Long Lost Leaves - Part III

[Midge]

At Radagast's "oh", Magor and Aerin both had the same thought. Glancing at each other, they both knew they both had the same thought. And then both of them wondered how many other members of the company had the same thought.

[feawen]

Nami shivered "Pets? i never liked the sound of that. I hope its not squirrals. Them little things are evil i tell you." Nami looked around the group, slowly a look of realisation crossed her face. "Ohhh...pets...thats not good is it?"

[Willow Oran]

"I did tell you when I saw it," Haldis reminded the wizard. "You were preoccupied. But anyway, it seems those creatures - they did not look like squirrels, Nami, they were sleeker - and the guardian are linked. Perhaps with them free, she will have left on her own, no longer compelled to guard. This may be a good thing."

[Earniel]

Radagast didn't dispute Haldis' comment, he very probably had been preoccupied when she had told him earlier. Back then these shadowy creatures had only been a puzzling, but rather trivial event, now they seemed to have become a theme throughout the quest.

"It may be a good thing," Radagast agreed. "If these so-called 'pets' have reached the Guardian - and they certainly seem to know which way to go - it is definitely possible that the hold Sauron had on the Guardian is gone."

"However," Radagast continued thoughtfully, "I am mindful of Teye's vision. In one image she saw us entering a large, pillared hall. She described a strange whispering draft around us. She felt this would be a turning point in our quest. Now, In Dol Guldur the released creatures were accompanied with an unusual wind. Which means that, if Teye's vision is true, we may yet encounter those creatures ere the end."

[Midge]

Blossomshade had noticed the she-elf flee the group and wondered what had happened. When Radagast asked her to bring her unfinished plate to her, Blossomshade gladly picked it up and took it to her.

When she arrived, Tabril was just sitting there with a determined look on her face. Blossomshade handed her the plate. "Radagast thought you would like to finish your dinner. May I ask what was so offensive? Radagast was just telling the group what signs to look for when searching for the Entwives and how to know when we're getting close."

[Aikanáro]

Tabrîl took the offered plate from Blossomshade and looked up at her, shaking her head slightly in puzzlement. The Entwife had clearly misunderstood.

'Offensive?' Tabrîl echoed. 'The seth'enati Radagast has said nothing that offends.' It was a statement so obvious that she had to think for a moment, trying to determine why Blossomshade suspected this had been the case.

'You question why I left,' she said finally, in a low voice. 'I am only m'had'i - only a warrior, understand, and the seth'enati intended to speak of the sacred writings that were found in Dol Guldur. Such a thing I am not permitted to hear.' She frowned slightly. 'It would have been impolite for to me to ask that he not speak of it. So I left,' she explained, expecting Blossomshade to follow what was to her an impeccably logical train of thought.

'But you must convey to him my gratitude,' she said then, looking back at her plate of food, 'for this. It is-' she frowned again, searching for the right word, '-considerate of him, to think of me. It was not necessary. He is very kind.' This last was said almost brightly, with Tabrîl's genuine appreciation - and surprise - showing through.

[Midge]

"I most certainly will let him know you're thankful." Blossomshade said as she bent ever so slightly in an Entish gesture of intimacy. "However, I do think you might ask him to tell you what he told the group. You are quite a good warrior and scout and this will be something you'll need to know because you are very likely to come across something important first. I'm sure that he will be more than happy to tell you what you need without revealing any ... was it Mysteries? Enjoy your dinner." With an Entwifish smile, Blossomshade unbent and walked back toward the campfire.

[Aikanáro]

There was something almost amusing about Blossomshade's description of her, Tabrîl thought. Quite good? She hoped the Entwife was given to understatement. Tabrîl was quite aware of her abilities and the fact that they amounted to rather more than quite good, particularly in a company such as this, where half the warriors scarcely merited the name. She did not suppose an Ent would have the knowledge to tell a talented warrior from a poor one, however, and so she simply smiled to herself.

