Long Lost Leaves - part II

[Curufin]

'Of course, we may speak if you wish it.' He was not sure of what she wished to speak, but he would tell her what she wished. It was not like speaking to the others - the uwindi - of his past - she would understand. There should be no secrets between those who were partnered, or so Abasi believed. If they were to be together, they should be open with each other.

'I shall be glad to answer your questions, if the answer is within my knowledge.'

[Aikanáro]

Tabrîl nodded. It was not her intention, at least, to ask anything beyond his knowledge. 'I wished only to know more about you,' she said. 'I know very little. Those that were your tribe - the Ulman, I believe you said? There is no mention of them in our lore that tells of our neighbours. Have you journeyed far?'

She gave Abasi an encouraging look, hoping it was not too difficult a matter to speak of. 'And I would ask of your family that was, and from which of those that were the first long ago you are descended - only these little things.' Again she smiled at him. If they took the path towards partnership, it was right that she made these enquiries.

[Willow Oran]

Haldis inclined her head in acknowledgment of Radagast's thanks, "I think I would like to explore the tunnels in the morning," she said, thoughtfully glancing towards Tabrîl, "My curiosity brought me this far and it is unlikely to be satisfied by reports of others... Good reading, Radagast, I must go and persuade an elf towards adventure."

[Mari]

Ellysa was alone again. Abasi had left when Quickleaf had approached and maybe that was for the best for now.
I really do hope those two can make up again or stay away from each other. People from one ie shouldn't fight.

She looked up at the sky and sighed. No clouds to be seen today. Too bad, she liked watching the shapes of clouds. It was like watching at stars and brought her a peaceful feeling of being small in a big world. Bigger then most people from her youth thought it to be.

Suddenly Ellysa had to close her eyes when something hit her. Oh no, not again!
She recognized the feeling as that of a vision waiting to be seen. Over time she had learned to control it a bit and now she was able to postpone it for a short while, but the cost of that was great. Quickly she glanced around and felt it was too crowded in the camp. Who knew what she would see now?
Hurriedly she got up and disappeared between the trees to find a calm place to sit and let the vision wash over her.

[Curufin]

'The Ulman are indeed my tribe, and we journeyed far to the east...east of every other tribe of the Avari. We knew that the Dark Lord was in the West, and we wished to get as far from the Darkness as possible. We found peace in the East - there was good land and plenty of prey to hunt, and enough room for all. There was never any fighting among tribes, only peace. Until, of course, the Shadow fell again...'

Abasi trailed off, his eyes darkening a bit, before moving out of his dark memories.

'And I have told you already of my past, have I not? I have no parents - I myself awoke at Kuiviénen while the waters there still ran clean...'

[Aikanáro]

Tabrîl listened to his answer, the look of immense wonder in her eyes growing with all that he told her, but when he had finished speaking she only shook her head.

'It is...' How could she explain it to him? That he had been one of the first, at Kuiviénen itself, it was beyond her capacity to imagine how long he must have lived, how much he must have seen.

'It is a distance of time beyond my comprehension,' she said at last. 'I was very young still when first the sun rose, and yet I am now considered among the most senior in my hall.' She shrugged. It did not matter all that much, she supposed, and yet she was extremely curious.

'Will you tell me of it? Kuiviénen, I mean? It is spoken of so often, in the old songs and the stories, I cannot tell you quite what it is to me, to know that you have actually looked upon those waters.'

[feawen]

Nami smiled, "I would like to see Rohan with you. Even the elders of my kin call me a child!" Nami laughed, she sure did act like a child sometimes!
Nami looked around and frowned, "Speaking of children, there is one misbehaving elf that needs to be rounded up before he gets himself into more mischief!" Nami laughed and turned around, leaving the camp in the same direction as Ellysa had left.
It was not long before Nami found not Quickleaf but Ellysa, sitting on the ground her eyes closed and a troubled expression on her face. Nami stepped a little closer, stopping she cocked her head to one side slightly looking at the young girl. "Ellysa?"

[Coffeehouse]

Quickleaf arrived at the edge of the clearing, by the campsite, and started practicing his bow and arrows.

[orithil]

Hedrim after laying down in his tent for awhile got up and stretched, the hottest part of the day would be begining soon. Well at least he thought so, things were very strange in these elven lands. Suddenly realising he had absolutely nothing to do he decided to play some more music, he took out his lute and sat under a tree. He played a tune which sounded soft and sweet (and strangely like green sleeves)

[Mari]

Elyssa was seeing what she saw before, only slightly different. Rocks falling, the last breaths of her friends and her, dying alone somewhere. This time though, she seemed to have been running away from something, terribly scared. Why was she running? Why was she abandoning the others? Why would she betray these wonderful people who had not hurt her or sent her away when they found out?!

Suddenly she heard a voice, disturbing her thoughts. When she looked up, she saw Nami standing in front of her. She hadn't heard her coming.
Startled she blurted out: "Nami! What, What are you doing here?"

