Bors tumbled from his horse. Luckily avoiding being trampled by the horsemen pursuing him. He rolled towards the edge of the forest sprang to his feet and dashed into the trees. From behind Bors heard at least two men follow him into the forest. Shaken by his fall and hindered by his broken shoulder Bors was slow in his flight. However one of his pursers made great speed.

After only running a short distance Bors could hear someone gaining on him. The pursuer twice tried to grapple Bors but failed, in frustration he drew a sword. Bors heard the impact of a sword into a tree behind him. The pursuer again slashed at Bors, this time severing his hand just below the wrist. Bors collapsed to the forest floor pumping blood. The man wanting Bors alive told him not to resist and then started treating his wound. He then carried Bors back to his camp...

Back in Minas Brethil Calorn, Tireal, Thorin and Elonil galloped up to the gates. They told the guard that they worked for Sheriff Kelter and that they were ambushed back on the road. The guard demanded that they drop their weapons and they were escorted into the fort. Once their identities were confirmed their weapons were returned. They were told that nothing could be done for their comrades until the following morning.

They headed for the tower where Calorn asked Sheriff Kelter if they could speak to Commander Haltrat. They were led up to Haltrat's room in the top of the tower. The room as clearly the central command area for the area. Haltrat and many other men stood examining maps and reports of locations of enemy forces. His advisors took the party's report pleased with the fresh information. Haltrat asked them if they wanted to go an offensive or wanted to stay with the defence of Minas Brethil. They chose to stay with the defenders. Haltrat sent them away saying they were to report where they were staying once they found a suitable location.

The party found an Inn and sent word back to Haltrat. Tireal went shopping and bought himself a sword. Other party members restocked on normal supplies. That night men knocked on all the rooms in the Inn telling anybody who wanted to fight for their liberty to assemble at the gate at first light. Tireal went out at dawn to watch about 80 men head south to reclaim the tower at the junction. Unfortunately they had commandeered the party's horses.

Those in Minas Brethil waited tensely for news of the battle. At about noon messengers returned to say that the tower had been taken but that losses had been very high. A few hours later Bors was seen stumbling towards the fort clearly in bad condition. Calorn helped carry him to the healers in the fort. Bors said that he had escaped just before the battle began. He mentioned that he had been tortured but had not given away any important information. He also said that Bravd was also a prisoner in the camp but was still unconscious.

Aside - How Bors Escaped:

After being taken prisoner, Bors was beaten and questioned, over and over, for hours. They knew he was a spy, but they got no new information from him. Eventually they gave up, leaving him in the medical tent. Bors was exhausted, and dizzy from the medicines and injury. The tent had but a single guard, and backed onto the edge of the camp, with a forest only a short way away. His sword and chainmail were confiscated. Bors stalked to the end of the tent, and began to open a way through. The guard heard him, and ran for him. He dived through the opening just in time, and ran. The guard began shouting, and two guards persued Bors towards the forest. The second fell away, but one kept close. Bors, running and in the fresh air, and now without encumberance, eventually lost his persuer.

He stalked back to the camp, to discover the battle was over. It had been extremely bloody, with very few men left alive. It was impossible to tell who had won, so Bors carefully made his way back to Minas Brethil.

The party stayed in Minas Brethil for the next two and a half weeks. After two days Calorn, Elonil and Thorin had to take a share of the guard duties. Bors was given two weeks leave due to his injuries. The party was also paid 4gp each. A day or so later Bravd was carried back to the camp. He was sick and could barely move or talk. All his possessions bar warhammer and armour had been taken from him. All this time a steady but small stream of reinforcements had been arriving in the fort. Tireal and Thorin managed to retrieve horses from men returning from the battle. Calorn was not so lucky. Thorin even managed to get back the horse that had originally belonged to him.

Bors recovered his strength bit by bit. His broken left shoulder healed up nicely. He started practising using a sword in his left hand and strapping a shield to his right arm. His seemed to work for him, he could fight, if not as well as before. After two weeks in the camp several hundred troops arrived from the north. They were well armed and equipped. Most of them continued south after only a short rest. The weather had turned foul, there was talk of leaving the fighting until the Spring. Alternatively some talked of holding a Winter offensive hoping that Lord Fardwith's mercenaries would dessert in the bad weather. The party had little interest in fighting so planned to head east to Rivendel. They reckoned that in the current lull Kelter or Haltrat would probably release them.