Lord of the Rings Fanatics Plaza

@Rillewen

T.A. 3018, Umbar

Pele studied the emblem on the barrels for a good long while as she munched on an apple, a frown deepening. However, she did not speak aloud any conclusions she drew from the observations. Besides, the voices outside took her attention away from it.

Instinctively, she looked around for something that could be used as a weapon should their hiding place be discovered regardless of how well she tried to replace the window after they had climbed in. Luckily, it seemed that the men passed by without noticing any disturbance in the usual surroundings.

"Strawberry," Pele then said in whisper, just in case. "I suppose our combined pursuers might still be vigilant on the streets, but at the same time we can't really sit here for too long either, lest they come for provisions or bring new ones in here." She paused, thinking of their options. "If we go out during the day, we might have the benefit of mingling with crowds, but at the same time likeliness of being recognised. If we go at night, we have to move more sneakily. At any rate, time to disappear from this city. I would opt for a night, what do you say? Let's stock up on food just in case we have to leave in a hurry."

@Pele Alarion
Her heart pounded as she listened anxiously to the sound of the footsteps outside. She feared they would hear it, but instead, the footsteps soon faded as the men continued on their way. But she remembered, back when she and Pele had encountered one another on that boat, that there had been dogs. If they brought dogs around here, looking for their scent, then she and Pele would both be in trouble. They'd be trapped down here, wouldn't they?

As her new friend suggested getting out of the city, Strawberry nodded slightly to show that she agreed, but then there was the dilemma about whether to go in day or at night. She looked down at her bandaged hands, while the motion also caused her messy braid to slide forward over one shoulder. Which reminded her that her hair was a rather noticeable color. She frowned, thinking. "It might be hard for us to blend in during the day," She mentioned hesitantly. "But there might be more people out looking for us, at night." She finished her apple slowly while thinking about it.

"I think night," She agreed at last, looking over at Pele. "We can hide better, and it's not so horribly hot." She remembered how hot she had been, hiding under that tarp on the boat. It had been almost suffocatingly hot, but she'd endured it, fearing that she would be discovered if she came out. "I.. can't walk very fast," She added with a little glance at her feet. She knew that she'd slow them down, and she felt terrible about that.

"But this night is probly almost over, I think," She went on with a thoughtful frown, glancing toward that window, although she was uncertain what time it actually was. "And there's all those people out there, searching for us," She looked at Pele, a worried look in her green eyes. "Do you think we'd be safe enough to sleep here during the day, and set out as soon as it gets dark?" She hoped so, because she felt like she could use the rest. As for stocking up on food though, she definitely agreed with that. She nodded slightly and took a look around the cellar, hoping to find some empty sacks that they could use. Maybe, once they had gotten away from the city, they could build a proper fire and cook some of those root vegetables and make a delicious, hot meal to satisfy their tummies.

@Rillewen

T.A. 3018, Umbar

Pele felt immense relief at the fact that there was no need to fight off anyone discovering them just yet - she was at a significant disadvantage, and sometimes even using all the smarts might not give the desired result without assistance from some strength of arm. Or a weapon. However, even if the danger did not spring on them this time - it would be ever present as long as they were here.

"We'll just have to figure out how to leave even when you can't walk too fast and I can't fight the best," she said to Strawberry. "After some rest. But I would say that there shouldn't be such a moment when both of us are asleep at once. One of us should always be on watch just in case. Can't rest without a care in this pit of vipers." She looked around the cellar. "Perhaps we should also make a sleeping den so that it is well hidden in case someone comes in here to fetch some stuff or bring in fresh produce."

Pele paused in thought and then added: "I also think we shouldn't carry so much food that we barely move along no matter how important provisions might seem now when we are hungry. Movement is still more important than carrying heavy sacks with us that would slow us down even more."

@Pele Alarion
Strawberry nodded in agreement with Pele about taking turns sleeping. "Good idea." It was better that they had found each other, she thought. They could help each other. And Pele seemed to know more about how to survive and stuff, than Strawberry did. So, she could definitely benefit from the woman's knowledge. Hopefully, Strawberry could add something useful into the mix, too.

She went to take a look around the cellar, this time with an eye for making a place to sleep. "What if we scoot these barrels a bit, to sort of form a wall?" She suggested, unsure whether she could move them herself or not. But maybe if they worked together, they could push the barrels around to make themselves a little den. They had no blankets or pillows, but she figured they'd probably be able to manage without them.

