Sailing Away RPG

[Crystal Heart]

Sam was hiding, something that he knew was completely cowardly when his friends were near death at this moment. He watched from his position behind a tree as one of the men started for Reggie. Sam swallowed his fear, took a deep breath, and lunged from his hiding place screaming at the top of his lungs. He ran towards the man, not really knowing what he would do, but only thinking to save Reggie and the others from their fates.

He ran towards the man and smashed into his leg, biting down hard. The man let out a howl and grabbed the back of his shirt, trying to pull him off. Sam pushed his teeth together harder. The man smashed his head, successfuly sending Sam's mind into a tail spin. Dizzy, but determined Sam started swinging with all his might. He could feel his fists connecting with the man's legs. He was again grabbed by the back of his shirt and lifted up. Sam's eyes soon looked into the man's eyes.

"Why you little..." the man gruffed out. Sam spit quickly and punched in nose. The man didn't let go. Sam hit him harder, in the temples in a vain attempt to escape. His mind suddenly remembered the rock that he had found while he had been walking. It was not a large rock, but a rock all the same. He pulled it out and smashed it against the man's temple with all his might. The man's hand slacked and Sam fell to the ground with a hard thud.

Even though Sam could no longer breath, he jumped up and watched as the man toppled upon the ground. Sam gasped a jagged breath and jumped on top of the man, readying to continue his battle, but found that the man was unconscious. Sam jumped off and looked around.

Finally, Sam spied the bag that they had put Sassy in. It lay upon the ground where the man had dropped it. He ran over and opened it hastily, praying silently that the young girl was still alive. He pulled her out and studied her face.

"Sassy? Are you alive? Please please please be alive!"

[Kitanna]

"Could you give me a leg up?" Sondo called to Rory and Marroc.

"I'll help him, Rory, you keep packing supplies." Marroc got to his feet and hurried over to Sondo.

The horses were tense and snorted nervously as Sondo and Marroc came closer. Seperately the hobbits were far too short to dare to untie the animals, but if Sondo climbed onto Marroc's shoulders he might be able to reach. "Come on, Sondo. If you sit on my shoulders you'll be able to reach the ropes."

Marroc bent over slightly so Sondo could climb onto his back. "Move forward slowly, Marroc." Sondo said, once he was on Marroc's shoulders.

Marroc took a few small steps at first. When he was confident in his ability to carry Sondo he moved a little faster. Sondo reached out and began to untie the first horse's reigns. Marroc was surprisingly steady with the other hobbit's weight on his shoulders.

The first four horses were relatively easy to untie. But when it came time to untie the last horse they heard the growls. Marroc recognized it as a wolf's and he forgot that Sondo was still counting on him. Marroc lost his footing and hit the ground with thud. Sondo landed hard next to him.

[Primrose Bolger]

Sassy was dazed from the blow to her head when the sack had gone flying from the man’s hands and landed hard against the tree stump. She heard someone calling her name, but it seemed from some far off place. And then the light flooded into her eyes as the dark sack was opened. She blinked, her eyes adjusting to the light, somewhat. There was a blurry Hobbit’s face looming over her and when she turned her head, the Big Folk were still near.

Head ringing, her vision still quite blurry, Sassy pushed away at whoever was kneeling over her. She whimpered, then forced the sound to stillness, not wanting to attract the attention of the Men. Sassy rolled over and got slowly to her knees then to her feet. At a wobbly run, she took off for the shelter of what trees were near.

Safe, behind a fate tree trunk, she sunk to her knees, her head reeling from the blow and the run. Quietly as she could, she leaned over and threw up.

[Firefoot]

The sounds of fighting, not too far distant, reached the ears of a wolf pack. They had tracked the short two-leggeds this far in hopes of being led to an area of more plentiful game. Two-leggeds did not make good meat, unless and the wolves did not eat them unless no other choices were available. The wolves were reaching that point now; usually by this late in spring the effects of winter had been entirely erased, but not this year. Game had been scarce, and the gaunt wolves were hungry.

But fighting: who was fighting their short two-leggeds? It was a matter of concern for the wolves, and bore checking out. The alpha male, a rangy wolf with tan fur, rose from his relaxed position with a growl and a few yips. Come. We find what happens. The rest of the small pack, numbering six in total, loped after their leader. As they approached, they crept up a low rise on their bellies to observe the scene below them.

The wolves were quick to grasp the situation; once they did, hackles were not slow in raising and low growls escaped their throats. These short two-leggeds were their quarry, part of their territory, and their fates would ultimately be decided by them. The alpha male’s growl changed pitch: these two-leggeds go too far. They must pay.

With a snarl, he sprung from his crouched position toward the fight, about a hundred yards distant. The other five leapt after him. Instantly the focus of the fight switched from short two-leggeds against big two-leggeds to two-leggeds against wolves. One of the short ones flung a stone at him, which connected solidly with his muzzle. While it was not enough to inflict real damage, it still hurt, and infuriated the leader wolf. He forgot for a moment that he did not intend to hurt the short two-leggeds and attacked the one who had thrown the stone. His miscalculated his victim’s reaction, however, so instead of taking a solid chunk out of the two-legged’s face he only gashed its arm, albeit deeply. Ah, but it was good to taste blood again!

Now, however, the two-leggeds had recovered from their initial shock being attacked, and they had taken out their bright steel weapons. He felt one cut across his side and snarled in pain, turning on his attacker. You will pay, two-legged. You will pay.

