Long Lost Leaves - part II

[Curufin]

Abasi was stopped suddenly as he found himself facing another elf. She nodded at him respectfully before moving on, and Abasi found himself feeling more positively towards her than he had before. Up to this point, he had faced misunderstanding, ignorance, and downright hostility, and it felt good that someone understood what he was contributing to the group. He nodded back respectfully, and stepped out of the way to let her pass, before looking over again towards Tabrîl.

He would have liked to speak to her for a moment - they had had precious little time to speak of important things and he wished to spend a bit of time with her in private.

[Mari]

Ellysa hadn't really been listening to what was being said by Radagast and the others until she heard a very unpleasant word.
"Excuse me, did you say it will get even colder then it already is!?"
Unhappy she turned her face to the sun. She didn't particularly like the heat, but this cold... how could the others stand it?

[Acalewia]

Aelfwine didn't say a word as the others discussed what was to be done and their heading.
"The Iron Hills?" she said. "Isn't that one of the stongholds of the Dwarves? Do you think we will be able to find more clues there?" She fell silent again. The cold she could stand.

[orithil]

"So we are heading for the Iron hills" Hedrim replied "When do we prepare to leave?"

[Midge]

Aerin listened as plans were laid. She had heard of all the places this group was discussing, but had never been to them before. Suddenly excited at the thought of going to new and strange lands in search of those who had been lost for a long time, she sat up.

"Excuse me!" She cried. "Would anyone mind if I join you all on your quest?"

[Aikanáro]

Tabrîl did not realize immediately what Radagast was talking about, and so it surprised her when Abasi got up and left the group. It did not take long, however, before it occurred to her that whatever the seth'enati was saying was not something she should hear.

She put down her bowl and hurried after Abasi, understanding now why he looked at her the way he did. 'I wish he would give some warning,' she muttered as she reached him. 'It is difficult enough-' she paused then, frowning slightly. Likely it was not right to complain of Radagast's actions, even if they seemed to her to lack courtesy.

She stood there a moment with Abasi, simply looking into his eyes with a fondness she supposed he could not be unaware of. Tabrîl knew that courtship could be unpredictable, but that Abasi was in her thoughts so often could not be other than a good sign. She reached out then to take his hand, to lead him away so they might speak privately – but then she heard Aerin's words carrying faintly from the campsite, loudly spoken as they were, and stopped.

'I do not trust her,' she said plainly. 'She cannot be what she claims, to have come out of that place. I would object to it.'

[feawen]

While Radagast and the others were discusing what to do next Nami had set about picking up the used bowls. She was just happy to have the change of seeing Teig again. She had not since him for a while, would he even remember her? Nami cast a quick look down her self, not really the most clean of people, weather stained clothes, patched cloak and she was pretty such her hair was doing something strange, more growing out than down. As today seemed to be a day of relaxing Nami decided she would at least try and tidy her self up a bit. After picking up her pack she headed for out of the camp, she had only gone a few paces with her pack under her arm when she heard Aerin stating her intension to stay with the group and Tabrils plain reply. For once part of Nami sided with Tabril. Who was she anyway and why was she so interesting in Quickleaf and ...oh dear Nami what is up with you? She cast a quick look from Tabril and Aerin, with a slight look to Quickleaf, silly fool for getting him self blinded! Maybe she would just hang around the camp a bit and see what everyone else thought.

[Willow Oran]

As the group began to discuss the route Haldis went to check on how Quickleaf was healing. She thought it likely that would regain his sight in time, but if he did not show signs of healing quickly he would have to be left behind.
She was not surprised when Aerin asked to join them, this quest seemed to draw people as honey drew flies, and she was even less surprised when Tabrîl object to Aerin. Smiling faintly she replied, "Her coming out of Dol Guldur has more to do with chance and the consequence of your refusal to enter that place alongside me than any unknown forces, Tabrîl. But caution is rarely a bad thing. I leave it to you elves to decide among yourselves if each of you is trustworthy or not. And as we have not turned down a traveling companion yet and are unlikely to do so now you will all have ample time along the way to investigate the matter. Quickleaf," she spoke now to her patient, "the wounds to your eyes are superficial, which means your loss of sight is caused by the head wound and should return as it heals."

