Into the fire

"And those killed by the Stones," added another.

And someone cheered, others to take it up, for all slain Spawn were from the Horde that had devastated the village of Springwater.

Ry

A collective sigh rose up from the Warrows, but Ry

"Like what?"

"Well, for one"-she gestured at Beau-"this buccan has found a cure for the plague-"

A cure? For the plague? Can it be? Oh my!

"-and saved the city of Dendor entire."

Again a babble rose up, but Ry

Reluctantly the two stepped upslope and turned to face the gathering. And Beau shoved Tip to the fore. All through the telling, Beau shuffled uncomfortably, for ten or so dammen looked upon him adoringly, especially the maiden Li

The very next day, Tip, Beau, Ry

As they mounted up to ride away, Li

Mutely, Beau nodded, and she unwove a pale brown ribbon from her dark brown hair. Beau leaned over as she tied it 'round his upper arm. And as he was bent down, she quickly kissed him and fled away in the direction of her bower.

Beau looked after her in amazement, and with Melli smiling and wee Lark squealing in joy, away spurred Ry

Jerking to his senses, Beau heeled the flanks of his pony and followed after, though his thoughts ran elsewhere.

And when he caught up with them, Ry

Beau looked down at the ribbon.

"Not the ribbon, Beau," said Ry

"The ribbon?" asked Tip.

"Aye. For when we all fled Springwater, there was little time to take away the things we valued. Most was lost to the pillaging Spawn. And Li

"Oh my," said Beau. "I'll ride back and return it now." "No you don't, bucco," growled Tip. "Even I, as dense as I am, even I know better than that." And on through the Blackwood they fared, Beau ever glancing down at the dear ribbon now tied 'round his arm.

Southwesterly they rode through Darda Erynian all that day and the next, and on the second day they came to the Rissanin River, to follow along its banks. And late in the afternoon of the third day, they sighted the wreckage of Caer Lindor, the island fortress nought but rubble, only the thickest part of the walls yet standing, no more than ten or twelve feet high in places, less in others. Of its towers and turrets and the great hall, nothing but broken stone remained.

"Goodness," groaned Beau.

"Goodness had nought to do with it," growled Delby.

Tip sighed and said, "I would like to ride in, but I suppose they destroyed the bridges as well."

"They were going to," said Delby, "but the Hidden Ones attacked just then. A good thing, too."

"Good thing?"

"Aye. It allowed the Hidden Ones to cross over and harry and hound the Spawn from the Greatwood as well as Darda Erynian, and many more of the maggot-folk were slain. Too, this is a major crossing over the Rissanin, and the Baeron and Elves would not have it otherwise. The Hidden Ones ward it now."

"Ah, I see," said Tip, looking 'round, seeing no one at all.

And so, as twilight crept upon the land, over the western pontoon bridge they rode and into the shadowed rubble beyond, the mighty portcullises and ironclad gates nought but twisted metal.

"Lor', what wrack," said Beau, gazing about at shattered stone. "And Trolls did this?"

"Yes," replied Ry

"What of the slain?" asked Tip.

Ry

Beau shuddered and glanced at Tip, and Tip shook his head slightly, both buccen perhaps recalling the corpses they had seen partly consumed, yet neither said aught to Ry

"Well," said Delby, "if you've seen enough, it's time we were making camp."

"But not in this place of death and ruin," said Beau, shivering, "not in this place of loss."

"Look," hissed Beau, pointing.

Among the trees along the western bank of the Rissanin there burned several small fires.

"Someone is camped," said Ry

"Someones, you mean," said Delby.

"A small force?" asked Tip.

"Who could it be?" asked Beau. "Foul Folk?"

"Perhaps, though not likely. They fear this place," said Ry

"Rivermen?"

Ry

Moving as only Warrows can move, silent in their steps, among the trees the four crept, ever nearing the fires. And then Ry

Tip looked to see where Beau and Delby had gotten to, but they were nowhere in sight. And so, silently hand signalling Ry

Tip was no more than twenty feet from the sentry when the warder turned his face toward the firelight, and Tip smiled and stood up and softly said, "Hadron, 'tis I, Tipper-ton Thistledown, and I no longer have the soap."

Hadron started and looked Tip's way, and then he laughed.

As Hadron escorted them to the fires, Ry

"Hadron was with Galarun's company, the Lian who rescued us from the Hyrinians on the Plains of Valon. In any event, he gave Beau and me a bar of scented soap as a parting gift when we went on. Like wildflowers it smelled."

"I remember," said Ry

In that moment they walked in among the campfires, and a company of Lian looked up as they came striding by.

"Oh, Hadron," said Tip, "Beau and another Warrow are out there somewhere, perhaps we ought to whistle them i-"

"We're not out there," said Beau, he and Delby stepping from behind an enshadowed tree.

"Ha!" barked Hadron. "So much for Elven warders where the Wee Folk are concerned."

"Ry