Long Lost Leaves

[The Sasquatch of Fangorn]

Borin took another swig of ale, looked around to see everyone sleeping and yelled "What's the matter with you people? Been taking grumpy lessions from Abasi?"

[Acalewia]

Aelfwine smiled at Ellysa's comment.
"Their pride is something else," After that the two walked in silence, listening to the murmer of conversation in different languages.

Later, after joining the other camp and eating, Aelfwine watched Ellysa practice with her weapon. She was a warrior of sorts to Aelfwine's eyes. She felt content to watch the others. Nami and Quickleaf had formed a fast friendship, as did Abasi and Tabrîl. She didn't know if the latter two would be joining them. Carnehilion sat away from the others a bit; he wouldn't be talking for a little while since being burned during the spider attack. The others mingled and sang and played music. Before long, she found herself in a dreamless sleep.

[Willow Oran]

Abasi's approach brought Haldis out of her thoughts, she had not thought her actions observed, she was usually very good at getting people not to notice her.
But to ask permission to ask what she had done... well,
"Yes, you may ask permission," She said, "But I do not think I should grant it. I have acted as the Forest bid me and," she added, seeing him steal a glance at his weapons, "Any conflict that results, as it will at first, may not be resolved with steel."
Her face softened slightly, she wished she could explain, but the explanation was not his to hear, "Go to your rest, the first excuse must be heard by another."

[Aikanáro]

Tabrîl awoke before dawn, meaning to set off early. She did not wish to have to explain herself, or to say farewell. To any who understood why she went, such gestures were unnecessary, and those who did not understand did not merit explanations. Silently she stood, gathered her things, put on her cloak - but something did not feel right this morning. There was something strange in the air, something drawing her away.

Drawing her towards the mortal woman, Haldis, she thought suddenly, and shook her head at the absurdity of it. She was not a child, to harbour fears of the night and threats unseen. Haldis was harmless, was sleeping, and Tabrîl ought to have more sense than to entertain such thoughts.

She left the group then, heading back into the forest, back the way they had came the previous day. And for a time all was well, and Tabrîl walked in contentment, watching the dawning sun slowly eclipse the last stars. But after a while the undergrowth grew thicker than she had remembered, and it became more difficult for her to pick out a path. Had she taken a wrong turning? Tabrîl frowned. It was not like her, to lose her way, and yet it was possible, so she retraced her steps, looking again for the right path.

Again the greenery grew thick around her, and this time in her impatience Tabrîl decided simply to clamber over it, it would be worth the discomfort of a few scratches, to end this delay. But no sooner had she climbed a little way then the branch she clung to gave way, unable to support her weight, and she fell heavily to the ground.

Cursing under her breath, Tabrîl slowly got to her feet. That branch should have held, she thought. Had it been rotten? She examined it, and it did not appear so. But then it seemed that very little was what it appeared to be, in this place where paths would be blocked overnight, and old trails seemingly vanish.

What was she to do? Tabrîl wandered for hours, trying to find a way out of the forest, a way back to terrain that was familiar. She even went so far as to hack away the undergrowth with her sword-blade, for all that it was disrespectful to the land to do so, for she grew desperate. Yet it seemed to replenish itself, twice as thickly in some places. She stopped looking only for the path to her homeland, seeking instead any way at all that might lead her out, but the forest only closed in more tightly around her.

She was a m'had'i, Tabrîl reminded herself in irritation, when she felt close to giving in. She would feel no fear, she would not relent, and she would find her way out, no matter how long it might take her. With that in mind, she pressed on, and it seemed there was a clearing ahead of her, perhaps her perseverance had won her escape.

Tabrîl staggered out of the forest, her cloak torn, bruised from her falls, covered in scratches and cuts from brambles and sharp twigs and a hundred other minor annoyances that mattered not a bit to her - right into that same clearing where she had started off, back to Abasi and the group of uwindi. She looked about her, wild-eyed, and cried out, 'Who is it, that has worked such sorcery upon me?!'

