Long Lost Leaves

[Earniel]

The shadow-marten watched in disbelief. No! No! They could not fight amongst themselves! It writhed in anger, its form shifting between substance and smoke, its claws cratching angry on the rocks and the next moment going through the very stony without mark.

No, no, no, it had waited so long. So long for somebody to come. And all that came was a bunch of murderers.

It screamed.

A long wail of sorrow and disappointment rented the evening sky.

~~~

Radagast watched the fight with seeming impassiveness. Secretely he had no intention of letting the two kill each other, but it seemed these hot-heads would not stop unless they've tasted some of the dire consequences of such rash actions. The disbelief and disgust with which the other adventurers looked at the fight at least seemed to indicate they'd think twice about fighting amongst themselves to this extent.

The unexpected scream gave him a good opportunity to act. For a moment the fighters hesitated. Radagast raised his staff and something bright exploded between the two duelling Elves, sending them both flying back, adding some minor burns to their previous injuries and pride.

"Ah," Radagast said in the silence that followed. "Now I see why Gandalf swore by fireworks. Well, first blood has been drawn now, and if even the ghosts of Dol Guldur express their displeasure, I hope that is enough for you two hot-heads."

[Curufin]

Abasi sat up, a bit dazed from the wizard's intervention. It was clear that he wished for him to stop, which confused Abasi a bit as he had believed that Radagast had given his blessing to the fight. He frowned, and pulled himself to his feet, feeling the burns from both Radagast and Quickleaf's sword.

The seth'enati wished the fight to end, and he would stop it. There was no dishonour in that.

Looking at Quickleaf lying prostrate on the ground, he sneered, pivoted on his foot and walked away.

[Coffeehouse]

Äyenthil's body was thrown a few feet back, but the patch of grass behind him gentled the fall and he lay there, shell-shocked. Although the searing pain his stomach kept at it, and the blood trickled down, he felt alive enough. He still breathed. And the lightening shine from the blast had left him in no doubt that the fight was over.

Lifting his head he saw the wizard stand majestically by the camp's centre. Äyenthil flinched, guilt, he lay back his head and closed his eyes. Disappointment. Which were the last thoughts he had before his exhausted mind drifted into dreams..

[Willow Oran]

Haldis was just returning to the camp after setting the wards (which had indeed been forgotten) when an unearthly wail rang out and as she rounded a tree she saw before her the form of the ghostly marten, slinking into shadow, tail lashing.

Tempted to follow, she hadn't taken two steps when a flash of light from the center of the camp briefly lit the forest, obscuring all signs of the shadow's path. Haldis turned and hurried towards the others, worry turning to bewilderment and a little anger as the scene: two bloodied elves, shocked on-lookers, Radagast with staff up-raised, and (to top it off) unwashed dishes, came into view. Stopping just behind Radagast she surveyed her companions, shaking her head, but saying nothing as anger turned to disappointment. Beckoning Nami and Ellysa to join her by the fire, Haldis silently went to heat more water.

[feawen]

Nami cast a quick look at Quickleaf laying on the floor before following Haldis. The look an Haldis face told Nami she was not happy. Anyway Nami was a little mad at Quickleaf her self, that was foolish and stupid to do and when he woke up again she would make sure he know that. Sure she would tend his wounds if he needed but she was sure as like not going to be gentle.

[Mari]

The wail had startled Ellysa, but it didn't scare her though perhaps it should have.
Her focus was on the fight completely and she had difficulty separating it from the one she had witnessed only minutes earlier. She even forgot about her scars playing up, reliving the past until Radagast made a flash with his staff and stopped the fight.
Still not quite back in reality she joined Haldis when the woman beckoned her and Nami.
Determined she focused on the task at hand. She wanted to forget.

[Ingwe]

During the fight, Ingwionis took A'mael's hand, saying "come, come!"

