[Kryssal]

Lanaey walked toward the house and saw many different people stretching themselves out and walking away the nights stiffness in their legs. The Elf moved past them and into the house that had become the 'head quarters' of the fighters and wounded.

Since Drass had not returned yet, Lanaey couldn't get some of her food from the saddle bags. In a quick search of the house though, she found that many people there weren't breaking their fast either. Most of the available food was going toward the injured and sick, the rest of the food, which wasn't much, was being divied out to the smallest children. Her eyes fell on a tiny child, just bigger than the smallest, who wasn't getting any food at the moment because there was none to spare. He was trying to look brave, but he still ran off to hide his tummy rumblings and crying. Several of the villagers were going to their own homes to bring in food, but it wasn't very much.

Setting out once again, Lanaey went to the houses whos occupants were either dead or at the house. These were the houses that were dangerous with possible hiding men, or falling timbers from earlier fires. This search wasn't nearly as hard as she first thought it might be. Firstly, any real food storage would be kept in a cellar or at least on the ground floor; secondly, the third house Lanaey went to had enough food to feed the main house for at least a full day, maybe two. Smiling broadly she whistled to a passing group of four young women. They were hesitant, but at the Elf's urging they came in, saw the food, smiled themselves, and started to haul it over to the house. They only got a small portion of it, but when they returned, it was with much more help. Soon all the food was gone and Lanaey, being the last to leave at a much slower pace trailed behind the others. She was close to the borders of the village, and decided to take a look out and see if Drass was near at all. This was a part of the village that she hadn't patrolled last night and perhaps Drass may be resting near. She knew it was very unlikely, but trying wasn't folly.

Walking up just past the homes Lanaey found herself up to her waist in bushes. She didn't like this at all, anything could be in the bushes. Backing up and crouching low she tried to see beneath them, but being untrimmed, they grew down to the dirt, hiding anything they concealed. Frowning slightly, she slowly walked the expanse. On rewalking it, she found a small area with bent twigs that had been carefully put back into place. Though the area had been cleared and 'cleaned', Lanaey's un-humanly sharp eyes saw the gap where a human had crawled in. It could have been a villager that went through, but the Elf thought not. Pulling out a long knife, she crouched and started into the bush. Within a minute she had found an unconscious grown male with blood still seeping slowly from his side and a giant gash in his right leg. Lanaey was amazed he hadn't left a trail off blood all the way to his hiding place. Grabbing him she dragged his unresisting body out of the bushes and saw him to be one of the Rohirrim. She quickly checked him over and found that although his injuries looked horrendous he wasn't in immediate danger of death.

Knowing that her current physical condition would not allow her to carry him, she grabbed his arms and started to slowy drag him toward the sick house. Soon someone saw her, but instead of helping they ran off toward the house. Soon Lanaey's old helper Deron came running up. Deron gasped as she saw the extent of the wounds and the youth grabbed his feet while calling to others for help. Three more humans came and helped carry the injured man properly the rest of the way.

~*~

It had been at least five hours since Leena had arrived at the army’s temporary camp and they still hadn’t decided on a course of action.

The priestess sat in council with four high rank leaders and the discussion that had been going on for over an hour was about what they should do with the camped army. The messenger that they sent out three hours ago never returned and Leena thought it unlikely he had made it to the village since no one sent word. The army had too many wounded men to march off to the village and Settac, the main leader who had immediately taken over as acting Captain, was being very bull headed.

“We are in an unknown position to the enemy,” he repeated for the sixth time. “And to our allies,” Leena muttered as he continued, “And we have too many wounded to safely take back to the village. That’s all there is to this!”

Leena fumed at the balding would-be commander. “Fine,” she said in forced calm. “We’ll stay here till tomorrow midday at the least. We must move before the morn after though, agreed?”

He raised his head, looking slightly superior. “We’ll talk about it then.”

The priestess’ eyes flashed and had to forcibly restrain herself from attacking that arrogant prick. All he wanted was his new found power. He wasn’t even thinking about what his men needed nor about his duty to the village. She wished that Herebrand were here to quash his power trip.

The three, thus far silent, other leaders looked at each other and departed together. Leena stayed behind at the cold fire, trying to clear her mind, but it was resisting. Taking deep breaths and reaching inside for her training, a calm finally over took her and left her rational, even if she was still tinged with anger at Settac.

Looking around at the camp, Leena could understand why the pompous ‘Leader’ didn’t want to move. Many of them were close to dying and there was high risk in moving them. Personally, Leena thought that most of them could die regardless and the army had to get back to the village, it needed the good men’s protection. Leena had another surge of anger toward Settac at him going after a large band of wild men and leaving the village behind with most of the army following him. Now, because the battle had been more fierce than calculated they were stuck with too many wounded.

Going to her bedroll for the night, Leena swore that she would get the army out by tomorrow night, even if she had to gag and tie Settac.

[ August 03, 2003: Message edited by: Kryssal ]