by deSouza, Leo
“So the animal is locked inside the house.” Olaf asked.
“Yes.” She replied.
“What about windows? There were none open?” Torag asked.
“No. That was what saved us, if there was at least one exit for the cat, it would have come out and eaten us.” The woman replied.
“And I suppose that since it happened ye and your children are homeless.” Thuor argued.
“Yes!” She continued.
The dwarfs looked at her clothes and saw dirt and rips, the children had some wounds on their bare feet and all of them looked very malnourished.
“When is your husband coming back?” Thuor asked.
“Oh! He left with the other men, they left at crescent moon, and they generally return at waning. They always fish at full moon.” Said the woman.
“Well it should take some more days for them to return.” Olaf spoke.
She looked at each dwarf as if expecting something from them. “Please, my gentle dwarfs, I cannot stay on the damp earth for much more time with my children.”
“What do ye want from us, madam?” Torag asked.
Thuor interrupted: “She wants us to present a solution and do it.”
The woman nodded with a nervous smile.
“I say, we could take a look at this cat.” The captain spoke looking at the other dwarfs.
Torag nodded, Olaf smiled, and Rurur said nothing.
“That is it. Take us to your house, madam, and it better be near, for we do not have much time to spend.” Continued Thuor.
“Oh! Thank you! Thank you noble sir!” The woman exclaimed as she crossed her hands in acknowledgement. “Come, it is not far.” She said as she turned to leave.
The dwarfs followed after the her, they left the road and took another route towards some mounds, as they walked Rurur looked at the children, they seemed very tired and hungry, the dwarf approached Thuor. “Hey captain, lets give them some food, these children look like about to starve.”
Thuor did not answer, but he looked at the kids, and then allowed Rurur with a subtle gesture. Rurur took from the ram’s saddle a bag with some dry meat and then went to the woman and her children, sharing the meal with them, Torag was walking beside Olaf. “What do ye think about this cat?” He asked quietly.
“What do ye mean?” Olaf replied.
“Ye heard the woman, the cat is almost the size of a horse…” Torag continued.
“I think she is overreacting, fear makes things appear worse than they actually are.” Olaf spoke.
“Yes I know but, what if the cat is really that big?” Torag insisted.
“Well, then we will need to find a way to deal with it.” Olaf replied.
“I’m not liking it… Maybe the woman should just wait for the cat to starve.” Torag whispered.
They advanced for a while and reached the mounds, there they went uphill and finally stepped on the mound top, from there they could see a vast field ahead, and not far a small wooden house near some crops. The woman pointed to the house. “There.”
“So, captain? What do ye have in mind? If the cat is really the size that madam here says… Then we must think about something different from a direct meeting.” Torag argued.
“I’m still thinking…” Thuor replied. “For now, why don’t ye send Balfour to watch over us?”
Torag nodded in agreement, he threw the bird in the air. The group stood there looking at the surroundings in silence, the little boy approached Torag and pulled his clothes as he looked up. “Hey sir dwarf, will you kill the big cat?”
“Maybe.” The dwarf replied without looking at the kid.
The boy examined his clothes and equipment for a moment, then spoke again: “Is it all yours? What is this thing for?” He asked as he reached for the crossbow on Torag’s back.
The dwarf moved to avoid the kid touching it. But the boy approached again. “What about this?” He asked pointing to Torag’s axe. “What is it for?”
“It is for knocking on the questioner’s heads!” Torag replied.
“Leave the dwarf alone!” The woman shouted as she came to the kid and pulled him far from Torag.
“Well… We have been here for a while, my suggestion is simple, I will stick my crossbow in some slot and hit the cat, kill it, quite simple.” Torag said.
“There must be a reason for this cat to enter a house like this.” Rurur said.
“Reason? It’s a damn beast!” Torag replied.
“It is true.” Thuor replied. “It is a beast and we can not play with it. Let’s do as Torag said.”
“Wait!” Rurur exclaimed. “Tell me madam, what are those barrels for?” He asked pointing to some barrels beside the house wall.