"What is it?", she asked him. Ingwionis looked down and took A'mael's other hand. "My beloved, you know what you said about going in if I go in? Well, it may not have been so bad of an idea to do what I did yesterday. In fact, I believe it is needed. I know that the reason that I did not succeed in Dol Guldur is because you weren't with me. I fear the fellowship of the company is breaking, though in some small way. Besides, I knew somehow it would come to this. Eversince the dark times, a void has existed in between the races, the generations, and even the various clans of Elves, Dwarves, and Men. While Aragorn completes Annuminas, the Wars in the East have once again begun. Their movements from north to south just before the beginning of our journey were for a purpose. The attempt to reunite Gondor and Arnor succeeded; however, the attempt to get the Palisori to see eye-to-eye with the Men of the West has succeeded in some ways, but that success has come with a price."

"How do you know this, my husband?" A'mael was confused, how did Ingwionis know of these activities?

"During my flight to Arnor after the crowning of the King of the Reunited Kingdom, I was sent north of the Sea of Rhun, not far from Dorwinion. My companions there included Thranduil as well as several knights from Mirkwood. We went there undercover and scouted. You see, I am a spy. It is why we live east of Mirkwood, so that I am far enough away not to be found, but near enough to be summoned at Thranduil's will. All of the Elves sent to the east met with a party of Rohirrim and we set forth for the Vales of Andin, near the highest summon of the mountain range south of the Sea of Rhun. From there we created an outpost from which to negotiate the centralization of our efforts. The capital of the western fiefdom of Rhun laid nearby, that of the first fiefdom to negotiate peace with Gondor. Skirmishes broke out nearly every hour of the day while we camped at the Vales of Andin. We had all we needed to know. The Variags and the fiefdom of Consourm, just east of the western fiefdom of Rhun, have gone to war. Rhun is in a condition of civil war."

"What does this have to do with going into Dol Guldur?" A'mael still did not understand; who would?

"When I was pulled from Dol Guldur by you, I took an article from the Castellan that had collapsed to the ground in front of me. From the helmet came a cloth. Here it is."

Ingwionis presented the cloth to A'mael.

"Wow a cloth, how inspiring!" A'mael said sarcastically.

"You know better than that A'mael. I will open it. It is what is inside of it that should tell you something."

Ingwionis took back the cloth and opened it, revealing to A'mael a strange map of an area most likely north of the inland sea. But it was far and to the East. The map looked like it went on, that it was a piece of a puzzle, the puzzle being the entire map.

"The problem is, A'mael, that this is a very nebulous map in and of itself, and there's not much to it. But look at the symbol just right and above center."

A'mael took the small map portion and took a look at it, seeing one large tree as viewed from the side, and four other trees surrounding it oriented as looking at them from above. Roots came out from each of the trees, and one of the roots intersected and eventually met with a road labeled on the map "The Maelstrom Way". The road went from East Northeast to the South Southwest and turning to face directly West, moving into part of what seemed familiar, at least to Ingwionis.

"A'mael, if I'm not mistaken, the bottom-left corner of the map is the Valley of Sorrows. In the last few years of the second age, during the siege of Barad-Dur and when the Men of the East moved further East, some of them put on an insurrection, against the clans of Rhun. The insurrection came about as a way to create dissension amongst the leaders of Rhun, to allow this 'new' clan independence. Allying with secret forces from the forest, the new clan attempted to bring down the evil men, and failed miserably, the forces of the forest fleeing not back to their homes but another forest, perhaps the same forest labeled in the center of the map. On some early maps, the routes of the Ents were represented as roots of trees pictured on maps. Most who read maps of this sort assumed that the large array of roots coming from trees simply represented a great and vast forest."

A'mael rose an eyebrow. "So if we take down more of these castellans in Dol Guldur, we may get additional pieces of this map?"

Ingwionis spoke only one word. "Exactly!"

A'mael shook her head. "Then wouldn't it be right to tell Radagast of this peculiar quirk?"

