Scouting Ahead, Part 2: The Path

[Eonwë]

Auros:

Such creatures! They appeared from burrows in the ground, reaching first with their thick hairy appendages toward the masses of squirrels. Ever more outwards they reached until their bodies too came forth, a hideous squatty form like in shape to that of a spider. Not the slender, lithe-limbed tree-spiders of Mirkwood were these, but creatures built to burrow and dig, to force dirt away and to draw creatures in. More than once in their first reach toward the squirrels would they push outward, gather a few, then drag their prey screeching into their burrow, leaving no obvious path inward. Auros was stunned. Never before had he seen such a creature, nor in the lore he long studied did he read of its like. Did the Noldor of old ever face such creatures?

Auros watched as Calion and the newcomer charged forth toward the creatures. He studied this new danger carefully, looking best how it may be assailed, and defended against, though little time there was to do so if he were to lend aid in this battle. If they can burrow through the ground, they may have a tougher hide than the spiders of Mirkwood. Apparently blades can still pierce, but what of arrows? Can they climb? There is something driving them...or is it calling?

Auros flexed his arm and swung his sword with his shield arm to test the wound. It holds.

Preparing to charge forth, he noticed something about these new foes. They reached for their prey into the circle of light, but when at times they would come close enough for the fire to shine off their eyes (Such malice) they would withdraw.

"Do not go too near the edge of the light! Let us trust to Dwarf-lore concerning these creatures. If they will not show themselves in light, then that is our best defense, and at least one seige we can hope to withstand. I cannot see into the darkness under the trees, and I shudder to think how many of these creatures may be there. If they will not be content to feed on squirrels, then will we feed them steel." Auros took a stand on an unguarded side of the fire, away from Calion and the newcomer, watching for any sign that these creatures would dare the light for a meal more exquisite.

"I suggest you keep that wolf inward toward the fire as well, Calion."

[Varda]

Fainan:

Fainan shuddered. Spiders had always been bad enough, but for them to drag prey underground! Too horrible.

She shot at the creatures, going for the bodies, but they were difficult to hit as they dipped in and out of the ground or shadows. The fear of going down there later to retrieve arrows helped to steady her hand to avoid it.

"Auros, you're right!" she exclaimed. "Perhaps pushing burning brands at them will injure or help drive them away." She had no desire to be that close, but perhaps she could shoot through the fire to make her arrows flame? Unfortunately, the angle from the tree was poor for that tactic.

[arathorn]

Haran:

Forcing away his initial terror, Haran called back to Fainan "I have myself never seen the loathsome beasts before, thinking them but a myth, yet it would seem that myths and reality are one these days. I believe Auros to be correct in his observation. If they fear light then they will most definitely dread fire! Soak your arrows in paraffin if you have it, if not take mine, I carry it along with cloth for torches should I find need of them. Your knives, as well Calion! Even without them lit, the liquid itself should bite into them. I shall immerse my axe heads as well. We shall light the beasts aflame and send them back to the hell that spawned them!"

Quickly drenching his throwing weapons, he lit the ends and flung them at the backs of the hirsute beasts as more emerged from their hidden lairs. "Look out, on the right! They wish a larger meal than squirrels to devour! Defend the horses!"

[Eonwë]

Auros:

Shifting Angran into his right hand, Auros drew forth a burning branch from the fire and flung it at one of the beasts advancing toward the horses, striking its head. The beast let out a screech and a hiss as it returned to the shadows as Auros brabbed another branch. Rushing to the horses, he drove Angran down into a spider advancing on Sulënar. A slight twinge of pain rang in his right shoulder, reminding him he was wounded. The other creatures backed away as the flame drew closer. Sheathing his sword, he yelled back to the Elf in the tree, "Fainan! Cover me!"
Auros set the branch down between the horses and the spiders, but the lone branch did not put forth much light despite its kindling of the grasses underneath. Quickly Auros worked to untie the horses speaking soothing words and sending them towards the fire as he did so. The campfire still held its ground against the surrounding darkness, while the darkness choked the branch-fire's light ever more, though the flame itself spread slowly through the surrounding grasses. The creatures began to crawl forward once more as Auros worked the ropes on Fainan's horse.

[Varda]

Fainan:

Fear vanished in the need to protect, covering Auros with an eye to the horses and other party members. Fainan wished she had time to try the paraffin, perhaps once the horses were freed. Hithceleb was not tied but may have appeared to be as the mare had not bolted. The wide-eyed horse seemed glad of Auros's presence and proceeded to kick and stomp any of the spiders that came on her side of the Noldo and his horse.

