Long Lost Leaves - Part III

[Varnafindë]

Barufiniel had only heard the others talk about the shadow martens, she hadn't been there when they were freed. She only hoped that they would be friendly - perhaps even be of some help.

[Earniel]

It was becoming a curious scene, Radagast mused. Here was he with all his companions, probably mere yards away from the Entwives they had been seeking although he could not fanthom where they were hidden or why they hadn't shown themselves. And then there were these mysterious wind-creatures who had them surrounded but did not appear to know what to do next, all the while with the voice of the Guardian in the background as she had run out of reproaches and complaints and was now only sobbing loudly and wretchedly.

Radagast felt that if they were to get out of this impasse, it would be up to him. Animals usually liked him, he hoped that worked for incorporeal ones too.

"Good day," he addressed the shadowy creatures and tipped his wizard's hat in greeting. "We seem to bump into one another in various places, but we haven't had the chance yet to actually exchange greeting."

The martens exchanged uncertain glances, confirming to Radagast that they hadn't thought things through either before entering this cave and revealing themselves to the adventurers.

One of the creatures came a hesitant step forward. "You will not hurt Mother," it said with more determination than it probably possessed.

"We have no intention of doing that," Radagast said soothingly. "We actually only came here to free her fellow prisoners. We mean your eh... mother no harm."

"Mother?" the shadow marten turned around as if to seek confirmation. The Guardian didn't show any sign she had even noticed the new-comers. The sobbing continued unabated.

"Mother!"

"I think you can see she is not well," Radagast volunteered carefully. "Which incidentally has nothing to do with us," he added speedily.

"I don't trust you," the shadowy rodent said.
"That is most unfortunate," Radagast replied with a sigh.
"You fight among yourselves."
"Ah, so you did see that fight between Abasi and Quickleaf. Well, all I can say is that young blood runs hot occassionally." Radagast had no compunction about calling First Age Elves 'young' as far as he was concerned he had even more seniority.

"You claim you do not wish to hurt Mother, but you march with an army at your heels."
"Army, what army?" Radagast asked confused. He pointed at the group of adventurers behind him. "I will not deny that almost all are armed, but one can hardly call my friends here an army..."

The shadow marten hissed. "Do you think us fools, wizard? We can count. Ten scores of soldiers. Three scores of archers. Strange devices pulled by fourfooters. All on their way here. What do you call that?"

In the stunned silence that followed, Radagast repeated his question with alarm. "What army?"

[feawen]

"Army? But we saw no such army following us." was Namis surpised response to this new piece of infomation, but at the hissed reply of reproach from the shadowy new comers she quickly added, "Not that i do not believe your information." Nami looked towards Radagast, "I think we need find a quick end to this, if there is such an army on its way if they are not with us then i dont think we have the numbers to match it."

[Acalewia]

Aelfwine let the information sink in.
"They must be after the Entwives. Not to rescue but to distroy," She motioned to her companions. "Nami's right. We haven't the numbers to stand against an army that size. This is a far cry from Helm's Deep,"

[Earniel]

"Who'd want to destroy the Entwives?" Radagast asked baffled. "what good would that do to anyone? And how could they have known? It's not like we advertised what we were doing and where we were going to anyone. But those questions will have to wait. Everybody out! We may not have much time before they get here and we better use that time to prepare!"

Leaving the Guardian and the shadow martens to their own devices, Radagast led out the rest out of the cave. Finding the Entwives would have to wait until there wasn't an unknown army with unknown intentions coming.

Blinking into the sunlight, Radagast surveyed their camp. All seemed in order. The horses and mules were calmly grazing. Out of habit, he counted them. There was one missing.

He turned around and counted his fellow adventurers. There was also one missing, and not unsurprisingly the one belonging to the missing horse.

"Where is Hedrim?" He asked. The others looked surprised, obviously none of them had seen the warrior leave. He had probably sneaked back out again when the rest had entered the second cave. But had he known that the army was coming? Or had the idea of confronting the Guardian spooked him enough to flee? It seemed strange, considering Hedrim had often bragged about not being afraid of anything. Oh well, that too would have to wait.

"Well," Radagast said, "we have two options, none of them particularly attractive. We either leave and try to take refuge in the Hills in which case the approaching army will undoubtedly find this place even if we block the entrance again. We left too many obvious tracks here and the way the shadow martens rearranged this place will draw attention too. And if it is us they want, they will easily find us as well, you can't hide a group as large as us with horses and mules well on such short notice.

Or we can take refuge in the cave, in which case we are likely trapped unless there is another entrance of which we don't know at the moment. We should be able to defend the entrance even against an army for some time. But then we can only hope that whoever's coming isn't interested in putting up a long siege."

[Varnafindë]

"Didn't Hedrim always talk of being King of some place I've never heard about?" Barufiniel asked. "Could it be him this army is following, and not the rest of us? I guess this might be just a fanciful notion, of course ..."

She blushed a little.

"Anyway, would it be possible for some of us to try to find out what this army is and what it wants, while the others take refuge in the cave? Perhaps even negotiations might be an option - all depending on what the army is trying to do. I'm willing to go - I shouldn't go on my own, but there shouldn't be more than two or three going either. Perhaps we should even go without our horses ..."

