Long Lost Leaves - part II

[Midge]

As Aelfwine and Ellysa scurried off, Aerin looked around. She thought it very likely that many of the objects for which she searched might be found with Quickleaf, or perhaps that Northern lord. However, at the moment, she didn't see either of them. Noticing the two sentinel elves at hand, she turned to them and quietly asked, "Neither of you has seen any of Haldis's missing blankets, have you? Only I'm not sure where exactly they've gone." After she spoke, she hardly waited a few seconds for the proud elves to answer her. To think they would regard her the same way Aelfwine and Ellysa had was ridiculous.

[Aikanáro]

When it appeared that the meeting had ended, and the group dispersed, Tabrîl walked slowly back to the camp. The others seemed to be busy gathering together their belongings, and so Tabrîl assumed that a decision to leave had been made. Where did not concern her, nor why. As far as she was concerned, she had no choice but to follow, and so it hardly mattered.

She made no move to help with the work. What few possessions she had were already in order, and she had only to tie them to one of Haldis' mules when they were leaving. The items the others chose to carry were theirs to deal with, and the setting up and breaking of camp were not the work of a warrior while there were others to do it. Particularly not a m'had'i of Tabrîl's rank.

She watched, then, and stood a little way from Abasi, and presently that elf who had been found in the underground approached her, asked about Haldis' blankets. Tabrîl frowned.

'I have not seen them,' she said slowly. 'I have not taken them. I have no need for such things.' She met Aerin's gaze as she spoke, stared at her searchingly. 'Does Haldis believe we have them?' There was no reason she could see for such a suspicion, but it was the only motive she could see for her and Abasi to be questioned about it.

[Midge]

"She does not. I just do not know how many there are and where exactly they've all gone. I was asking to see if you knew a definite place I could look. I'm sorry if it seemed like either I or Haldis was accusing you of thievery."

Aerin turned her head to look at the camp and mentally survey the many spots Haldis' belongings could be, deciding her next stop would be the tent where Quickleaf had been taken after emerging from Dol Guldur.

[feawen]

Nami hummed to herself cheerfully as she packed her few things up, carefully folding things neatly away. Looking up she saw Ellysa pottering around the camp. Catching her eye Nami smiled brightly before quickly sticking her tongue out playfully at the young girl.

A small gray patch of cloth caught her eye, reaching over to it Nami gave it a little tug and found out two things. 1) it was one of Haldis blankets. 2) it was stuck on some thing. A little further tugging found that it was stuck to Quickleafs foot and it was moving away from her slowly as he made his great blind excape out of camp. Nami smiled at his one man path of distruction. Standing up she quickly stepped over to him, putting her hand on his arm to stop him.

"Not of fast you! Until you can see again in not letting you out of my self lest you throw your self down a hole again!"

[Willow Oran]

Meanwhile Haldis was taking inventory of the food supplies. Thanks to the aid from Lorien it seemed they had plenty for now, "Tabrîl!" She called, "Would you and Abasi take a look at the route Radagast has marked out on that map? I need an estimate on the time it will take to reach the next town, with distractions taken into account, your opinions on possible hunting on the way and a plan in case of the possibility of being hunted on the way."

She turned and spotted Quickleaf stumbling around with Nami chasing after him, "Nami, be a dear and give him a sedative. It'll be best if he sleeps till we leave tomorrow."

Shaking her head she turned back to the supplies and her mules. The animals, at least, were well rested and once she had spoken with them would never stray. Speaking of which... Haldis patted the lead mule on the nose and wandered off in search of Truor. With any luck the man could be persuaded to stay human long enough to consult with the elves on defense of the party while traveling.

[feawen]

Nami looked over to Haldis, "I would gladly but short of going off hunting for something the nearest thing to a sedative i have is a swift hit to the back of the head! Do you have anything?" Lending in slightly to Quickleaf Nami giggled slightly, "You hear that if you don't behave i get to hit you on the head to knock you out!"

