[maikafanawen]

Wren saw the foursome ride back, resolved expressions on their face.

“I think we handled it,” announced Calimir.

“Hah! By killing their horses and striking fear into that poor man’s soul? You call that handling it??” Wren demanded.

“What would you have done?” asked Turthol angrily. The noblewoman shrugged.

“Well, obviously they suspected the wrong group! Some of them might have recognized one of us! We should have sent a representative, a person with good social skills to clear it up. That way—” Turthol raised a hand silencing her.

“Just, nevermind. What’s done is done. We cannot change it.” Wren sat heavily back in her saddle, annoyed at Turthol’s negative demeanor.

“Yes, your sage-ness,” she muttered so that only he could hear her. Then she reared Culfin back to join Rave and Aerin at the rear of the group. “That ranger is really wearing a hole in the bottom of my boot,” she said.

“Oh sure,” said Aerin jovially. “Is that because he fancied Gina over you or because of how he handled the mob?” Wren acted as though the shield-maiden had deeply insulted her and sighed dramatically.

They made camp shortly after nightfall beside a small river. Tareth and Aerin taught Wren as best they could how to fish and between the three of them they caught five fair-sized river-trout. The noblewoman brought Rave the fish and declared that she could even clean one! It was quite a show watching the gondorian try her hand at skinning the fish and removing the bone, placing the good meat into the pot. After about two minutes of fish guts, Wren decided that it wasn’t her area of talent and turned the task over to Rave.

The noblewoman made her way down the stream and rinsed off her hands.

“Those fish better taste better than they smell,” she muttered to herself.

"I'm sure they will" said someone behind her...

[ May 30, 2003: Message edited by: maikafanawen ]