Logs-A Hostile Hedge?

Along Bree's South Hedge
The path here turns from the northwest to the east as it heads toward the south
gate of Bree. The high hedge prevents you from seeing into the town of Bree,
but a large tree hovers over the hedge just inside the hedge. The dirt here
is hard packed, but puddles here and there suggest that the path could be
turned into mud quite quickly with a little rain.

Obvious exits:
East leads to Outside the South Gate <GER>.
NorthWest leads to Along the South Hedge.

================================== Bree Time ==================================
Real time: Fri Dec 12 03:29:03 2003
Bree time: Nighttime <about 11 PM (time for a late night snack)> on Monday of
Winter - December 6,1430
Moon Phase: Waning Crescent Moon

Breelands Weather
The nighttime winter air is cold and dry around you. Heavy snows fall down from
the nighttime sky. The moon is above the horizon and in its waning crescent
phase.
===============================================================================

The snow continues to fall from the sky, covering the ground in an ever
thickening blanket of white, broken only by a muddy trail that runs along the
inside of the hedge. The sounds of Bree's night-life drifts from inside the
town- though the hedge is too tall, and thus, one can only guess what's
happening there. The air is cold and bitter- as one expects it to be when
snow is falling, and the light of a half-moon shines down over Bree; barely
illuminating the earth beneath. It is just after dinner time.
Two figures are crouched on the ground, practically hidden inside the actual
hedge- laughing and chattering excitedly to themselves, a small bucket at
their feet, and this is filled with eggs.

As the sound of their laughter drifts on the air, it attracts attention from
afar. Two little figures, hatted and mittened, are creeping along by the
hedge, pausing every now and then to exchange whispers. Suddenly one of them
stops and points. "There's someone in there." A girl's voice, wobbling with
trepidation.
"It could be ... pipeweed thieves," suggests her taller companion, in a
lower-pitched whisper. A boy, then. "Should we go look?" He detaches himself
from his partner and moves off eastward.
The little girl doesn't follow, and her hiss of before rises to normal speech
level. "No, not that way. That's Bill Ferny's house!" she protests
quaveringly, standing where she is. She bites her lip for a moment, then
starts to push her way through the tangled branches. Maybe she can get a
better look ...

Hearing voices from somewhere further along the hedge, the two figures fall
silent- Adrian's arm attached onto Jacob's- a paniced look sweeping his
usually mischevious features. Now, it looks as though they'd been digging a
hole, and, the shorter twin throws a box into it, and covers it quickly with
snow. "Come back and get it tomorrow, Adrian." comes the quiet, sensible
voice of Jacob- patting his brother on the arm. Now, Jacob stands and moves
out of the hedge, holding the bucket of eggs in his hand and looking toward
the children. "Hey! Isn't it a bit late, and a bit cold for you two to be
out!? You should be back home!" He calls, Adrian following close behind, and
hovering at he's brother's side.

Betsy - for who else could it be? - gives a little squeal as Jacob emerges from
the hedge, and starts to flee. Or tries - unfortunately the hedge has other
ideas. She'd managed to squeeze herself quite far in, and now as she turns
one ginger pigtail is stuck on a branch. "H-Help! Johnny, help me!" she calls
out falteringly, panicstricken by the dilemma of either disturbing the
townfolk or being caught by a Pipeweed Thief (for her head is angled so she
can't see the twins clearly).
Further to the east, there is movement and a boy not much older than little
Betsy comes into view. "We weren't doin' no harm, Misters," he protests to
the twins. "Didn't see nuffin ..." He's poised on the balls of his feet for
flight if they turn 'nasty'.

Jacob's eyes widen in surprise as Betsy runs off into the hedge.. "Umh... No
need to be frightened now, little girl.." he says- brown eyes watching the
whole situation while Adrian snickers at his side. Now, the taller twin turns
his attention to the older boy. "An' we aint accusin' yer o' nothin', we was
jus' sittin' here havin' a chat- brother t' brother yer know? Jus' gets a bit
busy in town, we like our little 'edge spot 'ere and got a bit o' a shock t'
have yer comin' along..." Adrian says, a goofy grin spreading over his face
as he watches the two children.

Betsy is still struggling against the cruel hedge, and branches high above
start to quiver with the fury of her efforts. "I can't- get- loose!" she
squeals, tears starting to form at the corners of her eyes.
The little boy watches Adrian warily. "We was jist playin' in the snow," he
explains. "Makin' snowballs an' stuff. Didn't mean to disturb yer." Then he
glances across to the little girl. "Betsy, stop squawkin' like a chicken,
ye'll wake the whole neighbourhood." Now for the first time there's panic in
/his/ voice.

Jacob looks across at Betsy, raising an eyebrow- a sympathetic look on his
face. "Just stop struggling.. I think I've met you before- I'm Megan's
brother- you remember Megan? No need to get worried... I can help you get
loose if you're really stuck there..." He offers, glancing at the boy to see
if he would offer any help. Apparently he isn't going to... "Well we wasjus'
chattin' 'ere is all... 'aven't made snowballs fer a long time, 'ave we,
Jacob?" Adrian says, giving his brother a rough nudge in the ribs. Jacob
looks, in turn, like he's about to smack his brother back, but stops himself,
and replies only with a shake of his head.