[Willow Oran]

After Abasi had left her, looking confused and radiating suspiscion, Haldis had taken the precaution of working a protection on herself. She needed to sleep, and it would not do to wake with a blade at her throat.

Waking now to Tabrîl's cry, Haldis was glad of it, for the elf looked ready to kill; and Haldis could hardly blame her, it looked as though she had discovered the consequence of straying under the binding spell.

Nevertheless, it would be deplorable to work such a spell and then not admit it. Tabrîl had a right to know. Haldis stood, slowly, calmly and held up her braceleted wrist for Tabrîl to see, and said, "The Forest has decreed that you and I should stay together for a while."

[Aikanáro]

Examining her own wrist, Tabrîl backed away instinctively in alarm. What had this woman done to her?! She tugged at the thin bracelet of hair, but it would not come loose, so she took one of her sharp knives from her belt to cut it, but still it held.

Tabrîl replaced the knife, but kept her right hand very firmly on the hilt of her sword, and walked closer to Haldis, until she was directly opposite her, almost too close for comfort.

'I know not what you have done,' she said coldly, 'and I do not wish to know. Do not tell me. Simply release me from it, now, and all will be well. If you will not, then you will die.' It was not a threat uttered in anger so much as a simple statement of fact.

[Willow Oran]

"I would not carry out that threat," Haldis warned, "I have used a very old form of magic. It pays no mind to death. If you kill me, you will follow and the Forest will keep both our spirits here."

[Aikanáro]

In a single, fluid movement, Tabrîl stepped back and drew her sword from its scabbard, and she had its glinting edge at Haldis' throat within an instant.

'I do not believe you,' she said slowly. 'Spirits are not my concern. Sharp steel is, and think not for a second that my threats are idle. Lift your curse at once!' she demanded.

[Willow Oran]

"It is no curse and cannot simply be lifted," Haldis said sharply, holding her ground. She could feel the faint pressure of the protective spell in the sliver of air between the blade and her throat, even if Tabrîl dealt her a blow that might behead her, that sliver of air between them would remain and Haldis would be unharmed.
Which was good, for her next admission would almost certainly cause the elf to try, "The Forest granted me the knowledge and power for the casting only, I cannot release us from its bounds."

[Aikanáro]

'You cannot?!' This was too much for Tabrîl. If it was a lie, then Haldis had offended her beyond what even the most patient would tolerate. And if it were true...

Death would end it, of this Tabrîl was sure. Nothing lived beyond the Dark. With an almost unnatural precision she swung her sword, struck at Haldis. Likely the woman's death would lead the others to attack her, but this Tabrîl did not fear. She would defeat them, and return home - or she would not, and die honorably, as befitted a m'had'i. Either way, there would be no doubt.

Except that somehow Haldis escaped harm. Tabrîl knew her strike had been true, and that it should have been a killing one. And yet Haldis stood before her, and a shiver ran down Tabrîl's spine. What sorcery was this, that she lived? It was not for the m'haid to know, it was not, but what could Tabrîl do against her?

She stood utterly still, sword still pointed at Haldis, for all that it was an empty gesture, and stared at the woman. 'If you truly cannot, then you cannot comprehend what you have done to me, to bind me to this place.'

[Willow Oran]

"Not to this place," Haldis corrected, speaking as she would to sooth an angry hive, "I have bound you to me and myself to you and at the command of forces beyond our ken. I do not lie, when I say that I have not the knowledge to unbind us, but I shall find it out, and when the binding has outlived its purpose I shall release us."

[Coffeehouse]

The unmistakeable sound of blade cutting the morning air sent waves of adrenalin through Quickleaf. He leapt to his feet, made a 4-step pace to Nami, grabbed an arrow, swirled around, aimed and bellowed out
"Step away from Haldis, Tabril or you will find yourself missing an eye! Drop your sword immediately!"

[Aikanáro]

'And what if you do not find it?' Tabrîl's future was looking more bleak to her by the second. 'What if I am bound to you forever?!'