[Coffeehouse]

Hearing the musings of the wizard Quickleaf's mind spun into colors again. Letters, Entwives, Death, Orcs and Fire. And.. the East. Quickleaf had never travelled beyond the borders of eastern Greenwood, but had many a times entertained the thought.. There'd been times when the sun had sunk down between the trees, the fiery golden light filling the air, and it pulled at him, the Sun. What lay beyond it?
He imagined it a hot place, a barren place, but he did not know. Quickleaf's mind swayed up into the skies and he travelled great distances into the East, beyond fair Greenwood, into places of sand and of curious trees, strong colors and smells. Ocean blue skies... Quickleaf sang to himself

"Stranger than the sunrise
Darker than the night
Fiercer than a rainstorm
This is an elf's delight

Weaker than a moment
And hot as any fire
Blinder than the blind eye
This is an elf's desire

I ran to a place in the open sea
Where I pledged
My life to the sun
It was good for a while
I could laugh, I could smile
But when I woke up one day
The sun had gone

So what of my meaning
What am I trying to say
What of my caution
I'm an elf anyway"

Quickleaf's dreamy stare broke up at the voice of the enchanting woman, he turned his head to hear what Haldis had to say. She seemed confident that she knew the symptoms. His blindness would not last. He was unsure but he was grateful, "I am glad to hear it. It feels like an eternity of darkness but I gather it will not be so, and already my head is feeling better and my body is finding strength. Thank you Haldis", Quickleaf putting the tips of his right hand fingers to his forehead and bowing, forgetting the woman would not be familiar with such a gesture of deepest respect.

[Midge]

After announcing her question, Aerin had expected an ample amount of time to pass before she got any answer at all. She herself would have needed time to know whether or not a person would be a good companion or not. However, she was disappointed in that expectation: immediately the opinion was voiced that Aerin should not come on the quest.

That strange-looking little elf that had never really appeared to like her since she came out of that awful hole with Quickleaf gave a disgusted look, and Aerin hadn't expected her to have any say. However, one of those sentinel-elves clearly said she didn't trust Aerin, and Aerin did not doubt that she had quite a bit of influence in who would join the company.

Aerin stood up and walked over to the edge of the forest again. She did not want these people to know they had upset her by not trusting her. It was a mark of a Messenger to be trustworthy; how could the Lady send a Message if she had a Messenger who would give it out to just anyone? Aerin stared blankly into the forest ahead of her and thought.
_______________________

After having a short conversation with the new elf, Blossomshade walked back toward the forest. Apparently Radagast had a new epiphany and found a new direction to take. She was enjoying the dew of the treetops when yet another unrecognized elf came walking out into the forest and stopped beside her.

"Hello," said Blossomshade. "I am Blossomshade, the Ent-wife. You are..?"

Aerin looked up and stared at Blossomshade. "My name is Aerin. You said you are an Ent-wife?! Those people back in that camp are looking for you!"

[feawen]

Everyone else seemed to hold their own council on the matter of Aerin. Shrugging Nami headed off into the woods to find a stream to wash by. Alone in the forest, with just the sounds of nature around Nami allowed her mind to wonder.

So what is he wants to spend all his time with this new elf, what she got that i haven't!

By this time Nami had reached a clean stream, staring down into its still waters Nami got her answer. Her Mousey brown hair had long gone past the need of a wash, and yes it was growing out more than down, somewhere between frizz and dragged through a hedge backward. She cocked her head to one side as she looked at the watery vision of herself. Her face still blacked slightly by the grime of Dol Gladur. Her nose, though not crooked, had a slightly odd small bump to one side of it, and though many said it was cute it was not the picture of prefect elvishness. Hands blacked and grimed reached down into the crystal clear waters, bringing the pure water to her face. Her mother was said to have been a great beauty in the woods, Nami had often wondered what had gone wrong with her, had elven beauty skipped a generation? She was not ugly, she was just a very atypical elf!

