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Post by Stormrider on May 21, 2004 20:00:57 GMT -6
January 23, 3018 T.A.
"Off you go, into the tunnel with you!" laughed Shagrat, captain of Cirith Ungol as he prodded a small orc whose hands were tied behind his back with a spear. The small unit of orcs accompanying Shagrat looked on with anticipation as the small orc wriggled and fought the implement that was spurring him toward the gaping opening of the cave.
"Quit your fightin', ain't nothing you can do about it." The jab of the spear was very forceful this time and the small orc had no other recourse than to enter the cave. The unit of orcs moved forward brandishing their spears at him, while jeering and yelling expletives at him. "Nice tidbit for her highness." "Yer have an appointment wid her ladyship!" "Git a move-on now, Bâshsnak! Don't be meek!" "It's a just punishment for one of you Lugbúrz Rats for being so lordly all the time!" Bâshsnak was terrified. He knew he had really bungled things when he had accidentally allowed the Gollum creature to escape from the torture chambers of Barad-dûr. However, the Dark Lord had been able to pry out of the miserable creature the words "Shire," "Baggins" which had given him a hint where to look for his most desired possession-The One Ring. To Bâshsnak's shame and mortification, he had fallen asleep while on guard duty after imbibing in too many orc spirits just before his guard duty began. Now he was to pay dearly for his mistake! The orc unit closed in on Bâshsnak forcing him into the tunnel deeper and deeper. The jeers and curses of the others were causing Bâshsnak to lose his head and he stumbled along the dark passages slipping on the uneven, slick floor. Eventually he fell and cracked his head on the ground and slipped into unconsciousness. "Well, that'll keep him from backing outta here now. Come on, lads! We better get outta here so her ladyship don't net us for a meal, too." jeered Shagrat. The orc unit retreated and Bâshsnak was left alone in the dark-----unconscious…
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Post by Stormrider on May 21, 2004 20:02:07 GMT -6
After a while Bâshsnak began to stir. His head was throbbing, he was cold, it was pitch dark, and he could not remember where he was. When he tried to feel the sore lump on the back of his head, he found his hands tied together behind his back----then everything came back to him! He was in Shelob's Lair! No orc had ever made it out alive! He was certainly doomed! Orcs are devious, clever, and quick to react when their life is in danger and Bâshsnak quickly found a sharp rock and began sawing the rope that bound his wrists. In a matter of moments, his arms were free, he rubbed the large bump on the back of his head, then licked the blood from his fingers. Whish! Something suddenly whipped past him! Immediately he cowered to the ground assuming it was her ladyship. Nothing stung him and he listened intently for any sounds nearby. Soon a miserable hissing and muttering came to his ears. "Precioussss. He hurtsesss ussss and torturesss us. He knowssss now! He hurtsesss usss into telling where the preciousssss issss!" Bâshsnak recognized the miserable voice of the creature, Gollum. "We will not let him find the precioussss! We musssst find it firsssst and keep it for usssss, yessss, **gollum**gollum**." Bâshsnak stealthily stood and carefully made his way toward the voice of Gollum. A plan was forming in his head for his escape…
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Post by Stormrider on May 21, 2004 20:03:28 GMT -6
Slowly and very quietly he crept toward the sniveling sounds. He could not see anything in the darkness but he felt with the tip of his foot along the ground and with his hands for walls or other obstacles. Gollum was much further inside the lair than Bâshsnak had first thought. Bâshsnak held the length of rope that had bound his wrists in both hands so he would be ready with it when he made his move. It was silent in the lair now and Bâshsnak was worried that Shelob might smell the blood from the back of his head and come sniffing for him. The hair was standing up on his back at the thought! Gollum began to mumble and move off. Bâshsnak carefully but quickly followed Gollum's retreating sounds as he moved deeper into the lair. Now there was a deadly silence and only pitch-black darkness. Orc eyesight was excellent in the dark, but there was an ill feel in the lair disabling even an orc's night vision. Bâshsnak began to worry that he would lose track of the creature that would put an end to his plan to re-capture it and bring it back, thus restoring his own honor and canceling his execution. Soon a scuffling sound was heard but Bâshsnak was loath to follow it for it could be her ladyship rather than the miserable Gollum who always seemed to move with stealth and silence. However, he had no choice but to make toward it. It might be that Shelob had seen Gollum and was hunting him. Bâshsnak followed the sound for a long time. He made his way through the tunnel maze by touch and feel. Many times his hands or feet were held fast by an extremely sticky substance and it took him some time to extract himself and move on. Sometimes he lost track of the scuffling but moved on in the direction he last heard it. After moving carefully onward for quite some time, the heaviness of the air and dark seemed to lift and a bit of his vision returned to him. The scuffling stopped. Bâshsnak strained his ears for any sound. There was nothing for a long time and he had decided to go on when