RP 26: The Search for the Misplaced Cousin

[TygaStoryweaver]

I'm new at this. Let me give it a shot:

Eika Took, a young hobbit woman, enters the Prancing Pony after a long day's journey.
"Awful chilly night! I need a drink to warm me up"
A small cat pokes her head out of Eika's leather sack and mews in agreement.
"Get your head down, Ruby! You fool cat! They don't allow critters in the "Pony!"
Eika pushes the feline back into the bag and casually sits down at a low table. She whistles sharply,
"*Tweeeet!* I need a strong ale over here! Don't give me somein' weak because of my size! I need a sharp whisky!"

Tired and frusterated, Eika waits for a response from a waiter.
"A fine queer pace you've ended up into!" she thought to herself, "What a mess I'm in. That no-good cousin of mine! I should be sitting at home, comfortable and warm by the fire, not out here in the dead of night looking the world over for a boy who hasn't got the sense of a drunken mule!"
Eika looks up and her eyes soften. She sighs.
"Still, I hope the fool is alright."

[Kit Baggins]

A hobbit sitting at the next table leans over when he hears her speak.
"What's the matter?" he asks.

[HLGStrider]

"Horray!!!" exults Elgee. "I'm not the only one with cats!!!" She rides in on one that is too big to hide, causing much distress to the Pony's proprieter... Of course, no one wants to mess with a feline the size of a small pony... "You're looking for fool cousin you say? Do they make any other sort?"

[TygaStoryweaver]

Get your head down, Ruby! People see you!
"Mew?"
"Yes, yes, I'll order you some fish. Just stay QUIET!"
Turns to hobbit and woman with the HUGE cat.
"Madam, I believe it is quite rude to read other people's thoughts but I appreciate your concern. Perhaps you two can help me...(pauses) Were are my manners? I'll introduce myself, I am Eika Took, and I am on a journey to find my misplaced cousin. The dear thing couldn't navigate an empty celler, so you can imagine my concern. May I ask the names of you two fine people?" *bows*

[Kit Baggins]

The hobbit smiles. He is tall (for a hobbit) with red hair and green eyes. "I'm Kit Baggins." he says.

[HLGStrider]

"Elgee i Nanar, Hailfor cal i Li-Malt.
Translation, I'm Elgee the Babbler the healer for a little known group of people known as the Li-Malt. These are my cats, Badger and Rabbit," says the short for a human blonde with the cats. She's only 17 after all... She can afford to be immature...

[Afterglow]

A waiterwalks up to Eika and slides her her whiskey. "Sorry 'bout the wait." The waiter says. "It's quite busy tonight. I'm Afterglow and I shall be your sever. May I get your companions anything?" The two Hobbits and young lady look at Afterglow oddly. Afterglow just doesn't look like a waiter. She laughs. "I know what you're all thinking." Afterglow says. "What am I and why am I a waiter? Well folks I'm a wanderer, although I do reside in Rohan. I take on odd jobs in my travels. I'll give you a couple seconds to decide." She turns to walk away, and then pauses. Afterglow turns back around. "I couldn't help but overhear. You're looking for your cousin you say? I assume it's a Hobbit, right? Well the only other Hobbit that has come in here for days came in just this afternoon. Left I'd say about a half and hour before you showed up."

[HLGStrider]

"Um... do you have a Dr. Pepper, Afterglow? I can't drink alcohal. It smells funny..."

[Afterglow]

::Afterglow laughs:: Sure thing. ::walks away and comes back with a Dr. Pepper::

[HLGStrider]

Thanks... Now about this cousin of yours???

[Snaga]

Snaga had just about reached his limit.

'Curse you, you filthy mongrel!' the Orc screamed at Iron Tooth, the wolf he dragged along behind him. 'I might as well ride a mangy tabby thats got fat living in the foul holes of those miserable halflings!'

Iron Tooth was lame, and Snaga had all the long miles of Eriador ahead of him. His clawlife fingers tightened their grip on the heavy chain attached to the wolf's collar. With his long hairy arm he pulled the reluctant Iron Tooth along.

'I'm not stopping here, not for noone, least of all you' he spat at his former steed. 'I'll eat you first.' Iron Tooth snarled maliciously for a moment, then dropped its head and whimpered.

'We're too close to the Forsaken Inn. And that's ranger country. Those savages will skewer us both if they spot us. We've got to get this message to Mount Gundabad. Its too late to go back now. Its dark, so we're moving - curse you.'

[HLGStrider]

Many many miles away, back at the inn..
Elgee looked up.
"Do you smell something?" she frowned, wrinkling her up turned nose. The cats started meowing loudly. "It smells like orc..."

[Kit Baggins]

"Are you sure that's not just your cat?" Kit asks with a laugh. "Joke!" he says quickly, as Elgee raises her fists. "Now, might I ask who your cousin is?" he says to Eika.

[Snaga]

'Hah - a filthy pig-raiser I'll warrant!' sneered Snaga, looking down the hill as the sky greyed as a dreary dawn approached. A thin wisp of smoke rose from the chimney of the farm house below.

'But even a snivelling dung-hill farmer must know something about animals...' A plan formed darkly in his mind.

Moving warily he made his way down the hill to the isolated farm below. Iron Tooth limped wearily behind. But as they approached the chickens cackled, and the geese honked as they fled. Snaga's sharp ears heard movements inside the house and he fitted an arrow to his bow.

The door was flung wide open and out strode a farmer peering into the gloom. With him came two dogs, large, barking fiercely. 'Who's there and what do you want?' he shouted, clearly afraid.

Snaga laughed coarsely and shot one dog through the eye. It fell dead. 'Just a bit of friendly help!'