[Coffeehouse]

So eager to get out into the forest, Quickleaf had forgotten that he did not know where his possessions were and that he therefore was not packed.. at all, for the great journey northeast to the Eastern Bight.
He felt the hand of Nami take hold of his arm, spinning him halfway around, telling him to stay put. Quickleaf wanted to protest, craving for a walk through the forests, but he thought better of it and decided that he better pack instead.
"Yes.. my sword, I shall need it." Quickleaf spoke wondering where in the camp he was, "and my bow. Though I do not know where I put it.", and thinking through what he had not lost Quickleaf remembered that he was a good deal poorer than he had been when he first joined the company. The Lorien arrows, the light of Lorien, his cape, his dagger, his water flask.. All gone. Dismayed Quickleaf walked towards what he thought was the direction of the camp fire, sure that if he searched around on the floor long enough he would recover his sword. Did he not leave it there?
Hearing Nami's laughter Quickleaf blushed, but he turned to her again, "You know I wouldn't even be surprised if I was hit across the head he-he."

[feawen]

Nami turned and looked at him as he blindly looked around the camp for his things. "You really want to get out of the camp don't you?" Nami lightly placed pressure on his shoulder hoping to make him sit. "Look, sit down and stay still for a bit. I'll find your things and finish packing and then we can go for a walk in the woods if you like. It would be safer. Just because i got lost in Dol Gladur does not mean you can get lost in the woods... Anyway i would like some company on a walk."

[Aikanáro]

Tabrîl nodded to Aerin. 'I forgive it,' she said quietly. 'You did not mean to accuse.' Although she still did not know what to make of this elf, and would keep close watch on her, Aerin did not seem as irritating as some of the others she travelled with. This, Tabrîl could in some small way appreciate.

Haldis called her then, and with a barely audible sigh Tabrîl went to her, glanced over the map she had. Distance she could calculate easily enough, the scale was clearly marked, if nothing else, and their route outlined.

She was not certain, however, if she ought to help them. Her people navigated by the stars themselves, by Hashanwi's grace, and by an intuitive, almost instinctive understanding of the lands they walked, and she doubted these others did likewise. She shot Abasi a questioning look, wondering if he too foresaw a problem with this plan.

'The distance I could tell you,' she said at last, 'but not the time. Your people travel slowly, and your pace is irregular at best. As for the hunting-' she shrugged indifferently, 'I cannot speak for any other, but while we are in open lands, Abasi and I at least can provide. For ourselves, and for those who do not hunt. I cannot guess at the skill of the others.'

[Midge]

Aerin nodded at Tabril before turning to go and search that tent for blankets. On the way, she passed Borin, who was sitting there whittling a small piece of wood.

"Have you happened to see any of Haldis's many blankets, Dwarf? They are scattered about for the generosity of the woman, and I know not for sure where to look for them."

Keeping an eye out for other things which might be Haldis's, Aerin noticed Nami chasing after Quickleaf out of the corner of her eye. She had no idea where those elves got these ideas... she was the youngest of all of them, yet they were far more childish sometimes! Rolling her eyes, she turned back to Borin. "Do you know where I might find them?"

[orithil]

Seeing the party was now slowly beginning to move Hedrim walked to his own tent and brushed his horse. He then knelt down and began fixing light chain mail armour to his horse so that he would be protected from arrows "There you eh" he smiled and roped the rest of his belongings to his horses saddle.

[Coffeehouse]

The sound of companions going about, getting their things packed for the journey, filled the air and echoed far into the forest, birds and beasts far off hearing of the strange company that passed through southern Greenwood.

A swift icy sound buyoed between the trees surrounding the camp, and it was Quickleaf sitting by a tree, sharpening his watered-steel blade. Nami had been kind enough to fetch him some water and lend him a rag of cloth so that he could wash off the stained blood Abasi had so kindly imprinted. Though it was an invisible souvenir to Quickleaf, and he was never quite sure if all the blood had been washed away, but having recovered his dagger he carefully smoothed the sides of the sword.