[Shelob]

Estarion:

As Estarion rushed forward, a knife rustled past him and plunged into one of the hideous creatures hide. It didnt matter though. Estarion was not aware of his surroundings, not even his newfound companions, he was fully taken into the battle that had started only moments ago. He, nor any of his people had never seen these creatures, but there were rumors among them. Entire hunting parties had disappeared at times, almost never leaving any survivors. The ones that did survive those attacks always had the same story: their party had vanished behind them without any trace. They knew it could not be Orcs or Goblins, for they had no lairs near their borders, and they would not tunnel so far into their lands. Even though the Goblins would have, they would have left traces, since the parties were always stricken at different locations, and never near anything that could possibly be the entrance of a hidden Goblin tunnel. Thus through these rumors his rage was kindled into a fiery wrath without mercy. His song had not been untrue, his people defended their lands, but took every chance to avenge their fallen.

He fell onto the first of the creatures, rushing past, severing a limb in the process. Before he could reach the second of these beasts, though, it retreated back into the hole it had come from, no doubt intending to strike from somewhere else. Before Estarion could find a new target, it presented itself in opening a giant trap door to the side. Seeing as he could not dodge this new attack, he instead sprang forward, between the reaching legs and drove his sword straight into the hideous eyes. In its convulsions of death, it stroke wildly, while pulling back into its hole. Estarions sword was slammed so deep into the creature that he could not pull it free, getting dragged into the dark hole. Finally, just before he got dragged all the way into the hole, he yanked his sword free with a mighty tug.

Faintly he heard Auros shout "Fainan! Cover me!" Taking a quick glance towards the sound, he noticed Auros heading towards the horses. Sensing that these creatures would be needed for the others to escape, he swiftly leaped into the trees. Rushing through the branches, with his sword still drawn, he was slown down a little, but not enough to hinder him. He flashed past the elf in the trees holding bow and arrow ready to fire from above. With a terrible wail of pure wrath he came flying out of the trees at one of the beasts coming cautiously up from behind on Auros. Seeing Estarion come, it hastily retreated. It was too late. As the trap door closed, Estarions sword slammed into the earth up to the hilt. With a horrible shreek that seemed to rent up the earth itself the beast died. Estarion, only in mind to kill it and to protect Auros, slammed into the ground at a horrible speed and angle. The smack almost instantly knocked him out cold and he lay there a few seconds wondering, I hope he will do the same for me as I did for him. Darkness enshrouded him and he knew no more.

[Eonwë]

Auros:

Finding Fainan's horse not at all tied, he sent it to join Calion's near the campfire. The darkness had almost swallowed the small burning branch as a sound came behind him. Untying Sulënar last, he turned to the direction of the sound to find Estarion upon the ground in a bad position. His sword was driven into the earth up to its hilt, a dark liquid oozing upward out of the space around it. He jumped from the tree to slay the creature before it could attack me. Brave Fool, not taking time to make for a better landing. He will be lucky if he did not break a limb. He spoke softly to Sulënar, and the horse kneeled down. Auros hoisted the injured Elf upon the horse's back, and Sulënar rose to his feet. Speaking softly again to the horse, he sent it towards the fire. He looked around to find that the burning branch was now all but swallowed by the darkness, almost no light escaping from the flame. More than seeing, he could feel the malice of the creatures upon the darker malice of the outer dark, burnt out stars upon a darker Sea.
They began to edge closer.

Estarion's sword. He reached where he remembered seeing the hilt before the darkness fully overwhelmed the branch. Grabbin the hilt, with both hands, he pulled with all his might, drawing the beast's body partly out of the ground before the sword came free. Tossing the sword into the edge of the light, he drew his own sword, which faintly reflected the light of the campfire. The light reflected from his blade further reflected into the eyes of the creatures approaching. They backed away only slightly at the glint of the light, not strong enough to give pause for long. Auros smiled grimly.So be it.
Charging at the first creature to re-emerge from its pit, he struck into the creature with all his might.