suddenly he heard the hissing and muttering again. "Precioussss, preciousss, we will finds you. Nasssty, wicked Bagginsss will pay." Bâshnak moved stealthily forward with his rope at the ready. His orc vision was returning and he could see a slight outline of the creature slumped over caressing his hand. Its attention was focused its hand and Bâshnak slunk up behind it and pulled the rope tightly around the creature's neck. At first Gollum struggled ferociously but the rope was cutting off his air and he soon gave in and stopped struggling. "Be still, you! Struggling will do you no good. It is back to Barad-dûr with you, I say!" Green eyes glared back at him. Suddenly a huge ominous dark shape came into view and a clicking sound was heard in the tunnel. It was her ladyship! She had followed them! Bâshsnak immediately faced Shelob and placed the struggling Gollum between him and the spider. Slowly he backed up and headed toward a tunnel that seemed slightly brighter. He was almost to the opening of the tunnel, when Shelob sprung forward. She was very quick and Bâshsnak was caught off guard. He slipped but caught himself. She was upon them and he loosened the rope around Gollum's neck and shoved him forward and into her ladyship with such force that Gollum had no way to escape. With that final act, Bâshsnak turned and fled down the tunnel. The last sound he heard was the miserable creature's voice, "Hsssss. We are not ssssweet meat….we are rotten to eat. We know where to find sssweet meatsss-all you can eat, yessss." Bâshsnak did not stop running until he was out of the tunnel, into the open, and making his way to safety.
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Post by Stormrider on May 21, 2004 20:07:15 GMT -6
Bashsnâk ran from the lair and did not stop until he reached the precariously embedded stone stairway that led down to the fortress of Minas Morgûl. He looked over the edge and became dizzy. Heights always caused him a great deal of trouble. He was terrified of heights and suffered severely from vertigo. The crumbling, twisting stairway was the only route of escape. He cursed, swallowed, closed his eyes, and started backing down the steps while facing the wall of the mountain finding any hand hold he could grip. Slowly he descended and many times he lost his footing as the stone steps crumbled out from under his feet. He was forced to stop many times to get his bearings back. Sweat was oozing out of all his pores and dripping into his eyes and burning. He dared not to wipe it away because he could not afford to loose his grip on the wall. After a long time, he came near to the bottom of the mountain where he found a cliff that he could step onto and rest and look out on his surroundings. The fortress of Minas Morgul was magnificent far off on his left and the bridge leading to it was very lengthy. Soon he closed his eyes and nodded off to sleep. * * * * * *
January 24, 3018 T.A. It was dark when he awoke to the sound of orcs marching. He peered over the cliff into the darkness below and watched as a small troop of orcs marched below him. They had come from the fortress and were headed down the path from the bridge toward the Crossroads. "Get moving you slaggers!" growled Gorbag, the captain. "We are under orders to track the Gollum creature for the Dark Master." The troop picked up speed cursing and mumbling obscenities as they marched. "It is His plan for us to follow the creature and we are to report back on the places he leads us." Gorbag shouted. "Eh!" *snort* "Where is that creature anyway? I don't see it anywhere. And why didn't He just MAKE the creature lead Him where he was going?" grumbled an orc in the unit. "Quiet you! There will be no questioning the Dark Master's plan." snarled Gorbag, wondering the same thing, as he cracked a whip across the offending orc's backside while grinning wickedly. "His plan allowed for the creature to escape so that we could follow it." answered Gorbag. "Argg! No, He didn't! I heard that lout, Bashsnâk, let the creature escape while on guard duty. He drank himself into a stupor and the creature escaped." commented another orc in the unit. "Right! And now poor, dear Bashsnâk" *raucous laughter from the unit* "is now a feast for her ladyship." *Guffawing from the orcs* The speaker made a move to take a bite out of the orc on his left but was punched in the jaw by the targeted orc before he could sink his teeth in. *loud bursts of laughter* "You fools!" shouted Gorbag. "The Captain of the Nazgûl found Bashsnâk passed out in his vomit while he was guarding the creature. The creature had not escaped. The Captain was there to bring the creature to the Dark Master so that He could arrange for it to think it was escaping on its own. Bashsnâk was sent to her ladyship for her sport because of his inattentiveness on duty. It had been too long since The Captain had sent her treats to placate her and Bashsnâk was in the wrong place doing the wrong thing at the wrong time!" drool dripped from Gorbag's mouth as he laughed foully. The rest of the orcs laughed in appreciation of Bashsnâk's punishment. "Too bad we weren't there to see him go into the lair! That would have been priceless." *snickering from the rest* And then the troop was out of ear shot. Bashsnâk blinked in the darkness. So he was not to blame for allowing the creature to escape! He craned his neck and peered back up toward the top of the mountain stairway. He wondered whether Shelob thought the creature a tasty morsel. Bashsnâk grinned wickedly as he thought of how he had just spoiled the Dark Master's plan.
