down the road, and Gaddy made a promise in his heart to himself that he would make sure that that farmer would return home to his wife. 'I hope everyone else will too,' Gaddy thought to himself, 'I don't want to loose any of them.'

Gaddy turned his head slowly in the direction of the Weather Hills and sighed. He was wondering at that moment how the scouting party was doing. Then the hobbit turned back to the path laid out before him and the good people under his command.

[ January 05, 2003: Message edited by: Galadel Vinorel ]