Long Lost Leaves - part II

[Mari]

Ellysa looked at the horses and the people packing up. Not another day in the saddle...! *sigh* I really wish I could fly or run real fast.
With another sigh, she walked up to Carnehilion. "Would you mind if I rode with you today? Aelfwine seems to want to talk to that stranger, so I don't want to be a bother."

After Carnehilion nodded an approval, Ellysa started stroking the horse, remembering that Carnehilion had told her that the horse liked it. If only she could remember the horse's name...

[orithil]

Hedrim raised his head and then nodded. "Yes, of course I will go see to preparations" and turned, looked back at Magor and then walked off. 'What a very strange man...' he thought to himself.

[Ingwe]

Ingwionis nodded at the sight he now beheld. "What beautiful ground. A'mael, you won't see better ground than this where we're heading. What a far cry from the shadows of Dol Guldur."

[Midge]

As the company moved away from their camp, Magor rode beside Aerin near the front of the company. While she rode with her face steadily looking forward, Aelf kept up with him, discussing their past together and what all had changed since they were children.

Aerin looked constantly ahead. Haldis had told her where Radagast's next marker would be and what it would be. She entrusted Aerin with watching for it, as her mules were naturally slower than all the horses. Aerin rode alongside Magor and Aelfwine and listened and learned a lot about this stranger that she'd dragged into the group.

[Willow Oran]

Haldis was glad to be moving again. Such a large group was difficult to manage and she would be glad when they rejoined Radagast and she could relinquish this unofficial leadership. The new man seemed to already know Aelfwine, a good sign, and the rest of the group were for once being efficient and not arguing.
This was possibly due to the currently state of practical invisibility that Abasi and Tabril were maintaining. Haldis had caught brief glimpses of the two, keeping their watch and counsel a little ways off from the rest, and she was always aware, in the back of her mind, of Tabril's distance and direction from herself.
It was calmer this way, but Haldis hoped the two elves would deign to show themselves and perhaps even talk a little at some point soon. With Radagast off on some errand and Truor spending most of his time as a bear, Haldis was left lacking those of the party whom she was most comfortable speaking with. Silly, given the size of the party, but it was.

[Coffeehouse]

The company had set off for the day's journey. Leaving the lush forest they were going to make their way across more open terrain, where the hills rolled and the vegetation was sparser. Quickleaf had never been in this area before and was slightly on alert, sometimes stopping and gazing far ahead to see what was to come. Yet little did they see save the changing of the nature around them, and for once the company endured relative peace beneath the clear skies of the Rhûn. Quickleaf looked forward to reaching the river, yet they would need to figure out how to cross it, and how they would make contact with the Brown Wizard.

[Earniel]

The open terrain made travel easier and the adventurers made good progress. The mules determined the steady pace. After a ten-day of continual travel, they neared the river Celduin at last. The land was still very open here, but it was turning hilly, and so the Celduin lay hidden from their view for several days.

The lands near the river had more growth, copses of trees, shrubs and high-growing bushes. This lessened the company's pace. But on the last day, the Elves among them could hear the murmuring of the river long before they saw it. Soon the others could make out the sound too.

There was another sound they heard that they had not been expecting. Snatches of Elvish songs could be heard, coming from the river.

[feawen]

The jounary had been unadvantful and Nami had spent most of it riding by Quickleaf or Ellysa. Nature passed then by as they rode at the standy pace. As the land grow hilly, Nami's ears caught the sound of fast running water and snatchers of Elven song. A bright smile acrossed her face as she clapped her hands excited and laughed. "Hear that! Thats elves! Yay!".

[orithil]

'Hear that! Thats elves! Yay' Hedrim heard Nami exclaim excitedly. He cantered to the front of the group and he himself could now hear the song and music.

Hedrim rode a little closer trying to find the source of the music.

[Varnafindë]

At the camp of the raft-elves

Barufiniel knew that when she had mentioned her singing, she would be challenged to share it. Not that she really minded, either - she enjoyed singing, and her cousin Nimlothel had taught her some new songs while they were on their way to the Grey Havens. In fact, Nimlothel had checked that Barufiniel knew every song she knew herself, as far as she could remember. Leaving, she wanted to leave her knowledge behind, which Barufiniel thought was a good sentiment. And it involved learning some songs that Nimlothel hadn't thought of teaching her earlier.

So she had quite a good repertoire to entertain the raft-elves with. And some of the songs were good for a sing-along, too, which they all enjoyed. Some even were suited for singing while they worked. Barufiniel was helping them preparing everything for the adventurers they were all expecting, and sometimes, when they needed a break, she would take out her lyre to accompany the singing. Nimlothel had left her her grand harp, which she would yet have to learn how to play, and which she had left at home at Imladris. The lyre was better suited for travelling.

A second group of raft-elves with a load of wine-caskets going north to Thranduil's halls had just arrived. They would carry on northwards later in the day. The rafters were enjoying a well deserved break, and were served a good meal.

When the meal was nearly finished, Sirandion said, "I don't think you've heard our guest here - she's been singing for us. Why don't you teach them the song you taught us yesterday, Barufiniel? It's a very good working-song, and good fun, too."

"A very good idea," Barufiniel smiled.

She fetched her lyre, and soon they were all singing the new song.

[Coffeehouse]

Quickleaf chuckled lightly "That is the sound of Elves!", which put to rest any lingering doubt he'd had about their way forward beyond crossing the River.