It would be a good idea for Bashsnâk to get far, far away from Mordor now. When the Dark Master found out (and he was sure that he would sooner or later for his spies and minions were everywhere), He would not be pleased that Bashsnâk had spoiled his plan. Bashsnâk trembled at the thought of what punishment would be in store for him if he was found out and caught!
Quickly he made his way carefully down the rest of the stairway and was on the road following at a safe distance behind the marching orc unit.
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Post by Stormrider on May 21, 2004 20:10:41 GMT -6
Bashsnâk kept to the trees and bushes as he moved off down the road in the direction the unit of orcs had taken. He was starving and needed to find food. He also had been stripped of his armor and weapons when he had been taken to Shelob. He had to rely on his hands, teeth and wits. So he moved stealthily and as quietly as he could watching for signs of the orc unit. After a while he came to the Crossroads. He wondered which way the orcs had taken. He examined the ground for signs of footprints and noticed the ground was trampled and bushes crushed from big feet and heavy bodies moving over it. The trampled path led into the woods so he followed it. He listened carefully as he went and kept scanning the woods all around him. Soon he heard orcs speaking and ducked behind some foliage to take in the situation. The orcs had set up camp and had apparently just finished a meal. Bashsnâk's stomach growled. The orcs were not very quiet either. They were arguing with each other. Typical. He would have to wait until nightfall after the orcs went to sleep to raid their food supplies and perhaps filch a weapon or two. So he sat back and waited while his hunger grew. He made a note of where the food supply was kept so that he would not be blundering around in the dark trying to find it when the time came. It was several hours after nightfall when the orcs decided to post a guard on the camp perimeter and they all began dropping off to sleep. Soon they were all snoring and grunting in their sleep except for the guard who was walking around the outskirts of the camp. Bashsnâk cursed his bad luck. He would not be able to get food and a weapon while the orc was patrolling. So he settled into the bush branches and watched and waited. Several times the orc guard passed and each time the guard looked in Bashsnâk's direction. The guard had not spotted him because he was still hidden well and had not moved a muscle. Eventually, the guard chose a tree not far from where Bashsnâk was hidden and sat down with his back against a tree trunk. Soon the guard fell asleep. With one quick leap, Bashsnâk was on him and had snapped his neck! He worked quickly and stripped the orc of his armor and gear and put them on. Then he sunk his broken yellowed teeth into the guard's neck and began to feast. The hot thick blood spurted out in jets from the last beating of the orc's heart. He ripped flesh from the orc and sunk his teeth into the warm oozy guts. He had been so famished by this time that he was slurping and chomping away oblivious to his surroundings.
