Middle Earth discussion

The long winding river in Gondor.

Toby slept in the arms of Serafine, as the lion slowed to a stop by the perfect spot, a little clearing surrounded by bushes, with a nearby water supply. The bushes? Blueberry. It was incredibly ideal.

Serafine used one arm to hold Toby on Grak's back as she slipped off him, afterwards she slid him off as well, cradling him in her arms. She walked over to a soft spot of looking grassy bank that seemed dry, laying him down and then shedding her outer shirt she wore and rolled it to make a pillow under his head. Standing she stretched and then motion for Grak to come over. "Keep him warm," she stated before she started to walk off, undoing the tie for her water bag at her side as she made her way down to the river.

Grak looked at the summoner and then flicked his massive ears before changing to the size of a kitten and snuggling up against Toby's side to keep him warm. He kept all his senses open, making sure no one snuck up on them.

The water would most definitely heal him far faster. Toby curled up like a baby around the kitten, his hand resting slightly on the lion's body. "Thank you, Sera," he breathed, half awake for a split instant, as she walked away. "Stay careful," he whispered. His brown mop of hair was matted and tangled around his face, and his sweatshirt was stained with blood and torn in large gashes. His clothes seemed almost too big for him, just because of their injuries, and he curled up inside of them like they were his bed.

She looked back at him when he spoke, smiling slightly before she turned back, walking down the bank to the river where she crouched to fill her water bag. Filling it completely she tied it back to her waist and then grabbed the second, filling it as well before she turned. Making her way back up the bank to where he laid she set the water bags down by him, smiling slightly before she went in search of fire wood. She started making a small pit, digging out a rounded area with a rock before setting the wood to form a teepe, the softer more flammable wood in the middle. Cupping her hands close she blew on the wood, slowly smoke forming as he hands heated the wood till it formed a nice flame to keep them warm.

"I don't have any food on me so we'll have to make due with the blueberries," she stated under breath, not knowing if Toby heard her or not.

((Can we skip till morning? I'm having trouble RPing with a sleeping kid. ^_^))

((sure XD lol))

Toby woke the next morning, hungry and thirsty. He hadn't eaten more than a peach, nor drunk more than a few gulps from a water skein. His lips were parched as he sat up, trying to push away his discomfort for her sake. "Good mornin-" he paused. She looked asleep, or very near it, so he carefully crawled up, brushing down his shirt and jacket trying to stretch out without being too uncomfortable. Where were they? He recognized the bushes though, and carefully picked about two handfuls, which was very little, as they were laden with fruit, eating carefully. He wondered what an ideal ration was, how long they'd be staying here, but he was hungry.

Serafine didn't stir at first till she heard the bushes rustling and sat bolt upright, flames bursting from her hands till he tired eyes focused on Toby sitting with berries. Letting out a relieved sigh the fire faded and she stayed sitting up, rubbing at her eyes. "Sorry, its a reflex," she mumbled before letting out a long yawn. She looked over at him, smirking a bit at the fact he was eating. "Don't eat to fast or to much. You'l give yourself a stomach ache if you do," she stated.

Grak crowled out from under the shirt Serafine had laid on Toby as a blanket, his kitten ish body giving a yawn as he stretched out. He moved towards the embers of last night's fire and settled in them before he started eating them, growing back to his original size after. Serafine chuckled and then grabbed a water skin bag, opening it and taking a long drink. "We should be fine here for two days or so, collect what ever we can food wise for the trip to Minas Tirith. I have some stuff we can stitch your clothes up with as well on my belt. Hold them together at least till we get to a town," she stated.

((Dad may be turning off the network soon.))

((okay))

Toby jumped, falling over on his back when she jumped up, on fire like a demon. He smiled when she relaxed, nervously jittering. "Oh, that's fine! Thank you." He looked down at the berries carefully. "How much should I eat, then?" he asked, putting a few berries into his mouth. The juice felt like life was pouring through his bones, his stomach doing flips for the food. "Good morning, Seraphine. Where are we now?"

