[Bêthberry]

Settlers -- Calumdril

A short, sharp "Chiv, chiv," sunk through to Calumdril's consciousness and he shivered in the dank chill of barely-light dawn. The flicker's cry was followed by a familiar tat-tat-tat and Calumdril actually found himself grinning. The woodpeckers had followed the felled trees into the settlement, searching for their nests. A pity, thought the man. They aren't large enough to catch and eat.

He rose, moving quickly to bring warmth to his chilled limbs. Much as he would have liked a hearty, warm breakfast, he did not take the time to start a fire, but gulped down some dried grains and nuts, sweetened with some of the berries which had hung fully on the shrubs around the lake. The water in his basin was too cold to wash in; perhaps he could wash himself later in the lake or river, once the sun had risen to warm the day. He didn't want his scent to linger on his trail. Who knows what animal it would attract, that creature whose tracks he had seen yesterday or the wolves whose howling had woken him in the night. He shrugged and went to seek Borgand.

The man was standing outside his tent. Calumdril wondered just how little sleep the man survived on.

"Morning," he whispered, in a quiet tone. The women and children were yet abed and the sun barely streaking the sky.

"Morning," returned Borgand. "What disturbs you this early?"

"Nothing but the flickers pecking at the wood. I'm off to find Thorgil. The Rangers moved their camp again yesterday and I could not find their trail. I'm going back to their main cabin. Thorgil must square with me about this creature whose tracks I found. And about those wolves I heard last night. Each day seems to bring more evidence of matters unshared. I don't like the man. I wouldn't let the children wander far from camp until we know more about what creatures lurk about. Even in daylight."

Borgand nodded a silent assent to Calumdril's advice and watched the man depart the camp on foot.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It was mid-morn by the time Calumdril found the main Ranger cabin, a largish building of rough hewn timber and chinked caulking. Smoked trailed out of the chimney. Good, thought Calumdril, someone's afoot and I can surprise him.

Calumdril did not even knock but opened the door suddenly and marched into the middle of the Ranger's cabin. Compared to the conditions in the settlers' tents, it was almost luxurious. A large table stood in the centre of the cabin, surrounded by plank benches. Furs hung from the walls, curbing drafts and some covered small wide benches which were obviously for leisurely sitting. A large fireplace heated a cauldron, which simmered with a stew.

Startled, Thorgil stood up from a small table at the far end of the cabin, obviously his desk, and put down his cup. He strode towards The Ithilien Ranger with some surprise but his words were cut off by Calumdril's pointed address.

"There are wolves about. We heard them last night for the first time. And yesterday I tracked a strange being along the south river. A promise of protection should surely bring some honest sharing of information."

Thorgil looked surprised. "Wolves are moving in now, from the south, as the winter retreats and the land warms. But what tracks are these?"

"Likely human, but lame somehow. It showed no sense of how to mask its trail, as the other hillmen had done."

Thorgil released a grunt and large puff of breath, as if worried himself.

"It's this close to the settlement?"

"By the fork in the river, south side, near the small grove of pine trees. What is it?"

"I know not. I've seen the tracks myself, once, twice, usually following the hillmen or skirting 'round them someways. Once it left a bloodied trail."

Calumdril glared at the Ranger. "And you didn't warn us?"

"No one's seen the creature. It hides mostly. Tane was going to track it once but his horse went lame with a stone."

"And who's Tane?"

"My second in command. He's off on the north side of the lake, else you would have met him."

Calumdril continued to stare at the Ranger, not liking the speed of the easy explanations, but realizing the Ranger could be speaking the truth.

Thorgil began to feel uneasy; it was an embarassment to his men that this man had found the tracks which they so often missed. He had not thought it would be worth telling Borgand about. Maybe he underestimated these settlers.

"Are you going to look for it today?"

"No," replied the Ithilien. "I've got more important things to do. I want to track the deer herd. But you'll be wanting to keep Borgand appraised of the creature's whereabouts. If you intend to keep your word about offering protection."

Thorgil bristled. He didn't like this man's attitude but he couldn't blame him.

"I promise you, I'll look for it today and bring word to Borgand myself this evening."

The two men stood eyeing each other with a quietly disappearing unease. Calumdril knew no good would come from pushing the point further. Finally, Thorgil offered Calumdril some of the stew and drink from the hot pot over the fire. Calumdril accepted, sitting down to the long table with thankfulness for a hot meal.

Thorgil took his leave, packing his bow and arrows, with a curt nod.

"I'll see what I can learn about this creature. You're a sharp eye to have seen its tracks."

Calumdril finished his meal alone, taking a second bowl of the stew, wiping his face and hands with the luxury of warm water, and then departed. If he could reach the ridge in an hour, he stood a chance of finding the deer herd.

[ September 29, 2003: Message edited by: Bêthberry ]