Hytorax

[zavron]

I flew off not far away south. I landed upon the side of a Mountain and turned to Human Form. I scanned the area with my Infravision.

[Sicirus]

ooc;Ok lets see now.

ic: Gil: I looked at the soldiers and then watched the griffin and the other creature fly away. Asaar looked at me and had ther same expression I did. An expression of "what the heck was that all about?" I looked over to see Adrians reaction but only found Swift who was knowing on a bone.
"were's Adrian?" I cried out in surprise.
"Someone is missing?" said a concerend voice behind me. Osme of the soldiers at once started to scout the forest grounds without commands from the lcaptain who was now frustrated at the commotion.
Bushbark came over to Assar and me and told us quickly to get on his limbs so he could slip us away. He obayed at once and were being taken far away from the soldiers and group. The Ontore(forgot your name sorry) took up Aasiniv and Elise. The two elves were no were in sight and the rest of the company followed quickly behind the ontor and ent. We almost thought we had had a good get away through all the commotion but we soon learned the word RUN.
Everyone ran as fast as they could. Some feeling embaresset(sp)for running but some ran and were just mad enough to swim a swamp to get away.
We neede to get our task done before its toolate I thought to myself As Poko bore the greyhound on his back running by the side of Bushbark.

ooc: What a crazy sight that would look.

[elvishfaerie3088]

"Now where the heck did Aralle get off to? I help she disappears!" i mummbled to myself. "Aralle! Aralle! Where are you?!" I hollered. "aw crap, those dratted soilders just had to go into the woods! And where the heck did that elf um... Glimdrell? get to?!" I mummbled again. "Well i hope everyone else has gotten away, have to find Aralle if i can and help if needed plus i still want to know why everyone was in my forest anyhow! Stupid group, stupid griffin, stupid elf, stupid hobbit, stupid things!" I started to get mad for i didn't know the answer to any of my questions and was starting to blame everyone else.

[Arat-Falathion]

Even at day shadows lay in the woods, giving cover, casting darkness. Glimdrell was highly learned in using these shelters to his forfit, for stealth and descreetion. Not even a bird could sence him sneaking when he was totaly focused on his one task, the mind of a warrior, the mind of a shadow, the mind of a silent hunter.

"...I still want to know why everyone was in my forest anyhow! Stupid group, stupid griffin, stupid elf, stupid hobbits, stupid things!" He heard Glistenfae shout in between some bushes, at the entering of the open area the stupid soldiers had just left..


A strong firm grip around the elven mouth and a gleaming blade touching her throut set a sudden stopper to the cursing.

"You should be more thoughtfull of whom you call stupid!" Glimdrell hissed in her ear. "Now why did you help the captives escape!" He grinned at the stiff elf. Glistenfae knew Glimdrell could kill her now in a split of a second, there was no escape.

Glimdrell strengthened his grip. "You've been nothing but trouble since we first met! Beautifull to the eye you might be, but cursed in heart you so truly are! Now I want to know why you are acting this way!" His grip tightened even more. "Tell me! Why in all middle earth do you allow yourself to behave this way!" Glimdrell shouted.

[Earniel]

Imarwyn watched on with a mingled feeling of amusement and annoyance as the soldiers feverishly tried track down the fugitives. Athalt was shouting orders to get the search party organised and was looking very ill pleased. Imarwyn could not blame him, although she wondered if keeping this particular group captive wasn't beyond the power of the soldiers and even Athalt. Afterall it seemed as if the fugitives had conjured a griffin out of the very air as a decoy for their escape.

She wondered where Glimdrell was, she hadn't seen him leave though she assumed he had gone to track the fugitives on his own. Doubtlessly he would have more luck than the soldiers. "Maybe it's time we take a closer look ourselves. I'm still curious who's side these people really are on." she said as she swung herself on Merrah's back. In the confusion no one saw her leave. Imarwyn steered Merrah north, along the border of the wood for a short while before she entered it. The fugitive group would expect pursuit from behind, not from the sides.

"And with some luck, we'll soon know just how much is true from that evil sorceror- rumour." Imarwyn said to herself as Merrah silently trotted beneath the leafy canopy.

[Mathron]

Aasinav ran beside the rest of the group as though in a trance, his eyes half-closed and looking inward. He muttered words beneath his breath, though the others couldn't hear them:
"Ist mordi sur diamrell.."