He paused, eyes wide as he watched the kitten Grak. "He- he eats embers! That is so awesome!" he smiled, grinning up at Grak. "You're amazing! Both of you..." His eyes shot to Serafine in the next moment, hearing the water slosh. If he was paying attention, he'd hear the river, but right now... Oh, how he wanted just a sip of water. "How are we rationing our food and water?" he asked, prepared to starve for the next few days, before he could truly eat. He looked down at the rips in his clothes and felt slightly nauseous. Had he been dead? Was that why Fiera had left him?

Serafine glanced around at the bushes. "We should be fine for water, we will just have to make sure we refill before we leave. We have two water bags, one for you and one for me," she stated, pointing at the other one and pushed it closer to Toby. "For food..well, you need to get your strength back so eat as much as you want for now just don't be wasteful. Eat and when you feel full stop, don't over eat. As for me I should be fine, I don't eat much. I can set up some snares with some of the more flexible reeds to try and get us some meat," she stated and then turned her eyes over to Grak.

"Thank you.. though I wouldn't call myself amazing. Grak however I can agree with. He is my first creation like this so he probably has some kinks I'll have to work out in the future. Usually something like him as only one command, and either stays till it is killed or till it has finished the command. Grak on the other hand I feel is going to last a long time. As long as he has a master," she stated, looking up at the giant firecat.

((On phone, will reply extensively later.))

Toby didn't hesitate to snatch up his water skin and drain it completely, before feasting on a good load of berries. He glanced at the construct. "Then... As long as he wills, I order that Grak shoul always find a good master, so he can live in enjoyment."

Serafine looked over at him, surprised at the order he gave Grak. "You know that means he can leave when ever he wants to now right?" she asked Toby, hoping he had thought about his order before saying it. Grak's head turned a bit before he laid down look over Toby. "Order Accepted." the voice spoke before either of them had a chance to change it. She looked at Grak warring then before taking another long drink from her water bag. When she noticed he had drained his she laugh. "Here, have mine. I'll go refill yours," she stated after handing Toby her water bag and then grabbing his as she headed down to the water. Kneeling she started to refill it.

Grak looked at Toby with interest, though it didn't show on his feline face. "The order you gave me is odd. Are you not worried I will leave if I find a better master than yourself now?" he asked Toby while Serafine was away.

Toby looked surprised, that the implications meant that. "I assumed you wouldn't. I hope you won't. And if you do," he told Grak, stroking his mane, "Won't you be doing the best you can for yourself, to see yourself through happily in your life?" He smiled at the lion, hopefully. He hugged the lion, then accepted Serafine's water cask, sipping it more slowly, but just as thirstily. Every drop strengthened him. "I'm sorry, though, if you do go. Serafine just made you, and I think she'd like to know you better, you're her baby. And you're my friend."

Grak's ears flicked and he set his large head down onto Toby's lap, smoke coming out of his nose in a sigh like gesture. "I see," stated the voice. "I will try to make you both proud then," Grak added before yawning and then seeming to go into a sleep like mode.

Serafine brought the other water bag left, setting it by Toby with a large amount of reeds in her hand. Sitting down she let out s grunt and then started stripping the more flexible parts of the reeds and braiding it to make a rope like substance, creating lips that had a long length to them with a stick attached to them. "Do you want me to show you how theses snares work?" she asked Toby.

The winds of Erebor hewn across his face, the tranquility of his demeanor was clear to all. He was Ty Crawford, and he had returned to Middle Earth once again.

((TY?!))

He looked around, as the heart of the mountain had disappeared from him again. The river of Gondor winded down the forest, and seemed to go on forever. He noticed that a special sword had arrived with him. It was a longsword made from mythril, and it looked unpolished and dull. He had no whetstones in his pocket, it was merely a blunt weapon at this point.

((Hold your heads up lads! I'm back!))

Toby stroked the back of Grak's head, leaving Sera about half of her canteen, as he softly smiled down at the strange lion in his lap. "I'm glad you're staying, Grak," he smiled, wondering if he could braid the fiery mane.

"Sera! He said he wants to stay and make us proud," he informed happily, the instant Serafine came back. He tilted his head to one side. "Yes, it would be smart of me if I learned how to catch my own food," He scooted over, gently keeping Grak's head on his lap, but reached for a reed, trying to mimic her actions.

