Logs-Skulking in the Dark

Above the Prancing Pony
A small path climbs along Bree-hill, above the Prancing Pony. A stone thrown
could easily hit the building from this path. The path meanders along in a
more or less straight line as it cuts across Bree-hill. To the north the
Hobbit Smials are visible, while the holes of South Row can be seen in the
opposite direction.

Obvious exits:
South leads to South Row.
North leads to Hobbit Smials.

================================== Bree Time ==================================
Real time: Mon Dec 08 03:32:15 2003
Bree time: Nighttime <about 11 PM (time for a late night snack)> on Hevensday
of Autumn - November 24,1430
Moon Phase: Full Moon

Breelands Weather
The nighttime autumn air is cool but pleasant around you. The dark sky is
overcast and dreary.
===============================================================================

It's night time- not so late for Bree to be abandoned, but late enough for
those sensible Breefolk to be heading off to bed. The air is cool, and a
light breeze is blowing- everything still and quiet save for the noise of
loud chatter and drinking drifting from within the Pony, but even this
doesn't manage to break the still, peacefullness of the night...

What /does/ manage to break it, is the sound of 'wooting' if you will, coming
from somewhere up the hill- then one figure, followed by another- skidding
all the way down, and tumbling onto the path- laughing and collapsing on the
floor, puffing and panting and staring about in the darkness. Coming from
somewhere above is a woman's voice- calling shrilly; paniced and full of
stress. "Ha! I think we made it, Jacob!" cries an ectatic voice from the path.

The boyish shout of triumph is answered by another sound: a hacking cough and a
surprised-sounding barking. The full moon peers between banks of tattered
cloud, round and yellow as a lamp, to illuminate the path winding up from the
Pony below, and on it two creatures: an elderly man - Hugh Bramblefleece, who
else? - and a pale four-legged shape plodding at his side. Hugh's daughter
from Combe must be visiting again, given the elderly dog is companying the
old man today. "What?!" Hugh mutters, peering towards the sound of the
shouting, and then, more fiercely, "Who's there? See 'em off, Lassie." The
dog lifts her muzzle to whine, sniffs unenthusiastically and pads slowly in
the direction of Hugh's pointing finger.

The figures in the dark- still sprawled on the floor fall deathly silent at the
sound of the hacking cough, both of them moving to crawl slowly off the path-
bright eyes shining in the darkness- one set looking fearfully up the hill,
and the other peering along the path. "Look out, Jake- there's a dog comin'
our way" hisses a voice, and both of them move to sit just off the path-
frantically brushing off the dirt and grass from their clothes that they
might look a bit more presentable for when Hugh comes along.

Hugh starts to hobble along the path after the dog, only to halt in his tracks
as a tremendous sneeze catches him by surprise. It takes him a while to stop
spluttering, but when he does he demands belligerently, "Jake? Who's there?
Identify yerself or I'll set me dog on ye!"

The elderly 'Lassie' continues to pad towards the two figures, and pokes her
damp nose towards the nearest one, sniff-sniff-sniffing. Somehow she doesn't
look much of a threat ...

Edmund says, "Hello, good people. I hope I am not intruding..."

"Shh!" Comes the hiss through the darkness, now two pairs of shining eyes
watching as Hugh comes along. Though- it's not much use hiding now as the dog
has sniffed them out and one of the two lets out a laugh as he is nudged by
the moist nose of the dog.. Now, one of them speaks up: "Evening, sir- we
were just taking a bit of a walk along the top there, had a bit of a tumble
and came falling down here. Nothing to get angry over now, just using the
path like all other decent folk- nothing wrong with that, now is there?" the
voice is calm, and smooth- controlled and thoughtful and coming from the one
which isn't currently being nudged by the dog.

Old Hugh halts in his tracks again to peer in a different direction, as a
disembodied voice (Edmund) addresses him. "What? Who's that? Show yourself!"
he demands, gnarled hands starting to brandish his crooked wooden staff
before him as though he were afraid of brigands. "Nothin' wrong with takin' a
walk, but why are ye skulkin' in the shadows?" he retorts now in the
direction of the shining eyes.
His dog, meanwhile, has clearly decided the 'intruders' are no threat, and
tries to lick the nearest lad's face.

Edmund wanders nearer the old man. Hello. I did not mean to startle any of you,
I am sorry. I am just here to take in the nighttime view.
Edmund says, "My name is Edmund, sir, and I am merely out for a late walk to
relax after a rather long day."

Both sets of eyes turn through the darkness to try and make out the newcomer
and one looks as though he were about to flee back up the hill, but is caught
by his brother. "Adrian, no- Mam's up there!" he breathes, tugging him back
down beside him. "We aint skulkin' in no shadows, we're jus' sittin' 'ere
after fallin' down the 'ill so we can catch our breath an' recover ourselfs a
bit, aint nothin' wrong wi' that either." chirps a voice through the
darkness- a sharp reply deserves a sharp reply..