[feawen]

Nami was a little shocked at this reply from the normall quite girl. Nami looked around and shrugged. "Walking?" Nami stepped a little closer, looking closer at the scaried girl, "Are you ok?"

[Mari]

Ellysa stared at Nami and finally made a decision: she told Nami about her vision and it's prediction that she would betray everyone.

"Please believe me! I would never betray anyone of you! I have to prove it. To all of you and also to Radagast. I have to prove my vision wrong. Will you... will you please go with me into that place. Will you help me?"

Ellysa looked with big pleading eyes up at Nami, hope shining on her face. She had completely forgotten Nami's earlier reactions to the suggestion of going underground.

[feawen]

Nami had stood listening to Ellysa looking with kindness in her eyes as she explained things. That is until she told Nami to go underground with her.

"What!" Nami took a step back, her eyes growing as wide as Ellysa pleading eyes. "What...why?...what!"
The idea of what Ellysa wanted her to do slowly sank in.

"Under...under there?" Nami vaguely pointed to the ground at her feet. "In the dark...to be crushed to death by the tonnes of earth above your head...oh!"

[Mari]

"Well, that's what happens in my vision. But my visions are often wrong! This one must wrong! I would never betray you or let you die down there!"

With tears glistening in her eyes she shot Nami another pleading look.
"You do believe me, right? I really wouldn't ever betray you..."

She trailed off before whispering: "I must prove it. I'm not a traitor! Please... help me!"

[Curufin]

'I remember that it was dark,' he said softly, 'And that the stars shone brighter than one sees them now. The waters were cool, and everything seemed new...'
'
He trailed off, his eyes becoming lost in memory.

'It is difficult to explain, m'had'era. The memories are there, but I know not how to put them to words. It was so long ago, and yet at the same time it seems but a moment has passed since I last stood there...'

[Aikanáro]

'I wish that I had seen it,' Tabrîl answered simply. She knew that if allowed, memory could indeed become more vivid than the present, that events of long ago could seem as if yesterday, and it was this feeling, perhaps, that Abasi spoke of.

She thought for a moment before she spoke again. 'It is my opinion, perhaps, that one's first home carries a special meaning, no matter where one may go after. Kuiviénen-that-was was the first home of the People.'

It was the only way she could see to explain its significance. The Kindi had journeyed westward from Kuiviénen long before Tabrîl had been born, and yet they had ensured that it was never forgotten. Abasi's people had gone east in those times, he had said, and found peace there. Perhaps that was how he had lived so long. Most who had been m'had in Tabrîl's youth had died in the inter-tribal conflicts that had been so frequent then, or in the wars of the uwindi who killed without thought.

These memories were not ones she cared to dwell upon, however, and so she shifted position, her arm brushing lightly against Abasi's as she did so, and smiled at him.

'Will you play the Game?' she asked then, softly. He was injured, she knew, and there would be no shame in turning down her request. If he would play, then she would not throw past his ability, with his shoulder as it was. She simply felt it might be good for them both.

[feawen]

"I dont think you are a traitor. Why tempt it? If you dont go down there, we wont die and it will be all good right?"

Nami tried to find a way out of this situation but then she caught the pleading look in Ellysa's eyes. Nami sighed her shoulders slumped. How could she say no to this young girl who was just as scaried as she was. Were Nami saw the past Ellysa saw a possible future, surely it was worse to live life thinking you were going to kill people, to be branded a traitor by no fault of your own.

"I'll help you Ellysa." Nami said slowing.

"I'm going to die!" she added in elvish.

[Mari]

Immense relief and gratefulness washed over Ellysa. Now everything would be alright. She would prove she wasn't a traitor and she wouldn't have to do it alone!
She grabbed Nami's hands and stammered a few times "Thank you, thank you so much!" but quickly let go of the elf's hands when she noticed what she was doing.
A bit embarrassed she hid her hands behind her back, smiling a smile that showed Nami had just made herself a friend closer then a sister.

[Curufin]

Abasi smiled softly.

'I will if you wish it,' he said simply. Perhaps it would be good for them to play. There was always something relaxing and calming about playing the game of the People, especially when it was with one with whom you were well-matched. It was a way of sorts to reinforce your identity; a way to be windi, and he enjoyed playing with Tabrîl.

[Coffeehouse]

Letting free his fingers' hold, the arrow shot off and sped beneath the roof of the forest like a chased prey. The target, the trunk of a dead tree, let out a thud which echoed through the forest. Quickleaf pulled out another arrow in a rapid movement, centred it on his bow and let another one pace towards the target.

The arrows seemed steady, the woodwork neatly carved, and Quickleaf was happy he now had at least a dozen decent arrows. Another arrow was released and swooshed through the air. "About time I practiced" Quickleaf muttered to himself and happily went on shooting.