She suspected Blossomshade had meant well, and so she did not explain why it wouldn't be right for her to ask Radagast unnecessary questions - and unnecessary they would be, for Tabrîl had no intention of seeking out important things. She had learnt that when in doubt, it was better not to look for more information. At home it was different, for Tabrîl would be told quite clearly when something she was curious about was a Mystery, and told that it wasn't right for her to know more about it. But here? Tabrîl believed that Radagast would have no qualms about explaining anything she asked to her, with no regard for what was forbidden. This meant that it fell to Tabrîl, and not to Radagast, to judge when her curiosity was inappropriate, and Tabrîl was inclined to err on the side of caution.

It was not easy, but it did appear to be working, and so Tabrîl did not need to worry about it overmuch. She settled down to finish her dinner, intending to rejoin the group later in the evening.

[Acalewia]

"What if this Guardian, now that her "pets" are free, does the exact opposite. Unless the shadow creatures convince her that we were the ones who freed them, she may be wanting revenge for their imprisonment," Aelfwine said. She had joined Magor and Aerin when her old friend had called her over to them. "And as it was pointed out, we have no idea what the Guardian is,"

[Earniel]

"That too is a possibility," Radagast acknowledged. "And if the creatures have taken a dislike to us regardless of us freeing them, and that dislike translates to the Guardian, we'll be in a nice pickle."

The wizard sighed. "It would seem we won't get anywhere with only theorising. We'll have to move carefully either way. We'll keep an eye open for these shadow-beings in any case. Even if they move against us, their presence may give us a clue to the location of the Guardian and the Ent-wives."

[Midge]

While realising the seriousness of the situation, Magor couldn't help himself. Mmmm... pickles, he found himself thinking. To justify his daydreaming, he asked out loud, "Is anything we do or any skill that we have going to be able to defend us from the Guardian? Or is that one of those things which we have no idea about?"

[Earniel]

"That too," said Radagast with a sigh, "also falls into the category 'we don't know yet, but we're likely to find out'."

Some more suggestions and theories were offered, but no new insights into the situation ahead of them emerged, and everyone soon turned to less speculative, and more entertaining topics.

After the dinner, Radagast went looking for Tabrîl.

He considered what he should say. Neither of the two Kindi-Elves had joined his adventuring company entirely willingly, and while their skills could no doubt be useful in the fulfillment of the quest, Radagast was reluctant to command the two in a journey they had not chosen to be a part of.

It wouldn't have been easy even if he tried. Their self-imposed censorship concerning anything remotely magical made it difficult to involve them into anything remotely connected to magic, which -unfortunately- was about 99% of the entire search for the Entwives.

He sat down on a boulder opposite of Tabrîl. He was relieved to see she at least had finished her meal, even though he felt a small pang of guild that she couldn't have finished it in the company of the others.

"Sorry about that," Radagast said to her. "Next time I'll have the decency to let you finish your meal in peace before I start mentioning... mysteries. I shall try to be more considerate in the future."

"However," he went on, "there are a few features I'd like you to notify us of, should you come across them when scouting. These are: a significant rock with three spires, a narrow canyon ending in an enclosed area with a marked cliff-face and any indication of underground caves. I should also like to know if you come across any indication of other people in this area: cold camp-fires, tracks, or other signs they have left behind."

[Aikanáro]

Tabrîl considered Radagast's words for a moment. She had not expected him to approach her at all, and that he did so was proof to her that the matter was serious, and did require her consideration.

'Seth'enati,' she began, carefully, 'you must of course speak of what you must, but the mind of a warrior cannot be concerned with the Mysteries. She is to be untroubled in thought so that she may do her duty.' Tabrîl spoke as if this were self-evident, assuming Radagast was both well aware of the notion and in agreement with it.

'That is why I left, seth'enati,' she explained, and then swiftly turned to the other matter at hand. 'I shall tell you if I see these things,' she said, 'and I shall watch for them, but-'

Tabrîl hesitated just a moment before deciding that the risk of asking was less than the risk to them if she did not, and questioned, 'There are others in this place? Hostile others?'

[Midge]

After Radagast's speech was over, Magor decided that pickles really did sound good. He began asking after some, beginning with Aerin.