Back in the camp, Athalt's temper was nearly at the breaking point. His men stumbled about the forest, almost as though ignoring his orders. "Cairen!" he called out, seeking his second-in-command - who he found leaning against a tree. "What is the meaning of this?"

Cairen shook his head. It felt as though it was filled with fog. The sensation had begun the night before, a slow fuzziness to his thoughts, but had only grown since then. He looked up blearily at his commander. "Sir, I... don't... I'm not... sure." Blinking, the mist overwhelmed his mind, and he collapsed to the ground, asleep.

Looking around, Athalt saw the rest of his men dropping the same way, and shook his head in disgust. He had been warned of the enemy's sorcery, but had let his guard down when talking with Hruad. And now they had gotten away...

[Silverstripe]

Aralle became aware that Glistenfae was calling her. Not that she could hear Glistenfae; she simply knew, in the way griffins always had, that she was being called. And who but Glistenfae would even know her name, let alone have any reason to call her?

"Come with me!" Aralle snapped at the young hobbit (Adrian). The griffin didn't want to lose track of her, especially not with a gargoyle around. Worried and angry, Aralle ran off at a fast pace, not bothering to make sure that the hobbit could keep up. But soon the pain in Aralle's injured leg forced her to slow down.

She made her way towards Glistenfae as fast as she could, the hobbit having to run alongside her. For a griffin, even a "slow" pace is still quite swift.

Aralle and her hobbit companion found Glistenfae as Glimdrell shouted "... you allow yourself to behave this way!"

Silently, Aralle cursed. She could not attack Glimdrell when he was holding a knife to the other elf's throat. Yet she had to do something.

Motioning for the hobbit to stay back, Aralle moved slowly towards the clearing. Maybe Glimdrell would believe she was a bigger threat than Glistenfae, and release the elf. Either that or simple astonishment would make him grow careless and forget Glistenfae ... but, no, Glimdrell wasn't the type for that.

Aralle stopped, hidden behind a tree, and surveyed their surroundings. Good, she could get away in flight if she needed to. Knowing that, she darted into the clearing.

ooc: And Adrian, being Adrian, probably ignored Aralle's order to stay back, too!

[Tessar]

"Facing sorcerers and getting away is no problem but running away from a few silly guards..!" muttered Elise, stamping along rather huffily after escaping the uncomfortable grip of the stone creature, but some how moving faster than the sprinters. "I should teach those fools a few manners... Dratted mortal people..."

Elise stopped and turned, noticing a tug of magic, her eyes fell on Aasinav and she drew in her breath sharply. Fool! Rare was the mortal that could truly understand... Well it was certainly too late for her to do anything about it, she would hold her toung for now.

Aldeb nuzzled Elise's shoulder, having just caught up with her, and dropped a bit of cloth, which looked like it had been torn off someone's clothes. Elise’s anger melted away as her horse stood rather proudly and stamped a hoof definitively on the scrap, Elise couldn't help a laugh. With more grace than she normally allowed others to see, Elise mounted her horse, she truly felt sorry for the fool who thought Aldeb would not get back to his mistress.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Asaar crept along, one of his small daggers drawn and ready to throw, although his hand was shaking so badly he knew he would never hit anything.

Every sound, the small snakes slithering past, the birds trills, all shot more quick veins of panic through Asaar; he had never felt hunted like this before.

He had jumped off the ent a while back, thinking he saw Hurad, but it seemed he had been wrong, it turned out to be a rock and by that time the ent had somehow managed to disappear.

A hand clamped down on his shoulder and Asaar almost fainted, dropping his knife and falling to his knees while foolishly scrambling for the knife he had dropped instead of trying to pull out a new one.

“Calm down, it’s only me.” Hurad said quietly and caught Asaar as the boy collapsed limply. “Are you alright?” Hurad asked with concern.

Asaar nodded, knowing if he tried to say anything he would only embarrass himself further, and managed to get his dagger back and up his sleeve.

“Elise is looking for you and the hobbit girls, I suppose the elves got off to somewhere safe. How did you get so far over here ahead of your friends?” Hurad asked curiously.