"Simply put, none of these castellans showed themselves until I went in by myself, and in fact may not show themselves at all if both of us go in. So we may have to split up inside this area."

A'mael shook her head again. "If you're caught again, Radagast will likely have you arrested and taken back to Gondor or Ithilien or wherever to serve the rest of your time away from this journey. You'll never have your chance to return to Valinor if you are thought to be even slightly...insane."

Ingwionis had a flat expression on his face, the look that says "as unfortunate as this moment is, it falls into our advantage." "Radagast has a fight to break up, and it's getting bad there. Bitterness is beginning to consume everyone. Fear will break some, and dissent will break the company. Radagast will always keep it together though. I have every faith in that. Eversince I've been in Middle Earth, I've not belonged, at least this has been my feeling. That seems to have been for a reason. The civil war between the fiefdoms of Rhun may not have any affect on the Entwives, but it just might, and this is what we must find out."

A'mael protested. "Then we need a company of this size to find that secret. We keep sending in two at a time until we find out more."

"Or one after another. I don't know how I was able to cleanse the spirit of the castellan I encountered by just swinging once at it, but I'm not certain if everyone else will be that lucky upon such an encounter of their own. With the bitterness or lack of morale that may arise from this if someone in the company dies, would anyone really be in the best of spirits, enough to face down the dangers of Dol Guldur?"

"I think you need to rethink this. If you keep information from Radagast, the results may be really bad. You do not disobey those who are still in the White Council."

"A'mael, I fully intend to tell Radagast of this, and I need him to talk to us, one on two. I will tell him what I found. I will show him what I found. If he sees it the same way I do, then I won't look so backward anymore. And my recent episode with running in behind cover of night has shown one thing - just being near this place makes people go insane. Even now I have half an urge to run in again, but I will restrain those thoughts for now. The discussion with my father, I think, was all a dream and nothing more. When I saw the castellan fall in front of me, something of the essence of those thoughts disappeared. The spirits here are ever-present, despite what the disbanded guards had to say of it. The thoughts that they give those who approach magnify what anyone has recently thought about, and mostly seems to have something to do with their fears. They try to make what we fear come alive in our thoughts. I know you have felt it too, A'mael."

"Ingwionis, I have felt strange eversince I've been here, but who wouldn't? We're now just outside one of the most abominable fortresses ever made in recent history. Very well though. We will meet with Radagast first. I thought we were about to make a break for it."

"I was going to, but after you mentioned it, consulting Radagast is the best option at this time. I withheld information from him after bringing this article back with me. I can only hope that he can both forgive me and accept what we may have to do." Ingwionis felt shamed for withholding information from a master.

"Which is?"

"A'mael, we will be leaving the party."

"What!!?"

"We will go into Dol Guldur. We will find what we can, and when we have what we need, we will need nothing more. We will not go against every single object that moves, that is, after we have already obtained any helpful portions of the map. We walk in to do our job, we run out for our lives. I will not cause unnecessary risk or damage. A life is likely about to be lost within the company, and if there were any more than that, the mission may be abandoned, only to continue again someday."

"This Valley of Sorrows, how far is it from here?"

