Been a while, since I've put a quill to paper. The scratching quill upon parchment a crude sort of pleasure, as the men joke, and play at dice. Some are brawling with one another. I enjoy, them, in truth. They're a cruel lot, to be sure, but among themselves they are children. Bree has alienated them long, and in turn they've cast a violent eye upon them. How not? They were a confused lot, and cast out into the wood. This wood that provides them, this wood they love.
Skunkwood has been talking with me, about wanting the deed to Baumans farm. He told me if I managed to get it before he did, he'll take that farm, and give me his..Which isn't a bad deal, I'll say. Good view of the marsh, and the dirt is good for farming..Though he makes no use for such. He's been breeding and buying hounds for a long while now. Interbreeding them with a wolf he's broken under. The hounds, no doubt will be a boon to our assault.
Vance, he and his crew has halted his advances on the farms of Staddle, at my request. He's been stealing grain, though not as much to make much notice. A firm man, he knows what needs doing, and does it. A man of action, tied to Chetwood. Strong one, too. He's got a cousin in the north, a Smith, to hear him say it. Asks about him, as I've the only one that brought them the rumors that I heard myself. I'll look into the matters, though.
Applewood and his men have been hard at trying to ready themselves for the fight, soon to be had, aswell as Dogwood and his crew. Though Dogwood has got his farm in his sights, still frothing at it's loss to the Southrons. His farm was a nice front, to hear him tell it. Right beside the west gate, across the stream..But we'll take it back to be sure.
The Blackwolds number to nearly three hundreds, which is a great number, a boon to the fight for Bree. Though about a third of that number decided to do their own thing in Chetwood south, under Jasper Mudbottom, uninterested in the risk of battle against the Southrons. Skunkwood claims that the Blackwolds have the claim to their rackets. Applewood, Sickleleaf and Dogwood share my view that they are better dead, and that Bree isn't theirs to terrorize. Though where we differ is that they intend to control their trades...I used to be against that, but in the end, these are my men, right?
We Blackwolds make our coin by selling leather and fur, for the most part. Leather and Fur provided by our poachers. The poachers..Decent shots, with their bows. Good men, them. They'll be the reason for our victories, I feel. Them, and the hounds. I wanted to wait till I can properly arm them, with shield and axe, though I suppose for now the axes alone ought to work..
Though I worry. I've been seeing Milly, men I've killed in my dreams. I try to keep myself from sleep, though I need the strength it provides. I suppose power comes at a cost, though sometimes I feel as though the toll for this is too high. Milly..Not a moment passes when I don't think of her. Not a moment passes where I relish the imagination of her in my arms.
My hand isn't made for quills, so I think this here is done.