Suddenly, several orcs were on him! His glutinous chomping and slurping had awaked the sleeping orcs. "Hey! You! What do you think you are doing?" growled Gorbag. Bashsnâk froze. "Get him boys!" The rest of the orcs jumped him and began biting and ripping and tearing at his flesh. Bashsnâk shook his head. His attention snapped back to reality. While he had been waiting for the guard to slacken his vigilance, Bashsnâk had let his mind wander and was imagining how some fresh orc flesh would taste. But his imagination had also shown him how foolish a move like that would be right now. He could not afford to draw attention to himself. All of Sauron's slaves, lackeys, underlings, and nazgûl thought he had been a feast for Shelob. He wanted them to keep thinking that! The guard actually had fallen asleep and was snoring as loudly as the rest of them. Bashsnâk sighed. He would have loved a fresher feast than what he would find in the remnants of the orc gear, but he needed to eat and this was the wisest course to take.
He headed in the direction where he had remembered the food to be kept. Carefully he slunk past the sleeping orcs. He ransacked the bags and took as much as he dared. He took enough to satisfy his hunger now and a bit for the next day. He also found a small dagger while fumbling around the packs and took that, too. Then he left the immediate camp area and went back to his bush to eat and get a little sleep. He did not particularly wish to stay near the other orcs but thought it would be safer than to be a lone orc wandering around Ithilien. The Gondorians still traveled this area and patrolled it very thorougly. There was safety in numbers even if the other orcs were not aware of him, he felt safer having them near. After curbing his hunger with the meager meal he had stolen, he fell lightly asleep.
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Post by Stormrider on May 21, 2004 20:15:09 GMT -6
January 25, 3018 T.A. Gorbag towered over his sleeping guard. "Skai! Glob*" he cursed as he kicked the snoring figure which groaned and groggily looked about. A sudden recollection of what he was supposed to have been doing--keeping watch on the camp--played across his face and he attempted to make excuses for his lapse of watchfulness. But he was too late!
"Get him boys!" shouted Gorbag as the rest of the orc unit joined him in ripping the lax guard to shreds with their claws and teeth. They were soon munching and crunching greedily.
Bashsnâk had woken before dawn and watched as Gorbag and the camp began to stir and move about their camp looking for their food sacks. When they discovered that some of their food had been taken, Gorbag was furious and set out to find the sleeping guard and punish him.
Bashsnâk kept very still and watched hungrily from between the branches of his bush, saliva dripped from the corner of his mouth. The meager food he had pilfered last night was not satisfying his hunger now, especially when there was a delightful meal just yards away from him! His hoped his stomach would not betray his hideout with a lustful growl.
The orcs had finished with the guard and were packing up their camp when a dark, stealthy shadow swept past them in the underbrush. They saw it and pointed. Gorbag saw it, too. He motioned for them to stand still and be quiet, then motioned for the one called Snograt to follow the creature while the rest of the orcs gathered their belongings and followed behind. Snograt moved off and soon disappeared in the woods. The others moved after him and where gone.
Bashsnâk came out from hiding and hurried over to what little remained of the orc guard. He found a few bits and scraps and gobbled them up voraciously. He looked around at the orc armor that had been ripped off the guard and managed to put together many of the pieces for himself to wear. He picked up the orc's helmet and shield which had been ignored when the orcs hastily left the camp. He looked around for the orc's scimitar but did not find it. Gorbag must have taken it with him.
"Skai!" swore Bashsnâk. "I'll have to make do with this small knife and keep my eyes open for a chance to snag a better weapon on the road." Then he hurried on in the direction the rest of the orcs had taken. ---------- * Skai - This is an expression of contempt or disgust. Glob - filth These words are expressions in the black language of Mordor.
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Post by Stormrider on May 21, 2004 20:19:08 GMT -6
Bashsnâk trotted along the road keeping a good distance behind the other orcs. He tracked their footprints in the dirt and listened for the sounds of their marching. He heard no voices from them as they moved and wondered why they were so quiet. He had not seen the dark shadowy shape back at the camp and did not realize the orc unit had been tracking it. He saw Snograt appear from the woods on the right and motion the rest for quiet and to follow him. They disappeared quietly into the woods. He did likewise. Throughout the day as they moved steadily northward keeping the road on their left and the Ephel Dúath on their right, Bashsnâk followed behind. Many times he lost sight of them and had to resort to his tracking skills to stay with the unit and far enough away from them so not to be spotted by them. He realized they must be tracking something themselves and wondered what it was. They were in North Ithilien and the forests were filled with resinous trees, fir, cedar, and cypress. Mosses and mold covered many trunks and the ground around the trees. They passed several swift streams as they tracked the stealthy black shape. It was winter now and the land was not as beautiful as it would have been if it had been Spring or Summer. However, the air was still fragrant. Lingering traces of herbs-thyme, sage, marjoram, and parsley-mingled with a few old traces of tamarisk, saxifrage, olive, juniper, and lily came to Bashsnâk's nostrils. He thought the scents disgusting and many times he had to stifle sneezes that might give him away.