After working together on it for a bit, they eventually had the barrels and crates and things arranged satisfactorily enough. "Wouldn't it be nice if someone did bring in some fresh food, while we were hiding, and they left it and didn't find us? And then we could take that food with us when we go." Strawberry grinned a little at the thought of how convenient that would be for them. But of course, Pele was right. They shouldn't bring with them more than they could easily carry. "Maybe we'll be able to stop and get more stuff, when we need it." She suggested hopefully. She thought for a moment. "But then, I guess we'll need water more, won't we?" She realized. And water was heavier than most food they might carry. That made things more difficult.

"Hey, what if we could borrow a pack animal or something?" She suggested. "Then we could carry lots." She had no idea where they'd even get something like that, nor if such creatures were used around these parts. But it didn't hurt to throw ideas out, and to ponder on possibilities. "Anyway," She sighed. "I think maybe you should sleep first." She didn't really feel all that tired just yet, and she didn't mind taking the first watch.

OOC:
Pardon the intrusion.
I used to be a member of the old plaza. I was in the Lothkorien kingdom. Hoth (who was the Mandos admin in case you weren’t here then) had made me the mod of the RPG forum along with a guy who was in the Fangorn kingdom, that’s when the admins first opened the Tol Eressea forum for the newly appointed mods of all the outside kingdom forums. Hoth had also had the old coder of the plaza who was the Melkor admin at the time chang my username to Luthien Tinuviel. So, I had to step down after about 6 months due to RL issues. When I did I chose as my parting icon the XII of Lothlorien. Then some time later I tried coming back just to say hi to everyone and found out that the plaza had been hacked and was gone. I’m telling you all this for perhaps there’s a chance you might have known me then. So, the other day I got curious and went looking online to see if I could find out anything about the plaza and found this one. So, I joined and would like to now try my hand at being a bad guy.
I’d like to join the army but don’t know how. I would really appreciate it if you could help me out with it.

@Rillewen

Pele
Umbar, TA 3018

With some effort they had managed to make a small 'bedroom', and Pele decided it would not hurt to make it just a little bit more comfortable if at all possible. After some searching she had gathered a couple sacks, one rolled up could do for a pillow and two bigger ones would suffice for a sheet and a blanket. "Don't think these are near as comfortable as proper bedding, but they'll just have to do in a pinch," she said as she set up the sacks.

"Fresh food would be nice, but I figure more danger might come with it," she added a down-to-earth comment to Strawberry's wishes. "But if... when we get out of the city, I think we might get by with water if we stuck near the greener coastline instead of heading for the wilderness. We might come across some fresh streams." It would be a longer way, and more populated, but perhaps easier to sustain life. "A swift horse or two wouldn't be amiss," she then laughed softly. "If it is anything other than that and less speedy, it would make it difficult for us to travel less visibly and hide when need be. But we will see, I suppose, hmm."

Pele considered getting another apple to munch on, and she acted on it, picking one from the available stash. "Would you like an apple too, Strawberry?" she offered. "Perhaps sleep might be more willing to arrive with it. But I'll see if I can make myself sleep, or at least rest." She slowly ate the apple as she lay down on the sack and pulled the other over her as means of a blanket. "You know... I might become a potato or a beetroot - at least that is all I can smell here," she observed with another laugh, hoping that humour could make things more bearable.

@Pele Alarion
She tried to think if she even knew what 'proper bedding' was like. But she didn't say anything about it. She thought she could imagine. Mattress, pillow, blankets. There hadn't been much of those things on the bed she'd been in when she first woke up, on the ship.

It wasn't encouraging to hear that they might have to 'make do' with water. She didn't really know much about horses and such, but she wondered what sort of creatures could be useful as a pack animal. Especially with both of them being injured. But she didn't really know if she knew how to ride a horse anyway.

Pele's question drew her out of her thoughts, and she smiled. "Yes, another apple would be great." She answered eagerly. They weren't the best apples, being less than fresh. But she couldn't help but enjoy it anyway. She smiled at the joke about turning into a potato or beet, and then she went quiet while Pele got settled to sleep. Strawberry limped over to sit on one of the crates at the bottom of the stack by the window, and stationed herself there so she could keep an eye on the window in case anyone came too close.

She waited a long time, until it was more than halfway through the night, but she had no idea how to tell the time. So, she just kept waiting and listening until she eventually felt like she needed to sleep. Then she went to rouse Pele so they could swap places. She'd sleep pretty soundly once she did get to sleep, so that was probably a good thing for the sake of recovering from her wounds.