[Marileangorifurnimaluim]

**** Harad/Umbar - in Nurn ***

They waited in the brush, resting until a thin sliver of moon rose in the east behind them, revealing their path. It cast the mountain pass into faint shadows, just light enough to see. Though hopefully not enough to be seen. Somewhere close there had to be a guardhouse, as this was the only way over the southwest Ephel Duath. Al-Gareth and his armsman adjusted the straps on their packs and with a glance at eachother, stepped onto the path.

As they moved along the curve of the rutted trail, the sound of water grew. It was not the Poros river but a tributary, somewhere in the ravine on their left hand, hidden by silvered leaves below. They moved in silence, Al-Gareth's liegeman several paces ahead, scouting for guards. He held up his hand suddenly and Al-Gareth froze. He slunk back to Al-Gareth. There was no need to question what he had found. Clearly there was no way around the guardhouse. They hadn't expected there would be, only hoped. After a pause for decision, Al-Gareth nodded to the ravine below, and together they clambered down slippery rock, chancing the noise of their passage would be covered by the water. It was too dark to see their footing well, but they had little choice at this time. Wet leaves whipped their faces, hearts in their throats at every rustling branch, they slid, clinging to mossy rocks. The sound of the rushing stream filled their ears, hiding all sound of pursuit, but also hopefully hiding their own. Al-Gareth bit back a curse as both his boots stepped into water. They had found the bottom of the ravine.

The light was better here, there was a slight break in the canopy, and the river made a natural trail. Branches caught on their packs, but otherwise they moved swifty, if cautiously. They had no thought but to clear this part of their escape as quickly as possible. Fortunate it was late in the year, and the river was low, leaving a rocky bank to either side. Although it kept them closer to the guards above, they dared not cross the stream but kept it to their left. They could not risk being trapped between the stream and the great Poros river that ran from the sea of Nurn to the Crossings of Poros, where it met the great Harad road and formed the border of South Ithilien.

It was the wind that first let them know they were approaching the Poros. The stream began to widen, and the tree canopy suddenly gave way. The moon hovered in the western sky, near setting. They had little travel time left, but this, the most dangerous part of their escape had gone well. They turned west to rejoin the trail.

The armsman glanced back and his sudden hiss of breath made Al-Gareth turn in alarm. Less than a quarter mile behind them, between the stream and the Poros, a yellow light flashed high up in the trees. Across from where they'd left the treeline. A signal. With any luck it nothing to do with them, but Al-Gareth didn't trust his luck. They could not see an answering signal from their vantage. With the water to carry sound they didn't risk a whisper, but dove under tree cover, hoofing it to the rocks. Al-Gareth cringed. Their tracks... they should have walked in the stream, but it was too late now. Thank the gods it's too dark for arrows, he thought. He forced himself to keep to a loping walk, blood pounding.

An hour later there was still no sign of pursuit. They'd been moving since before dawn, but pushed on till the pitch dark of moon-set, which forced them to stop. Better to hide than risk a broken ankle. They took a cue from their enemies and climbed two fir trees, throwing a lash about the bole keep from falling in their sleep. It was well they were off the ground. Not two hours into a fitful doze, Al-Gareth woke to torchlight and voices.

" 'E found a friend, then. I tell you, they be no peasants. Swords they had!"

"You're dreamin'. Let's go home. More like you saw hunters, no more, no less."

"Yeah, you fell asleep up there."

"I never sleep!"

"There's y'problem." Laughter. Al-Gareth could see at least six men, maybe more, walking below.

Another voice spoke. "Hells, even if is him, he's hightailing it out, as far as may be and good riddance. Let the brigands have him." A deeper voice answered.

"Not 'him.' Them. If there's more than one, we have an uprising on our hands. You want that again? You want to hang like fruit on a tree? We find them. Tonight."

"Yeah. If he wants to be king, we'll crown him, for sure."

[ October 17, 2002: Message edited by: Marileangorifurnimaluim ]