January 26 to 28, 3018 T.A. Several days went by and the orc unit continued to track whatever they were tracking. Bashnâk was confused by the orcs unusual cooperation with each other. Grumbling, arguing, and fighting were the normal orc unit of behavior. Whatever these orcs were tracking must be important enough that they did not wish to lose it. Their night guards were not lax either and Bashsnâk was not able to sneak into their camp again at night. He had to forage for himself whatever he could find on the way---a chance rabbit or squirrel. Bashsnâk was settled into a bush again for the night keeping his eyes and ears open on the orc camp. He was weary of chasing the orcs and had decided to take off on his own in the morning. The camp was settled in for the night and the orc guard was posted. Bashsnâk settled in, too.
January 29, 3018 T.A. Just before Dawn Very early in the morning before it was light, Bashsnâk awoke. He was not sure why. He peered out of his bush. The orc camp was quiet. The guard must have been on the opposite side of the camp, because he did not see him. Bashsnâk began to doze off again, but suddenly he saw a slinky shadowy shape move past his bush. It was the creature, Gollum! Impossible! He rubbed his eyes and Gollum was still there hissing and muttering to himself. Bashsnâk very certainly had thrown the creature into Shelob's embrace! There could not have been any way for the creature to escape her hunger and treachery. He mulled that over for a while. The creature was very sly and slippery…and there he was. Bashsnâk had to admire Gollum for his escape and wondered just how he had done it. Gollum watched the camp carefully as he passed it. Bashsnâk stealthily crept out of his bush and followed Gollum. The camp still slept. Bashnâk suddenly realized that the unit had been tracking Gollum, but the creature had been wise to them! It looked like he was about to finally given them the slip. But Bashsnâk would not lose the creature. He would follow him until he led him to the place called "The Shire" and the person named "Baggins."
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Post by Stormrider on Jun 25, 2004 14:16:12 GMT -6
January 29 to February 1, 3018 T.A. For several more days, Gollum mis-led the orc unit through northern Ithilien by backtracking and rerouting his steps. The unit was in confusion and began to quarrel and argue. Finally Gorbag ordered the troop to march straight north toward the Morannon and the Black Gate. They would have to report their failure and Gorbag was not happy about that in the least. Several times he took it out on the troops.
Bashsnâk who was aware of what Gollum was up to was enjoying the creature’s technique. He chuckled silently to himself as he followed after Gollum keeping well out of the creature’s vision and hearing but close enough not to lose the creature himself!
February 1, 3018 T.A. Late morningGollum was far, far ahead of the orc unit and had reached the Dead Marshes. Bashsnâk thought that the creature would have to turn back and skirt the marshes for the same reasons that orcs always traveled around the swamp. But to Bashsnâk’s surprise, the creature slunk into the marshes and vanished from site!
Bashsnâk loathed the idea of traveling through the marshes. Many tales had been told in the camps about the dead things in the dark depths and that no orc ever returned if they ventured into the swamp. As he cautiously approached the marsh, he felt a clinging closeness about its atmosphere.
He shuddered. He did not wish to enter but he came this far and could not let that creature get away without following him to the place called the Shire and the person named Baggins. He had to redeem himself and reap the great rewards that would surely be his by discovering this valuable information for The Dark Lord.
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Post by Stormrider on Jun 30, 2004 21:20:24 GMT -6
Bâshsnak stood in the mud bordering the marshes. The closeness seemed to reach out as if it was a phantom grabbing at his ankles and reaching around his neck pulling him forward into the depths. He struggled against it and was able to step back several paces.
The air was hazy all around him. He peered into its depths straining to catch a glimpse of the Gollum creature. He saw nothing but the cold grey mist.
He listened carefully. There was nothing but complete silence ahead--not even the swish of footsteps sloshing through the murky waters.