Asaar cleared his dry throat and managed to keep his voice from breaking more than a few times when he said, “I’m a fast runner, and I thought I saw you so I ran off but it was just… Something else… I’m so glad you’re here, I-I almost thought that… Errrmmm… I mean it’s nice that you’re here because… well… I mean we’re together and that means we’re not apart, or umm… I mean… You know, easier to find this way...” Asaar shut his mouth with a click and felt his face turning a sunset red. Bah! Adults ALWAYS seemed to rub things like this in till you wished you had never admitted fear…

[Arat-Falathion]

The sound of bendt grass caught Glimdrells ear, and in a swift move he turned himself and Glistenfae around. Out from a tree behind him came the woman he had seen earlier stumbling out in full fury, nearly crashing into Glistenfae as she tried to stop, seeing she had been noticed.

Glimdrells heart pumped as if a thousand orcs were coming for him. An enemy of unknown skills and behavour was always a deadly one, and by the looks of this seemingly harmless woman he was even more weary, looks can decieve indeed.

"Release the she-elf!" Aralle demanded in a strang, scary voice, totaly letting go of any impression of harmlessness. Glimdrell eyed her, didn't show any sense of fright, yet his heart was hammering so heard he could bet everyone could hear it. He did not talk, only staring the woman right in the eye.

Then suddenly, in a split of a second, he reversed the dagger away from the elven throat and gave a paralyzing touch with his thomb to the neck, causing Glistenfae to faint. In this very same moment he sheeted his dagger and threw Glistenfae at the old woman, dragged the black surcoat around him and disapeared into the forest.

He doubted he could escape or hide. His chest was pumping so hard it hurted, no way this hammering couldn't be heard miles away. He didn't turn, he didn't stop to listen, just ran and ran.
Caught in the pannic, lost in the fury and fright he didn't notice his running approach towards Hruad and Asaar, standing by a stone.

Even at a running pace Glimdrell didn't make a sound noticable to the common ear, and with his surcoat tight around him the two fugitives didn't notice him untill he was upon them. Hruads reaction pushed to man to the ground before stepping back himself, and Glimdrell, having no chance to stop at such a speed he was holding, thumbled over Assar and crashed, head first, into the stone, nearly fainting.

The elf struggled to get back on his feet, but fell down. A cut in the forehead was pouring out blood, dripping and running down his face. The world around him was spinning. Caught in the dizzyness he tried to clamber to his feet again...

[Silverstripe]

ooc: I'm going to say Aralle's leg was injured, but not broken.

ic: Aralle grabbed Glistenfae as the elf was thrown at her. The griffin did not pursue Glimdrell. Instead, she transformed back into her true form. With an injured leg, walking or running was very painful for Aralle the woman.

Still limping, Aralle carried Glistenfae back to the rest of the company, Adrian at her side. The young hobbit had been very quiet on their journey so far, and Aralle was grateful for that. But now that the situation wasn't quite so desperate, the griffin found herself wishing the hobbit was more talkative. Aralle longed for a bit of conversation with someone who already knew what she was. Then Aralle would not have to be careful of what she said.

[Tessar]

just a note, Assar is human. :P

[Silverstripe]

Aralle stopped just before they reached the rest of the group -- where she could see them, but they could not see her. Gently laying Glistenfae on the ground, she told Adrian to call the others. The sooner the hobbit and elf could get back to their friends, the better.

Aralle limped off in a different direction, then whistled for Rain. The faithful horse came galloping towards her, snorting and shaking his head as if asking Aralle what took her so long. Aralle laughed and stroked Rainstorm's nose.

"Good to see you again, boy."

She mounted the horse and rode back towards the company. She still didn't want them to see her in griffin form, and riding was much less painful than walking.

[Earniel]

A horse passed Imarwyn and Merrah in the forest and Imarwyn now knew that she was close to the group she pursued. She decided to follow the horse slowly and on a distance; far enough off so she wouldn't be noticed but not too far that she lost the tracks.

After following the trail for a while Imarwyn saw human footprints mingling with those of the horse. The hoofprints became a trifle deeper after that so Imarwyn concluded that someone had mounted the horse here and had ridden on.

The trail was clearly visible on the forest floor but the prints puzzled her. She could see the human footprints but she couldn't see a trail how the human had come here. Instead Imarwyn noticed some odd tracks she had never seen before and the image of the griffin came involuntarily to her mind. She wondered how the different prints connected. Had somebody ridden the griffin and then mounted the horse? No, speculation wasn't going to help her. She knew she wasn't the best of trackers so maybe she was misreading the prints. And then maybe not. She wondered what the elf would have made of it.

