Chapter 3

Terror in Mirkwood

The large group of Elves rode together for a few days, and then the twins broke off with Taurnil and Ethelon and the riders that went with them, leaving Avadiel with Glorfindel, Erestor, Ohtar, and the riders that went with them.

Avadiel shifted uncomfortably in her saddle. Even as they rode, she could feel Erestor's glare at her back. She wasn't fond of Erestor, who was Elrond's chief counselor and the feeling was mutual on Erestor's part. She knew by instinct that Erestor had disagreed with Elrond's decision to let her go on this journey. As she rode along, she tried to think of a reason for Erestor to dislike her so, and the only thing she could come up with was the time when she was barely an adult and she and Elladan had played a prank on Erestor. To be fair, it had been Elladan's idea and he had been much older than Avadiel. And besides, Erestor's hair had only been green for a few months before the dye finally washed out. She giggled at the memory.

"What is funny?" Glorfindel asked as he pulled Asfaloth to a trot next to Sirdail.

Avadiel looked over at him and tried to judge the mood he was in, then looked behind her to see how far Erestor was. He glared at her from behind, and she turned back to Glorfindel.

"I was just thinking of the time Erestor's hair was turned green," she commented loud enough for her voice to carry behind her. She giggled again when she saw Glorfindel's lips twitch.

Erestor nudged his horse forward to the other side of her, "There is nothing funny about it. What completely undignified behavior!"

The ellon kicked his horse's sides and the trot turned to a gallop as he picked up the pace. Avadiel laughed out loud at Erestor's predictable reaction. He was such a highbrow, she thought as he rode ahead with his nose slightly turned upwards. Briefly, she wondered if he had ever even had fun as an elfling or if he had always been such a serious rules-follower.

"Avadiel!"

Her eyes focused, and she realized she had been caught up in daydreams as the rest of the group hurried ahead. She tapped Sirdail's sides with her heels and the mare's gait turned to a gallop as Avadiel tried to catch up with the group.

"We will reach the edge of the forest soon," Glorfindel told her when she caught up to him. "Listen to me now and do as I say. Once we get into the shadows of the forest, stay close to me. The Great Spiders feed on warm blood. Be on your guard. If I tell you to go for help, you must do it. Once we reach the Narrows of the Forest, Erestor and his group will go their way and we will continue on to the Forest River."

Avadiel only nodded in reply, but her uncle's words thoroughly terrorized her thoughts. She had heard tales of the Great Spiders, but always thought they had been exaggerated. Now though, she wasn't so sure and it made her less than confident of her defense skills.

The group rode quietly into the woods and after a while, Avadiel became convinced that there were no Great Spiders, and relaxed in the saddle. It had been quiet for several hours when suddenly Sirdail jolted to the side. Avadiel let out a scream as a huge spider landed on the path in front of them. She lost her balance as Sirdail reared, and she tried desperately to stay mounted.

"Avadiel, go!" she heard Glorfindel yell at her. A second spider had dropped to the ground behind the group, and Avadiel was still struggling to right herself. Finally, she was completely in the saddle, and she looked around at the situation. The others that she had been riding with were now defending themselves with their bows and arrows, and Avadiel pulled her bow off her back to help.

"I said get out of here," Glorfindel called. "Go get help!"

Avadiel was really scared now, but there was no way she was going to leave her uncle. She used her thighs to hold her position on her mare and pulled an arrow out of her quiver. She set it in the string of her bow and aimed it at the spider blocking the path ahead. She let the arrow fly, and it hit the target. She reached her hand back for another arrow, and a third spider dropped directly in front of the Sirdail.

The horse reared again, and kicked out at the attacker with her front legs. Avadiel fell from the saddle and landed with a hard thud on her side. She groaned in pain, and turned just in time to see the spider's stinger moving towards her. She reacted in time to roll out of the way and quickly stood. Everyone else was in battle against several more spiders that had now joined in the attack, and Avadiel knew she was in trouble. Her sword was with Sirdail, who had run off, and she had let go of her bow when the horse had reared, so she was now without a weapon. She dodged the oncoming attack of the spider, and looked around for anything she could use as a weapon.

"Glorfindel!" she yelled, panicked as she dodged the spider's stinger for a third time. She ran towards her uncle and the rest of the group, but tripped on her way there. She turned on her back and saw the spider advancing toward her. She crawled backwards until the spider stuck its great face towards her and she kicked it hard. She turned to her hands and knees so that she could get up, but a stabbing pain went through her leg and her body went tense for a moment, then limp and she fell to the ground. She heard her uncle call her name, then the sound of many hoof beats and the distinct sounds of bowstrings twanging. Then everything went black.

~TBC~