Scrubbing herself clean Nami's throughs moved on, finally settling on Teig. It much have been, what...100, 200 years since she had last seem him. Did he have a new lady in his life? She hoped he had. He had always said she was be his lady but that was for different reasons. Children? She would have heard surely.

Standing back up and letting the waters wash the grime away and become still again. A slightly different looking Nami stared back it her. Face clean and her hair back to its normal clean colour. She had ran her fingers through her hair, pulling the kinks out. Instead of being frizz, it was now, as it dryed in the sun, half way between curly and wavy. Not one or the other. Dressed now in clean clothes Nami felt much better, and as she walked back into the camp to sprend her drying clothes out in the sun, it was a clearer and even more cheerful Nami who set about the camp. Excited about being reunited with Teig again. She had such things to tell him.

[Mari]

The camp seemed to have calmed down. Everyone was doing their own thing.
Ellysa was still wondering who had allowed her to share their tent. What would that person want in return? And where did those new elves come from?
Enjoying the sun on her face, Ellysa was just sitting there, letting her mind wander and think back to things that happened in the past.
She also thought back to their trip to Dol Guldur the day before. There had been a cave-in. Someone had told her that. Her own memories were still a bit fuzzy. She had been so worried about Nami and her vision!
Speaking of which... it hadn't really come true. There had been a cave-in but no one had died and she hadn't run awa... Wait a second... She DID run towards the exit yesterday. To go get help for Nami!
An amazed and relieved smile spread over her face. Suddenly she burst out laughing and she even started to cry. She hadn't run away. She hadn't betrayed anyone. She had MISUNDERSTOOD what she had seen!
How could she have been so stupid!? How could she not have realized it earlier? She needed to think this over and think back to all her previous disasters. Had she maybe misinterpreted something before?
Ellysa sat there staring, but not seeing. Thinking of her past while time went on.

[Midge]

Blossomshade laughed a slowish laugh. "They know I am here! I joined the quest having been the only Ent-wife anyone has known for a long time. I wonder what has become of my kin, and this quest seems to be a very good way to begin finding out. Is there something wrong?"

Aerin hesitated. "Well... No. Not really. The people at camp do not trust me, and I am not sure they will allow me to come on this quest. This quest would be a wonderful opportunity for me to get out of a forest which is losing its life... Not dying, exactly, but slowly falling asleep, never to reawaken. Not that I don't love Lothlorien, but I am young. I have a long time of this world to love still before I leave it, and my people are going away. All I wish is to find a place of life to love as my people before have done long ago. But if the members of the quest do not wish me to go, I suppose I shall go elsewhere to search."

"As far as I can remember, we have not turned away new questers who truly could help us," Blossomshade mused. "You may be more useful than you think. Perhaps if you could find a need that must be filled and fill it, they wouldn't be so adamant against you remaining with us."

"Perhaps..." Aerin trailed off into thought. "Thank you, Blossomshade. If you don't mind, I think I will return to camp now. We will talk again soon, I trust."

"Of course."
_______________

Once back in camp, Aerin found her way to Quickleaf and sat on her heels beside him.

"Quickleaf..." she began. "Haldis told you that you would regain your sight, and so you are continuing on this journey, right? I was wondering... Would you like a guide until your sight returns? I know that it is just your sight gone, but still you will need someone to help make sure you do not lose the company or run into TOO many trees... Someone to help you pack and unpack... I would be honored if you would allow me to be your guide, to be your eyes until your own are healed."

[orithil]

Hedrim stood over a map staring down at it along with the scholor Branwyn, and studying the route they were to take. "Well..." Hedrim mused "If we leave tommorow morn then we should be able to avoid bad weather at least for a while" he traced his finger along the map, "Here" he said. "We head in this direction to an area that was deforested by the men of the north, hopefully we might find a village to restock at", Hedrim looked back at the map "Once we find a place to re-stock we will think about our next plan of action...Branwyn, could you tell everyone to assemble round the fire" Brawyn nodded and walked off to call everyone to meeting.

