Long Lost Leaves - Part III

[Earniel]

When Tabrîl and Barufiniel arrived back at the old camp, they found everyone all packed and both ready and eager to be off. After what seemed like a long journey to the impatient wizard, they finally descended one after the other down the slope towards the sunken field. Tabrîl and Barufiniel led the way, followed by Radagast and the others. Hedrim, still moping for not having brought back the promised deer from his hunt earlier, brought up the rear.

Everyone greeted their three companions in the field with enthusiasm. For a moment they exchanged compliments and shoulder-pats while they surveyed the sunken field.

Radagast left the camp-building to others as he examined the field and the stone wall a little bit closer. He agreed with Magor's observation that this would have been the starting point of that strange whirlwind they had seen and experienced earlier. So where were the creatures he presumed had caused the whirldwind? They had travelled an equally long distance as the adventurers to come to this spot, but clearly they had not succeeded in entering. The rock face was damaged where rocks had hit it, but otherwise intact. No doubt the shadow-martens would still be around, perhaps waiting for Radagast and the others to create an opening, just as they appeared to have been waiting to be released from their prison in Dol Guldur.

It remained to be seen whether they would be friendly. But Radagast had an unshakable trust in all animals, whether they were corporeal or not quite so much, so he decided to chance it.

Which brought up the problem of locating the Entwives back on top of the priority list, as he told the others later when they had all gathered to share their meal.

"The papers found in Dol Guldur suggested there would be caves," Radagast said. "And since this wall was marked centuries ago with the Eye of Mordor, this would be a good point to start digging."

[feawen]

"Digging!" Nami half exclaimed and half gasped before regaining her composure and sulkly adding, "That means going underground again does its not? Elfs are not ment to be underground, its unnatural!" After a little pause she added casting a sly side long glance at Truor sitting a little way from the group "I'll bring more torches with me this time!" She had not intention of repeting the events of her previous advanture underground.

[Acalewia]

Aelfwine's smile warmed at Magor's comment.

After hearing Radagast's comment, Aelfwine turned to him.
"Dig where?

[Earniel]

"Rest assured, Nami", Radagast said with a smile. "I am not looking forward to repeat the experience we had in Dol Guldur. We will go in only in large groups and with enough light. Besides, I've had a talk with Borin, and our Dwarven friend has assured me that this sort of rock can only sustain large caverns, it is unsuitable for labyrinths of long tunnels or small underground corridors such as we encountered in Dol Guldur."

He motioned to the cliff-side with the Eye.

"You will notice how the ground slopes up against the cliff. Likely this is the result of the work of the orcs as they piled earth on the entrance of the caves. The cave entrance must be directly under the Eye. But for once the long centuries, that have passed since the abduction of the Entwives, play in our advantage. The earth mound the orcs constructed on top of the entrance has been no doubt far greater then than it is now. In time rain and erosion has pulled away the soil. We probably won't have to dig too deep before reaching the caves.

[Earniel]

The digging took the combined forces of the adventurers the whole following morning. At noon, with the help of the donkeys they pulled out two of the last man-sized boulders that hid the underground entrance.

Radagast occassionally glanced around the sunken valley while the work was in progress. He had sort of expected the shadow martens to make an appearance as soon as the underground caves were opened. But everything around them stayed quiet. Yet he could not shed the feeling that they were still watching and waiting.

Radagast peered down the dark entrance. Nothing stirred within either.

"Well," he said, 'that's that. Gather torches, everyone. We will trust on Teye's vision and go in together, her advise hasn't failed us yet."

[Acalewia]

Aelfwine peered into the darkness.
"Lovely," she muttered.

[Midge]

Magor looked around, saying "You know, I am going to miss this place. It was starting to feel a little like home."

Aerin scoffed. "Whatever you say."

[Acalewia]

Aelfwine turned and looked at him.
"Are you serious?" She asked, before a fit of laughter took over her.

[feawen]

" Sleeping under a giant scary red eye or decending into a threatening darkness? If only we had that lighty up staff that gandalf had. What do you think the changes of the entwifes walking around the corner before you go down there are?"

[Midge]

Aerin laughed as she heard Nami's worries. "Little to none, Nami. That's my guess as to the chances. But it'll be okay. I have definitely learned my lesson about wandering in underground caverns and after what happened..." She wondered if she should mention Quickleaf - he and Nami had seemed rather close. "After everything that happened the last time we went underground, I'd bet there were a lot of lessons learned."

Magor looked at Nami. "I must have missed that adventure. What happened when we went underground?"

Aerin grabbed Magor's wrist. "There's no time for THAT story now. Later, when we're not about to go INTO the ground, and preferably after we've come out for good!"

[Varnafindë]

Barufiniel smiled at Magor's question.

