[Volo]

As the saying goes: You don’t need to be overly smart to survive, but you do need to be on the bright side to see others die.

In the morning a chilling wind blew from the North and some of the audience had to go home to get warmer coats. Not all, naturally, not all at all, since many had slaves that were sent to the streets. Those who did have to go themselves went and returned soon, to notice that their places had been taken by some poor buggers who had arrived too late to find places and had sense to dress warmly in the first place. Around midday the wind brought a heavy storm with thunder and lightning. It was good news to the people who had left for their warm coats. They rushed to collect their rain-cloaks and were at the Temple before the poor buggers who had the sense to dress warmly but not resistantly to rain. Thanks to the storm today’s audience was elite compared to the audience of the first two days. And lucky too, because this was a very odd day.

Legate the ex-Ranger had his pet cat with him when he arrived to Númenor. He was an unusual cat. Not only was he the size of a large wolf – oh, not a Werewolf, those were much larger still – but he was also as black as a genuine blackout. However more unusual than that was the unnerving fact that the cat was actually one of the 21 contestants. The cat was a Dire Leopard with the pet name Shasta. Shasta was a beautiful creature with sleek black fur before the storm began. After, Shasta looked miserable and sad, which was appropriate since his master and childhood friend Legate had abandoned him because of a personal restraint. That being the case Shasta crawled into the dryest corner and went to sleep.

The other wonder of creation was plucking his Lute of Brutal Honesty – not that anybody had the slightest idea of why the instrument was called so – and recited a poem that sounded like nothing, quite literally. The audience didn’t even remember his name and he was commonly refered to as ”Who now?” The wind turned and the rain came at his lute. To preserve his instrument he hid it in his cloak. After a slow and pondering gaze around the arena, he said, ”This doesn’t bode well as Shasta is clearly not of the more talkative species. But I wouldn’t like to vote him, he is far too cute to die now. Aganzir on the other hand has said several wise things. But she’s a human, which doesn’t bode good”. He stood up and took out his Bow of Second Guessing just to be on the safe side. ”I have never encountered such an easy choice in my life. The death of a magnificent Dire Leopard or a mere woman? And yet I cannot choose…”

”I’ll vote for Shasta, if he doesn’t say anything”, muttered Aganzir, who sat on- no, under, her horse. She saw that the bard looked at this curiously. ”It’s to prevent getting mys- my axes wet, nothing to stare at”.

”You do have a handsome horse. I promise not to touch her even if I decide to kill you”.

”Hah! My horse promises not to let you touch me even if she has to die for it. But worry not, I’ll personally see that she doesn’t have to risk anything trying to save me. I can jolly well save myself!” spit Aganzir, ”Have in mind that I haven’t tasted Dire Leopard meat before”.

”I think I just came into a mood of not allowing anybody harm animals! Aganzir! To get to Shasta would mean going over my dead body!”

Aganzir looked uninterested and didn’t move an inch.

At that moment somebody in the crowd found out that the bard’s name was Taliesin and the news spread like the wetness of the day. The spreading news sounded like a chant. ”Taliesin, Taliesiin! Oooo-o-oo! O-o-o-oo! Taliesin, Taliesiin!”

The bard lost interest in his self-sacrificing mission the same instant as he recognised his name being sung. He threw off his cloak and took out his Brutally Honest Lute. ”I am honored to be here in the midth of such an awesome audience. Truly, Númenor has the best audience! I hope you enjoy my poems that are mostly fantasy”. The crowd roared with appreciation, although nobody had the slightest idea what would happen next.

”Guess who it is.
Created before the deluge.
A creature strong,
Without flesh, without bone,
Without veins, without blood,
Without head, and without feet”

”Shasta?” Aganzir shouted mockingly.

”It will not be older, it will not be younger,
Than it was in the beginning.
Nope. Kill Shasta for all I care.
There will not come from his design
Fear or death”.

Aganzir’s horse shrugged and began to trot to the sleeping cat. When she was just beside Shasta, Aganzir announced: ”Wakey, wakey! Cat-creature? Have you got any interest in defending yourself? I myself would rather kill you right away without ceremony- no don’t think that that is because I want to be kind, not at all. But I am hungry, and so is my horse”.

”He has no wants
From creatures”.

Shasta opened one eye and growled lazily.

Aganzir interpreted the reply as a ”no” and lifted her bow.

The next moment she lay in the wet sand with the Dire Leopard on top of her closing his jaws on her throat. She didn’t waste (much) time regretting not having a dagger handy (and noted it for the future) and aimed her own teeth at the beast’s throat, not forgetting to send her claws at the eyes. The two struggled in the dirt and tried to best each other. Although Aganzir’s horse was battle-trained and all, this was such a new situation that the horse simply stood and waited for orders pationally.

”Madawg, the joy of the wall,
Madawg, before he was in the grave,
Hey, be fair. Fight a bit quieter, you two.
Was a fortress of abundance
Of games, and society.
Honestly…
The son of Uthyr before he was slain,
Do I have to silence you myself?
From his hand…
I mean, this isn’t the best moment for rolling in the mud…

”Dear audience: I apologize from the bottom of my soul, but there are technical problems with the sound reproduction. Excuse me…”

Taliesin took out his two inconspicious, regular and honest long knives and stuck them into the two dirt-covered figures. ”Ouch!” yelled Aganzir! ”Hsshhh!” hissed Shasta!

”Thanks, Agan, I couldn’t decide which of you was the beast”, said the bard and rolled his eyes. ”I’m doing this with a symbolic meaning then”, he shouted as he plunged an Arrow of Regret into the Dire Leopard’s mouth.

--------~~

Shasta didn’t feel pain. He felt comfortably numb although he was aware of his body changing rapidly. Bones twisted around and rubbed against one another and some broke into pieces which formed completely new bones. His heart shrank and his brain grew. He felt small. Small and weak. Weak and naked. But alive. Suddenly true senses rushed back to him and he felt thirsty.

Shasta opened his eyes and saw bright sunlight. He was lying beside a small pond. He crawled to the edge of it and looked into the water. In the water was a black face of a Man! Shasta tried hissing, but managed only to caugh at the pond. This caused a ripple on the surface of the pond and the image dissolved. Shasta heard a sound from behind himself and jumped around. A man looked at him from behind a stone. The man made some primitive sound and other heads began appearing from the bushes and behind stones. Shasta grew tense, snarled and raised his right paw. At least it had been a paw last time he saw it…

-------~~

Around:
Brinniel
THE Ka
satansaloser2005
Aganzir
McCaber
Nogrod
The Might
Thinlómien
Valier
Groin Redbeard
Meneltarmacil
Kath
Gil-Galad
Naria
Azaelia of Willowbottom
Isabellkya
Rikae
A Little Green
Ugh-Friedrich (host)

Gone:
Legate of Amon Lanc - lynched on Day0.1 - teleported away
Roa_Aoife - lynched on Day0.2 - joined the dance
Shastanis Althereduin - lynched on Day0.3

---------~~

Day0.3 ended, Day0.4 began

Lommy, Might and Noggie may post and vote (for one another (stupid English lesson makes me see my mistakes)). Others sit in silence.