[feawen]

"And maybe" Nami added from where she stood near the enterence of the cave, "In case negotiations dont go well some of us can try and create some kind of defense here, outside of the cave. If all goes ill i would hope that going back into that cave is ours last place to stand and defend." Nami looked toward the horison. "Would it be wise to maybe send some form of message to our alleys for help?"

[Varnafindë]

"Do we have any allies that are close enough to reach us in time?" Barufiniel asked, a little confused.
"Might we perhaps call for help from the eagles - don't they often turn up in the nick of time?"

[feawen]

"I dont know, i was just thinking out loud" Nami replied. "I figured there is enough of us here that it was a small change that some one here who know some one around here". Nami shrugged, her glance fell on Radagast, "Heck, maybe you call down a hoard of birds to attack them!" The image made her smile, even if it was a grim one.

[Aikanáro]

Tabrîl regarded the entrance to the cave dispassionately. It was narrow enough. With a trained company of warriors she could have held it for long enough, even against an army. All it would take was a little organization and forethought. But Tabrîl didn't have a full company of Kindi warriors. What she had was...she dismissed the thought as quickly as it had come to mind. This wasn't even her fight, and it wasn't her place now to tell them what they ought to be doing. If any of them wanted her assistance, surely they would ask for it.

Somehow, the knowledge of the approaching army didn't trouble her nearly as much as the presence of that Guardian and the shadow-creatures that called it 'Mother' had done. Battle, at least, was something she understood. She looked on as Barufiniel and Nami spoke of sending for allies, and gave them a wry half-smile at the suggestion of eagles. 'If that army is half as close as we presume,' she told them, 'indeed, no aid but that from the skies might reach us.'

[feawen]

Nami looked over as Tabril spoke, she often forgot about the silent moody elves in their company. Remembering Tabril's warror heritage Nami looked from Tabril to Radagast. "I dont want to presume anything, but we need a plan if the worse does happen, and i think Tabril is the best one here to set up a good defensive postion. If you like as Radagast?"

[Aikanáro]

Tabrîl's first thought was to declare that what Nami was asking of her was nothing less than impossible, but she held back.

Don't, she told herself. They will not see it as you do. It would be better to give them what small help you can.

Tabrîl nodded to Nami. 'If we are to defend this place,' she declared, quietly but firmly, 'we do it from inside the cave. Not here. We are outnumbered and the narrowness of that entrance is our way to counter that. And those who will not fight may take shelter further inside.' She paused for a moment, considering it. 'Barufiniel is right,' she said then. 'Someone must ride out and see the number of our enemy, and their distance from us.'

[Varnafindë]

"I will do it," Barufiniel said, nodding. "Who of you will come with me? Another sharp-eyed Elf would be best."

[Midge]

Aerin quickly volunteered at Baru's request for assistance. Being silent and quick was what she knew best, of course. "I'll go," she announced.

[Varnafindë]

"Very good," Barufiniel smiled. "Let's go and find our horses, and then we'll be off at once."

[Acalewia]

Aelfwine bit her lip in thought as she looked around. Her only battle experence was sneaking among the archers at Helm's Deep and the spider battle earlier in their adventure. She looked back at the cave entrance.
"Tabril is right, the only way to defend is from the cave. It's narrow enough that the whole bit won't be able to advace within at one and may give us some advantage,"

Would Hedrim betray them?

[Midge]

Aerin quickly climbed to where Glaeren was huddling next to the other horses. Though she was mostly fearless, being of Rohan stock, she was frightened in this place, with the evil pit so close and the ground groaning under the footsteps of a huge army, getting ever louder. Her welcoming whinny almost sounded relieved. Aerin had her saddled in next to no time.

Speaking quietly, she asked Barufiniel, "Which direction were you planning on heading? Directly towards the army till we get closer, or would you rather flank them and hope that two elves can move faster than thousands of humans?"

[Varnafindë]

"While I do guess that we can move faster than they, I still think we could go directly towards them for a while," Barufiniel said, also having her horse ready. "I expect that we will see them before they see us, and then we can decide how to move. But I think that either way we should stay together."

[Earniel]

"Good luck and be careful", Radagast said to the two scouts before turning to the other preparations.

The others were already moving their gear and belongings into the cave. They had enough supplies he saw, they should be able to last for some time.

"Aelfwine," he addressed the woman of Rohan. "Give me a hand with the horses and the mules, we have to get them out of this field to higher ground. There we will wrap their hooves with tentcloth to mask their prints. Haldis and Truor will lead them further into the Hills where they will wait until it is safe to return. They'll be safer there than with us in the cave."

[Acalewia]

Aelfwine nodded and went over to the horses and mules. She, Radagast, Truor and Haldis lead the horse up the slope. There they began to wrap their hooves in cloth from the tents. Aelfwine checked twice to make sure the cloth was secure on their hooves and would also hide and hoofprints when they walked. When she reached Midnight, the mare just looked at he couriously as Aelfwine wrapped her hooves. She patted her neck.
"You can't stay here, Midnight," she said to the horse. "This isn't your battle," The rohirimm girl then checked the wrappings one last time. "They're ready to go when you are," she said. She placed a hand on her belt knife and took a deep breath.