[ArPharazon]

Calion:

Rushing forward to face the spidery creatures from the ground, he threw his first dagger into the hide of one, before throwing himself fully into the fray. He heard Auros yell: ""I suggest you keep that wolf inward toward the fire as well, Calion." "I doubt I could hold him back, Auros, he seems to possess a great fury and hatred for these things. Perhaps they too have been influenced by the evil Gulhuine spreading around. I'm sure Helvy will be fine, as long as he keeps control over his anger, and not turns towards his friends, for he is and ever will be a wolf, and he may not, in his rage, recognize friend from foe."

Helvy, indeed, fought the beasts near the edge of the fire as well. He clawed and bit at them with full wrath, and although there were many, they could not hope to defeat the wolf. Calion struck blow after blow with his daggers, one in each hand, striking the monsters everywhere, while avoiding their blows. The creatures were tough, and took many blows before dying, but they were unable to do much damage so close to the fire.

Haran suggested to dip the daggers into paraffin, for the spiders did not seem to act well to light and fire. Calion gladly took this advice, jumped back, dipped and lit the points of the two daggers, and charged back. Each beast he struck now was set in flames, while the daggers remained burning. As only the points were lit, Calion had no risk to his hands at the hilts.

But the creatures were in large numbers, and soon they advanced towards the horses, away from the fire. Auros grabbed a branch, lit it, and threw it into the face of the nearest spider. Now he took another branch, and jumped to defend the horses and untie them. In the battle that ensued there Estarion was wounded badly, and could no longer help with the fight.

While Auros was certainly able to defend himself, although the light of his torch was slowly nullified by the encroaching darkness, Calion continued further into the masses, stabbing and wounding creature after creature with his still burning daggers, forcing one after another into temporal retreat or even death. Before he knew it, he had stepped out of the circle of light, or the circle of light had withdrawn from him. Soon he was surrounded, and could no longer retreat to the campfire, even if it was only to rekindle his daggers, as the paraffin was slowly disappearing from the points.

Just as he thought he would not escape without serious injury, Calion was freed by none other than Helvy. The wolf was now going into a total frenzy against the creatures, and broke the ranks seperating Calion from the fire. Together, the Elf and his now good friend, slashed through the spiders on their way back to the fire, but soon found problems arising once again.

Just between them and the edge of the light a larger hole was opened, and several beasts, blacker, larger, and fiercer than the others, crawled out. Calion and Helvy threw themselves at the things, and pushed them into the circle of light, almost onto the fire. While the smaller spiders still remained behind, for now afraid of the light and heat, the greater creatures seemed hardly influenced by the flames, and a small yet very fierce battle ensued between the Elf, the Wolf, and the 3 greatest spiders.

[Varda]

Fainan:

Fainan took a few seconds to collect a few dead branches. She jumped down to the fire, added the branches for fuel, collected paraffin in a great glob on an arrow bent against a bole in a miss, put a bit of that glob on one arrow and lit it. Then she leaped back into a tree in a better postion to cover the group, barely ahead of hideous mandibles. She flicked an arrow across the glob that was now on a small branch jammed between twigs, lit it from the arrow now on fire upright between more twigs, and let fly. No more mandibles.

Pleased with the results of the flaming arrows, she tried to assist each member of the party. Even if a spider wasn't killed, a graze left a trail of burning paraffin distracting the monster from its prey. And the webbing that covered a trap door burned quite well!

Bats wheeled by in a quick dance, then back into the northern trees. The trees, mostly distracted by fire and the battle, gave little information about the north. Yet something came. They had to finish off these spiders before this new trouble hit!

[Eonwë]

Auros:

The creature did not retreat fast enough. It let out a screech as it was skewered with Elvish steel. A sense of malice striking toward him from the right. Auros dodged as the hairy leg came close enough for him to see it even in this unnatural darkness. Slicing upward, he saw as the leg fell suddenly, falling beyond his sight to land with a soft thud on the ground. The creature shreaked and it shrank from Auros. As another came toward him, Auros heard a whistle through the air. Moving in time, the burning arrow flew past him into the creature. As it passed him, it seared the darkness with a light that revealed numerous eyes at ground level. Once it hit the target, the light was swallowed into the darkness while the flame burned still. A hole opened beside him and another malicious will struck toward him. Dodging just in time, he stumbled and fell to the ground, sweeping wide with his sword as he did so. It connected just barely, not even enough to slow the creature it struck. It loomed over him. He could feel the creature above him, hearing the working of its jaws. Upward he struck into its belly, and another burning arrow flew into it from the side. Auros grinned. Can she see through this darkness? He threw the beast aside and found himself within arm's reach of the branch he had thrown at the creature attacking the horses. Surprisingly, its flame still burned, not completely subdued by the dark that had at last quenched the one he set between the creatures and the horses. Taking hold of the branch, he raised it into the air. A new life seemed to come to the flame as it was drawn away from the ground, and the branch once again began to cast a proper light.
"Nar!" Auros shouted as he held the branch aloft. "Calë!" The creatures drew back, into their burrows, pulling the soil in with them. Auros began to back slowly toward the ring of light emanating from the campfire, which had grown slightly. The darkness lessened its pressure upon him as he drew nearer, and once again he heard the cries of battle around the fire. A pit opened next to him, in the face of the fire, and the creature emerging struck upwards to extinguish it. Stepping aside, he shoved his sword into the face of the creature and it let out a great screech. Thrusting the fire onto the creature, it came alight as its corpse began to slide into its burrow.

