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Old 03-16-2011, 07:02 PM   #51
Mithalwen
Pilgrim Soul
 
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle...
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Mithalwen is lost in the dark paths of Moria.Mithalwen is lost in the dark paths of Moria.Mithalwen is lost in the dark paths of Moria.Mithalwen is lost in the dark paths of Moria.
"Jessameeeeeeeee, Jessameeeeee, where are you?". All three of her brothers were calling much the same thing but none got any response, save that of their own voices echoing among the stones. The light from their lanterns and torches weren't making them look any more friendly. The trio had ventured off the road at the point they thought parrelel to where they had heard Jessamy scream. Sometimes one thought they saw a light glimmering but never for long enough for them to hold a course on the wandering paths of the Downs.

Bryn took the lead but never went far ahead of the cart.. his horse was reluctant to leave the company of the others and he himself wasn't overly keen. Their progress was slow, even though the snow had stopped, and they were losing confidence that they were getting anywhere - some of the rock formations they passed looked too familiar.

Then the moon rose and showed both their proximity to the Old Forest and that they were following an all to recognisable set of tracks.

"So I think we can safely say we are going round in circles" said Silas,"and there's not a trace of Jessamy". It seemed a long time since they heard the scream and while that had been proof that she was alive it was also proof that she had been terrified.

"Yes but at least the moon is up now we can navigate by that" pointed out Bryn.

"Doesn't tell us where Jessie is though does it" said Seth gloomily "and that Forest IS too close for my liking I'd swear the trees are moving.. or something is moving in them"

"Don't Seth - you are as bad as Jessamy for imagining stuff. We have enough real problems as it is without you making them up"

"I'm not making this up - I tell you I saw something" insisted Seth to his elder brother "Look!"

"I can't see anything .. but oh there are some more tracks". Silas pointed to where the snow was patchy in the lee of the too close trees.

Bryn rode ahead with his brothers following close behind "So are they ours? asked Seth.

Bryn looked at his brother as if he were an idiot .... "Well no ... look there is just the one set of hoof prints..."

" Could be your horse..." Seth interrupted.

"Only if Willow and Hazel had learnt to walk on air .... by my anvil, Seth, I know you are worrying about Jessie - we all are - but you have really lost your wits, if it isn't walking forests it's floating ponies..." He shook his head in wonderment. This horse is smaller than mine but larger than Silas'and pulling a waggon of some sort, out of the forest and faster than we have gone I guess - I think we would have remembered going throught the forest. I don't think the trees move THAT quickly".

"Oh alright Bryn, I only got a quick look... we aren't all obsessed with horses' feet .... can you see where they start again..." he scanned the breaks in the snow field.

Silas had got down from the box and was examining the ground a few yards away and his face was pale under the torchlight. "Um.... Bryn .. maybe Seth hasn't lost his mind, come and have a look at this".

Silas was looking at fresh tracks in the snow. "Don't even think to say they are from a dog ... those are dog tracks over there but no dog has feet that could make these and if it did it would be the size of a horse".

"But it can't be" said Bryn... "of all the tales of the Forest I never heard that - there haven't been wolves even round here since the Fell Winter".

All three brothers straightened as one and gazed nervously in to the shadows of the forest. And over their shoulders to the Downs. The barrow ghosts might haunt their minds but this was almost worse.

Last edited by Mithalwen; 03-16-2011 at 07:47 PM.
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