On Patrol (Continued from Let's Go to the Prancing Pony)

[VanimaEdhel]

Menelduliniel sighed, and retreated to her own thoughts. Estelarion began to make up a song on his flute as he road. It was another sad song, and Menelduliniel felt the hot tears rolling down her face.

"Elbereth Gilthoniel! Tampo i'neere (stop the tears)! Lle karnos vesta lle n'nallathos au' (You promised you will not cry again)," Menelduliniel chastized herself out loud.

She sighed and started muttering a song to herself ("May It Be" to be exact [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] ).

[piosenniel]

She buried him before the prime
Down a down, hey down, hey down,
She was dead herself ere e'en-song time,
With a down.
God send every gentleman,
Such hawks, such hounds, and such a leman.
With a down, derry, derry, derry down, down

The road had gone eerily still when the last note of the song faded. An air of chilled expectancy swept through the travellers like a cutting wind.

Her hand tightened on the knife at her waist.

[ July 07, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[Orofacion of the Vanyar]

Raising an eyebrow at Naraamare's interest in the Swan Haven, Arcon replied, "Aqualonde is the fair home of the Teleri in Aman. It lays on the shore of the Shadowy Sea. Long ago, nah, ages ago, a terrible trajedy happened there that all elves mourn for. Why do you ask Naraamare? Is there something about the name that you recongize?"

Arcon looked curiously at Naraamare.

[Gandalf_theGrey]

* Gandalf patted the war steed that had brushed against him, accepted the two apples from Holly, bowed thanks, offered one fruit treat to the black war steed and enjoyed the other himself. He had applauded the mournful lay of Menelduliniel and Estelarion. That was the last time anyone had taken note of his presence. And then somehow, the wizard had vanished from the group undetected, along with his newly-befriended horse. *

[ July 06, 2002: Message edited by: Gandalf_theGrey ]

[Naaramare]

"It's not . . . " Naaramare began in answer to Arcon, " . . .it's not that I recognize it, I don't believe, but it speaks to me . . . "

The trailing memory-like whisp disappeared and she sighed in frustration. "No, it's gone now, curse it. Ah well." The feeling of disappointment was a little less keen now than previous times, and she managed a rueful smile and a shrug. "Ah well. If it truly was a memory, it may come back to me later."


(ooc: deleted the comment. ^^)

[ July 07, 2002: Message edited by: Naaramare ]

[piosenniel]

The last time Holly had seen Gandalf was when he had stood by the black horse and rubbed the area between the great steed's ears. The wizard had taken the two apples she offered, and she had noted he gave one to the horse, while enjoying the other one himself. This pleased her in a hobbity sort of way - feeding people and creatures always gave her good feelings.

But then the crebain had been noted, as if they had sprung up with the song, and the wizard had disappeared.

Knife still at hand, she continued walking down the road by Bird's side, her attention keener to the surroundings. Periwinkle clopped along close behind her, seemingly unconcerned.

[Bêthberry]

Bethberry watched as Holly and Birdie became more wary and she felt the tension grow in her. She wondered if Naaramare, Arcon and Meneldi felt the same chill from the crebain. Their unassuming group had already been observed, so there was little point in trying to hide.

When she saw that Gandalf had slipped away, taking the wraith's horse with him, she became even more wary and suspicious. Not of Gandalf, of course, for long years of friendship had taught her much of the ways of the wizard. Would the ravens continue to trail them or go in search of the wizard? Was the wraith being missed? Not a good omen at all.

(OOC: I've deleted my 'dwarf' post. I'll remove this OOC comment later, once all the extraneous posts are gone.)

[ July 07, 2002: Message edited by: Bethberry ]

[VanimaEdhel]

((OOC: Okay Gandalf! Done!))

Menelduliniel sat on Salkadome, humming to herself. A branch fell on Salka's rump, spooking him ((OOC: wanted to get the spooking in SOMEWHERE)). He galloped off, with Meneli clinging onto his back. She tried to stop him, but couldn't, considering she didn't have reins to help her.