Coming again into the light, he placed the branch into the fire, leaving the end out far enough to be drawn forth again. He extended Angran above the fire to burn the spider-blood from his blade, then sheathed his sword and joined Fainan in the tree. The horses made a ring around Estarion, apparently ready to defend the injured Avar if need be. It seemed Calion and Haran had the matter of the creatures moving on the fire in hand for the moment.

From this vantage, Auros concentrated, gazing into the darkness for what he could percieve.
"I cannot tell the numbers of these creatures, for they do not all rise aboveground together. There are several, then none, then a couple, then several again. They are keeping their numbers hard to guess, and there are still other creatures we cannot be sure will not join them, the spiders who inhabit your forests, for example. Fleeing through trees could be as dangerous as fleeing on horse."

"There is great malice to the North. The lesser creatures seem mostly to come from the South. I deem whatever will directs these beasts wanted to drive us into the northern host, and attacked the horses when we decided to remain around the fire. I fear we are outnumbered, and we cannot hope with our skills to win the night through attrition. Even were we to slay the creatures here, and what skill that would take!, I sense something else, something more dangerous, but I do not know if it draws near or waits for us to come to it. The darkness that lies about us is deep and dulls even my awareness. When I set out from Imladris, I did not expect such resistance to,..." Auros cut off, not willing to go further in his words.

"One thing is sure," Auros said finally, "and that is the Avar must come with us. He is injured, and that must be treated first, but he may not be able to fight. We must hold here for the night, keeping the fire burning until the dawn causes these creatures to withdraw into their hideaways, unless the Dwarf has further knowledge we could use to escape both them and the unknown danger."

[arathorn]

Haran:

"Indeed the Dwarf does, but unfortunately it requires an army of my outraged brethren and many more throwing axes and paraffin than I have available to me!", Haran scoffed. "This is a battle we cannot keep up indefinitely, much less win. I suggest we mount up and begin riding as quickly as possible to whatever destination gives us either more shelter or comrades to aid us in the fight! We can make torches with what liquid I have left to fend off any that may pursue, yet I doubt that even eight legged beasts can keep up with your valiant steeds. Fainan, there must be somewhere that would prove a better refuge... perhaps a rocky area where these mongrels cannot burrow through?"

In between rants, Haran lit several weapons and set alight the more brave, or foolish, of the attackers that stepped into the firelight.

[Varda]

Fainan:

"Aye, Haran. You probably have the right of it. The Enchanted River is not far now. We could take the horses and outrun these horrors if we can break loose from them. Once we leap the river, and Helvy is drawn across by boat or perhaps held across a horse like a sack, the spiders should not be able to come at us. We must try to stay on the path."

She shot into a mass of eight eyes glittering in the firelight, discouraging and maybe killing a spider that had just surfaced. "Give us the call when you want us to begin our race, Auros!"

[ArPharazon]

Calion and Helvy:

The two comrades came back to their feet, regaining their balance, after pushing the 3 greatest spiders within 2 feet of the fire. As axes and arrows flew around them, holding back the spiders slowly advancing into the circle of light, the wolf and the elf were free to face these new opponents. The 3 monsters looked menacing with the fire at their backs, also crawling to regain their balance, before attacking with their jaws and their legs. Calion prepared for battle, noticing the daggers had now gone out. The fire would not have helped much anyway, Calion thought, as he noticed the flames of the fire just barely scorching their hides. The fire gleamed in his eyes, as he charged forward, the wolf beside him.

