Torrigan walked up to the South Gate of Bree, accompanied by several of the new recruits of the Eagle Guard. The tension among the upper ranks of the Guard had been high of late. A seriousness unlike he had known before had come over them; a heaviness in the air, like the hours brewing up to a great storm. He had been ordered by Captain Isilorbor to search for any signs of the men led by Nalokha's henchman, Eorangar.
The guard at the gate seemed reluctant to talk to him. Strange that seemed to Torrigan, considering the rapport he had with most of Bree's civil servants. The guard let him and his men into the town nonetheless and Torrigan, outside of the Town Hall, turned to address the small group that accompanied him.
"Alright, I want you to spread out through the town. I want you to see what information you can find regarding any men, rough in looks and speech, with harsh accents of Rohan, or as the Breelanders call them, "foreign-folk". I want you to ask guards, ask townsfolk, speak to everyone, the farmers and the paupers... find anything there is to be found of these Dunlendings."
The recruits saluted smartly and went on their way. Torrigan walked into the town hall to speak to Mayor Tenderlarch, a small man, balding with watery eyes. He had always seemed better at speaking, weaving words together skillfully, than actual action. They had never seen eye to eye after Torrigan had openly stated as such, with good evidence considering the state of Bree at the time. As ever, the Mayor claimed he'd "Do his every utmost that this rag-tag rabble would be sought out!" and wrote something down on a piece of paper. Torrigan sighed and moved on.
He came to the Boar's Fountain in the Market Square and awaited the return of his men. As he waited he spoke to Hugh Reed and Jim Skinner. Both seemed reluctant to talk, but Reed did mention that he saw a fairly large group of ruffians, unlike the normal ones found in Beggar's Alley, come through the town some few weeks ago. Torrigan pondered this, thinking it likely that it was the band he seeked. Turning he walked to Second-Watcher Heathstraw, hoping to learn more. He spotted a recruit leaning against the wall near Heathstraw. Upon coming closer he saw it was Aerynnwold and that she was drinking from a wine-skin. She hastily threw it away as he approached. Torrigan picked it up and smelled the sharp apple tang of cider. Torrigan, disappointed and angry, told Aerynnwold to go back to the Hall and await his return. He sighed to himself, watching her walk in the direction of the Prancing Pony, unsure as to what to do.
After speaking with Heathstraw, his mind troubled, he saw recruits begin to come back in ones and twos. Each had an interesting story to tell. Nioniell had found a dagger, Dunlending work; roughly beaten and sharp, under a rug in a room that Barliman said a man had stayed in. Proof indeed that the Dunlendings had stayed here. Denerick and others noted the reluctance of the townsfolk. Torrigan had an uneasy feeling about the whole subject; the feeling of heaviness, the "deep breath before the plunge" as he'd described to Cyla, was weighing on his mind. He ordered his troops to continue their search and fall in behind him as they marched from Bree. They walked in file as evening waned and the sun began to set. As they walked from the West Gate one by one, a shadow flitted unnoticed behind them...