Estelarion immediately saw his friend's need. He urged Amanroch, his horse, to a gallop and catches up to Menelduliniel. He helps her rein the horse in, and brings them back to the group.

"Diola lle (thank you)," Menelduliniel says, embarassed that she couldn't stop her horse.

"Don't mention it," Estelarion said.

Menelduliniel continued riding Salka very close to Amanroch, still shaken by her steed's take-off and worried he would do it again. Estelarion put one arm around her and embraced her quickly, then let go and worked on his song some more...

[Orofacion of the Vanyar]

Arcon nodded as Naaramare spoke, listening to all she had to say, taking it in to ponder over. "I must say this enigma of your past intruiges me Naaramare. Try not to worry much about it for now, little can be done. But if anything should arise, I will be here to help in anyway I can." With that Arcon smiled and nodded to Naaramare. His keen eyes were that of comfort and of compassion.

Turning his attention to the crebain, Arcon sensed a sort of tenseness in the air and in the group. The birds did not so much chill Arcon, but worried him. Such foul creatures only bring sorrow wherever they go. And now with Gandalf gone on a wraith horse, there was much tension in the air.

"If you'll excuse me," Arcon said to Naaramare. He moved Getathane over to where Bethberry was and stopped.

"What does Wyrd make of these beasts Bethberry? Does he know of whence they came?"

[Naaramare]

Naaramare murmured a surprised thanks to Arcon, which he probably didn't even hear, as he'd moved to Bethberry's side.

The offer of . . help had been appreciated. It had taken her very much by surprise--in general, people seemed very willing to commiserate with her and less willing to help, though she understood it.

It was a change to have someone offer aid.

A pleasant one? a corner of her mind asked.

Well. Perhaps. She found herself smiling slightly.

[Bêthberry]

I have not whistled for Wyrd, Arcon, for right now I would rather he remain hidden, or at least separated from us. Were we under immediate attack, he would swoop down to defend us.

He has been circling high above the crebain, which means he mistrusts them, but he is now perched behind them. I think we need to learn who or what it is they seek before we make any move.

[piosenniel]

Closing the distance between himself and Holly, the pony nudged her in the back and nickered softly in her ear.

She reached back and scratched him companionably between his eyes and walked on.

He passed her on the road. Walking a few steps ahead of her and Bird, he turned and faced them, refusing to budge. His head and mane shook back and forth furiously at Holly, though she tried her best to coax him on. He looked back over his shoulder, at the road that lay ahead, and shook his mane once again.

[ July 08, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[VanimaEdhel]

Menelduliniel looks worriedly at the crebain she sees in the distance. She began to speak in Elvish to Estelarion of her sights.

"Llie delai amin (They worry me)," Meneli said, gesturing to the crebain.

"Llie n'sanaithon gurth e'lle (They will not take death to you)," Estelarion assured her.

Menelduliniel still looked worriedly at the crebain. Estelarion reached over and took her hand. "Llie n'naaithos Poldorawen (They are not Poldorawen). N'delo (Don't worry)."

Menelduliniel smiled and went back into her fairly broken Westron, "Well: I do not have to worry about her, at least."

"Not as long as you are out here," Estelarion said, then he squeezed her hand, "Or with me."

"Ha! You know my teacher would have beaten you easily. She killed Amantinu, after all."

"You still don't know that. She, very well, could have been completely innocent. If Lord Thranduil says she was innocent, then she was. Anyway: it's all in the past now...because of you."

"Do you think I wanted to kill her?"

"Uma, Meneli, amin nowon lle umes (Yes, Meneli, I think you did)," Estelarion said.

"O, well...maybe I did, but what business is it of yours?! I'm serving my 'punishment' here in exile...with you!" Menelduliniel said, getting upset.

"Calm, Meneli, calm!" Estelarion said, seeing the familiar fire in her eyes. The fire was when she got hurt doing something stupid.

"I am calm! I am!" Menelduliniel said. She turned and galloped away from the group.

