Snow and Slide
The mask and the thick hood weren’t nearly enough to satisfy Thendryt as he made his way down the slopes towards the Vale. He could feel his face reddened by the cold. The Sentinel at the gates had even asked him to identify himself!
The frost on his eyelashes and eyebrows were melting because of his frustration. Longer patrol than usual, freezing cold and little game. The Trollshaws were quiet. Perhaps the entire forest had decided to retire for the rest of winter, leaving Thendryt alone in the white maze of trees. Not that he disliked that, he quite enjoyed it.
Thendryt removed a branch in his path out of the way but failed to notice the ice-clad bit right in front of him. Before he knew it he was on his back, gliding down the slope. The snow entered every available opening and one he stopped, he was more snowman than Man. An Elf that had passed by during the spectacle could barely keep himself from laughter. Thendryt glared at him as he slowly got up and started to walk down towards The Last Homely House.
Right before he arrived he turned around and gazed upon the now snow-clad Valley. Yule would be around now, he thought.
Thendryt had never been one for Yule, but he could appreciate the lights and candles people placed all around. Maybe he would travel to Bree next year to see if it was any good nowadays.
Thendryt suddenly stopped as he thought of Killandra and Aeradin, the two Warband members based in Bree-land, and quickly reconsidered. Imladris was just fine.
He headed straight for the Hall of Fire. Report could wait, there was nothing to report anyways. “The trees were unusually frozen and snow-covered”. It could definitely wait.
As he sat down, an Elf came up to him with a letter. Thendryt reached out and accepted it. He opened it and began to read its content while he poured his ale.
By the time the fires had warmed him up, he finished his drink and smiled to himself.
Maybe there would be game after all, he thought, as he threw Odak’s letter into the fire.
