[Arvedui III]

Rangar walked quickly, the company following behind. He wanted to get away from the spot as soon as possible. They had kicked the corpses into a ditch, resolving it was too risky to burn them. They came into a little clearing, then Turthol and Enien started a small fire, well, it was really just a smoldering pile of sticks more than a fire.
Rangar went and sat down next to Tareth and Bregand who seemed very off. The blacksmith had a dazed look in his eyes that made Rangar uncomfortable.The look in his eyes, thought Rangar. shock, compassion, remorse. Rangar envied the blacksmith, if only those feelings could have come to him the first time, well, maybe they had. "First kill?" He offered. "Yeah." Said Tareth slowly. "It's hard, but good. Don't ever lose the feeling." Said Rangar quietly "Why?" "Because then you truly lose, maybe not your life, but something else." Whatever I lost though Rangar, now getting up to stand with Turthol.

Bregand got up too. "So, um, what road are we taking?" He asked tentatively. "The southward one" said Rangar, kneeling to feel some of the fire's heat. "Ok. Um, Rangar. I'm sorry." "For what?" But Rangar already knew the answer. "For back there, I, I know I wasn't much of a help." The boy began, head hung. "Neither was I, but we did all right; We'll do better should there be a next time." Said Rangar softly, "Get some sleep, I'll wake you up if we need your help on the route plan." And nodding, the boy went back to where he was sitting. Rangar shook his head. Then, Turthol came over, "Well," he said, "Well?" "Well, they're all pretty burnt out, me too. Now that it comes to it." "Yeah." "So, I take it we're going south?" "I guess." Rangar mumbled, he really wanted to sleep right about now. "I'll tell the guide to fight the road out amongst themselves. I'm too tired for this. "Ok, get Wren and Bregand, and the two elves. Any road would be good so long as it doesn't have wild men on it." "Yep." Said Turthol, and he walked off to get the guides. Rangar lay down. A long night, and many more too come, this journey hadn't gotten off to the best off starts.