"Elbereth Gilthoniel, il au' (not again)!" Estelarion said, galloping after her...

[Orofacion of the Vanyar]

"And where they come from too. But that is hard to tell, they could be from as far away as the dark south, from him for all any know," Arcon said to Bethberry with a cocked eyebrow. He moved back to his position at the rear of the group with Naaramare.

"Your welcome," he said with a smile towards the elf.

[Birdland]

Birdie looked at the pony standing cross-wise across the trail. This was more than a balky tired horse refusing to do its duties. Periwinkle acted more like a dog around Holly, and Bird had teased the halfing more than once about her "pack dog". Periwinkle semed to think that there was something on the trail ahead, and he did not want his mistress to go in that direction.

She watched as the heedless elves rode around the pony and continued to canter down the trail. "Someone stop them!" she said.

[Gandalf_theGrey]

* Someone Did stop them. *

* Menelduliniel and Estelarion found that they'd ridden into an ambush set by nine smugglers. The Elves were met by a hail of rocks, arrows, and daggers. While one chipped rock, a nocked arrow, and two rusty daggers sailed harmlessly past to land with a thud in the tangled grass along the trail, several other missile weapons met their mark. *

* Menelduliniel found herself hit with two rocks, one in the cheek and one in the shoulder. Blood trickled from the wound in her face. *

* Estelarion took most of the damage, having been hit in the side by an arrow, and pelted by two stones, one hitting his neck, the other his chest. The arrow had sunk deep and was firmly lodged in the Elf, bringing stinging pain. *

* Meanwhile, heavy hoofbeats could be heard off to the side of the trail, racing into the fray from the cover of the thicket ... then Gandalf's familiar voice, muttering things about foolish young Elves in concerned exasperation. The travellers on their way to Tharbad noticed a flash of light and heard a few surprised cries from the criminal band of waylayers, but they could not see exactly what happened. It sounded, however, like the danger was not over yet. *

[Orofacion of the Vanyar]

There was a bright flash and then yelling. Sure enough, the crebain had held true to their reputation and trouble had arisen. Seeing that Menelduliniel and Estelarion were being attacked by unseen enemies, Arcon spurred Getathane and halted between the two elves, and the attack. Unsheathing his sword to block the projectiles, Arcon looked back at Menelduliniel and Estelarion.

"Car-mae (Are you ok)?" he asked.

"Yes, it could have been worse," Menelduliniel said looking at Estelarion's wound.

"Teli, ego i roch. Tiria-an esgal (Come, off the horse. Look for cover)," Arcon said as he dismounted to help them.

Taking them to the side of the road to a thick grove of trees and high bushes, the two elves took cover under the foliage. "Dar-si ned i band sad (Stay here where it's safe)," Arcon said to the wounded elves.

Arcon looked up at Gandalf and motioned that he was going to flank the attackers. Before he did, he whispered to Getathane and rubbed the horse's star on his forehead. The elven horse walked calmly to Menelduliniel and Estelarion's horses and led them back down the road to safety. Arcon turned and lept across to the other side of the road, into the cover of the woods. Creaping around silently through the tall trees, he made his way behind the area where the attack had come from. He sunk low and raised his blade to his side. He saw them...

[ July 09, 2002: Message edited by: Orofacion of the Vanyar ]

[ July 09, 2002: Message edited by: Orofacion of the Vanyar ]

[piosenniel]

Holly heard the sounds of strife coming from down road. Bow in hand, she veered off the pathway, into the trees and made her way quickly and silently, as hobbits do, toward the source.

Seeing a figure just to her right, she crouched down, concealing herself behind a bush. She peeked through the foliage and saw that it was Arcon. She made her way stealthily toward his position and saw he was concentrating on the remaining attackers.

Dropping back a few paces, she crept to the edge of a small clearing to the right of Arcon. The attackers were now between her and the Elf. She could see them clearly from her hidden position.

She knew that once she stepped into the clearing she would have a straight shot at them. She nocked an arrow in readiness.