He looked up, and let a large sigh. The previous times, his city, his training, his powers, they were all a dream crafted by the evils that surrounded Middle Earth. He was experienced, and strong. But there was no powers about him. He was refreshed, and conscious at last.

((Criminey chrismas, the heck are you doing on here Ty.))

((Well I've gone through the looking Glass and came back alive. I've been on a long journey literally from new Zealand :) ))

((Lucky. Only thing I ever got was drama. Horrible, heart wrenching drama))

((Awesome! Though I must sleep now. School tomorrow! It's good to have you back, Ty. :) I hope you had fun.))

((How long has it been? I feel I've been gone an eternity...))

((I'm probably going to sleep too then. Only reason I was on was so the she could check my character creation.))

((Your last post was in May, but that was one post, you keep skipping every few months.))

((It's been years since I've heard from you, man. We had a dead spot, but now the group is really kicking back up into activity!))

((my bad, it was jun 2014, then may 2015, then now.))

Serafine smiled then and nodded her head, showing him how to make the simple loop at first after braiding the reeds. "And then when your done building it you set it up like this," she stated. Scooting over to the blue Betty bushes she crouched down, finding a sturdy branch she tugged one end tight to the branch and then stuck the stick that was attached to the loop into the ground. "See, when a rabbit comes through the snare it'll pull the stick up, making it tighten around the rabbit catching it. It usually kills them by strangulation but it's best to be close by so you can kill the animal quickly. Suffering is for those that deserve it, a kick death is an honorable one," she stated, showing Toby how the snare worked with a demenstrstion using a stick as the rabbit that would get caught.

She lifted her head a bit, sniffing the air slightly as she noticed a change in the breeze. "It appeared we may have company soon," she stated and then handed Toby a knife from her belt. "For protection just in case," she stated before she sat down by the old fire pit. Grak lifted his head but didn't sit up though he seemed anxious.

Ty began taking his first steps in years. The earth beneath his bare feet seemed nostalgic, he groped the earth between his toes with each step. Each one a memory of his adventures in the past, each one a reminder of what had happened. The wind sorceror from Saurons tower, the Fight with Ungoliant, He knew it was all a warped reality from the Dark ones ancient magic, a dream; A reality that never existed. He smiled as tears of joy swept down his face and the breeze lingered past his skin. He knew not where he headed, and only the smell of cooked rabbit filled his nostrils.

((We haven't caught any rabbits yet, Ty!))

Toby scooted over, nodding analytically. If he'd ever had any pet bunnies, he might have felt more anxious than he did. However, he was hungry right now. How bad could it be? After all, he'd once caught and gutted a fish... He mimicked her braid and loop, not doing too bad of a job. "Like this?" he asked, nimble fingers straightening and perfecting the woven snare. He was rather a very clever boy, but his shoulders quivered at the thought of killing the rabbit. "How... how should you kill it? So it doesn't suffer?" He thought for an instant, if he were a rabbit, how he'd like to die... And then shook the thought from his head, uncomfortable with killing the little creature. Toby had a very soft heart.

He looked up as leaves rattled, dry ones clattering through the air towards them. "Someone's coming?" he whispered, his hands curling around the knife. He knew better than to toss it aside. Toby had been attacked before by merciless humans, and to him, some humans deserved worse a fate than even a tiny bunny. He ducked low and was quiet, unsure of if he stood, how long he'd be able to keep it up.

((Maybe there's an abandoned camp nearby, lol))

The image of a large man, with stubble across his face came into Toby's sight. Ty had appeared, half naked but far from gangly. He was stalwart, and an air of heroism emitted from him. He had nothing but a loincloth and a longsword of glowing hue about him. His muscular body bulged out enough to appear as if he was chisled from stone. He had no idea that he was being watched. Ty stopped to breathe in the air again, and jumped onto a branch. His strength was still intact, and he could possibly lift a boulder if he wanted to. There was no magic about him. And his skin bled from the thigh due to a briarwood vine.