"Do you know if we have some pickles somewhere that I could have?" He asked her.
She looked at him. "I knew that you were thinking something odd when you asked that question about what we could do. You wanted some pickles, didn't you?"
Magor grinned.

Aerin sighed. "I'd start by asking Haldis. And just so she knows you're not trying to use her for her pickles, why don't you pre-start by washing something like dishes?" She grinned back at Magor and offered, "Though chores aren't something I enjoy, I've nothing better to do now, so I'll see if everyone's finished so that we might gather up the cooking dishes and pots."

[Earniel]

Radagast nodded when Tabrîl explained why she had run off, it was pretty much what he had guessed. If Tabrîl felt she functioned better without knowing the magically-inspired side of this quest, Radagast could respect and honour that. He would just have to get a bit more creative in making sure everybody knew what they needed to know.

He was pleased that Tabrîl agreed to help them look for the few hints they had gathered so far. But he hadn't expected that she would inquire further. He sat a moment in silence, to formulate a reply that Tabrîl could accept.

"We are not yet sure about a lot of things," Radagast said at last. "But what we do know is that there will be certain... beings in these Hills, beings whose nature and origin are shrouded in, well, Mysteries. It is likely we will come into contact with them, but it is too early to say whether they will be friendly or hostile."

[feawen]

The group discussion appeared to have finished and most people had finished their dinner. Nami looked down at her empty plate and signed. "I wish we had some nice fresh cream and them little fluffy cakes and some lovely fresh fruit, oh strewberries and cream with a little bit of sugar on...and maybe a bit of honey on it too...jam tarts...oh" Nami watched as Magor and Aerin collected the used dishes, overhearing their conversation on pickles. "oh..pickled eggs" she mused to her self as she stood up and went to tend to the horses.

[Aikanáro]

Beings whose very nature was a Mystery? Tabrîl did not understand this. If they were beings, alive-things, then their nature was clear enough, regardless of the strange forms they might take.

'These hills are old, seth'enati,' she said slowly. 'Very old, and there may yet be ancient creatures that dwell in the deeps of the caves you seek. But any creature that lives may die, and we must have no fear of them. I shall see that you are protected.'

Tabrîl hoped that he was convinced. For all of her pride and confidence, the thought of facing ancient horrors in the darkness chilled her blood. She had courage enough that she knew she would not flee from it, but she hoped fervently that they encountered no such creatures.

She sat for a moment in sober contemplation. She did not think these were the only Others that Radagast meant. It did not seem likely that the beings she had imagined would leave tracks or old campfires outside of the depths of the caves!

'And if there are beings less dreadful in nature - Hivaran-elves, or mortals, or kelva'in, then they shall be found, and I shall ensure that they are no threat to us,' Tabrîl assured Radagast. 'This thing I may do, there is nothing forbidden in it.'

[Earniel]

"Thank you," Radagast said. "I appreciate it."

And he meant it too. He wasn't expecting to meet anyone normal in these Hills, except maybe a few wandering Dwarves, and apart from the usual animals. But, as he was learning, it paid to be prepared. And at least now he could be confident that Tabrîl had some idea of what they might meet.

"I think you can re-join the group now, if you like," He added as he rose from the boulder he had been sitting on. "The conversation has turned to more mundane matters now."

[Midge]

After washing many dishes and putting them in their proper places, Magor approached Haldis and asked. "Haldis, do you know if we have any pickles? They sound very appetizing right now. I would appreciate it a lot."

Aerin stood at a distance, her hands slightly pruny, shaking her head in disbelief at Magor's question. He reminded her of a child asking his mother for permission to eat a cookie. She chuckled and wiped her hands on her tunic and went to care for Glaeren.

[feawen]

Nami combed her horses coat. Nami was not really a horse person but she was glad of the horses effects to transporting her and her fellows. Lost in thought she hummed a slightly off key tune as she worked. It was a slow tune, and lost in throught she at first did not notice the approach of Aerin as she went to attend to her own horse.