Then he turned his head and stared intently toward the jungle. "And the dwarves have enough with their own weapons," Thorin said curtly.
At that moment, the sounds coming from the jungle grew clearer. The three had been talking for some time, and now their voices were very close, almost at the edge of the jungle. Finally, two enormous rabbits emerged from the forest. They were much larger than ordinary wild rabbits, each about the size of a medium dog, with long, upright ears. The two rabbits stood neatly, side by side, like trained soldiers. Even stranger, they were tied with coarse but sturdy ropes that stretched back into the depths of the forest.
Then came a third, a fourth... a whole group of rabbits of the same size poured out of the forest. Each was tied with a rope and arranged in two rows, as if pulling something. Kili had already drawn his bow to full draw, staring at the bushes behind the rabbits, the arrow tip wavering slightly, waiting for the people behind to appear.
But when Gandalf saw the rabbits, the tense expression on his face suddenly relaxed, replaced by surprise and understanding. He immediately shouted: "Don't shoot! Lower your weapons, these are my friends!"
He turned to Karl and Thorin and quickly explained: "I mentioned a wizard in a brown robe, Radagast, one of the five wizards I spoke of earlier."
"He is fluent in the language of animals, and these rabbits are his... um, means of transport."
Before he had finished speaking, the "thing" the rabbits were pulling burst out of the grass. It was a simple sled, made of a few planks and branches, to which about a dozen ropes were tied, each attached to a rabbit. The rabbits pulled the sled and raced across the flat terrain at incredible speed. And the man standing on the sled... "Thief! Fire! Murderer!" a panicked voice screamed.
As the sled came out of the jungle, it hit a stone and overturned. The people in the vehicle were thrown out, flying through the air, then crashed to the ground with a dull thud, tumbling over several times before stopping. The man scrambled to his feet, his hat flying off, revealing a mop of dishevelled chestnut hair. Leaves, feathers, and unidentified grass clippings were also found on him. His robe was brown, torn, and covered in various stains. He looked like a completely mad old man, brushing the dust from his clothes. He mumbled something incoherently, waving his arms in the air.
"Radagast! Wake up! What are you doing here?!" Gandalf dismounted, walked over to him, grabbed him by the shoulders, and shook him vigorously. After being shaken, Radagast's dazed gaze finally focused. He blinked, recognised Gandalf, and a look of relief appeared on his face.
"Gandalf! I've been looking for you! Something terrible has happened!" His voice was agitated, but at least audible. He grabbed Gandalf's arm, his fingers turning white from the force of his grip, his eyes filled with panic.
Gandalf frowned and asked: "What happened? Speak quickly!"
Radagast opened his mouth as if to speak, but the words stuck in his throat. He tilted his head, his gaze unfocused again, and he unconsciously pulled at the feathers in his hair with his fingers. He hesitated several times before finally saying: "Uh... I've forgotten something, let me think..."
Gandalf's expression changed; he took a deep breath, his lips pressed tightly beneath his white beard, and a clear look of helplessness appeared on his face. This was Radagast — a zoologist and conservationist, and one of the most forgetful and carefree of the Maiar. Sometimes he even forgot who he was and why he had come to a particular place.
Karl carefully surveyed the surroundings, and his senses told him that pursuers were approaching. Not only from Radagast's direction, but also from the flanks. Moreover, there were many of them, each with more than forty heartbeats.
"You were so eager to find Gandalf — are you being pursued by enemies?" Karl immediately interjected.
This phrase was like a key unlocking Radagast's blocked memories. He suddenly looked up, his eyes wide, his voice trembling with fear. "Darkness has covered the land, everything has stopped growing, and the air is filled with the stench of decay..."
"The forest is dying, the animals are fleeing..."
"The forces of darkness are approaching us; they are coming from Dol Guldur!"
"Dol Guldur? Impossible, that fortress has long been abandoned!" Gandalf was stunned and instinctively objected.
"The ruins are coming alive! I saw it with my own eyes! Giant spiders, black and hairy..." Radagast interrupted him in a shrill voice.
"They weave webs in the forest to catch all living things."
"These spiders must be descendants of Ungoliant. I tracked them; they come from Dol Guldur!"
Hearing the name Ungoliant, Gandalf's expression changed slightly; it was a creature from the First Age. The mother of giant spiders had once consumed the lives of two sacred trees, bringing endless darkness to the world.
Radagast did not continue speaking, but instead frantically rummaged in his pocket. From under his dirty brown robe, he pulled out a long object tightly wrapped in cloth. The cloth bag looked old, with worn edges, but was securely tied. He thrust the cloth bag into Gandalf's hand with trembling fingers: "Take this, Gandalf, I found it in Dol Guldur..."
Gandalf took the cloth bag; it was heavy and felt like metal. He was about to unwrap the package to see what was inside. "Gentlemen, now is not the time for idle talk. Radagast is being pursued by numerous enemies." Karl's voice came again, this time more serious.
Gandalf, about to untie the bundle, didn't have time to look at it and quickly stuffed the cloth bag into his pack. Hearing this, Radagast ran to his sled: "Gandalf, I'll distract them!"
Gandalf shook his head firmly: "No, Radagast. Those are ferocious wolves of the Gundabad tribe."
"They can tear you apart and eat your rabbits."
"Hehe, these are Rosgarburg rabbits! The fastest rabbits! Even ferocious wolves can't catch them!"
However, Radagast looked confident, raised his hand, and pointed his thumb at the rabbits behind him. Gandalf hesitated. He looked at Radagast, then at the rabbits. Finally, he sighed and nodded: "Be careful, Radagast. Lure them into a trap, and then retreat immediately."
"Don't worry! My friends and I handle this very well!" Radagast had already untied all the rabbits and jumped onto the sled. He tugged the reins, and the rabbits immediately bolted, shooting away like a gust of wind. Radagast made them deliberately circle around, running haphazardly across the plain and making all sorts of strange noises. And indeed, the attention of the pursuers was drawn by the howls of ferocious wolves and the cries of orcs coming from the jungle.
╔══════════════════════╗
📘 Want more?
Join me on Patreon for bonus chapters
and early access!
🔗 https://www.patreon.com/cw/OverlordD
╚══════════════════════╝