[Naaramare]

As Arcon spurred away, Naaramare started running after, then paused to wonder what she thought she was doing. She was unarmed and unarmoured and if she had once known how to defend herself, she hadn't the least idea now!

She saw Arcon aid Menelduliniel and Estelarion to the side of the road, and crept towards them to kneel beside Estelarion.

To Menelduliniel, she said, "I know some little of healing; may I help, or if you know more, be of some assistance?"

[Birdland]

Birdie crept off the trail behind Holly, then when in the shelter of the bushes, she spread her arms, shrinking and changing until she had assumed the form of a small, black and white crow.

Flitting to the trees above the hobbit, she checked the area around the clearing, seeing a motley band of brigands, a collection of rusty weapons and tattered finery, obviously stolen from other travelers. Holly and Acron had already spied this group, and had them within their sites.

But they did not see the other figure hanging back from the fray. A tall Southern, clad in black iron mail and dark green cloak. He had an air of command; a captain of highwaymen, who had let his lackeys take on the easy target of travelers walking into an ambush.

But now her was stepping forward as he saw his band being threatened by the elf and halfing. Drawing a short sword, he advanced stealthfully on the unsuspecting Holly from the rear.

"Holly! Acron! Behind you!" screeched Birdie. But the warning cry of the skin-changer drew the attention of the crebain. The three black ravens descended on the black and white crow in mass, pecking at her head and eyes and trying to force her to the ground.

[VanimaEdhel]

Menelduliniel looked up at Naaramare.

"N'uma, diola lle, amin istimen sai no' i'malle' sinai cyrenair wanwie (No, thank you, I learned much one the road these years past)," Menelduliniel said, "Nan' manka lle caelos lanne'...(But if you have cloth...) amin anton tanya ten' i'herwai (I need that for the wounds)."

She watched as Naaramare got her some cloth, as she pressed on Estelarion's wound.

"Diola lle (Thank you)," Menelduliniel said, "I'harwa n'naant i'gurth en'Estelarion (The wound will not be the death of Estelarion)."

Menelduliniel bound the wound tightly and held Estelarion's head in her lap, still sitting by the side of the road. As she sat, she quietly drew Tinuanar, letting the bright glow of the burning blade comfort her. She held the knife to her side, concealing it, and stroked Estelarion's unconscious head with the other hand. She looked at the others preparing for a battle that she knew not what with. And who had saved them? And what had happened?

Menelduliniel felt dizzy, but decided that none should know, lest they not let her do her share. She took a rag that she had not used, and wiped the blood that had trickled down her face away. She sighed, and looked around, looking for Amanroch and Salkadome. She whistled, and Salkadome came trotting up, followed by Amanroch. The two seemed to have been left unhurt. She stroked Salka's face as he brought it down to her on the ground.

She sat there, with the horses helping to guard Estelarion, with her knife out, ready to battle if need be...

[Bêthberry]

Wyrd came screeching down from the sky, hitting the crebain almost before they heard his challenge. His claws raked one of the ravens down its back, ripping the flesh open to the spine, while he swooped to pick the second up in his beak, its neck broken. Wheeling around in the sky, he dropped the dead bird and returned to the defense of the small black and white crow.

This time, though, instead of hitting the black raven, he swooped and picked up the crow, carrying her carefully in his powerful claws, away from the raven and towards a small glade behind some of the trees. There, he gently released her onto a bed of moss, hidden behind a rock. Then, he left to find Bethberry.

[ July 09, 2002: Message edited by: Bethberry ]

[Bêthberry]

(OOC: Hope this kind of double post is okay.)

Wyrd's sudden attack halted the forward movement of the Southern highwayman, for Holly was now alerted and frantically trying to find Birdie.

He withdrew back into his seclusion in the trees to prepare a different attack. However, he backed right into Bethberry, who had, like Holly and Birdie, slunk into the bushes when the elves were attacked.

