EntQuest, the Battle for Hector.

[klatukatt]

*The group of rescuers crept through the woods and eventually caught sight of Hector propped upside down against a tree. Further inspection revealed a camp of orcs. Sane was tied up against a tree, and she didn't look good.*

Bunicula: Tfan, you fly back to camp and gather anyone you can, then we'll set up an ambush.

*Soon, Tfan brought a large group of banditos, all that were not needed to guard the cave, as well as Sas with Issac and Fredrico. The banditos were anxious to run in and rescue Sane, but Bunicula had a plan.*

Bunicula: We are going to ambush them. Sas will get their attention, then draw them in our direction, where we will be hiding. Stealth is of the essence.

Sas: Hey, why me?

Bunicula: Because you look the part. You look as if you could be taken down easily, but are still important enough to have vital information. You can also act like you accidentally walked into a camp of enemies.

Sas: Wow. All that is me? Cool.

Bunicula: After they've left, Katt will lead a small group into the clearing to take out any leftovers. However, Katt, your main job will be to see to Sane's wounds and make sure Hector is all right.

Katt: Hey, who put you in charge?

Bunicula: You did when you granted me the power to speak.

Katt: Oh yeah. Oops.

*The plan went off well. Fredrico suffered a minor injury because orcs are a bit hard to squish. The other part of the plan went well too.*

Katt: That went well.

*The few banditos that came with Katt moved Hector to a comfortable place in the clearing and began to move the orc bodies out of the way. Katt was trying to examine Sane without damaging her any more. Suddenly there was a screech in the air.*

Bandito: What the hell was that?

Katt: This can't be good. Acally got a pretty bad stab with a poison kris and didn't know where it came from. We may be dealing with invisible enemies.

"Hee hee heee! That's right! And there's nothing you can do to stop us!"

*Everyone in the clearing was knocked off their feet. There was a powerful whirlwind and some visible metal parts in the center.*

Katt: *yelling* Wait! Who are you? We need to know why you are doing this!

*The wind died down a bit. There was a shimmering where the voice of invisibility seemed to be coming from.*

"We are the Internets. We came to Entmoot for food and shelter. There was much there to provide for us. All those "hobbits" who posted four times and then disappeared. All was well, and Entmoot became our home. Then your ilk came and built the Teacup Cafe on our homeland. Posting became a contest to you. You nurtured weak "saplings" until they became "elf lords" or more. You starved us, but we could not touch you in your well protected Cafe. Then we made the spell. It was an old spell, but one of the best. Your beloved president would turn to stone unless you left the Cafe to find his cure. Now, we will destroy you. Entmoot will wither, yet not die, and we will feast."

Katt: Wait a minute, Entmoot isn't all that old. Why don't you just move on? I can direct you to many other message boards that are rotting in filth just waiting for the taking.

"But Entmoot is our home."

Katt: And it is ours as well. You were nomads at first. There is no reason why you can't go back to that. And if you do, I'll give you a present. A promise of what is to come.

*Katt pulled a brown paper sack out of the infinity that is her trenchcoat. She passed it through the center of the shiny mass and it was pulled out of her hand.*

"What is this? *rips open* That is disgusting! Do you have more?"

Katt: The rest of the Internet does. Perhaps some of your old relatives live at the source of this particular... site.

"Mmm, come to think of it, we think we have outgrown Entmoot. It is a bit juvenile. All right, we shall leave."

Katt: Wait! Do you think you could break Hector's curse?

"Hmn? Oh, no. You still need that one plant. Sorry. Bye-ie!"

*With the evil gone, Katt turned her attention back to Sane.*

Katt: Oh dear. This is so bad. Should I... but people will get mad... Oh, to hell with it.

*Katt put her hands on Sane, who was near death, and transfered the majority of her energy to Sane. Most of Sane's wounds closed and she started to breath easier.*

Katt: *looks up* Oops. Too much *passes out*

[Eilonwy]

As soon as Eilonwy got to the surface, she very quietly gathered soup and medical supplies. She ran back down the cave as fast as she could without attracting attention. But she did leave a note saying Take all the soup you need for your journey.

[tolkienfan]

tf let out a long sigh of relief when the encounter with the Internets was over. "If everyone is in a stable condition, I think we should make our way back to camp. Sane, Katt, Fredrico, and Hector need more attention there." she said.