“Oh those? My husband used to stock grains in them, but they are now empty.” She replied.
“I have an idea.” Rurur spoke. “One of us will put one of the barrels just beside the door, then open the door and hide inside the barrel, closing it with the cover.”
“Then expect for the cat to come out.” Olaf spoke.
“That is it.” Replied Rurur.
“What a stupid idea. Which one of us?” Torag asked. “Don’t count on me for this, I’m not going to risk myself in such an enterprise.”
“I’m going.” Rurur said.
“Ye are really willing to?” Thuor asked.
“Oh yes, why not? Maybe I’m not the faster, but for sure the smarter one after all.” Rurur said.
Torag chuckled. “And the fattest one too, for sure. I bet ye will not fit into the barrel.”
“Right. Put one of the barrels in front of the door, enter it and keep the cover in hands, open the door and hide, immediately.” SpokeThuor.
“Easy.” Said Rurur as he stepped ahead.
“The rest of us will stay here. For obvious reasons.” The captain added.
Rurur gave the ram’s rein to Olaf and went downhill and towards the house, he walked quickly while the others observed. The dwarf reached the house and came to the barrels, took one of them and rolled it towards the door of the house, the group could see when he put the barrel in front of the door and entered it. Then he reached for the door knob, stretched and propped himself up on the barrel edge and with some effort finally managed to open the door. The others saw the moment when he quickly crouched inside the barrel and closed it with the cover.
“That is it. The cat should be coming out at any time.” Said Olaf.
“Let’s see…” Torag whispered.
But for a while nothing happened, they all expected something to come out of the house, but nothing passed through the door.
“What is happening?” Asked Olaf.
“Maybe the cat is already dead.” Said Torag.
“No. It was quite alive the last time I checked it, and that was this morning.” Said the woman.
“Oh look! There he is!” Torag shouted pointing at the house.
Now they all could see, coming from inside the house through the door came a very large cat, an animal like the biggest lion we know. But the cat did not leave as they had expected, instead it approached Rurur’s barrel and began sniffing it.
“Oh my! He will be eaten alive!” Olaf exclaimed.
Rurur was now muttering as he noticed the presence of the animal.
“The cat is sensing Rurur’s smell!” Olaf insisted.
For some moments, the cat sniffed and scratched the barrel, but after all it just left again to inside the house.
“Ye see? It was a stupid idea!” Torag said.
“Let’s give it some more time.” Said Thuor.
And so it was, again they stood there, waiting, the wind blew, the sun moved, but yet nothing happened at the house, now everyone was distracted, only Thuor himself was still carefully watching. It was him who first noticed when Rurur uncovered the barrel and raised his head quietly, exposing his eyes out of it and looking around. After checking the surroundings, he raised himself even more, then finally propped on the barrel edges and jump
ed out, he sneaked and leaned against the wall, then peeked inside the house. Thuor saw when he left, circling the house and coming running towards the group, he reached the mound top snorting and sweating. “The cat is there, big as madam said!” He said.
“We saw it. Why doesn’t it leave?” Asked Olaf.
“I don’t know. It is just there, quiet, lying on the floor. It seems thin and haggard, I don’t think it has much strength to attack us now.” Replied Rurur.
“It needs a bait.” Said Thuor. “I will go this time.”
“Wait! What is this, captain? Will ye join this too? Let’s finish it now! I will hit him and kill him with an arrow!” Torag said.
“What if ye miss the target? What if one arrow is not enough? Ye will have no time to reload your weapon. Fighting a cat is not like fighting a goblin, Torag. One must worry about four paws and a big mouth at the same time, and these animals are fast like lighting.” The captain said.
“The animal is haggard, I saw it, we don’t need to kill it.” Rurur spoke.
Torag just shrugged. The captain went to the ram’s saddle and took from it a big piece of meat, then left walking towards the house, again the others just stood on the mound top, watching the scene. Thuor reached the house and then sneaked towards the door, there he peeked inside and then stepped ahead, showing himself in front of the door, the others saw when he raised the piece of meat in the air and walked backwards, after he’d gone some distance, they saw the big cat coming out.