Skai! He had lost the creature! He would never be able to track him in the marshes. He could not even bring himself to set foot into the marshes! A chill ran up his spine.
He turned to head toward the Black Gate to get away from the clinging atmosphere when Gorbag and his unit appeared far in the distance. Skai! He had hoped to get away from Mordor and around the Dead Marshes before the troop appeared. If they caught sight of him, they would take him back to Shelob and he was not about to let that happen!
He started to skirt around the marshes in the opposite direction from which Gorbag was approaching when out of the sky came the dreaded ear-piercing screech of the Nazgúl's Fell Beast! The gut wrenching chill that always came with the Nazgúl presence gripped him.
Bâshsnak dove into the cover of the marshes and the haze enveloped him.....
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Post by Stormrider on Jul 29, 2004 14:54:50 GMT -6
Bâshsnak moved into the Dead Marshes as quickly and quietly as he could—trying not to draw attention to himself by sloshing around in the waters. In addition to the misty atmosphere, the marsh provided him more cover from the reeds, cattails, and other bracken that grew forth out of the murky waters. He had already lost sight of the orc troop, but it was the Fell Beast that he was worried might glimpse his movements from above.
Keeping an eye on his footing so he would not slip into the waters, he kept a watch over his shoulder and up into the great recess of the sky. He kept as close to the plant growth as he could and moved slowly deeper into the marshes. He was not sure how far he had gone when the cry of the Beast ebbed away to the Southwest.
He breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed. His moment of respite was short lived when he finally focused on his surroundings. A wide stagnant mere made up most of the marshes and he found it difficult to find firmer ground to step without sinking into the gurgling mud around him.
The air seemed blacker and heavier and it was very difficult for him to breath now. He could hear the faint hissing of the wreaking smells that came up from the waters. All around him small flickering lights appeared and then faded away.
His movements became sluggish and his feet seemed to drag as he struggled to move forward. His body was beginning to stoop over as he moved. That was when he noticed the faces staring up at him with unseeing eyes from the depths below. He became transfixed as he gazed down at them—orcs, men, and elves it seemed they were. They looked foul, rotting and dead.
Time seemed to stop for him as he looked and he began to lean forward, more and more. His body had leaned so far forward that the gravity now took hold of it and he was falling toward the surface of the murky waters.
As his front side hit the surface, very large talons grabbed him from above…………
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Post by Stormrider on Aug 4, 2004 23:07:16 GMT -6
Bâshsnak was in a daze as he was swept away from the marshes. He was ascending higher and higher and he watched as the ground shrunk below him. The air was cold and the wind fiercer the higher he went. He was beginning to come to his senses again and panicked as he realized he was high in the sky gripped by enormous talons!
He tried to crane his short thick neck around to see what had him. He dreaded one of the Fell Beasts had him! It was no use! His neck was too thick and he could not look up.
He realized that the winged beast was slowly circling the marshes in a northerly direction. Strange! Why would a Nazgûl fly north and away from Mordor? Then he remembered the other fortress of the Dark Lord, Dol Guldor in Mirkwood.
Suddenly a large brown feather fluttered past him, drifting down from above. It was not a Fell Beast after all! It was one of the Eagles! This was not to his advantage either.
He laughed hysterically! He had escaped Shelob’s spider web only to become the Eagle’s meal!
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Post by Stormrider on Aug 8, 2004 20:41:55 GMT -6
In the Eagle’s talons, Bâshsnak found himself headed northwest toward what was known as the Emyn Muil which was a very rough and hilly area with sharp ridges and deep valleys. It bordered the marshes and it seemed that the Eagle was descending toward the ridges on the outskirts.
Soon the Eagle had descended closer to a ridge and began to land on a flat rocky protrusion overlooking the marshes. As the Eagle touched down on the rock with Bâshsnak in its clutches, the orc was scraped along the rocky surface and pinned beneath the huge bird.
Bâshsnak fumbled around for something to use as a weapon and his claw came in contact with a rather large jagged rock. He grabbed hold of it tightly and prepared to attack when the Eagle loosened its grip on him.
It began to peck and claw at him in a teasing mood. Bâshsnak swung the rock several times to discourage the Eagle but it kept up its “play” eyeing him haughtily. A few times the rock sliced at the Eagle’s beak or a talon successfully. This only irritated the bird and it doubled its pecking and clawing. Bâshsnak was wearying as he tried to keep up the pace with the bird’s attack.