So she followed the trail further, but more cautiously this time. She listened attentively for any sound out of the ordinary and kept one eye on the forest before her. Merrah seemed to have guessed the intention of her rider and rode more silently. But that might have been just because the forest was unknown territory to her.

Imarwyn knew that what she was doing was rather dangerous as the group before her was more numerous and obviously possessed some talents she could not rival. But what worried her more was the silence behind her. Had the soldiers given up the search already? That was most unlike Athalt. It unnerved her slightly. In any case she decided to be extra careful.

[elvishfaerie3088]

ooc: sorry everyone the *curses* internets being acting up.

Ic: Dizziness hit me, as i awoke from fainting. Where was i? Aw man the edge of my forest again! But how'd i get here? Wait its' coming back that darn elf; Glimdrell made me faint! Now why'd he do that? Hmmm, i'd like to find him and find out why. But what am i to do? what to do? What to do? Well either way i was going back into my forest. Ah heck why should i bother? They'll either just begin to look for me, or leave me without answering my questions. Hmph they don't even care, nobody cares. Quit that! Okay lets see. Now knowing Aralle she'll think i went after Glimdrell but she'll probably get there before i do, so hmmm where's that darn tree? oh right, stupid elf messed up my directions too! Okay, ha found it now up i go. I'll wait here if they find me, they find me. If not i'll probably be better off anyhow. Now if i could only get rid of these pestering strangers! I sat crouched in the branches of a tree, which i knew quiet well, thank goodness for that.

[Silverstripe]

Unaware that she was being followed, Aralle continued to make her way back to the company, speaking softly to Rain all the while. She used her Sight now and then, carefully making sure that no one could see her when she did.

Aralle could just make out the dim figures of some of the company when the hobbit called Gil came running to meet her.

"Glistenfae is missing!" shouted Gil.

Aralle didn't stay to get more details; she knew enough about Glistenfae to have a good idea of where the elf would be. Not that Aralle was surprised.

Aralle shook her head slightly, wondering why Glistenfae always seemed to be wherever she could get into the most trouble, and turned Rainstorm in the direction in which she'd last seen Glimdrell.

[zavron]

Several dark shadows moved below through the forest. Five dark soldiers in armour climbed up the side of the Rock Face. They reached the top. One came up to me.

''Did you complete your mission?'' He asked.

''Yes. Theyre are a band of soldiers from Nered, two Hobbits, two elves, some other Humans, and...that's all.'' I turned and looked out on the forest.

''It better! Destroy them! I must report back to the master!'' the soldiers turned around and skidded down the side of the mountain.

[Silverstripe]

In the darkness of the forest, Aralle searched for the two elves. Glimdrell had moved on since the griffin had last seen him, and Glistenfae was apparently trying to catch up with him.

Aralle was still worried, but now, her concern was mostly for Glimdrell. The elf had pulled a dagger on Glistenfae, and she would be out for revenge. From what Aralle knew of Glistenfae, the elf seemed like one who would extract a high price for any wrong done to her. The griffin had to stop Glimdrell from hurting Glistenfae earlier, but he had been kind to Aralle, and she didn't want to see him injured or killed.

But now Aralle didn't know how to find the elves. She could determine the general direction in which Glimdrell had run, but if Glistenfae had intercepted him, the two could be anywhere by now. Aralle would look for Glimdrell, and hope that she found him before Glistenfae did. As for trying to track Glistenfae, it was impossible. The elf knew her forest well, and would not be found unless she wanted to be.

As she was about to set off after Glimdrell, Aralle felt a chill run down her spine. She looked into the sky to see a black shape hovering overhead. The gargoyle had returned, and was approaching the clearing where the company was hidden.

Aralle turned Rainstorm around, urging him onwards, and made for the company's new camp at a gallop. She was not happy to be leaving Glimdrell to the mercy of Glistenfae or the rough soldiers (the latter seemed the better fate), but she had to protect the company above all. None of them, save one, would know how to defend themselves from a gargoyle.

Without help, none of them would survive!

Aralle decided she had to get help. There was only a single gargoyle for now, but there might be more later, and Aralle could barely face one. She believed there might be a wizard in the company, who would know about griffins and gargoyles, but she was not certain.

Aralle could not leave the company to go find help. Even if she flew, the gargoyle would be there before Aralle could return with any of her allies. She knew that some of them were near, but they were all creatures that moved upon land; those who could fly had all gone.

