The old elf stiffened, listening to a sound from the woods behind their
small cottage. The young elf at her side closed her eyes, concentrating on
the sound. "What is that, Ereniel?" she whispered, more than a little
uneasy. The older elf shook her head, as if trying to dispel a bad dream.
"Don't worry, child," she admonished her companion. "It's only a whisper
in the leaves." But as she heard the unearthly sound again, she shivered
slightly. "A mere whisper in the leaves."
~~~~~~~~~~~
The elf laughed and patted his horse. "Yes, Ylaneth, I agree. It's time to go back." The horse nickered in response and lifted his front legs slightly, a joyful dance step on the forest floor. Suddenly the horse laid his ears back along his head and whinnied in fear. The elf heard it too, and turned in the direction the sound came. Faint footfalls, and an unearthly growl. "Run, Ylaneth," he urged his mount, "quickly!" The horse needed no other encouragement, and flew quickly over the path. The footfalls sounded closer now, and came more quickly. The elf frowned and looked about him. His horse was one of the fastest in his father's stable, and it was no ordinary animal that could keep up with him. A growl sounded almost behind him, and he chanced a quick glance. His heart fell within him as he saw the beast that chased them - a warg! What brought this one here, he didn't know, and only hoped that it traveled alone. In the forest, in the growing darkness, they were no match for a pack. The elf knew he had only one chance. He balanced himself precariously on the back of his horse. "Ylaneth, go home. Get help," he whispered in the horses' ear. He heard the warg's breath behind them - it was very close now, and getting closer. "Go, Ylaneth!" the elf yelled and jumped into the trees overhead. He caught hold of the branch and the horse galloped into the night. The warg jumped at the same time the elf did and managed to snare one leg. The elf gasped as the animal's claws tried to find purchase in his leg, leaving a searing pain as the animal fell to the ground. The elf blinked, trying to clear his head. Painfully he pulled himself up to the branch and lay there, his leg throbbing where the warg had managed to hook him. The warg jumped up, growling, trying to find the prey that had managed to elude him. It sniffed the air, growling, and sat down. The elf looked down at the beast below him, hoping that it didn=t have a pack waiting for it. After a few minutes the warg decided to seek other prey, and wandered off the way it had come. The elf sighed in relief and maneuvered himself to a more comfortable position in the tree. He leaned into the trunk of the mallorn tree and surveyed his leg. It was more than a scratch, he decided, and the bleeding didn't look like it was going to stop anytime soon. He tore a piece of his grey tunic and used it to bind his leg, then tore a second piece as the blood soaked the first one through. He shivered as a breeze hit the tree and hugged himself. He got as close to the tree trunk as he could, and situated himself for a long wait.
************************************
The sun rose golden, promising to lend its warmth to a new day. Elrond stood watching the glowing orb from his balcony. He sighed and turned as a servant stood a respectful distance away. "There is no word?" Elrond knew what the answer would be, but he waited for the elf's reply anyway. "No, Lord Elrond," the servant replied. "But a new band of searchers have gone out." "Thank you, Silgaedal." Elrond turned back to the balcony. "Have the stable ready my horse. I will go out myself." The servant nodded and turned to go. "May Elbereth guide you," he whispered. Elrond closed his eyes. "And protect my son," he added to himself.
*************************************
~~~~~~~~~~~
The elf laughed and patted his horse. "Yes, Ylaneth, I agree. It's time to go back." The horse nickered in response and lifted his front legs slightly, a joyful dance step on the forest floor. Suddenly the horse laid his ears back along his head and whinnied in fear. The elf heard it too, and turned in the direction the sound came. Faint footfalls, and an unearthly growl. "Run, Ylaneth," he urged his mount, "quickly!" The horse needed no other encouragement, and flew quickly over the path. The footfalls sounded closer now, and came more quickly. The elf frowned and looked about him. His horse was one of the fastest in his father's stable, and it was no ordinary animal that could keep up with him. A growl sounded almost behind him, and he chanced a quick glance. His heart fell within him as he saw the beast that chased them - a warg! What brought this one here, he didn't know, and only hoped that it traveled alone. In the forest, in the growing darkness, they were no match for a pack. The elf knew he had only one chance. He balanced himself precariously on the back of his horse. "Ylaneth, go home. Get help," he whispered in the horses' ear. He heard the warg's breath behind them - it was very close now, and getting closer. "Go, Ylaneth!" the elf yelled and jumped into the trees overhead. He caught hold of the branch and the horse galloped into the night. The warg jumped at the same time the elf did and managed to snare one leg. The elf gasped as the animal's claws tried to find purchase in his leg, leaving a searing pain as the animal fell to the ground. The elf blinked, trying to clear his head. Painfully he pulled himself up to the branch and lay there, his leg throbbing where the warg had managed to hook him. The warg jumped up, growling, trying to find the prey that had managed to elude him. It sniffed the air, growling, and sat down. The elf looked down at the beast below him, hoping that it didn=t have a pack waiting for it. After a few minutes the warg decided to seek other prey, and wandered off the way it had come. The elf sighed in relief and maneuvered himself to a more comfortable position in the tree. He leaned into the trunk of the mallorn tree and surveyed his leg. It was more than a scratch, he decided, and the bleeding didn't look like it was going to stop anytime soon. He tore a piece of his grey tunic and used it to bind his leg, then tore a second piece as the blood soaked the first one through. He shivered as a breeze hit the tree and hugged himself. He got as close to the tree trunk as he could, and situated himself for a long wait.
************************************
The sun rose golden, promising to lend its warmth to a new day. Elrond stood watching the glowing orb from his balcony. He sighed and turned as a servant stood a respectful distance away. "There is no word?" Elrond knew what the answer would be, but he waited for the elf's reply anyway. "No, Lord Elrond," the servant replied. "But a new band of searchers have gone out." "Thank you, Silgaedal." Elrond turned back to the balcony. "Have the stable ready my horse. I will go out myself." The servant nodded and turned to go. "May Elbereth guide you," he whispered. Elrond closed his eyes. "And protect my son," he added to himself.
*************************************