Or rather, he backed right into a stinging handful of finely crushed herbs and oils which Bethberry flung into his face. Startled, sputtering and swearing, he inhaled much of the mixture and began coughing, while his eyes streamed with tears. Stumbling, he flung his sword aside so he could wipe his eyes, for the mixture was also blinding him. It deflected off Bethberry's arm, cutting it, before clattering to the stones on the ground. Before he could tell she was injured, she withdrew, taking his sword with her.

[ July 09, 2002: Message edited by: Bethberry ]

[Birdland]

When the falcon came down from the sky, the first thing Birdie thought was that it was in league some way with the crebain, and thought her end had come. Hope came when she saw the raptor making short work of the carrion crows, only to be dashed when the creature then stooped on her.

Birdie closed her eyes and waited for the feel of dagger-like talons sinking into her breast. "He probably thinks I'm in league with the crebain in some way. What a surprise when he finds himself carrying a dead skin-changer."

Then she felt the lift and swoop of the falcon, and it's feet wrapped around her, yet hardly penetrating her feathers. Birdie opened her eyes in surprise to find herself set down on some moss covered boulders, then watched as the elegant falcon lifted and turned, dodging among the tree branches like a hare in a thicket.

Birdie sighed, wishing, (not for the first time) that she could assume such a remarkable form. Then she let it go. The form chose her, not her the form, and it would always be that way. She leapt down from the rocks and ran back to find the others.

[Naaramare]

Naaramare glanced at Meneli out of the corner of her eye, concerned. The other did not seem entirely steady, as if she had some wound or weakness she was attempting to hide. But Naaramare could not find any way to broach the subject, so she turned her attention to the unconscious Estelarion.

He did not seem to be dying, and one of those maddening past-feelings backed up that idea. So long as nothing futher disastrous happened, he would make it through.

Which is good, I think, she said to herself. Meneli seems to be attached to him. She smiled to herself. It's good to see others happy. I just wish . . .

But she never finished the thought as rough hands pinned her arms and covered her mouth, stopping her from crying out.

[Gandalf_theGrey]

* The brigand dragged Naaramare away, a wavy-bladed dagger glittering at her throat. In a whisper he warned, * Come quietly my Elvish lass, or you'll find out how deep this new necklace can pinch.

* Gandalf found himself confronted by two smugglers who had taken the brunt of the lightning ball he'd cast. One of them, despite a burned right hand and arm, launched a perfectly-aimed stone that hit the wizard directly between the eyes. The force of the throw being diminished by the pain of the smuggler's burns, the stone threw Gandalf off balance and raised an ugly red welt. Gandalf's newly-acquired black war steed took a few steps back. The other ruffian, having been burned in the face, made a blunderingly stupid attempt to shoot an arrow at Gandalf, but only ended up tripping over his own bow and falling in a heap, shrieking curses all the while. *

* Meanwhile, a smuggler aimed a careful slingshot at Arcon. The stone flew truly through the air, catching the Elf in the neck enough to draw blood. An enemy bowman scored a hit on Arcon's horse, Getathane. While not a deep wound, the horse began limping after the arrow delved into the area above its left foreleg. *

* One of the highwaymen threw a dagger at Holly, but the dagger whistled harmlessly over the Hobbit's head. A second dagger thrown by another opponent went wild, slicing into the first of the two knife-throwers. *

* Menelduliniel, still in a slight daze, thought she heard someone trip over their own feet close nearby. *

* The Southern Leader of the smuggling group bellowed and clawed at his eyes, leaving Bethberry free to do as she would. *

* In all the confusion, nobody took notice of Birdland. *

[piosenniel]

Holly stepped into the clearing and fired two arrows in rapid succession, picking off two of the marauding southrons.

A third surprised her from the left with his club, knocking the bow from her hands and toppling her to the ground.

She lay, sprawled on her back, her head ringing, with a fiery pain in her left shoulder. Her blurry sense of vision could see the large brigand standing over her, his club raised to deal her a mortal blow. Too dazed to move, she offered a small prayer to Eru, closed her eyes, and prepared to meet her doom.

Holly heard a loud yell of pain and disbelief. She opened her eyes, only to see the body of they brigand go sailing over her prostrate form.