The other dog was on him in an instant. Its teeth closed on his arm before he could shoot again, and he staggered backwards. But Snaga wore an archer's arm guard of tough leather, and barely felt the bite. Even weakened, Iron Tooth came to life and leaped on the back of the dog, dragging it down onto the ground. Snaga drew a large rough edged knife, and with a swift blow put an end to the animal.

Then licking the blade clean he strode towards the house. 'Be off' shouted the farmer, raising a wooden club. 'Or I'll, I'll...'

'Shut it you fool' sneered Snaga. 'I'm not going to kill you. I want your help. But if you cause me more trouble, I'll pay you back, see? More than you can afford! Hah, ape!'

The farmer paused. In an instant Snaga swooped and snatched the club from his hand. 'Now get inside!' he said pushing the farmer towards the door. 'Iron Tooth!' he yelled. 'Come here, you filthy mutt!' Iron Tooth, raised his head from where it was feasting. Then it limped towards the door, its chain dragging through the dust of the farmyard.

[TygaStoryweaver]

*Apologies. I tried to write but lost my internet connection. I'll be back on Friday. Please hold posts for the time being. Much appreciated.*
-TygaStoryweaver (Eika Took)

[Snaga]

ooc - Hey Tyga can u change your settings so we can PM u pls

[Khamul]

This rpg has gone nowhere.

[Kit Baggins]

That's cos we're waiting for TygaStoryweaver to come back ;) .

~Kit :p

[Khamul]

Where is he?

[TygaStoryweaver]

Ah! I'm sorry! I'll never leave for so long! I've been REALLY busy so have a little patience with me. (Bytheway, it's SHE not HE. Apology accepted.) Heh, I'm posting from school. I don't think I'm allowed to be here at school so pray that my supervisor doesn't catch me. Hey! smilies don't work! Spit! Okay, ready?

Eika takes a deep swig of whisky, pursing her lips and squeezing her eyes shut at the unexpected streangth of the brew. "Whew!"
She eyes cautiously her company around her, looking deep into the eyes of every individual.
"I suppose I could tell you a tale. It would be nice to get it off my chest. You seem like decent folk."
She hesitated for a minute and the leaned back comfortably in her chair and folded her arms.
"I reckon it was a month ago, give or take a few days, my cousin went off to help a friend move." She paused, digging through her memory for the name of the friend. "Baggins? Yes, Baggins! Old Mr. Bilbo's heir, that Frodo fellow, I'm sure. Met him once, long ago, I was just a lass. A shame that he moved, he had a very nice place. I'm still scratching my head about why he did it. Oh, well, it's not my buisiness anyway I suppose.
"Anyway, Pip left about a month ago, he was only supposed to be gone a couple of weeks, so I got powerful worried about him. I finally got fed up with waiting and decided to set out looking for him. I hope the old fool isn't getting Mr. Frodo into trouble. With a lot of inquiring, I've finally been led here. Any information about hobbits passing through this area would be mighty appreciated."
She fell silent. Inside, she wasn't as optimistic about the situation as she sounded. She was deeply disturbed. No one could know (because she would never admit it)that the young Took meant very much to her. Pesky as he could be somtimes, she couldn't bear losing him.
She wispered to herself with a teary, frusterated voice , "Aw, Pippin. Why'd you have to go and leave your poor cousin all alone."

[Kit Baggins]

Kit pats Eika on the shoulder. Then he blinks, as he realises what she said.
"You knew our Frodo?" he asks. "What happened to him? I haven't heard from him since he moved to Crickhollow." Kit thinks for a long time, then he looks up. "In my experience, the best place to look for something is where you know it last was." he says. "So I think we should pay my cousin Frodo a visit in Crickhollow, and ask him about Pippin." Kit suggests.

[TygaStoryweaver]

"You're so kind. We could try that. Perhaps Pippin made himself more welcome then he was and settled there, forgetting about his home and his poor cousin who's worried sick out of her skin! It's not bad enough that he's a thief, stealing my apples and cookies, but now he's a no-good squatter!" Eika furrows her brows and begins to fume, takes a deep swig of whisky and then relaxes again. *Calm down now Eika, you're in public*
She breathes deep with a sigh then looks up with a brighter face.
"This may be fun, perhaps! I haven't seen Frodo in ages! (He used to make killer blueberry pancakes for me.) Merry should have grown a lot too! It's been a while now. (Not to be bragging now, but he used to adore my apple crisp.) I think it's time for a family reunion! Pity I never made it to Bilbo's birthday party. I hope they still remember me."
She beams a smile around the table. Her hope has been renewed and she is eager and ready for the road. She sorely hoped Frodo would remember her. He was the one who taught her to climb trees and fish and do all other things any respectecble hobbit child knew how to do. He brought her out to the woods and taught her how to identify a sweet, edible mushroom from a bitter, poisonous one. Pippin and she spent a summer there once and learned more in those three months from Bilbo and Frodo than all their years of schooling put together. She had countless stories from that one fine summer.
Eika stood up and faced her company, "I'm afraid I don't know these parts and thier roads very well, considering this is the only time I have been out of the Shire. It would be much appreciated if someone would serve as a guide for me. I can't pay you, but I gareentee you a feast you're tounge won't believe when we reach Crickhollow!"
She looks over to Kit and smiles. "I'm reckoning you're coming along, sir. I'm sure Frodo would be mighty pleased to see you, too."

[Kit Baggins]

"I'll come, if you'd like." Kit says. He looks out of the window at the darkening sky. "We wouldn't reach Crickhollow tonight, anyway." he says, half to himself. "I live on the other side of Hobbiton." Kit tells Eika. "I've got a spare room if you'd like to stay the night." Then he smiles. "I'd be honoured to help you find Pippin." he says.

[HLGStrider]

"As will I," Stammers Elgee who has had way too much Dr. Pepper and even put a capital letter in the wrong place... Sigh...