“The cat will eat him!” Shouted the little boy.
“Quiet!” Said his mom.
Thuor walked far from the house, still followed by the cat, the animal came towards him always keeping an aggressive stance, and Thuor kept one of his hands on a knife on his belt. But he did not have to use it, he got far enough and then threw the meat piece away, the cat ran towards it. The captain left slowly and when he got far from the animal he walked to the house, motioning to the others to come towards it. The group came downhill, fast, the cat was distant, still chewing the meat, when they reached the house they found the captain inside it. Rurur tied the ram outside, everyone entered.
“Thank you, master dwarf! Thank you!” The woman exclaimed.
The children quickly spread around the house, the girl came to her bed and took from there a small doll, the boy sat on the ground and started playing with some toys, the dwarfs sat on some chairs around a table.
“How can I repay you?” Asked the woman.
“Well madam, what about a good meal, I see firewood and pots. We could provide the food.” Said Torag leaning against the chair.
Olaf was staring at a corner, muted, Thuor noticed it and looked to where he was staring. “What?” Asked the captain. When he looked out he saw something that caught him by surprise, there in a corner were many cubs, small cats on the floor.
“Oh dear…” Said Rurur also looking at them. “I knew there was something…”
Thuor jumped from the chair and came to the door, he peeked out to see the big cat coming closer, the captain hurried to untie the rope knot and pulled the ram inside the house, then quickly closed the door, everyone heard the growl of the animal outside.
“Now it’s us who are caged!” Exclaimed Olaf.
“I will finish this right now.” Said Torag as he reached for his crossbow.
“No! It does not seem right to kill it. Look at the cubs.” Said Rurur.
“There is no time for this, Rurur! I’m not going to stay here inside for the rest of my life.” Replied Torag.
“Stop. Let’s do the following.” Broke in Thuor. “Cats don’t keep their cubs in open places. We can just drop them outside the window and wait for the mom to take them elsewhere.”
Torag slapped the table. “Fine! But I’m not willing to give it much time. Either it takes its cubs far away soon, or a single arrow will finish this matter.”
Thuor came to the little cats and took some of them, Olaf came too and took the rest. The captain motioned his head to Rurur for him to open the window, Torag prepared the crossbow and aimed it. Rurur quietly opened the window, Thuor peeked out and then dropped the cubs outside, then it was Olaf’s turn to do the same, and then finally the window was closed. The cubs outside began to cry, and the dwarfs heard the heavy steps of their mom circling the house to reach them.
“Well… I think it is now just a matter of time. Meanwhile, why don’t ye begin to prepare the meal, madam?” Asked Thuor.
The woman nodded. She and Rurur came to the ram’s saddle and began to take from it food and spice.
“The more we eat, the more your saddle gets lighter, doesn’t it, my dear Jewelry?” Asked Rurur as he stroked the ram’s neck.
The woman took the stuff to a sink as Rurur stood still with the ram, he now had a concerned mien. “That actually makes me worry about ye, my friend. But nevermind, I will deal with this, there will be no food lacking till we come back to our stronghold, ye will be safe.”
The meal began to be prepared, the dwarfs were sitting on the chairs, except for Torag who was looking through the window slots. “The cat is right here, on the other side of the wall, licking its cubs.” He said.
“Let it be, Torag, come here and sit with us.” Said Thuor.
“No captain… Someone must keep an eye on this… Ye never know…” Replied Torag.
Time passed, the food began to smell appetizing. Olaf was now smoking his pipe, the kids slept on the bed and Rurur was cleaning the room from dirt made by the cat and her kittens. He gathered the filth in a bucket and put it in a corner. Torag was still lurking by the window. “It’s leaving! It took one of the cubs in its mouth and went.”
“Where to? Can ye see?” Asked Thuor.
“Wait…” Whispered Torag. He kept watching through the slot for a moment, then spoke again: “Yes… It seems going to some rock formations far away.”