[The Sasquatch of Fangorn]

"Fredrico! Honestly!" said Sas, running over to his pet. "Here." he gave Fredrico a treat. Fredrico stopped whyning after that. "Issac. Take Fredrico on your back. He can't put any weght on his one foot untill I can look at it."

[Grey_Wolf]

Sir GW began taking down some of the coneys, pierced them with stakes in order to bbq them on the low fire. He pasted them with a mixture of herbs which soon filled the cave with the exquisite smell of roasted cured meat.

[Mari]

Mari looked up as Aeran stirred. She went over to him, to check his injuries before he woke up completely. "Hmm, this looks good. Thank heavens, you scared me there my sweet."
She hugged him tightly while tears fell from her eyes and she stayed in that position for quite a while. All the emotions of the past days, the deaths of so many, the blood and worries for those still living, it came out silently.
She started when Aeran gave her a lick as to say he was here and everything was going to be fine. She must have been sitting like this for quite a while for Aeran to have woken up.

Then she heard his stomach and laughed out loud, which caused GW to look back at her.
"Well sir GW, your cooking smells excellent and I think I know someone who'd love to try some of it. Aeran has woken up and he's just fine!"
Addressing Aeran: "Can you walk over there yourself yet, or are there still some sedatives in you? Be careful when you try to get up. Here let me help you."
Aeran tried to get up, but there was still too much drugs in him to get over to where GW was, so they brought some food to him. He was very cat-like and kept pushing his head against Mari, as to be petted.

For the first time in the past few days, she smiled a happy smile again.

[sisterandcousinandaunt]

Sis had wasted all the imaginary time she had, pretending to tidy up. It was time to get this show on the road again.

In the wavering light of the torch, Nautipus was still too pale, but his breath was a little more even than before. He'd been immensely brave during the bandaging, and was now begining to shiver, from blood loss and being out of the warm water too long, and she was worried about shock.

She laid a hand on his good arm. "Come on, sleeping beauty.Up you go. Let's see what you can do, here."

She didn't know what she'd do if he couldn't walk. Something.

[Grey_Wolf]

Sir GW cured the rest of the coneys and saw to it that the rest of the roes didnt go bad, packing them in special herbdrenched preservatory bags.

[Acalewia]

"I missed that smile," Acally said at Mari's truly happy smile. Anicetos went over and rubbed against Aeran and purred as if to say he, too, was glad Aeran was going to be fine. "He's one tough kitty. I'm really glad he's gonna be ok,"

[Mari]

"Thanks Acally! And I think I'll let you up tomorrow as well if you are feeling okay. I do hope everyone is okay though. Who knows what they might encounter? At least the searchers have Katt for healing, but Sis and Nautipus must have a limited supply of herbs and food.
And then there's those mysterious monsters..."
Mari started looking worried again, but a bit of a smile returned when Anicetos came over and nudged her.
"Thank you Anicetos. I know that worrying won't help us, so I'll try not to do it, okay?"

[Acalewia]

Anicetos gave a little bark, causing both Mari and Acally to chuckle.
"With Katt's healing and GW's skills with herbs, I think I'll be just fine,"

[Grey_Wolf]

"My lady Acally, Im glad that my efforts for you recovery has been successful." Sir GW said, smiling."Have some more bbq'd coney."

[Eilonwy]

Eilonwy was Finally at the bottom of the cave. She found Sis and Nauty and quickly handed soup to Nauty while Sis gave more help to Nauty with the new medical supplies. Then she asked "are you ready to go up?"

[Nautipus]

Nautipus looked at the bandaging over his ragged wound, then at Sis and Eilonwy.
"Yeah, I think I can do it. Let's just get outa here."
He looped his good arm over Sis, but waved Eilonwy away, "You need to lead the way towards the surface, you know it better tan we do."
Then they made their slow way to the entrance they had used, Nautipus bleeding a small, and abating, trail across the rock and gold dust. Making the gold and bloed mix, the ruby sheen, and yellow glimmer macabre reminders of the lure of the cave.

They worked their way to the entrance, and on through without incident. Then suddenly, the Titan woke. The collosal creature called their attention through wave action.