((sorry for all my word errors in my posts :(

Serafine was about to explain how one would kill the rabbit without it suffering when she too heard the leaves rustling. Lifting her head slightly her arm tightened in the other, drawing her scyth out from her arm. The curved blade spread out before her as she crouched down her hand held up to keep Grak from leaping up and attacking. She glanced at Toby and then lifted her hand to her lips, telling him to be quiet an not make any noise. "No sudden movements or who ever it is might notice it. Grak, guard," she whispered. Serafine lifted we gaze when she heard something jump, her eyes catching sight of the man. Her half dead eyes didn't seem to respond at all, her hand tightening on the arm of her scyth, fire slowly starting to coat the blade in flickering blue. She'd wait an see if the man noticed them and came closer, right where they where it was hard to see them because of the bushes, but also rather easy to defend with Grak who could set the bushes a blaze if needed to create a barrier and or a distraction. "Stay close, and move when I do," she whispered to Toby.

Toby carefully hastened into her side like a little dove curving into its mother. His eyes shot up to the mostly nude man. Oh, and he had to jump ABOVE them? The view was probably nasty! He didn't know because he was hidden slightly under a bush, looking down, carefully at Serafine's side.

The branch cracked and collapsed under his weight. Ty fell to the forest floor, landing elegantly on his feet. To his dismay, he noticed Toby and his companion in front of him. Startled, he looked in their direction. "Who goes there!?" He asked.

Serafine in her surprise as the branch broke tackled Toby to the ground, using her body to protect him just in case. Swinging around to face him she stood posed to strike, her hand tightening on her scythe as Grak, in all his flaming power jumped beside her. "Serafine and her companions," she growled out, the flames on her scythe burning an angry vibrant blue. "Be the friend or foe?" she snapped, not really angry but she felt very defensive. This outsider crashed in on them, how dare he ask who goes there. It made the fire beast inside her roar in rage, flames leaking out into the real world around her hands, her teeth bared, almost the same stance she had taken before killing Grunt.

Toby gasped as he was tackled, cutting his own arm with the knife in his unskilled way. He watched the battle unfold. "You're naked, he whispered at the nearly nude person, childishly unable to get over that fact, holding his arm with his hand where he was cut.

"That depends on whether you serve the orcs or the Dark one! If you do not, then I am your friend! If you do, then you better get ready to fight!" Ty grasped the hilt of his mythril blade, ready to strike.

Serafine smelled blood first, her gaze snapping back to Toby where she saw where the blade cut him. She felt something inside her hurting when she realized it was from knocking him to the ground turning her gaze back to the half naked man her eyes narrowed but she slightly lowered her scyth. "How do we know your telling the truth? No one here likes the Dark Lord, or his servants," she stated, her body still tense but she was slightly distracted which only made herself angrier. Grak loomed behind her, towering over her in a protective stance over Toby. She skirted around the fact she was a servant under the Dark Lord, at least unwillingly she was. But Toby was helping her change that wasn't he?

He gripped the blade harder. "I don't serve Sauron or anybody. I'm a man wandering blindly through the woods. I have no quarrel with you, I just thought I smelled cooked rabbit, I suppose I was wrong..." His stomach growled so loudly that a travelling rhoscobel rabbit nearby scurried away thinking it was a bear.

Toby winced and cuddled into Grak's protection. "You're a nude man with a sword. Don't threaten a woman and a child, your lack o honor will show," Toby tried to get the man guilted into being nice.

Serafine looked over him before slowly standing to her full height, her scyth modeling and fading back into her arm. She glanced at Grak who moved to the side and sat down but didn't stop looking at at the man. She bent to help Toby with his cut then, glancing at the man now as if he was no more threatening than a kitten. "We don't have any food, sorry to disappoint," she stated sarcastically before she started wrapping Toby's arms with a bandage.

Ty sat down. "I feel as if I hadn't eaten in days... the last meal I had were... well... a bowl of lucky charms.. Strange though, I don't remember shapeshifters surviving after the retake of Smaugs domain many years ago.." He hinted at Serafine. "And I don't appreciate being naked either. I just happened to touch the mountains heart while I camped outside."

Toby frowned. "So... You were wearing a loincloth while you were camping in New Zealand and happened to touch the arkenstone? Sera, can we pause? I REALLY wanna hear this story!" he laughed, crossing his knees nervously to try to get them not fighting... Or to get the guy to lower his sword.