“I think she is going to take all the cubs there.” Said the woman.
She was right, after some time, the big cat came back towards the house, Torag described what was happening as he watched it. The animal approached the house and took another cub, taking it then to the rock formations where she had left the first one. Torag raised his torso and rubbed his belly, looking satisfied as he smiled. “Heh… Good for it that it decided to leave, I was about to finish this with my crossbow.”
“Sit down and stop talking foolishness, Torag.” Said Olaf.
The woman brought the meal to the table, everyone sat, she and the children joined the others, there everyone ate and even drank a bottle of wine that she offered. It took a long while for the dwarfs to eat, they decided to do it slowly as the house interior seemed a safe place for them to stay for a while under a good shelter, specially after what happened in the inn the night before. When the meal finally ended, the dwarfs rested.
“Allow me to say, madam, that was a good meal. Your spice is tasty, and your preparation is sagacious.” Said Rurur cleaning his teeth with his tongue.
The woman just smiled.
“Well, time for us to leave. Torag, what about the cat? Are there still any cubs out there?” Asked Thuor.
Torag rose from the chair and went to the window, he looked outside. “Hum… No captain. No cubs, nor big cat.” He said.
Thuor also rose from his chair. “Fine. Let’s go outside then.”
Olaf positioned himself at the door’s side, Torag took his crossbow and approached the door. “Open it slowly.” He said as he pointed his crossbow towards the door.
Olaf did as he said and they saw then that there was nothing outside. Thuor went out checking the surroundings, all the dwarfs came after him and they checked all the house sides.
“She is really gone.” Said Rurur beside the ram.
The woman was among the dwarfs. “Stay inside!” She shouted as she saw the kids coming out too.
The little ones laughed and ran back inside.
“Madam. I advise ye to stay home till your husband comes back.” Said Thuor.
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“Oh I know… But let me tell you, that never happened before. Those animals don’t come that close to people, I don’t know why it happened, maybe something scared it. So it decided to find a better place to give birth.” The woman spoke.
“Listen, my dear mistress. Next time a beast invades your home and reclaims it as his, ask for rental. I don’t believe that there is anything bigger than this cat to scare it on these prairies.” Said Torag.
“Maybe there is.” Spoke Thuor looking at him.
Torag motioned his head in agreement, as he remembered about the past events.
“Now we leave. Goodbye mistress.” Said Thuor.
“Goodbye. I would like to have something to offer, but you saw my conditions.” Replied the woman.
Rurur came to the ram and took from it a bag with food, he glanced at Thuor as if saying something with his eyes, then gave the food to the woman. “Take it, and avoid going outside till your husband is back.”
“Oh more good will. I will spread word about you and what you have done. Your reputation will grow far.” Said the woman taking the bag.
The dwarfs left, walking back to the path they came from. Balfour came and landed on his master’s arm.
“Rurur, the merciful dwarf! So merciful that he even spares beasts!” Torag spoke.
“Think twice, Torag. Would ye clean all the blood and carry the dead cat outside to a far place, and then burn it? Would take a lot of effort, I think we did it the clean way, thanks to our nice dwarf here.” Thuor spoke.
Rurur just smiled.
The Beige Plains.
The seasons in the east used to be as well defined as in the west, but in some years, there was a little bit of mixing among them, which means that heavy rains could come in spring or summer, while snow always came at the end of the autumn or beginning of winter. Generally, the weather in the east was comfortable for one travelling, if kept at the level of the fields, not going up the mountains. But anyway, for a dwarf, seasons were not something much of interest, for under their halls inside the mountains they could always keep the ambience at their convenience, no matter if heavy rain, snow or warm sun was set outside. For now, it was comfortable for Thuor’s company to travel across the fields, they were reaching the Beige Plains, and after going up the slope of a hill with some effort, the group came to its top, it was actually not a tall hill but a set of small ones, and from there they could see the vastness ahead, a huge plain covered by grass, in a completely homogeneous beige tone from there to the last portion of visible land, so wide that the horizon went covered in haze.