[Aikanáro]

Tabrîl glared at Haldis. 'No,' she said slowly. 'Doubtless if a servant of Ba'ilkôro himself wished to join this company they would not be turned away. You are all too trusting. Do as you will, then.' She knew that her opinions likely meant absolutely nothing to them, and it was frustrating. It was not as if she had the option to simply leave them to the fate their foolishness would undoubtedly eventually bring them.

The news that Quickleaf's eyes would heal she barely heard. It was not as if it concerned her overmuch in any case. He was a nuisance, but not a threat – like most of those in the group, she suspected.

Tired of listening to the others, Tabrîl walked some distance away from the camp and sat alone. She waved away Branwyn in irritation as he came to tell her of the meeting that was being held. It would involve discussion of topics she ought not to know about, she thought, or her contributions to the talk of issues that did concern her would be summarily ignored, as usual. Either way, there was no reason to attend.

She took Abasi's t'rai from her belt and began to sharpen it. Not that it needed sharpening, but Tabrîl could not bear to be idle just now.

[feawen]

"I for one agrue with you." Nami whispered as she walked past Tabril to join that others. "Not that you care of course what i think but still!"

As she nearied the others she cast a quick eye over the map. "There's a small market town near there, full of traders, elves, man and the odd Dwarf are know to trade their wares there." Nami plonked her self next to Quickleaf, giving him a little friendly poke in the ribs to let him know she was there.
"There is a very good inn there too, we should be able to rest up and restock for a few days."

[Coffeehouse]

Quickleaf sat near the fire. Or so he imagined as he listened to the crackling sound of popping wood. There were voices here and there, the wizard walking about, sitting about, Quickleaf couldn't tell, but the murmurs were of Radaghast sure enough. By the sound of it both Tabril and Abasi had joined the campsite, the companionship at last gathered in full numbers.
Feeling a slight swoosh, Quickleaf sensed the air of Aerin and she spoke to him about his injury, offering her help. No sooner had Nami joined him on his other side, giving him a light poke, and then he knew she was back to her cheerful self again.
Smiling with a distant stare to them both, Quickleaf searched around on the ground for the water bottle he had borrowed, until he found it, and drank. "Thank you for your concern Aerin. Through woods, past creeks and over streams.. yes I'm sure I will need help. But you need not worry. The voice of my companions will be a good lead, and I will be sure to ask when I can't find the way myself." Quenching his thirst, Quickleaf heard of the tavern. It made him quite curious, he hadn't been much in taverns. What is was most curious about though was the map, and the writings Radaghast kept reading from. They had now been in this campsite for some time, and the madness of Dol Guldur had yielded results. It was time for them to move, time for them to focus.

For all they knew, time was working against them. Yes the darkness of Mordor had receded, but there was still the East. A patchwork of nothing and everything under the sun..

[feawen]

Nami smiled and give Quickleaf another light hearted poke, "I think we should rope you to one of us so you can not throw your self down another hole! Maybe Bloomshade! You'd be heard put to get her down a hole or lost! Where's Quickleaf? There he is next to the entwife!"

Absent mindedly Nami begain playing with a loose bit of her in front of her eyes, uncurling it and letting it ping back up.

"That Inn has very good ale and wine i seem to remember...the market was good too" Nami laughed and nugged Quickleaf lightly, "We could get you some straight arrows!"

[Coffeehouse]

Quickleaf laughed hearing the insane plan to tie him to the Ent.
"He-he she would tie me up on a branch and abandon me between the leaves, pretending she'd lost me! You'll need to buy for me though. I can't imagine someone selling me arrows in my condition. If I have heard correctly these towns and taverns are filled with suspicion. Our companionship, including this blinded fruitcake with pointy ears.. He-he I can imagine the looks"

[feawen]

Nami returned his laugh, "If you get into any more trouble i'll roped you to a tree and leave you there! Can you image it though! An Ent and an Entwife, a blind elf roped to one of them trying to buy arrows, a gray old man with a stick, a few of sore faced elfs and a couple of other odd bodies all walk into town for a drink! It sounds like a bad joke!"