Now, only one of those who was near would be of any help. Aralle's good friend Losillewen: a wise, noble, and powerful elf.

::Losillewen,:: called Aralle. She could feel the elf respond. The griffin kept "speaking" to Losillewen, more in pictures than in words, showing the elf where the company was, the danger they were in, and what had happened before. Then she stopped "speaking," and listened for Losillewen's reply.

Aralle kept riding as fast as she could toward the company. It would not be long now before she would have to confront the gargoyle again. This time, she had to let him attack her first. It wasn't likely he would remember his promise, but she would not act until he broke their truce.

But if he attacks one of the hobbits first, or the boy? What then? Then keeping the promise would be as least as bad as breaking it, and there would be no truly honorable course of action left for her. Aralle knew that if it came to that, she would defend the company. Their lives were more important than her vow.

[Ms. Undomial]

Losillewen and Aralle had parted soon after they had met near the boarders of Lorien. Losillewen had to take care of some business in the south, and then much father northwest. She was now heading for her final destination before she returned home, Tom Bombadil. At the moment she was in the forests on the boarders of Bree.
As soon as Losillewen heard her friends call she swiftly turned her horse in that direction. ::Inye la ana haira hoyasse lye nar, It will only be few minutes,:: she said quickly, a few moments later she continued, ::Inye hare si, What do you wish me to do?::

[Arat-Falathion]

"You think he fainted?" Assar said carefully, giving the quiet body a light touch with his torsoe, but no reaction. "Might seem like it," Hruad answered bending over Glimdrells facedown body and turning it. A painfull grin came over Hruads face and he backed off for a little second.

Glimdrells face and hair was covered with stained blood, and the cut on his forehead was still bleeding strong. Hruad saw seriously up at Assar. "He hit himself hard indeed. Better bandage his wound." Assar swiftly wielded a knife from a sheet on his belt and cut a nice slise off of his shirt and bendt down on his knees. Hruad carefully lifted Glimdrells head above the ground, causing the elf to let go of a faint sigh of pain. Assar put the texture around the head, covering the wound, and binded it tightly. "That should keep the blood from pouring out endlessly, for a little while atleast. He'll need better tending though." Assar said with a conserned tone in his voice.

"What was getting into his elven mind anyway? He ran right at us in full speed, as if he didn't notice us before he was upon us. As if his mind was so fully focusing on something else, that his awareness of the surroundings were totally forgotten." Hruad nodded agreeingly at Assars theory, indeed it was a strange happening. Elves were supposed to have great sight and awareness. "I wonder what had gotten into him..." Hruad added looking in the direction of where he had come running.

[Servant of the Dark Order]

The gargoyle began to return down the slope, when shadows billowed out of the ground in front of it. They swirled around, assuming the shape of a man, though no features could be seen. The gargoyle paused, unsure, but ready to defend himself if the figure attacked.

"You have violence on your thoughts," whispered the voice pleasantly. "Why?"

The gargoyle hesitated, but felt he could confide in this person. Part of it was the sheer authority the figure wielded - and part of it was the mental compulsion that the sorcerer laid in his mind. "I was told to go back and kill the ones below."

The shadowy sorcerer shook his head. "Tsk, tsk. That isn't your mission at all. Wherever such orders came from, you need not concern yourself with them. Simply return to your scouting, and don't let yourself be seen."

The gargoyle nodded, and then leapt up, spreading his wings. They caught an updraft, and he soared into the night.

The shadow vanished, and reappeared elsewhere on the mountain.

The dark soldiers that had given the gargoyle its orders leapt to their feet. Blades were drawn almost instantly - their eyes flashed with lethal intent, until they recognized the figure. One of their superiors. Not the one they served, but a member of the Dark Council nonetheless.

'What do you want?"

The shadow shook its head. "Do you understand the meaning of the word subtlety? No? Allow me to teach you." His voice was no longer pleasant, but rather was dark and vicious, and their eyes widened in surprise as shadowy tendrils whipped out of the ground and enwrapped them.

The shadow waved a hand, and the tendrils whipped in all directions. The shadowy soldiers were ripped apart in a horrible display of vicious might.

"That," whispered the shadow sorcerer, "was not subtlety."

He shook his head to himself as he vanished. The plan was proceeding as designed, but rivarly among the Dark Council was already beginning to prove to be a problem...