As the wolf threw himself on the first of the spiders, Calion ran right into the other two. He first stuck a dagger in the throat (or whatever spiders had in that place) of the first one, but it had little effect. A small wound, out of which some black blood dropped to the ground, but hardly weakening his adversary. The spider sprung back however, and the other jumped up from the side, trapping Calion around the neck with a leg, pushing him down to the ground onto his knees. However, a fresh arrow from Fainan severed that leg, flew further through the air, into a mass of eight eyes glittering in the firelight, discouraging and maybe killing a spider that had just surfaced.

After a quick "Thank you" in her direction Calion immediately jumped up and between the spiders, grabbed a larger branch from the fire, and stuck it within the gaping hole left behind when the leg fell to the ground. The fire spread through the body of the spider, as it's inner juices were very vulnerable to the fire, although it's hide was resistant. The elf used all his force to lift the spider up on the sturdy branch, and tossed it into the fire, where it shrieked and moved about, while slowly being roasted alive.

Calion, now exhausted, turned around, only to see the first spider coming right for him with a mighty jump. He prepared for the end, when a flaming axe soared through the skies, striking the beast into the side, throwing him onto the ground beside Calion's left arm, who now took out the daggers again, put them alight using the fire and paraffin remaining on the axe, and finished the spider off.

Seeing to check on his friend, Calion faced the 3rd spider, only in time to see his dear companion falling from a bite in the back. He thrust a dagger into the eyes of the black creature, who backed off severely injured, also from the battle with Helvy, who now had a large wound on his back. The wolf fell to the ground, tired and unable to move, as Calion engaged the duel with the last monster.

The fight was fierce and terrible, as the tired Calion and the wounded spider faced off against each other, desiring nothing else above the other's death. Bites and stabs fell here and there, both doing less damage than they would have done a few minutes earlier. In the end Calion managed to make the final strike, with his daggers simultaneously in the underbelly of the spider, who fell down shrieking, and moved its limbs a few seconds before releasing its last breath.

Calion, with wounds and gashes on his entire body, stumbled over to Helvy, threw his flaming daggers towards a couple of spiders on the edge of the light, and picked up his big and heavy friend in his arms. He walked back as fast as he could around the fire, laid Helvy on the back of faithful Quessëlómë, and turned towards the tree, shouting to his friends:

"Can we go now? I don't think we can hold out much longer!"

[Shelob]

Estarion:

Laying unconciously on the back of a horse, Estarion stirred uneasily, threatening to fall off.

[Eonwë]

Auros:

Auros was surprised the Dwarf could hear him, but for the moment that did not matter.

"Had I five more of my brethren, I would not march beyond this fire's light before dawn. We know not what waits ahead along this path. These creatures can burrow, and we know not how far their tunnels extend. This unnatural darkness can extinguish light by sheer oppression. Torches would do us no good. You have fought along its edges, Calion. Could you feel its weight upon you? There is no sight in that blackness, and only a bare warning of malice would save you from the next strike, if you could react in time. Perhaps your eyes, Lady Fainan, can pierce this darkness, but I don't imagine you could guide all of us and our horses at the speed needed. Even if we made the Enchanted River, we have no gaurantee it is not being held against us, or that we will be safe once we cross."

The pride of his people began to well in him, but he controlled it, a battle he had grown used to and no longer showed outward signs of, and spoke on. There is no time for rash words.

"If any greater danger is to come tonight, I would that it be in light of a fire, not in that oppressive dark where we will not know until it decides to attack us."

Pausing for an instant, Auros continued," Our best chance is to wait this out here. We know what we have here and what to expect. The creatures will not often stray toward the fire, and we can hold off those that do. If we are not rash in our fighting, we will survive the night. No fewer than two of us at the edge of the light together, and only to gather brush for the fire."

Jumping from the tree, he reached into his pack sitting near the fire and brought forth the vial of healing ointment and a waterskin. Tossing them to Calion, he said "Clean the wolf's wound, then put some of this on it. Be sparing. I still have a return journey to make, and we have already faced more danger than I anticipated." It seems the Forest Path will not be safe when I return, so I must take another direction from Erebor.

Auros stared out into the night, trying to pierce the veil that lay about the fire, but to little avail. He knew at least that the spiders were regrouping in the South. Nothing in the North, as he suspected. That's where they want to drive us if they can. Nothing along the path in either direction so far as he could tell, but the darkness seemed to pour from the sides into the path ever thicker.
Turning to Fainan, "Shall we tend to the newcomer?"