"Hrpmh," grunts the old man. "Edmund, eh? I don't know ye." He does, however,
relax a little as Edmund steps out of the shadows and onto the path, and he
can see that here is a normal 'decent-looking' Bree man. He turns away again
as the pair still shrouded in darkness address him, and peers a little more
closely. "But I do know /ye/!" he exclaims suddenly. "Those Tasselberry
twins. Up to no good, I'll warr-" At that moment a tremendous sneeze
overtakes him.

Edmund says, "Hmm.. isn't it a wee bit late for a couple of young fellas like
yourself to be out so late at night? I know it is for me, an' probably is for
the ol'man over there, too. Does your ma know you're up here at this time?"

"It's hardly late at all, and we're not all that young. Not young enough that
we should have to be taken care of by our mam all the time," One retorts- the
one with the calm voice- eyes locked on Edmund for the time being.." now,
both sets of eyes dart to Hugh at the meantion of 'Tasselberry twins'. "I
told yeh, we aint doin' nothin' but walkin' along- an' we took a tumble up
the top there, an' came slidin' down..." a moment later, and that woman's
voice is echoing abbout from above. "Jacob! Adrian! You get back here right
now!!"

Edmund turns back towards the old man as the voice rings out from above.
Edmund says, "So, that is how this song is sung. I guess your ma might be a bit
worried about you two after all.."

Hugh doesn't answer at first - he's too busy pulling out a large spotted
handkerchief. "Young man 'ere is right," he manages eventually, motioning to
Edmund. And adds some more 'lecturing' of his own between sessions of loud
nose-blowing. "Sounds like yer mam's got somethin' ta say ta ye, heh".
His pale-coated dog, the elderly Lassie, has meanwhile shifted her attention to
the second twin, sniffing curiously. At the woman's shout she lets out a loud
bark, as though to say, "Here they are!"

"It's only acause we fell down th' hill and she don't know where we gone to,"
Comes a voice from the side of the hill- both pairs of eyes glancing between
Hugh, Edmund, and back up to the top of the hill. Something in the woman's
tone says that that isn't the only reason she's calling out for them, but for
a while there is nothing more out of her until the dog barks. "Adrian!
What've I told you about playing with dogs! Get back up here /right now/
young man! Don't make me come down there!"

Edmund steps one more step forward, but stops as the voice rings out again. "I
guess I still remember being chased in the dark by my own parents," Edmund
says in the general direction of the pair of eyes. "Mayhaps it is time for
you to get home, today, after all? I could come up there with you, you know.
Maybe your mom might take her words out on me instead of you two?"

As he hears the woman's latest injunction, Hugh mumbles something under his
breath - surely he's not embarrassed? "Lassie, come 'ere," he calls, and when
that doesn't work, he reaches out to tap the dog on the rump with his staff,
causing her to turn, whine and pad back to his side. "I'll ... uh, I'll let
ye get back ta yer ma," he offers at last, tone sheepish. "Time I was headin'
somewhere warmer - good evenin' ta ye, young feller," he nods to Edmund with
far more courtesy than he'd shown the two 'escapees'. "I'll warn ye, yer
wastin' yer time with that pair!" That pronouncement made, he turns on his
heel and starts to hobble slowly downslope.

Edmund turns and fumbles about a bit.

The figures stand and wander forward on the path till they stand before Edmund-
looking almost identical save for a slight difference in height and facial
expressions, and the taller of the two cast his eyes on Edmund. "We don't
need you help, or your advice. This isn't the first time she's been shouting
at us from the top of a hill, and I don't see why she would take out any of
her anger on a stranger that she's never met.. " Eyes are cold, though for
the briefest moment- taking on a quality much alike that of their younger
sister. "Good evening, Mr. Bramblefleece; enjoy your night. C'mon, Adrian-
lets go," noticibly, the word "home" is left out of this last comment, and
the two nod their head to Edmund. "Good evening," and with that, they too
turn and dart away- disappearing into the darkness.

Edmund says, "And, sir, I might be wrong - but I don't think I know you either.
If you would tell me your name, I might.. know?"
Edmund turns back towards the twins again...
Edmund says, "Good night..."

"Eh? What's that?" mumbles Hugh, as he catches Edmund's speech. What, /he/ was
supposed to give a name? "Bramblefleece. Hugh Bramblefleece," is the only
answer that Edmund gets as old man and old dog disappear from view, leaving
behind only the sound of coughing ...

Looking rather left alone, Edmund turns to head back for bed. "Bramblefleece...
Bramblefleece.. Hm.