"A'mael, if the map we have is near that area, and that the southwest corner of the map is part of that Valley, then the journey will be long. If however it is a different valley and it is closer, then we won't be on a wild goose chase for a thousand years. The Valley of Sorrows I know of lies quite near the Orocarni. Some maps have cut off parts of Palisor, making the distance to those mountains seem a lot shorter, but it is longer than you might think. The failed Insurrection of Maifaeling was said to have taken place on and around a long long road into the east over a period of a few years. Maifaeling pushed the militias of the evil clans the whole way to what would become the Valley of Sorrows, which then was simply an unknown part of Palisor. A Dwarven clan from the nearby Ococarni was sworn to the Easterlings when they saved the Dwarves from an Avari clan that somehow trekked that far north. In return for the deeds of the eastmen, the Dwarves brought their full might to support the evil clans of men and waged decisive war on Maifaeling. Maifaeling himself was not killed but his wife and family were, and all of his men were annihilated, the insurrection obviously being put to a bitter and sudden end. At the center of the valley, Maifaeling took his own life, having failed in his insurrection and then fleeing from the destruction that claimed his family, people, and soldiers. I imagine this area to be the area labeled on the map, but I am probably wrong. As you can see on the eastern edge of the map, a range begins rising all along the eastern perimeter, and those mountains are either the Pecanian Mountains, a small range north of the inland sea, or the Orocarni Mountains themselves, which are obviously much further into the East. If the entire company had to journey that far, very few would have likely survived the journey, which may have already, in such an early phase, collapsed into an opportunistic mentality. A journey of two would have a lower likelihood of being driven to problems with morale. Physically, every day will likely be exhausting, at least at the strain and stress of getting through any part of Rhun that still remains hostile, and last I checked, the northern lands of the East make the bitterness of Arnor and Angmar look like a small debate in comparison. The Easterlings served Sauron and Morgoth, even when they were enslaved, they loved their dark lords. In the north, this mentality is far stronger. Massive statues of Morgoth were built every time the Easterlings expanded into new territories. The Cuivienen that was may still be inhabited by Avari, but if the Blue Wizards corrupted them enough, the Easterlings may be more powerful than their presence at the Battle of Minas Tirith suggested. But Cuivienen is or likely, was, just west of the southern terminal of the eastern mounts. We are not going there. We are likely going to be led north, but our journey may not be so far and arduous, if it turns out that I'm wrong about my suspicions of the Valley on that map. The forest in the center of that map may not contain the Ents we seek afterall, and either way there is a good chance we will fail."

A'mael smiled at her husband. "But we will try."

Ingwionis smiled back. "Yes. We will. You have no reason to distrust me, but you must trust yourself most of all, and trust in our great master Radagast. I've known him for centuries. Where Saruman was once the strength and leadership of the White Council, Gandalf became the leadership and hope of it, and Radagast was always the brains of the group. Though deceived by Saruman, Gandalf was as well. Both always remained suspicious of Saruman, but though the road was tough, if Saruman had never imprisoned Gandalf, Rohan would never had been alerted, the Ents would have continued to sleep, Boromir may not have died, the Hobbits may not have even come across the Ents, and we would not be here now debating this would we? I have faith that Radagast will allow us to take our course on this journey, as we must. We'll have a better chance of finding what we're looking for if we split up. If my evidence fails me, the evidence the company finds may not fail them, and the reverse may be true. We can do this! And it may be like killing two orcs with one arrow. We will have freed the Ents from their uncertain eternity and we will have freed ourselves from the prospect of fading into nothing."

A'mael pondered the idea for a minute. "Hmm... We will consult Radagast first about all of this."

Ingwionis groaned. "Yes, it's highly likely that I'll have to tell Radagast everything I told you...and more."

At that time the fight had turned quite swiftly. A flash of lightning, it seemed, struck and the two duelers were separated from their fight, dazed and confused by the wizard's intervention. "As I had guessed, it would take poor Radagast's intervention once again to keep this pack of potential murderers together", Ingwionis thought to himself. "I hate to say that I had to part Radagast from his duties earlier. And now to present this to him, I don't know if he could accept neither the evidence nor the words I have to say."

The party was still getting over the shock of seeing two in the party having been drawn into a death match, and it would take time for some of that morale to return.

Ingwionis waited politely for the wizard to go back to his duties so that he could meet with him. And he would not be going alone. A'mael followed Ingwionis.

[orithil]

Hedrim when he saw the fight began quickly drew his sword, the fight was over in mere seconds though as the wizard quickly stopped the two elves. He walked up to the two wounded elves. "Reckless behaviour, in my kingdom you could be hanged or beheaded, Radagast this cannot go on, you must act"

[Earniel]

Radagast decided to finally return to his document, but waited a little, watching the darkening forest. He had called it the ghosts of Dol Guldur, but in fact, he didn't have a clue what it was that had made that plaintative howl earlier. Most curious. Rámil and his companions hadn't mentioned anything like this, so perhaps this was a new addition. Had something followed them from Mirkwood to Dol Guldur?

