Path: usenet.ee.pdx.edu!cs.uoregon.edu!reuter.cse.ogi.edu!uwm.edu!spool.mu.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!pipex!uunet!not-for-mail From: guido@rbg.informatik.th-darmstadt.de (Guido Roessling) Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.archives Subject: STORY: Qelrik part 51 Followup-To: rec.games.frp.misc Date: 11 Nov 1994 16:43:32 -0500 Organization: UUNET Technologies Inc, Falls Church, VA, USA Lines: 89 Sender: smm@uunet.uu.net Approved: smm@uunet.uu.net Message-ID: <3a0oi4$ig0@rodan.UU.NET> NNTP-Posting-Host: rodan.uu.net Leaving Town ============ The horse was unremarkable in other ways, but Fox had been assured by the man who'd sold it to her some weeks ago that it was light and sure-footed, and Fox was so far pleased with the horse's performance. The gelding was also even-tempered, which Fox, who never got along with horses that well, appreciated. She had settled her substantial bill with Cloven Shield, left a good tip -- good, not conspicuously generous -- and departed with a small sack full of road food and her wine flask full of ginger mead. She was not a fan of straight wine, and ginger mead was just the thing to warm her during a cold ride. She left town and disappeared into the forest, following the vague tread of consciousness that connected her to Finn. She could still trace the pattern she had found when she had touched Finn's cup, and though she knew the vampire slept, she could still follow enough. Through the morning and into early afternoon, she moved slowly, not wanting to tire her horse or kill herself with a good trot. She was too tired and stiff to deal with that today. A cold lunch of bread and tinned fish was eaten on horseback, and she only stopped for a little while to feed and water the horse, which she had never bothered to name. As she stood near the creek, waiting for her horse to finish, she looked idly about, when a small object glittering near the creek bed caught her eye. Frowning, she picked it up, turning it over in her hand. It was an iron pommel of a particular design which seemed oddly familiar. Frown deepening, Fox searched the creekbed. A deep footprint in mud confirmed her suspicions. Orcs. The track was at least a day old, and she threw out a sense-net to see if she could detect anything. Wherever they were, they were not near enough to her for danger. While the horse drank, she looked around a little longer, seeing if she could find anything else. More tracks in a patch of sod, others at the base of a half-uprooted tree. They were moving in the same direction she was. 'Well, bother,' Fox thought irritably. Mindseeker sang at her side, throbbing in delight. *************************************************************************** This story is a collaboration of seven people: one German, two Canadians and four Americans. Comments about particular characters should be forwarded to their character's "owners": Finn Ambrose - Sheryl Ann Galchutt* - fi48@sol.acs.unt.edu Gernodt - Guido Roessling - dida@pu.informatik.th-darmstadt.de Dahlarin - Brent Hughes - bhughes@student.business.uwo.ca Kyle - J.E. Mason - ** no current mail address ** Fox - Barbara French - bcfrench@mailbox.syr.edu Will appear in future chapters: Gladrial - Jennifer Immel - bhughes@julian.uwo.ca Sir Percy - Bret Rudnick - rudnick@cfatrw.harvard.edu If you have WWW access, you can also read the chapters there. The site is http://rbhp62.rbg.informatik.th-darmstadt.de/~guido/qelrik.html ************************************************************************** ************************************************************************** Legal stuff about Qelrik All characters contained in this story are the sole and exclusive property of their authors. They are the copyrighted property of the authors, and may not be used for any reason without the express written permission of the authors. Qelrik is (c) 1993, 1994 Guido Resszling, Brent G. Hughes, John E. Mason, Barbara C. French, Jennifer Immel, and Bret Ryan Rudnick. Gernodt T'Slorung -- Guido Roessling Dahlarin -- Brent G. Hughes Growler --