For once in a while Quickleaf would look around, hoping that a glimmer of light would appear, some shred of promise that he would recover his sight. But he had yet to see it. It was troubling him less though.. the darkness did not seem as black, nor did the lack of light feel as gloomy. If anything he was hearing keener than ever before.
Feeling a brush of the wind at his face from the east Quickleaf realised it had been long since he had ventured on the outskirts of Greenwood. He had never been to the East Bight in its present state.. a vast, 50-mile grass- and bushland, a shadow of the former forest that had stood there. The predecessors of the people of Rohan had come from this area, and they had found much use for the trees back then. In any case the people of Rohan had moved.. and Quickleaf wondered if the East Bight had been abandoned for good, curious as to in what sort of state of affairs the people up there now lived. He hoped, if anything, that the forest was retaking ground, pushing back with its seeds and trees, and beasts and birds. But the dry winds of the east knew little boundaries.. thought the elf.

[Acalewia]

Aelfwine had quickly put what little she had brought with her in her pack and had set it next to Midnight's saddle. The black mare nudged her shoulder. Aelfwine stroked her nose.
"We'll be moving soon, my friend. Patence," Midnight snorted. She smiled and then laughed as she caught sight of Nami chasing Quickleaf. When the blind elf had finally been caught and set down, a sadness crept into the Rohirric woman. Would Quickleaf regain his sight? She tried to push it from her mind and turned to her horse.
"Do you mind bearing two riders, Midnight?" Midnight shook her head. "Good. I'll see if Ellysa is willing to continue her lessions as we leave," Aelfwine went to find the Haradrim woman.

[Willow Oran]

"I suspect that most can at least forage," Haldis said, smiling wryly, "Ah well, I suppose we'll either have enough or we won't. I'm a bit worried that we'll move too slowly or lose the route and run out of supplies. You and Abasi are by far the least distractable warriors here, Tabrîl. If you will scout ahead and hunt, I think that would ease the journey greatly..." she paused, thinking, "Talk to Truor, he is lurking over in those bushes there, he does not like elves much, but I think you'll find him useful. At the very least he can range far ahead and beside in bear form."

After seeing Tabrîl in Trour's direction Haldis cast a glance around the camp, ascertaining that things were as well as usual and then went to gather Radagast's forgotten scrolls and papers.

[Curufin]

"Whether he likes us or not is immaterial and irrelevant," Abasi said sharply. "It is an uwindi need to be adored by everyone around them, and causes many of you great deal of grief. It is enough that we work together and do not insult each other enough to provoke challenge."

He crossed his arms.

"I still see little time to speak to him. We do not need his help to find the way; he is a strange and dangerous Uwindi to whom we will be better off not giving our trust."

Then, turning his back on Haldis as if to dismiss her, he gently traced Tabrîl's ear with his fingers and addressed her in an undertone.

"Can we speak in private?"

[Aikanáro]

Tabrîl was glad of Abasi's interruption. She had no wish to speak with this Truor unless it was necessary, and suspected Haldis might have continued pushing her in his direction regardless. Haldis had said what she wanted of them, and Tabrîl had told her how much of it she thought feasible, and that should have been enough.

She looked over at Abasi, smiled slightly at his touch. 'Of course. That is, if we might find any privacy here.' They would have to walk quite a distance from the camp, she thought, and so set off with him to find a place where they might speak without interruption.

[Curufin]

Abasi walked to the edge of the camp before switching into Avarin. If they were overheard, at least they would not be understood; not in their native tongue.

"We have had little time to truly speak since we arrived here," he said in a gentle tone, "and that grieves me. We have had little time for our friendship to develop, although I should very much like it to be more than that. Do you feel the same?"

[Coffeehouse]

Having sharpened his sword, Quickleaf used his hands to search around him, making sure he had packed everything..

The green elven sack he had carried since his days as a Captain in the Lorien army had withstood the lunacy of the last couple of days, and Quickleaf had gathered all his possessions in it.
He placed his sword back in the hilt and leapt to his feet, pulling the rope tied to his sack over his shoulder and tightening it so that the sack hung behind him so that he did not have to grip it with his hands while travelling.
Unsure of where Hedrim was, Quickleaf voiced out the King's name, meanwhile chewing on some of the dried meat from the hunt he and Nami had been on just prior to the abyss of Dol Guldur.

[The Sasquatch of Fangorn]

"So." said Borin approching Quickleaf "How are your wouds healing?"

[orithil]

Hedrim looked up, Quickleaf had called out his name. He finished putting the last bits and pieces into a bag and then walked across the camp to where Quickleaf was, "I see your wounds are healing, what is it that you needed?"