What had startled him most was that the wards Haldis had set up hadn't reacted to it, as if it held no danger to the adventurers. Most curious indeed.

Hedrim's comment drew his attention. "And what would you have me do, Hedrim, tie everybody who wants a fight up and leave them to the wolves? No Hedrim, however tempting that sounds, it would not solve anything. But if people still have the urge to cut each other to pieces, after this sorry spectacle, I'll be forced to sent them home. We are looking for Ent-wives, not wars."

He saw Ingwionis and A'mael approach. "Ah, Ingwionis, you're awake. Now, tell me, what was so urgent that you had to run recklessly into Dol Guldur without telling anyone and at night to boot?"

[The Sasquatch of Fangorn]

Borin looked up at the fight. "Ha! Yes! Give it to him Quickleaf!!!!"

[Coffeehouse]

Lying outstreched in the grass from the fight, Äyenthil came to his senses, he must have passed away for a while since the dark was receding slightly, it must be early, early the next day.. in the wee hours of the dark. But few seemed to have slept much as there still companions doing this and that across the camp.

Remembering the fight, the wound, the interference by Radaghast.. Äyenthil was mostly disappointed in himself. He'd heard the cries of Ellysa during the fight, yet not ended it. And no one seem'd to care, the fight was.. pointless.
Rubbing his face Äyenthil sat up and took out his water flask and poured it silently over his head, his silver hair gleaming in the fading moonlight, water streaming down otop his eyes and down his cheeks.

His head was warm, his stomach stinging with pain, but at least the blood had stopped flowing. Äyenthil looked down at the wound, it wasn't serious, but he'd need to sow it up before it became infected. He'd have to get herbs, needles, string. The elf closed his eyes, forgetting the pain, feeling guilt. And the rest, how angry were they? Nami must be furious..

[feawen]

"oh thats going to help Borin!" Nami called over to the excited Dwarf. Helping Haldis with the dishes and trying the camp, Nami kept a watchful eye on Ellysa. The young girls own fear seemed to push Nami's away for a moment. She would keep an eye on her, it seemed Nami had more in common with her than she thought.

Nami's other eye was on Quickleaf, she frowned when she caught sight of him as she busied her self. "Fool elf." She muttered.

Finding no sleep would come to her, it seemed the same was true of others in the group, and the first rays of day showing Nami decided to start her days duties. Deciding that asking Tabril what she wanted her to do would not go down well with the well regulared elf, Nami set off to patrol around the camp, taking a simalar route to that of Tabril the day before.

On nearing the camp on her route she caught the sight of Quickleaf moving slightly. Casting an icy glare his way Nami carried on her patrol.
Yep...Nami was not happy again!

[Coffeehouse]

Quickleaf's face turned a dark shade of strawberry-red as he saw Nami's less than happy look, he was in trouble, but he had to get some herbs in the forest so he got up slowly, wrapping his cloak beneath his chest to cover the wound and walked off into the greens of the awakening forest.

[Willow Oran]

Haldis decided to let the elves lick their own wounds for the time being. They were old enough to patch themselves after such a disgraceful argument.

Handing Ellysa the last of the dishes to be dried Haldis rose and joined Radagast where he was staring into the forest, document held, but unread,
"You know there is something watching us?" she asked, mind turning to the thing she had nearly followed,
"I caught a glimpse as I returned- it escaped my sight in the light from your fireworks... the shape of a large, weasel-like animal, a spirit, I think. I had only just set the wards and it may have come near the camp before I started,"
she remembered the furiously lashing tail and added, "It did not seem pleased by what it witnessed."

