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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Wicht" data-source="post: 1163932" data-attributes="member: 221">3.They traveled until nightfall and then decided to make camp and rest a while before continuing on in the morning.  It was Hullifan who suggested that it might be safer up in one of the trees and Bare was amiable to the idea.  So after a brief meal, followed by a bit of candy that Hullifan had bought just before leaving Oakheart, the two climbed up a tree to rest.  The tree they had chosen was tall, with wide branches and it was fairly easy for them to find suitable places in which to rest.  After a bit of discussion it was decided that Hullifan would keep a watch while Bare rested and then they would trade off.  As Hullifan kept alert below for signs of danger, Bare closed his eyes.  Like all elves everywhere, Bare did not sleep so much as he meditated.  The hours began to pass.  Around the elves the sound of nightime activity filled the air, from the squeaking of forest bats to the scampering of small rodents.It was about two hours into Hullifan’s watch when he heard a sound on the forest floor which drew his attention.  It was not the sound of some small creature but neither was it a heavy footstep.  Curious he looked below.  The stars were bright enough for him to make out the clear form of a giant ant.  It was roughly four feet long and it was in the process of investigating the few crumbs the elves had left from their meal.  Uncertain what to do, Hullifan decided to wake up Bare.“Bare,” whispered Hullifan, leaning over and nudging the other elf who was on a branch across the trunk from him.“Huh,” said Bare, his eyes flying open.  “There’s a giant ant on the forest floor.”The other elf turned his eyes downward where twenty feet below him the giant insect was beginning to sniff the trunk.“Should I shoot it,” said Hullifan, drawing out his bow.“Let’s just throw it some food,” suggested Bare, reaching into his pack.“I think we should shoot it.”But Bare had already pulled out a chunk of bread and had tossed it down.  The bread landed on the ground and immediately the ant’s antennae twitched.  The insect scurried with some haste to the proffered food and grabbing it eagerly it turned and headed back into the undergrowth.“See,” said Bare with some satisfaction as he settled himself back onto the branch and once more closed his eyes.About thirty minutes later three more of the giant insects arrived, their antennae sniffing around the ground below the tree.  Once more Hullifan woke up Bare.  “And why are they here?” asked Hullifan with a wry face.“Likely because I fed the last one,” said Bare disgruntled, “I should have known better.”“Well, lets just shoot them,” said Hullifan drawing an arrow and nocking it on his bow-string.Before Bare could stop him Hullifan had fired.  Unfortunately his arrow, while it did strike one of the ants, was not fired with either enough strength or enough directness to penetrate the ants hard shell.  The arrow head ricocheted off the ants carapace.  The ant’s antennae twitched angrily and the ant looked around, its eyes finally settling on the two elves in the tree.  The ant moved quickly towards the tree trunk and then proceeded to climb straight up towards the elves.“Uh-oh,” said Hullifan and fired again.  Again the arrow bounced harmlessly off the hard hide of the ant.  Bare fired one arrow, which did no more than Hullifan’s had and then, laying aside his bow he quickly drew his rapier.  Hullifan realizing the wisdom of Bare’s actions also drew the longsword that hung at his side.  In seconds the ant was high enough up the tree to reach them.  It was moving towards Bare.  Bare grabbed an overhanging branch with one hand for support and swung at the giant insect with the other.  The ant ignored the ineffectual blow and bit the elf.  Its sharp pincers tore through the elf’s breeches and drew blood.  Angrily Bare tried to kick it away.  And then Hullifan’s sword bounced off the ant’s hide.Below Hullifan could see that a second ant had started to climb the tree.  As Bare and the first ant paried back and forth, each looking for an opening, Hullifan focused and then swung as hard as he could at that portion of the ant’s anatomy where its head met its torso.  His aim was sure and the ant’s head flew away from its body.  The ant’s feet jerked spasmodically and the heavy insect’s body crashed down through the branches, narrowly missing the other climbing ant.  It landed with a soft thud on the earth below.  As the second ant reached the branch upon which Bare was standing, Bare who had collected himself, rammed his rapier’s point straight ahead into the center of the ant’s hard head.  There was a cracking sound as the metal pierced the carapace and in an instant life fled from the ant’s body and gravity reached up to grab it.The third ant scuttled aside as the second ant’s body crashed into the ground and then it too with all the intelligence of its kind, started to single-mindedly climb the tree.  The elves, realizing they would have little time to prepare their bows decided to instead wait with swords drawn.  Again, the ant headed for the branch upon which Bare was standing.  Bare tried to repeat his stab which had so successfully dispatched the previous insect, but the ant moved its head aside too quickly and the blade slid harmlessly off the hard black head.  The ant snapped savagely at Bare but the elf, using the branch to which he was clinging as leverage skipped easily out of the way.  The ant did not get a chance for a second strike for once more Hullifan’s stroke was sure and true and the ant’s head was cleft cleanly from its body.Unfortunately, even as the now dead ant started to fall from its perch, Hullifans foot slipped on the branch upon which he stood and he plunged forward.  He grasped desperately at the trunk but he lacked the strength to stop his fall.  He plummeted down about five feet and then tried to grab onto a passing branch.  His fingers closed successfully around the branch but such was his momentum that it offered only a momentary respite from falling.  His fingers slipped and his body spun further down.  About ten feet from the ground now he grasped at one final branch.  Grabbing it, his arms and torso jerked to a sudden stop as his legs continued to swing violently toward the earth.   And then again his fingers could not hold and he flipped down to the ground backwards.  His head struck the ground and he lay at the foot of the tree unmoving.</blockquote>

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