~*~*~*~

Sondo

With Marroc’s help, Sondo had managed to cut free all the horses save the last when the first snarls were heard. The horses had not gone far once free, but now, hearing the wolves, they fled in a blind panic. The last horse, finding itself held captive, reared against the restraining reins with a frightened whinny. Marroc forgot for a bare moment that only he was holding Sondo up, backed away instinctively from the dangerous hooves, and lost his balance, causing Sondo to fall hard. He put his hands out in front to break the fall and the moment he hit the ground he regretted it. Pain seared up his left forearm from his wrist. He had no doubt that it was sprained, at the least.

He had no choice but to ignore it for now, though. He sprang to his feet. “Forget about the last horse,” he said, keeping away from the panicked animal. “We’ve been too long; we need to take what we have and go. It sounds like they’re in trouble.” Sondo wondered if it was the wolves he had heard some nights. A shivver ran up his spine. That could get bloody.

Rory hefted the smaller of the two loads up on his back while Sondo, careful of his wrist, helped Marroc with the more unwieldly one. They went as fast as they could carrying the stolen supplies and dropped them off around the side of the hill where Marroc had hidden earlier as they comprehended the horrific sight before them. Quick as a blink, Sondo stooped, picked up a stone, and hurled it at the nearest wolf's head.

"Come on!" he urged the other two. "We need to get them away from here, and leave the wolves and Big Folk to each other."

[Crystal Heart]

Sam was quite offended by the fact that Sassy had pushed him away, but he figured that she didn't realize who he was. He watched as she got up and proceeded to throw up. His heart broke at the sight, but he was unsure of what to do. This journey had changed his heart and his want to be better instead of horrible, which of course was all great and good, but it didn't help him now. His past was filled with horrible behavior and now that he had changed he had no idea how to comfort anyone.

He walked over to her and placed his hand upon her back, grabbing her hair and holding it up and out of her way as she threw up the contents that had been inside her stomach moments before. He looked up and that's when he saw them, the most dreaded thing in the entire world; wolves.

Sam pulled Sassy down to the ground and pinned her. He placed his hand on her mouth and gave her a sharp look.

"Don't say anything," he whispered dangeriously.

[Nurumaiel]

Falco crouched behind the tall rock, breathing as softly as he could and listening to the noises. His previous good feelings at the warm welcomes given to him were now replaced, at least partially, by a feeling of resentment that nobody had paid much attention to him when they made their plans concerning the Big Folk. He was not so foolish as to think they should keep on welcoming him back when danger was near, but he did not like the fact that they had forgotten, or maybe even never realised, that his legs were in no condition to be doing much running and hiding. When the others had all scattered about, he had limped painfully about, looking for somewhere he might hide, as he knew it would be useless to try to help them, unless he wanted to get himself killed and risk the lives of his friends. He had found the rock, and ducked behind it, but wondered nervously what would happen if one of the Big Folk came around it and saw him.

He had heard the strange snarling, and it had not taken him long to realise that there were wolves about. His position behind the rock, he realised, was now useless. Wouldn't they smell him out? He had to find a place where he could be hidden from the Big Folk, but out of reach of the wolves. He began to feel, for the first time on their adventure, frightened. It was not the thought of wolves and Big Folk that frightened him, though that thought was slightly disturbing. Falco was a bold, and slightly reckless lad. But it was the thought that there were wolves and Big Folk about, and that he could not run from them, that struck a chill of fear into his heart.

He heard the tread of feet on the other side of the rock, and realised right away that it was not the light skip of hobbit feet, nor the clumsy stamping of the Big Folk, but the stealthy, pattering tread of a wolf. He had previously consider making his way to a tree and pulling himself up onto it, but that was now out of the question. He looked desperately around, and at last up, and saw the top of the rock he hid underneath. He got softly to his feet, and studied the rock face. It was not sheer, but it was steep enough that a wolf might not be able to follow him up... and steep enough to provide a challenge to climb it, as his legs were sore and aching, and his whole body was rather faint and limp.

Nevertheless, he must climb it for his life, and climb it he would. He found a foothold, a ledge to grasp, and he began to slowly pull himself up. His weak arms rebelled against the strain put on them, his feet against the climbing, but he ignored them. He could hear the panting of the wolf now, and was assured that it was growing closer. For a moment he was tempted to scramble wildly up, despite that he might slip and fall and lose himself altogether, but he recalled something his older brother had told him once and it steadied him. Wolves, he had said, weren't the kind of fellows who ran about eating up little hobbits just for the fun of it. They were rather shy of people, and wouldn't want to go attack and eat one unless they were terribly hungry. Falco drew a little, quiet breath, and continued his steady pace up the rock.

Over the edge and onto the surface he climbed, and looked down. A wolf passed softly by him, lifted its head to look up at him intently for a moment, and then, after that pause, tread on. Falco drew a very deep breath, not caring how loud it was, and began to move towards the center of the rock. He had finished the escaping bit. Now he must hide.

[Kitanna]

“Forget about the last horse. We’ve been too long; we need to take what we have and go. It sounds like they’re in trouble.” Sondo and Marroc were backing away from the horse. The others had fled in their blind fear. Marroc didn't blame them.

Rory had two small packs and Marroc another one. They ran back to camp. It was a scene of chaos. Wolves snapping at the big folk and the hobbits. Sondo grabbed a rock and hurled it at a wolf.

Marroc followed his lead and hit one square on the jaw. The angered wolf turned to him and snarled. Marroc picked up another rock. This time the beast was ready. He snarled at Marroc. The young hobbit was too frightened to move. The wolf lunged at Marroc, Marroc moved aside quickly, but still the wolf caught his leg. As the wolf landed Marroc swung the bag he was carrying and knocked the wolf off balance.

"Come on!" Sondo called, trying to round up the hobbits. Marroc took a moment and inspected his cut. Nothing serious, not even all that deep. Well, that's a relief, he thought as he went after Sondo.