With a swipe of its talon, the Eagle knocked the rock from Bâshsnak’s grip and it landed out of his reach. The Eagle glared at him and advanced. The orc did not see any other rock that might be suitable as a weapon and he backed up as the bird advanced on him. The Eagle was not toying with him now and was very serious about having his feast. As Bâshsnak continued to back up, several things happened at once……
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Post by Stormrider on Aug 9, 2004 19:09:19 GMT -6
A second Eagle circling above gave forth a fierce cry. The Eagle that was toying with Bâshsnak took its eyes off him and looked up. Bâshsnak was still backing up right to the edge of the protrusion and lost his footing and fell off the side. He plummeted into an opening between the rocks. He lay as still as he could so the Eagle would not see any movements to give his hiding place away.
But the Eagle did not descend looking for him. It spread its wings and met its mate in the sky and they flew off swiftly in a northwest arc and soon vanished from his view. He began to climb out of the opening and emerged facing the marshes and continued climbing down the rock side until he was on flat ground.
If Gollum was successful in making his way through and out of the marshes, he would have to emerge somewhere along this wall of the Emyn Muil. Bâshsnak decided that he would keep low and move along the wall keeping behind as many rocky footings as he could to stay unnoticed by Gollum when he emerged from the marshes. Bâshsnak wanted to see and not be seen by the creature!
Patrolling the edge of the marshes was tiring, especially in the crouched position Bâshsnak was maintaining. He found several boulders that had fallen from above in such a way that they offered him an excellent hiding place. He could rest and keep watch on a very large stretch of the marsh without being noticed himself! He settled in.
February 1, 3018 T.A. nightfallThe day was beginning to get late and the sun was sinking into the west. Bâshsnak was famished. He had not seen any wildlife at all since he settled into his hiding place otherwise he would have pounced on it, twisted its neck, and devoured it.
Suddenly, movement caught his eye! He perked up hoping it was something he could eat! It was a dark shape coming from the marshes quite a way to the east of where Bâshsnak was hidden. Bâshsnak’s eyes were riveted on the shape. It slunk slowly out of the marshes and moved on all fours along the soft oozy ground. It began to move more quickly and was headed his way!
As the shape came closer, Bâshsnak could tell that it was the Gollum creature. He was moving quickly and muttering to himself as he passed Bâshsnak’s hiding place. “Nasty corpses…..gollum! Hungry, so hungry, precious.” The creature moved quickly along the edge of the marshes and then slowed down.
He stopped at the edge of a stagnant mere and was gazing into it transfixed. He reached into the mere several times and drew back his hand again swiftly each time. Then very slowly he reached his arm in…deeper and deeper into the mere. He remained that way for a while and it seemed as if he was trying to reach for something under the surface of the water.
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Post by Stormrider on Aug 11, 2004 19:39:07 GMT -6
Bâshsnak’s attention was focused on Gollum, watching to see what he would do. He readied himself to follow behind the creature at a safe distance should he move from his location at the mere. So intent was Bâshsnak’s study that he was startled when another dark shape silently and stealthily moved past his hiding place. This shape was much larger and seemed to be following Gollum’s footprints as if tracking him.
Bâshsnak ducked behind one of the boulders that hid him from view. The larger figure seemed very familiar to him. He watched it as it moved toward Gollum. This shape reminded him of the Men of Ithilien in dress, movement, and stature! Skai! What was one of them doing up here! Had he been tracking Gollum all this time, too? Well, Bâshsnak would not let him take his prize! He would let this man capture Gollum for him, if he could! Then he would follow them for a while and then throttle the man when the opportunity arose.
His attention shifted back to Gollum to see if he had noticed that he was being tracked by this Ranger from Ithilien. The creature’s head was so close to the surface of the water and he was very intent on reaching for whatever was out of grasp that he did not see or hear the stealthy approach of the man.
Gollum’s head suddenly went under and quickly he came up. In his hand was what appeared to be the rotting arm of a man, an elf, or an orc. Gollum sunk his teeth into it and fed on it! Bâshsnak was hungry and eating flesh of men, elves, or orcs was a very acceptable feast for an orc; but he never would have thought to eat the rotting flesh of those under the surface of the stagnant marsh! The thought of it actually sickened even him and he almost retched but stopped himself before he gave himself away.