[feawen]

Twigs snapping under an animals tred, the wind in the tree's, the faint sounds of the camp and the odd feeling that something she watching them. Nami had made a few passes of the camp now. Slow, deliberate, quite steps. Bow loose in her hand but ready should it be needed. The forest was still, as if it had relaxed from the events of the night before, but held its breath should it happen again.

This feeling of stillness could be felt around the camp, but for one spot. A slight clearing between two trees that allowed for a clear view of the camp. As Nami came to this point she made a point to stop and have a quick scan of the camp to make sure all was well. A feeling of watchful waiting could be felt. At first Nami thought it was just an animal in the brushes, but no hide nor hair could be seem of this watching animal. Another elf or camp member maybe? But surely they would have made there selves known. An evil presence? But it did not feel evil and surely the wards and Nami and Tabrils patrols would have found it. Then what was it? Nami's mind playing tricks probably. Concentate Nami!

On this particular go round of the camp, Nami had noticed Quickleafs absence from it. Shrugging she turned and continued her patrol.

[Curufin]

Abasi sat far away from the others, loosening his tunic so that he could clean the wound in his shoulder. It was deep, but did not seem to have hit any vital organs or arteries, so while it stung, it was in reality little more than an annoyance.

He had not wished to fight Quickleaf. He knew that the others thought him brash and perhaps even hot-headed, but that was because they did not understand. With his insults, Quickleaf had left him no other choice.

He looked around, half-looking for Tabrîl but not seeing her at once. He shook his head and peeled the cloth away from the wound, and began to dress it himself.

[orithil]

Hedrim nodded "Yes...my apologies master Radagast..." Hedrim sat down again and began sharpening his sword "Damn elves...make things so difficult" he muttered to himself and sighed.

[Coffeehouse]

Quickleaf wandered through the forest half-awake, his mind drifting in and out of consciousness. He sat down by an oak tree, spotting a few herbs that'd seemed right, he wasn't sure anymore. Quickleaf's head fell back onto the hardwood, and again, he was gone.

[Aikanáro]

It had come as a surprise to Tabrîl that the fight between Abasi and Quickleaf had lasted as long as it did. The other elf could not have matched Abasi's skill, of this she was certain, and to her mind at least it was a pity that the seth'enati had ended it when he did.

It had not, however, been as easy for Abasi as she had anticipated at first, and so when he walked off after Radagast had called for the fight to stop, she wondered if she ought to go to him, to ensure he did not need help. He would not ask for it, of course, but she reckoned she could judge well enough whether it was needed.

She glanced over at Quickleaf where he lay, looking upon him with something close to disgust. He should be dead, she thought. If not for the seth'enati's intervention he would be dead.

The others seemed not to understand this, and so she had nothing to say to them. She went over instead to Abasi, who was dressing his wound, and sat beside him.

'You fought well,' she said, matter-of-fact. 'It would not have lasted too much longer.'

She was unsure as to whether he was able to take care of the wound himself. Among their people it would be for the ka'marein to see to, but there were no windi ka'marein here, only them, and she did not think Abasi would appreciate her sending for any of the uwindi.

'Does it need cleaning?' she asked. 'I will fetch water, if it does.'

[Mari]

Ellysa finished drying the dishes and put the last things away. She wouldn't be able to sleep much more tonight, so she'd best try and do something useful.
Her mind had had some time to process what had happened and now that she was able to push the memories back into the dark place she put all those sort of memories, she started to think of the fight that had take place in reality.
"What happened?"

Nami had left the camp, presumably to go patrolling again and she had seen Quickleaf heading for the forest as well.
Abasi was still there though. She had noticed him sitting far apart from the rest, but not quite out of the camp. She would go over and ask him. When she walked towards him, she saw Tabril had joined him as well, but she decided to join them and wait for the opportunity to ask the question that was on her mind.

"Uhm, Abasi, are you alright? Do you need herbs or help? I have a bit of knowledge of healing."