"I wasn't with them on that adventure either," she said, "I joined even later than you did. I have been told the story, though, and trust me, you don't want to hear it now.
When we're safely out again, I can tell you the short version - or you can ask one of those who were there, to tell you the full story.
But not now. Let's concentrate on finding a way through the darkness, and on noticing anything important in there."

She lit one of her torches and was ready to enter.

[Acalewia]

Aelfwine stood next to the entrance to the cavern, a lit torch in her hand and a couple of spares tucked in her belt.
"The sooner we go in, the faster we can get out," she said.

[feawen]

Nami smiled for thanks at Aerin. Not really wishing to relive the events of their last trip underground. Nami grabbed her share of torches, edging closer to Aerin and Magor . "i think if it is ok with you like ill stick close to you!"

[Earniel]

"All set?" Radagast asked. Around him he saw nearly all the adventurers armed and equiped with torches. Not everybody appeared at ease, but all seemed determined to go on now that they were so close.

"Very well," he said. He lifted up his lamp. Friendly fireflies inside lit up with a whitish glow.

He descended in the cave entrance. They had dug a few ridges into the ground that served as steps to descend more easily. Radagast stepped into the gloom and lifted his lamp. He stood in a small antechamber of bedrock. Right in front of him was a roughly hewn doorway, several meters high; the only other exit.

He stepped a little further into the room to allow the others to come in while he looked around. The antechamber was entirely empty. No Entwives here. They would have to deeper to find them.

[Acalewia]

Aelfwine took a deep breath before following Radagast into the dark, stealing a glance behind her at the others. Magor, Arien and Nami were the closest ones to her. She absent mindedly wondered if Borin's Warg would follow him into the caverns and nearly ran into the wizard. She quickly sidestepped to avoid him, hoping that looked natural enough to anyone watching

[Varnafindë]

Barufiniel was glad that there were many of them together. She thought that caves could be fascinating places, but mostly when she was with someone who knew the cave and knew that it was safe, and could show her interesting details. She had had Gimli show her the Glittering Caves near Helm's Deep. This was different. Very, very different.

[feawen]

Nami carefully stepped into the cave, as if the very floor was about to attack her. Slowly she peered around Radagast's shoulder, lifting her touch above her head. "Well its dark down there!"

[Aikanáro]

Tabrîl was ill at ease here, underground. She comforted herself with the thought that at the first sight of Mysteries, she would turn and leave. Nothing was worth that. She had had long enough to consider the situation, as she had watched the others digging. It was not the darkness that Tabrîl feared, but what lay within it, certain as she was that some hidden things ought not to be known.

She had spoken to none of them of her concerns, resigned as she was to the notion that what was meant to happen, would happen, and she had only to do as her conscience dictated. Even far from home, Tabrîl would follow the laws of her people.

Tabrîl stepped into the cave, giving Nami a quizzical look as she did so. Some elves did have a penchant for stating the obvious.

[Amael]

A'mael stared into the distance as her husband Ingwionis disappeared into the thick haze. She wasn't completely sure where he was off to this time, but it almost seemed as if Ingwionis had a calling for a journey he hadn't quite completed. She had decided not to ask to come along, as she knew that she was not going to be of much use in her condition. Her husband's town had now been made peaceful, at the expense of a few lives and some who were exiled. She remained awake all night on the balcony of her home, near the center of the town. The clear sky would slowly turn to a haze as A'mael fell asleep on a cot on her balcony.

[Earniel]

Radagast stepped out of the antechamber into a large, natural cave. High enough for Ents or Entwives to stand up unencumbered. Behind him the other adventurers too stepped into the stony, domed hall. They kept close while making room for the others to enter. Even the Ents managed to crawl through the cave opening, which they did with un-Entish haste. No, Radagast corrected himself. he could hardly call the Ents hasty, after all, they had been waiting for this for many millennia.

Unscrewing the top of his lamp, Radagast let out the fireflies. They took flight but remained near the adventurers, above their heads. One short word of power, and a wave of the wizard's staff and the fireflies lit up with a bright yellow light, each as powerful as a torch. Now they could see a lot more of the cave. But still no sign of the Entwives.

When he was certain everybody had entered the hall behind him, Radagast cautiously went forward. The hall was narrower than he had originally thought. In the light of the enchanted fireflies he could dimly see the sides of the cave, polished by endless years of water. The light reflected off them. This was a stroke of luck, for otherwise even the sharp-eyed Elves would not have seen the strange markings on the wall to which they now alerted the wizard.

Radagast called his fireflies closer. The markings had been made by large hands, smearing light clay on the dark wall. He could make out rough tree-figures.

"Well," he said, "that at least confirms it, the Entwives were here. But..." He paused, thinking of the silence that hung over the cave. "Are they still here now?"