[Midge]

Blossomshade heard excitement among their procession as they approached the River. She had enjoyed watching it as they approached: A long, snaky silver string marking off the land, beautiful and so refreshing-looking. She began to be excited along with her smaller companions.
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Magor and Aelfwine had exhausted their repertoire of memories a couple of days before they could hear the River-Elves songs ringing out. When their laughter and enjoyment of walking through "old times" (at the mention of those words, Aerin scoffed. 'Old times,' thought she, 'They've no idea of what "old times" are! I'VE no idea of what "old times" are!') had quietened down, they were content to ride alongside Aerin and watch for Radagast's indicators of which direction they should go. They had no idea of where they were going, really, other than the fact that it would eventually lead them to the River. Unfortunately (in Aerin's mind), their other companions were already looking forward to what they knew they would find somewhere on the River: Dorwinion wine. And now it sounded as though they'd found it sooner than was hoped for.

Magor and Aelf rode their horses silently and comfortably, as all Rohirrim should. They heard Nami's and Quickleaf's excited proclamations and settled into their saddles, waiting for what would meet them at the River. Magor noticed Aerin sat straighter in her saddle when she heard the singing and he rode up beside her. Looking at her face, he chuckled. He realized she'd been hearing Borin and Hedrim discussing the wine on the River and with the other Elves' excitement, new dread of yet another bar fight had filled her. He leaned his head close to her ear so only she could hear him.

"Don't worry," he told her. "There's no town nearby, and the River-elves are pretty friendly with their wine. You don't have to drink any. If you'd like, you and I can sit on the shore away from the drinkers and watch the stars. They're more intoxicating than wine or ale anytime, don't you think?"

She slowly turned her head to him and with an oddly cold-like look on her face ('And yet,' he thought, 'was it cold?'), she nodded.

[Earniel]

A quick string of notes from a reed-flute cut into the song of the raft-Elves. Sirandion held up his hand and the Elves fell silent. And in the hush they now could hear the band of approaching horses.

"Nendin has just spotted guests. Let us welcome them."

Turning another corner, the band of adventurers was finally close enough to catch sight of the Elf-singers. Sirandion walked to the edge of the camp and bowed to the new-comers.

"If ye be the companions of Radagast the brown wizard, be welcome! For we have been awaiting your arrival for some days now."

[orithil]

Hedrim nodded to the elf "Greetings, yes we are Radagasts companions is he here?"

[Earniel]

"No, he is not here," Sirandion said. "He has gone East to find a safe passage through the lands of the Easterlings. But he has asked us to speed your way, if we could."

"I am Sirandion," he went on, "Captain of the Raft-Elves. Some of us are returning to our home in Dorwinion, and you, I've been told, are seeking to reach the Carnen river. It would seem our paths converge for a while and our rafts can carry horses and people alike."

[Varnafindë]

Barufiniel stepped forward.

"Greetings to you all," she said. "I am another who got a letter from Gandalf, inviting me to join Radagast's quest. I am Barufiniel, daughter of Rameldir. I was not able to join you from the start, but I sent a message to Radagast, saying that I would wait for you with the Raft-elves. Whether he got that message or not, I do not know - but I hope you will accept me into your fellowship nevertheless."

[The Sasquatch of Fangorn]

"Elves?" said Borin "On rafts? Thing are more confusing these days.."

[Midge]

At Barufiniel's announcement of her possession of a letter, Aerin turned to look at the group. They had seemed oddly acceptant of any newcomer who'd desired to join their company. Barufiniel would not be turned away; she was one of those especial ones who'd been actually invited instead of just finding this group of journeyers with a purpose and deciding to tag along.

As for her part, who was she to say the group was too large? She herself was a fairly recent addition, and she'd introduced another newcomer not one moon hence. She'd heard of the idea of "strength in numbers" and figured that was true: the more people they had, the more experience, the more staunchness, the more skills, the better their chances would be of achieving their goal and coming away from this with their lives.

She turned her head back around and heard Borin's remark.

Looking at him, she tilted her head in a picture of confusedness. "Have you never heard of the Elves who transport the wine of Dorwinion up the River Running to the Greenwood Elves? They had quite a part in the story of Bilbo and the Battle of Five Armies, having had their wine casks transport the Dwarves out of the dungeons of the Elven King. I thought everyone had heard that story, or at least knew how the Dorwinion wine got moved!"
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Magor had also halted at the approach of Sirandion and Barufiniel. He watched them steadily walk up to the company and wondered if any beings alive, even the Lord and Lady of Lothlorien (whom he had never seen), had as much grace in their movements. Then he looked at Aerin and remembered that the Lady had left these shores. So maybe he was seeing the most graceful beings alive.

He wondered what they were doing as they came up to the group, and was happy to find that they were going to be travelling with these two for a while. He spoke up.

"Do you know when we'll see Radagast again? Did he leave any kind of message indicating such a thing for us?"

He was glad to have joined the group, but he felt as though he were somehow deceiving Radagast by being in the company without the leader's knowledge. He hoped to meet the wizard and set the record straight very soon.

[The Sasquatch of Fangorn]

"I do indeed know that story." said Borin puzzled "I was IN that battle. I heard that was the river-folk."

[Earniel]

"The river-folk used to transport the empty wine caskets from Mirkwood to Laketown, from where we used to collect them. They did not like us roaming their waters uninvited. But since the destruction of Laketown by the dragon Smaug and the reconstruction of the city of Dale, we have now ship the wine ourselves from the bottling to the goblet," Sirandion explained with a smile.

"But come, your journey has been long. My friends and I have been very fortunous with fishing today for river pike and I am sure that will taste far better than the dried supplies you have had lately."

"To answer your question, my young friend," he said addressing Magor, "I do not know where the wizard is, nor has he left any message to that effect. Yet I assume we will meet him at the river side ere long. Wizards are known to pop up exactly where and when they are needed."

"Now, be at rest and join us for dinner. And afterwards I would very much like to hear what paths you have walked before coming to our camp. Radagast has not been able to tell us why he has brought such a diverse company so far to the East, only that you seek the Entwives. I am sure it will be a tale worth telling."