Beth Am Gynnau Tan?

Exhaustion had clearly taken its toll on all of them. The sun was high overhead before anyone started to stir, and then only because one of the wolves nudged Ama. She heard him say, “Time to get up, little princess. We brought you and your family food but you will have to eat quickly.”

The thought of breakfast sounded wonderful! Ama sat up smiling and looked around. She saw three wolves sitting a short bit from her, looking…proud? In front of them were six fairly large, bloody rabbits stacked as neatly as a wolf can do. Ama’s heart sank.

Breakfast!

“Thank you so very much!” she managed to get out as she gulped down her hunger. “Mam, look what our friends brought us for breakfast! See how thoughtful they are!”

Kymeth sat up and saw the rabbits. “Aye, thoughtful indeed!” Ama was a bit surprised as her mother pulled out a knife and woke Kat who, without saying a word, took to the rabbits with her. While they worked, Rae gathered wood into a pile. In just a very few minutes there was a pile of finely shredded meat. With crackers. Mam always somehow managed to have crackers with her. 

Matriarch and eldest daughter looked at each other and began tracing runes in the air. Tattoos on their forearms began to glow as flames sprang forth from the wood.

Country folk can survive!

The other children heard the commotion and woke in time to be handed the plate of meat and crackers as it was passed around.  Each took a share of the meat and held it over the fire using the side of their knife. It took almost no time for the meat to be seared and even less time for it to be consumed! Ama offered the plate to Blaidd Brawd who declined even as his stomach rumbled loudly. The wolves had already made short work of the remains left from the food preparation.

In less than an hour, they were ready to head down the hill to the bridge. They moved swiftly to get across the bridge without spending too long in the clearing when a snapping whizzing sound was heard causing everyone to freeze…just as a net sprang up into the air just in front of the bridge! Kymeth, Kat and Rae were already on the bridge with Ama, Jon, and Mae shortly behind them. Ama, Jon, and their wolves were able to leap out of the net as it closed. Mae, along with her very surprised and angry wolf now found themselves hanging from a net some 20 feet off the ground back at the treeline.

“Well, well! Look what we’ve caught this morning! Didn’t expect a tender human child for lunch but what a pleasant surprise!” came a roar from back in the treeline. Just then, a most horrendous sight came into view of them all. A monstrously large creature, twice as tall as a man came…hopping to the net. It hopped as it had only one leg. Which would have been odd enough but was perhaps less odd because it also only had one eye. And one arm, right in the center of its chest!

Your fachan results may vary.

A fachan! These had not been seen this far south in many years, at least since the Ogre War. No time was given to the migratory patterns of giants but rather to the rescue of the Main Course for the day! The still free wolves leapt back off the bridge and charged the fachan. It watched the wolves approach and readied a very large flail. “You look steady enough in that net. I’ll add these tougher pieces for dinner. Maybe let them season a bit overnight and save them for tomorrow. Time for tenderizing now!” With that, he struck one of the wolves with his massive flail and it went flying silently into the woods to land against a tree with a dull thud. It lay there very still. The Morgan’s all took out slings and began to pepper the giant with rocks. An occasional clang could be heard as one found it’s mark but the giant seemed not to take notice through its armor. 

Kymeth and Kat looked at each other and began to draw runes in the air pointing at the laughing giant. As tattoos on their forearms started to glow, a little puff of smoke started up from the bear hide cloak it wore. The four wolves each bit at the monster with one leaping up and squarely biting his head managing to get below its metal helmet while another bit his leg but only managed to chip a tooth on his armor. The giant was deceptively quick and two of the wolves bit empty air as the giant dodged out of the way. A massive swing connected with another wolf and sent it flying. As the fire began to grow on the cloak, it roared in pain and dropped its flail to get the cloak off.

Why not light a fire?

Mae was able to keep out of the way of her wolf’s claws as it tried to find footing in the net while a rune on her neck glowed faintly even in the noonday sun. She was able to draw a knife and began cutting the net to free them. It was a well-made net and was going to take a bit to get free!

On fire and without a weapon in hand, the fachan made a mighty hop into the woods. Blaidd Brawd and the remaining two wolves leapt after it in pursuit.  While the leaping, hopping, and howling moved into the woods and across the hillside, Ama heard the whimpers of the two injured wolves. “Mam, Kat! Come help them!” The two women stood each to a wolf. They panted rapidly as life was leaving them. A hand on each wolf and a series of tracings in the air…and the wounds sealed cleanly and completely. Broken ribs knitted themselves together and lungs re-expanded. A large paw rested on each of the women’s hands. Kat was surprised when her wolf licked the whole side of her face! Covered in wolf drool she said, “I shall call you Tadus.”

Mae and her wolf fell as the net finally tore. Fortunately, she landed on the wolf and not the otherway around! None the worse for the wear, the wolf bounded up to the tree line and joined the chase. Tadus looked to Ama who heard him say they needed to join Blaidd Brawd and the others. Kymeth looked to the gathering clouds as they headed back up the hill to the rumble of a distant sound of thunder.

Storms a brewin'