When he saw what Gollum was eating, the man stopped a moment in surprise, then sprang forward and wrestled the creature to the ground before it realized its fate! A wild struggle ensued and Gollum who was covered in the green slime from the marshes almost slipped out of the man’s grasp. The man was not gentle with Gollum and would not give up his hold. While he reached for rope from inside his pack, Gollum bit him deeply on his lower arm. The man back handed him then bound and gagged Gollum. The man made a halter from the rope, put it around Gollum’s neck, and forced him to go with him. They headed toward the north end of the Emyn Muil and they were moving very quickly despite the struggle that Gollum was making.
Bâshsnak left his rock hiding place and ran toward the mere where the struggle took place. He found a few bits of some crumbly wafer in the mud. He was famished and gobbled it up and then wished he hadn’t. It had been crumbs of the Elven waybread and it did not stay in his stomach for long.
After retching, he quickly took off at a fast run along the same path of the other two. If they kept up this pace, Bâshsnak would have a difficult time following them. But follow them, he would! He would not let Gollum out of his sight……
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Post by Stormrider on May 25, 2005 5:49:56 GMT -6
Bâshsnak ran, stopping for breath often. It was dark now and well into the night. His eyes were very well adjusted to the darkness and it was fairly easy for him to see his way about. As he ran, he looked for traces of the Ranger and Gollum creature’s passage – broken branches, foot prints, shuffle marks in the dirt, etc. There weren’t too many traces but a few here and there to assure Bâshsnak that he was on the right track even if he was far behind.
The path he was following seemed to be an animal path in the woods. It was worn and padded down just enough for him to see and not stray. Evidently the Ranger had thought it was an easy path to follow as well. It seemed to be heading toward the Great River Anduin. Bâshsnak hoped so. He was very thirsty keeping up this pace and his stomach groaned in anticipation thinking he might catch a fish or two.
He was padding along on the animal path at a slow jog when he came upon a family of hares in the path. He pounced on them, grasping the mother tightly about the throat, and landing on top of all the young ones with his body squishing them flat. He bit into the mother enjoying the hot warmth of her blood as it splurted out and down his chin. The moist inners slipped down his gullet whole and the bones crunched delightfully. Then he popped the younglings into his mouth one by one and burped loudly when he was done.
He got up off the ground and continued at a brisker pace now that his hunger was satisfied for the time being. Soon he heard the sound of the river and as he ran along, it grew louder. He ran along the path and suddenly found himself air born! He had just stepped off the bank of the river! The path and woods had run right into it!
Splash! He was under the cold water spluttering and grasping for a hand hold on anything that was floating. Well...one good thing…he was not thirsty anymore! Luck must have been on his side because a good size tree branch floated by within his reach and his claws grasped it as it passed, pulling him along with it. He had traveled a good distance this way at a much faster speed than if he had been running. He realized he had better watch the river bank and try to listen (if he could hear anything over the rushing water) for the Ranger and Gollum along the shore. But what if they were not following the river and had turned off in a different direction?
Bâshsnak began to paddle with his arms and kick with his legs toward the bank from which he had come from. It was still somewhat steep and would be difficult for him to climb up even if he did get near enough. At least he would be near it if the shore line dipped down closer to the water level and he would be able to scramble up.
After reaching the bank side, he traveled gripping his branch for a while and was relieved to see the bank beginning to come down lower and lower. Soon he spotted a large area ahead that ran down right to the water level. He was planning to beach himself there but noticed as he got closer that there were two dark figures sitting there--one was larger and the other smaller. The figures faced each other and were seated in the dirt. Their bodies looked rigid and alert and it seemed to Bâshsnak that either figure could spring and move quickly if it had to.
Bâshsnak ducked his head and shoulders into the river as far as he could go. When he floated past the figures, he held his breath and ducked completely under until he figured he had passed far enough down river to come back up again.
He popped his head from the water as quietly as he could and found that he was safely past the area. Then he moved toward the shore and up onto it.
Falling into the river had also been lucky for him. He back tracked very stealthily toward the two figures, found a good bush, and hid in it and watched.
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