This talk of forces she did not believe. Haldis had done this to her, and she would find a way to kill her - if not honorably, by the blade, then some other method. She had to be free of it, she had to return - to her home, her in'kasha, Mother to the people, who would surely note her absence, to her Brothers and Sisters in the halls of the m'haid. She could not remain with Haldis, not like this!

'It has no purpose,' she said stubbornly. 'None, and you had no right, and for that you will die, Haldis, be sure of it.'

She looked over at Quickleaf then, and lowered her sword in silence. It was of no use to her now, anyway.

[Curufin]

Abasi awakened from an uncomfortable sleep when Tabrîl returned, and watched the interchange between Haldis and her with growing anger. He rose in a fluid movement, and closed the distance between them, his eyes dark with anger.

'You have not permitted me to ask, but I shall ask despite this. What have you done to her? What evil have you wrought? You have no right to bind her against her will - against her duty and honour!'

He drew his own sword.

'Perhaps she cannot kill you, but nothing binds you to me. I challenge you - who shall fight in your stead?'

Abasi's eyes then flicked to Quickleaf.

'And you, I shall challenge you as well if you dare to threaten her.'

[Coffeehouse]

Quickleaf was torn in confusion. Was this some nightmare?
As if darkness had swept over them and laid their companionship in ashes, the scene that now unfolded was unreal.
He lowered his bow, not caring to carry on this feud that would only end in tragedy if minds did not cool.

"Tabril, Haldis, step away from each others.
Abasi, don't make matters worse. Control yourself."

Staring at Haldis and Tabril, Quickleaf enquired
"What exatly is happening between you two that you find necessary to end in death?!"

[Curufin]

Abasi turned furious eyes on Quickleaf - the only part of his face that betrayed any expression at all.

'Control myself? You know not to whom or of what you speak. It is the same with all uwindon,' he said disdainfully, keeping his sword firmly in his hand. 'You speak to me as if I were a child throwing a tantrum, instead of one defending the honour of a an-m'haid. M'had'i Tabrîl has been insulted deeply - deeper than one such as you can ever know. To bind her against her will, against her duty - it is worse than forfeiting her life. Do not treat me as an untried child when you do not know the severity of the crime I protest.'

He turned to Tabrîl then, his eyes serious.

'Do you wish for death?'

[Aikanáro]

Ignoring Quickleaf's question entirely, Tabrîl looked over at Abasi in amazement. He would challenge - on her behalf? Such a thing was almost unheard of, among those who had known each other so short a time. In other circumstances perhaps it might have indicated he thought her incapable of defending herself, and that was a terrible slight.

But this, with sorcery involved, was no ordinary challenge, and so she gave him a slight smile in gratitude. He knew what it meant, to tear her away from her people, even if none of the others did.

At his question, though, she too became utterly serious. 'If it truly cannot be broken,' she told him carefully. 'Then I must die with honor intact. I will not abandon my people nor disobey my in'kasha through desertion.'

[Curufin]

Abasi nodded once, solemnly.

'I understand. And I shall do what I must to see that your honour is preserved, should it come to that.'

[Willow Oran]

"Quickleaf, let be," Haldis commanded.

This was swiftly becoming out of hand, though not unexpectedly. Instead of replying, Haldis cast her mind to the Forest once more, relaying to it Abasi's challange and Tabrîl's distress. No words would placate them, that much she knew.

It responded, and the force of the mind of the land was such that Haldis could not help but open her mind along the bond, so that it spoke not just to her.

The Forest needed no words to communicate its mind. It had desires and a muddle of images of discords and finally the words, the binding words with all their meanings washed over and over the minds of the women so that they stood still, frozen with the shock of explanation till the mind of the Forest withdrew leaving only knowing and the feeling of a smug and uncanny satisfaction.

[Aikanáro]

Tabrîl met Abasi's gaze, and again she was grateful. She did not believe she would require his aid, but if her hand should falter at the last moment, she would rather have honor upheld, she would be glad of his presence.

'An-m'haid,' she said to him softly, 'I thank you, for that.'