[VanimaEdhel]

Dwarves

Barzûn watched the other Dwarves working. He eventually heaved his own wheelbarrow over to the rubble and began to pile the heavy rocks into the cart. The Dwarf controlled his breathing as he became winded. They worked for a while quietly. Barzûn figured they should carry as much back as they could, even if it would be a hard trek back to the camp.

Finally, Barzûn called the Dwarves together. He told them to grab what else they could and to start getting ready to head back to camp. As they started the journey back, Barzûn heard a shout of frustration behind him. He turned around just in time to see the wheels of one of the overladen carts snap in two. The disgruntled Dwarf lost his grip on the wheelbarrow and it began to roll away. A few other Dwarves let go of their own carts in surprise. Some of the other carts broke in the excitement that ensued. Finally, Barzûn yelled over the commotion.

"Dwarves!" he growled, once he had their attention, "Due to this...mishap," he glared at the poor Dwarf with the broken cart, "We do not have enough stone to dignify going back. I propose we fix the wheels as best we can and carry what we are able back to the camp in the fixed wheelbarrows. I suppose," he added crankily, "We will have to stay a while longer. Each Dwarf with a broken wheel: get to fixing your cart. You others, see if your cart can take anymore stone. If not, then stay close and be useful."

Even the other Dwarves grumbled a bit at the delay. Barzûn stood back to oversee the repairs. The Dwarves that kept their carts in one piece mostly wandered around, looking at the ruins and exploring various nooks and the like, pretending to look useful. Barzûn let them wander, feigning ignorance. There was not much to do anyway. All they could do was wait.

<font size=1 color=339966>[ 7:31 PM January 18, 2004: Message edited by: VanimaEdhel ]