She raised her head in wonderment, just in time to see Periwinkle wiping his back hooves on the turf as if to remove all taint of the brigand's behind.

She smiled, and fainted dead away.

[ July 10, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[Gandalf_theGrey]

* Gandalf spoke soothing words to the black horse which he rode bareback, bidding it be calm and still. The horse stopped, eyeing the adversaries in front of him. *

* Furrowing his brow in concentration, Gandalf raised his staff with a sweeping motion in the direction of the smuggler with the burned arm. The smuggler levitated off the ground and was swept as if by a silent wind into the highest branches of a nearby tree, too high off the ground to pose any further danger. *

[Bêthberry]

Luckily, no force lay behind the sword's hit on Bethberry's arm, so the cut was not deep. It did, however, require wrapping and binding if Bethberry was to continue to help the other travelers, so she lost track of some of the actions of the brigands.

The cut bound, she skirted 'round some trees in time to see Gandalf treating one of the highwaymen to a panoramic view of the road. Then she saw in front of her the brigand with his dagger at Naaramare's throat. He was dragging the young elf towards her, hoping to escape through the bush.

Bethberry looked at the sword she had taken from the Southern man. She knew she could not wield it to kill, but perhaps she could use it to stop him. She held it out, low on the ground, while he concentrated on holding and moving Naaramare. She hoped she could hold it steady with her injured arm. All she wanted to do was free Naaramare.

His cloak blocking his view, he tripped backwards over the sword and nearly cut Naaramare's throat with his dagger, but she was quick to twist and roll away. Bethberry then threw another handful of her stinging herbs and oil into his face but she didn't stay around; her arm was throbbing too greatly. Neither did Naaramare.

[ July 10, 2002: Message edited by: Bethberry ]

[Naaramare]

Naaramare did not need the brigand's warning. She didn't even need to attempt to tap into her uncooperative not-quite-memories to tell her that when someone has a knife to your neck, you don't struggle, lest you should die.

But it was those uncooperative not-quite-memories that reminded her how to twist out of the way when the brigand fell. Still, the blade brushed lightly against the underside of her chin, stinging badly as she rolled away.

She scrambled to her feet and ducked away, cursing the brigand in all the languages she knew, and some that she only knew the curses out of. Not quite sure what had caused the brigand to stumble, the incident had brought one thing very clear:

I need to remember how to use a weapon. Or learn again. Soon.

[Orofacion of the Vanyar]

The wound that the sharp rock cut in Arcon's neck stung but wasn't deep enough to be bothersome at the moment. Quickly pulling out a simple dagger from his boot, Arcon threw it straight and true at one of his attackers, finding it's mark in the neck of the highwayman. "Curse your sling, though it shall do harm no longer," Arcon said to himself.

A scream of pain and a clank of sword on stone came from behind the elf and he turned quickly to see Bethberry carrying a slightly rusted blade, falling back behind a blinded highwayman. It was too easy, and Arcon almost regretted attacking a handicapped enemy. But the man's intentions would be the same if not for his sudden impairment.

The robber opened his eyes, only to see blurry figures and shapes about him, and light streaming down through the tree tops. As he turned to look around him and gain his bearings, he met Arcon head on. "Aaaarrgghhhh," the man screamed as his arms were pinned back behind him. As was the usual manner of highwaymen, the man was ignorant and stubborn, not knowing when to acknowledge defeat. He spat in Arcon's face. The elf quickly broke both arms and drew his sword once more, cleaving the lower halves of each leg out from under the man. "Spit at me, and you will find yourself stagnating in your own filth, dog of men" Arcon said as he stepped over the broken man.

Sheathing his blade, Arcon ran back to the road. Then he stopped. Looking across the way, there was Naaramare, held hostage by one of the filthy men. "Get back! Back you evil elf! I'll slice here if ye' come any closer!" the man yelled at Arcon.