"Megan?" The first hint of hope comes to Betsy's little face, and she stops
struggling for a moment. "I like Megan - but she went away." Her lower lip
trembles, it's really a very distressing day for the poor wee lass. "I can't-
get out," she quavers softly, tugging at the branch more gently this time.
The little boy lets out his breath in a sigh as she quietens down. "Thought ye
were gonna wake the dead. Or someone like Mistress Woodbine or Mister Ferny,"
he casts a nervous glance back up to the nearby houses. "Maybe we can cut yer
hair off?" he suggests to his playmate now. "That'd work."
Betsy, in response, bursts into a fresh flood of tears.

Jacob smiles, and begins to wander over to the hedge- looking at Betsy's
predicament. "Well she'll be coming home soon we hope... she's only over in
the Shire, after all, and we think she'll be home soon..." Jacob reassures
her, now looking again at her predicament. "Be quiet, you- can't yer see
she's in a bit o' trouble, an' all yeh can do is make her go an' cry s'more!"
Adrian scolds, though he makes no effort to move to help. "Don't cry now
Betsy...where exactly is it you're caught up there, and I'll help you get
off..." Strange. Perhaps Jacob's not in the mood for making trouble this
afternoon.

Betsy turns her tear-streaked face towards the approaching Jacob. "It's stuck-
here." One mittened hand stretches towards her left pigtail, which by now is
knotted rather tightly round a cluster of sharp twigs at the end of one
branch. Perhaps simply untying the pigtail would do the trick? Or there's
always that 'cutting' suggestion ...
Her companion, the boy she'd referred to as 'Johnny', shuffles his feet
uncomfortably. "Was only tryin' to help," he protests to Adrian now, taking a
few trailing steps after Jacob so he can keep an eye on things.

"Right there?" Jacob asks, moving a little closer and looking over the
situation with grave sincerity. "Hmmmm.." he grumbles, with such a tone that
suggests he's about to suggest amputation or something just as terrible.
"Just hold still now, alright?" and he reaches up and gives a few gentle tugs
at the hair caught in the twigs, before starting to untie the hair. "You'll
be out in no time!" the twin now working on the hair comments. His brother,
meanwhile, gives a disappointed shake of his head to Johnny- following him
over slowly and watching the whole situation somewhat amusedly

Betsy bites her lip, shivering now as Jacob looms over her, but perhaps she's
too scared to move. "You won't cut it off?" she quavers uncertainly. "Ma
would be /so/ cross," and at that thought another couple of tears squeeze out
of her reddened eyes.
Johnny stops in his tracks to watch, but when he sees what Jacob is up to he
doesn't bother to lend a hand.

Jacob works quickly, now undoing the pigtail and working to take out the last
bits of twig so she's almost completely free. Now, he glances over at his
brother, who raises an eyebrow with a mischevious grin. "Oh.. well I don't
know, Betsy... you're stuck in there pretty good... I might have to cut it
off after all...Have you got some scissors with you, Adrian?" now he takes
half a step away from the hedge and looks at it sorrowfully. "Yeah, got 'em
jus' in me coat 'ere..." (Why is he carrying scissors, unless he plans to cut
something?.. Hmm! Most suspicious!)

"But-" Johnny begins. It's all he has time for, for when Adrian announces that
the scissors are at the ready, Betsy can stand still no longer. She gives a
tremendous heave, her hair comes free of the twig of course (save for one or
two ginger strands still wrapped there) and she lands flat on her face on the
trampled snow, sobbing her little heart out.
"That was mean," Johnny pronounces to Jacob, for all that the twin has just
'rescued' his friend. "Hey, Betsy, need a hand up? We oughter be gettin' back
..."

Jacob's face soften's and melts and becomes very guilt-stricken.. His brother,
on the other hand just bursts out laughing. "Oh Betsy! I didn't mean to
frighten you- it was just a little joke is all..I hope you're alright.." he
says, now getting a tug on his sleave from Adrian. "C'mon- we'd best get home
too or Mam is goin' to wonder where we're at!" Now the two begin to make
their leave, Jacob turning back to give a wave at Betsy- "Have a good night!
Megan will be home soon- I'm sure of it!!!" Perhaps the siblings are able to
sense one another's presence, or something.. Now the two turn and run off
along the hedge- bucket wobbling dangerously in Adrian's hands.

Betsy gives a hiccuping sob as she scrambles back to her feet. "Th-thank you,"
she falters to Jacob at last, though the tears are still flowing and she
doesn't look at him.
Johnny holds out a mittened hand to her, and mutters bracingly, "Don't let 'em
see they upset you", as he gives her hand a squeeze. To the twins he calls
out: "Goodnight, misters. Didn't mean ter disturb ye - y'know, we thought ye
might be them Pipeweed Thieves the grownups is talkin' about. Silly us!" and
flashes them a big grin.
Betsy doesn't join in the laughter - maybe she's just too distraught after her
ordeal? She lets Johnny start to lead her away, but a little later her young
voice drifts faintly through the snowflakes that are still falling, muffling
the world in a blanket of white (and conveniently smoothing any tracks). The
fear of earlier seems to have faded, to be replaced by curiosity. "Johnny,
why were they digging a hole? Back there in the hedge - the ground was all
churned up." A question for the pair of would-be detectives to ponder later
...