The trio turned and looked out on the tempestuous surface, where before it had been almost glassy, calmed from the earlier fights. Then suddenly, it stopped. And in the viloence's place a blue-gree glow emanated from the murk and foam. The thing was lluminescent. It's powerful glow dwarfed the feeble torch, and enveloped them. But it was a cold light. The light from something that lives in the literal and transcendental darkness only can be.

Then it revealed itself. Outlined starkly from the backdrop of benign darkness, the creature rose towards the invisible ceiling. First 60 feet, then 80. Over 100 feet of the thing towered over them. It was long, Thick at its base and tapering slightly at the top, where a multitude of tentacles sprouted. Along what could only be assumed the dorsal region of the creature, the side pointed up and away, where huge plates of armor, the glow muted from these expanses. From these rose towering spines, spreading, and collapsing together as the creature pulsated. Was it breathing? Who could know, this may not even be the thing in its entirety, but merely a projection of something greater and far more terrible. Then it roared. No, roared isnt the way to describe the utterance that issued forth from the hidden maw of the thing, more like a deep groaning. The groaning of huge and ancient tectonic plates, quarreling with one another, defiant. The sound was overpowering. It had a pressure to it, a palpable malignance. The group stared at the thing, and its dimensions and features began to clarify. It was allowing them to see it, it was feeding on their awe and fear, like some archaic god, feasting on the hearts of its victims. The thing stood, glowing, Cyclopean, basking in their gaze. Small round protuberances sprouted from the sides, near the crown of tentacles, and were in a row, six or seven units long, getting smaller as they grew more distant from their origin. Eyes? Spiracles? While, in contrast, two rows of tentacles lined the ventral area of the creature, getting larger the closer to the water they were. Maybe the equivalent of antennae, or maybe fingers. Maybe both, maybe neither. The thing was as alien as alien could be. The three shook off their trance, and began to hobble-run up the tube leading out, as the thing roared-groaned-in frustration and hatred behind them.

[Acalewia]

Acally laughed at GW's comment.
"So I'm Lady Acally now?" she said, taking the proffered coney. "And I have to ask. Are you carrying a grocery store in your pack?"

[Grey_Wolf]

"Almost. Ive been around the world and found that a tidy amount of herbs and other implements are always good to have at hand." GW said, smiling.

[The Sasquatch of Fangorn]

Sas stumbled along with the troop. "Where are we? Did we get lost?" he raised his war-hammer "Maybye we should be ready. Just in case those...things come back."

[Mari]

Mari woke up next to Aeran. He was awake too and watching over them.
The night before they had spent talking, waiting for everyone else. Aeran had tried his first steps and today he would have to try walking some more. Being out cold for a few days doesn't work well for your muscles.

Today she was going to let Acally up. Mari thought she might appreciate the walk and the chance to wash up and change clothes and all. She smiled at this.
Now if only everyone would be here it would all be good again.
No, not everyone would come. Sane wouldn't come again and who knows who else was lost.
Mari closed her eyes again and was lost in thought for a while.
She looked up when Aeran gave her a lick over her knuckles. "Don't worry about me, Aeran. Come on, let's do some exercise!"

Looking energized, Mari jumped up and tried to drag Aeran with her. Aeran didn't like that and tackled her. Of course Mari couldn't let Aeran win over her so with laughter she happily jumped at Aeran, trying to push him over.

They made quite some noise with their little fight, waking the others. Anicetos joined in the fun and it looked like a pile of paws, legs and heads.

"Ha ha, okay okay! I give up!" Mari put her hands up with a big smile and went over to Acally.
"How are you feeling today? Ready to get up and do some exercising?"

[The Sasquatch of Fangorn]

Sas looked up to see a light ahead. "We've made it!" he cried. "Hey everyone! We found Hector and Sane! Sane needs medical attention! Help!"

[Acalewia]

Acally laughed as Mari, Aeran and Ancetos romped. When Mari finally gave up and joined her, Mari's question was the best thing Acally had heard.
"Oh yes!" she said with a laugh. "I've been sitting her so long I thing the whole lower half of my body fell asleep," She stood next to Mari. "Thank you, Nurse. You did a wonderful job,"

Then they heard Sas's shout.
"Mari! Come on!" Acally ran toward Sas and the others, Mari behind her.