The highwayman didn't notice Bethberry come up from behind him and throw more blinding herbs and oils into his face. He quickly released Naaramare, who made a hasty retreat back to the safety of the woods with Bethberry. Arcon lept across the road and easily took the man's head off as he spun around with sword drawn. It landed with a thud and rolled into the bush, and his body fell limply to the ground.

[Gandalf_theGrey]

* The rest of the smugglers ran away as best they could, except for the one suspended at the top of the tree. *

[Birdland]

Battles start and end quickly, though when you are in the middle of them, time seems to move slowly.

When Birdie ran back into the clearing, all seemed to be over, and it was quiet except for the the sound of combatants catching their breath, and the groans of the wounded - whether friends or enemies, Birdie could not tell yet.

She did not see Holly at first, but Birdie saw Periwinkle standing near a clump of fern with lowered head. He was hovering over the limp form of the halfling tinker.

"Holly!" cried Birdie, and kneeling down, lifted her head and listened for breath. "Holly! Wake up! Talk to me!"

[piosenniel]

'Bird?!' she groaned.

'There seem to be two of you . . . all sort of wavery and . . .'

The hobbit turned green, rolled to her side, and politely, as hobbits do, threw up on the grass.

[VanimaEdhel]

Menelduliniel's head began to hurt more and the world became more and more blurry.

"Elbereth Gilthoniel...that's not good for an Elf," Meneli whispered out loud to herself.

Slowly the world stopped spinning and slowly became black, as Menelduliniel fainted and collapsed over the still-unconscious Estelarion...

[piosenniel]

Bird gave her hand to Holly and helped her to her feet. The world had stopped spinning, but the beginnings of what would prove to be a grand headache were just making themselves felt.

'Hey, Bird!' she said, looking about slowly, where are all the others?'

Periwinkle came to her side and nickered softly.

[Bêthberry]

Carrying her herbal satchel awkwardly in one hand, Bethberry wound her way back through the bush. She caught up with Arcon, who refused any immediate attention, saying he would search the bush around them to ensure a safe perimeter. He strode off through the woods, his bloody sword still dripping at his side.

Bethberry then turned to the clearing on the path, where Periwinkle stood near Holly, sniffing around her with disdain. Birdie was holding Holly, who had regained consciousness, up.

I will need a fire for hot water, for I must clean and rebandage my arm. As soon as I move it, the wound commences bleeding again. Gandalf, if you are unhurt, can you get one started?

Gandalf immediately replied to the affirmative and started a small fire, disappeared for a bit, and then returned with two kettles of water for heating.

Bethberry pulled a small smudge pot out of her satchel, which Gandalf lit for her and placed on the ground near the elves. Soon, the smoke from the dried aster and comfrey would work to help Menelduliniel and Estalarion regain consciousness. Perhaps the smudging would even help clear Holly's head.

Bethberry filled the smallest kettle with agrimony and yarrow, for washing wounds. With a cup, she took hot water from the other kettle and prepared an infusion of horehound for Holly to sip, to counteract the nausea and vomiting. She wouldn't let Holly eat anything else, not until they knew she was recovered. Birdie helped Holly over to sit on the ground near the smudge pot by the two elves.

The daughter of Goldberry and Tom then invited Naaramare to wash her neck with some of the water, yarrow and agrimony and gave her a small poultice of arnica, to guard against bruising and swelling where the highwayman's blade had pressed against her throat.

Birdie, come back here if Holly is okay. I saw scratches on your arms. Come, wash them with this cleansing water to ward off any infection and wipe them with these beardtongue leaves.

Finally, Bethberry unwrapped the drenched swaddling around her arm and bathed it, too, with the agrimony and yarrow until the water ran clean and clear of blood. Placing some bistort leaves and a crushed stalk of horsetail over the cut, she then asked Gandalf to wrap a clean linen around her forearm, tightly.

She gave to Naaramare some maralroot and lemon for the other pot of boiling water, to make a soothing drink to boost the travelers' endurance. Needing rest herself, she then sat down and leaned against a tree, whose coolness was a welcome relief to her.

She closed her eyes. If only those young elves had not been so headstrong and foolish as to ignore Periwinkle's intuition, then perhaps none of them would have been ambushed and harmed by the brigands. She hoped they would soon come out of their swoons.

[ July 11, 2002: Message edited by: Bethberry ]

[Naaramare]

The cut had hardly hurt at all when Naaramare had been so very terrified, but now, with fright worn off, it began to ache. She gratefully accepted Bethberry's poultice, pressing it against her neck and sighing in relief as some of the burning pain eased. In a slight daze--nothing serious, merely post-adrenal exhaustion--she put tea on and stared into the fire.

It took several moments for her to realize that their party was one short . . .where had Arcon got to? Frowning furiously, she gazed quickly around, not seeing him.

Sighing, she hoped he wasn't hurt. Males did that--got hurt in battle without even noticing, then ran off to scout when they shouldn't have, making their injury worse. She remembered--

Suddenly sitting up straight in an unconscious reaction, Naaramare pounced on the errant memory. Most of it fled, but out of it she got a face, a figure: tall, dark hair, grey eyes, and a sense of someone older than herself, but very important.

Not much, but more than she'd ever managed to seize before, and she yelped in triumph before she thought. Aghast, she clapped a hand to her mouth, embarrassed by her outburst.

[VanimaEdhel]

Estelarion was first to gain consciousness. He rolled over and looked over to his left, where he felt a body just barely touching him. He was still a little groggy, but when he saw that the body was Menelduliniel, he awoke completely, and quickly rose. He moved around and put her head in his lap, as Menelduliniel had previously done to him, and looked down at her.

"What has happened to her?" Estelarion exclaimed, angrily.

They explained to him that she would be okay, but he still looked angrily at them.

"This is all your fault! You should ha-" Estelarion started to accuse, when he was cut off by a soft voice below him.

"Estel? I heard part of that...it is not their fault..." Menelduliniel nearly whispered, having just opened her eyes near the end of the company's explanation.

"Then, whose fault was it?" Estelarion said, still apparently upset, but with a gentler voice.

"Mine...it was mine...I almost ran off again...remember last time? At least it wasn't like then..." Menelduliniel weakly flinched at the memories of the physical pain. Estelarion helped Menelduliniel up into a sitting position, and she put her arms around Estelarion's neck and began to cry. He gingerly put his arms around her, obviously a little uncomfortable and a little unused to the affection.

She cried for about an hour, while everyone else tended their injuries. When she finally lifted her tear-stained face, she looked into his eyes.

"Wait...where are the horse?"

Estelarion looked around and saw them. With one arm still around Menelduliniel's waist, he took the other and pointed, "Over there," he said. She followed his finger and saw them safely grazing.

"Well, thank Manwe for that gift...at least they were uninjured..." Meneli said, her arms still around Estelarion's neck. She turned back to him and embraced him again, tearless this time...

[Birdland]

Bird watched in a befuddled manner as Bethberry seemed to pull an entire cornecopia of herbs and poltices out of her satchel, and tended to eveyone's wounds, however minor, before finally treating her own injuries.

When she came to look at Birdie's scratches, she waved the herbalist away, partly out of guilt at such mothering from someone who was obviously much worse off than herself, and partly because she did not want Bethberry to look too closely at the talon marks, and wonder how they got there.

"By Earth and Sky, sit down!" grumbled Birdie, waving her away. "Now, what is it we can do for you? If you tell me what to prepare, I think I can manage it. My boiling water hardly ever burns." she smiled.

Suddenly the elf-maid Naaramare gave out a strange yip, as if she had been startled by something. Birdie started and looked around, finally returning her gaze to Naaramare. Whatever had produced the strange reaction, it was nothing that Birdie could see.

The elf-riders were huddled to the side of the trail, one crying pitiously and burying her head in the shoulder of her companion. Bird understood THAT reaction right enough. In her younger days, it had worked fairly well for her too, when she chose to use it.

Shaking her head, she muttered one word under her breath: "Elves!"

[ July 11, 2002: Message edited by: Birdland ]