"They came back?" Glorfindel questioned with a bewildered look on his face.
"Apparently." Elrond said quietly.
Glorfindel looked around, mainly toward the direction of the stables. "That makes no sense. Why would they come back without Elladan and Elrohir with them? Did they send them off and continued on their own path?"
Elrond shook his head. "I do not know. And where is the lady Tathardes?"
"She found an interesting set of tracks…She remains out there for curiosity's sake, in her words. It may be wise that she does, given she is second to Erestor concerning speaking to the trees."
The two elves looked dull for a moment. They had forgotten the advisor's spouse could talk to trees too…
"Has she thought of doing that?" Elrond said dumbly.
"…No."
Elrond sighed and gripped some of his hair. "Have Erestor tell her to do so, not that I know where she should look first and question the trees."
"Word can spread quickly in a forest…but I do not know trees. We shall see what we find, my lord."
'Oh! I was too absorbed following these prints I did not think to question them!' Tathardes exclaimed mentally in response to Erestor's prodding.
'Glorfindel did not think about it either, and given the fact that the twins' steeds have returned without their masters, we did not think we would have to before.' Erestor answered bluntly.
Tathardes looked around, eying one birch tree. 'Is there any place they want me to start?'
'Where you are will do. And if they cannot answer, or not give any clear answers, then have them learn from the other trees…or move elsewhere and do the same thing.'
'I am not sure how much information I will get, Erestor.' Tathardes thought cautiously. 'The trees in this forest are like children; they get excited very easily given they are not often aroused by us; and they are yet young.'
'We can try. If I must, I will try and get an answer out of the Great Oak and see if it can sense anything afoot.' Erestor sighed. 'This is a bit of an overreaction. And Gimlân misses you.'
Tathardes smiled to herself. 'I will be with you both soon, I am sure of that.'
Erestor's thought drifted away from her.
Tathardes looked a little forlorn about the pawprints before her. She would have to abandon the trail if the trees did not give any answer to help in their hunt. Just a little further, and then she will abandon it.
But before she did that, she went to the birch tree she had looked at, and placed her hand along its bark.
'Lady elf! Lady elf!' it cooed happily. 'Lady elf looks very happy today!'
'I am happy that the day has been fair and that our guests arrived last night.'
'But lady elf is looking! She got on a trail, see? I saw it! I saw it!'
'I am looking for two elf-men. They appear the same. Have you or your family seen them?'
The tree made a humming sort of sound. 'Lady elf is not looking for elf-men though. Lady elf was looking for small animals!'
Tathardes blinked. 'The animals are not my main priority, I admit. The elf-men are missing, and I want to find them. Have you seen them?'
Tathardes was not expecting the tree to get louder in excitement. 'Ammë's sister says they need you! Elf-ladies and elf-men back in Vale, they need them! They are going there! I saw them, I saw them!'
'Who is your Ammë?' The elf-maid asked the tree. She had an idea of who it was, as Erestor and her, and the memories from their own folk ages ago, had written down in a journal titled 'Tree Language'. They had decided 'Ammë' referred to Yavanna, the Valia of the earth and all that grows.
What did Vána, the queen's sister, have to do with anything with this whole thing?
'Ammë!' The tree said, sounding a little frustrated about the question. Ammë is ammë, everyone knows that!
Tathardes sighed patiently. 'Where did you last see the elf-men I am looking for?' She asked again.
'You look for animals!' The tree was upset. 'You look for them!' And the tree like a sulky toddler shut her out.
The elf-maid was…confused, to say the least. Mentions of Valier, of animals…but she did think about the tree's words. Maybe she should continue her search of those who made the pawprints. It could be important, or it was just tree spouting nonsense again. The tree did not sound urgent…so she could spend the time.
Tathardes went back to tracking.
'This has gotten much more interesting.' Tathardes mused to herself. She was led back to Imladris, or the hill before descending the vale. The pawprints led into the thick foliage of bush and tree to the right side of the path, adjacent to the cliff that slowly got bigger as a traveler goes down. Tathardes picked up her skirt to tread into the foliage. It may have been foolish to go into such a thickly covered place, as the tracks may have disappeared or were incredibly hard to see. The elf-maid had a hunch however…she had a feeling, so she kept going.
Tathardes began to regret wasting her time then. Whatever it was that she sought for and what the tree had prompted her to continue searching, it must be long gone. Tathardes sighed and moved a bush aside and stepped over a log.
A pitched squeak and yelp filled the air when she set her foot down on the ground; many other plants began being moved and shifted by whatever that was scurrying quickly through the small area. It made the elf-maid trip and she fell to her knees.
Tathardes, although startled, kept calm throughout this whole affair. She remained on the ground, and her head turned left and right, looking for, hopefully, her quarry. The rustling settled down, and the sounds were back, coming from a bush.
Tathardes chewed her cheek and a look of determination crossed her features. She moved forward and blindly thrusted her hand into the bush.
She got a grip on something, and she pulled back.
The yelping and squeaking came back full force. Tathardes felt a small breeze against her face and something furry as the thing in her hand squirmed viciously to get out of her grasp. She let go, and the thing darted behind her. The elf-maid turned around and looked surprised.
A fluffy, black fox with a white tipped tail stared at her intently with its ears flat against its head, front body against the ground, mouth open and making the gekkering sound; occasionally flinging a fox growl in there as well.
The thing that surprised Tathardes was the unique coloration, and the fact it did not run away. Well…if anyone grabbed a fox's leg and pulled it to them, that may be enough to make it angry and want to exact revenge.
There was a small woof from behind her. She turned her head and saw another fox with its head peeking out of the bush. It was also uniquely colored: the color of dark cinnamon with silver highlights here and there. And equally fluffy.
She had seen foxes before, and they typically are very scrawny from not eating enough. These two, they were healthy, and…cute, if she thought about it.
They still were not running away, and were not looking the least bit afraid of her. The cinnamon fox scampered out of the bush and sat behind the black one. The black fox lowered itself all the way down to the ground, ears still flat. It covered its eyes with its paws, as if embarrassed.
Tathardes' brows furrowed at this strange occurrence. She studied these animals carefully, taking in their appearance and features.
When she landed to their eyes…they were silver: a color never naturally found in a fox.
Her mouth fell open, and she gaped before finding her tongue.
"Well…" Tathardes began, slowly. "…you have a lot of explaining to do."
'You finally figured it out.' Elrohir thought in response.
Celebrían stared at the arrangement list and then to what was set up. She passed the list to a servant. Things were turning out well. Despite the worry a mother has for her children when she does not know what is happening regarding them, she kept to her role and continued her work as efficiently as before.
Finished for the time being concerning matters regarding the Spring Festival, Celebrían wandered through the gardens, admiring their beauty and happy for new flower-buds popping up. She wondered what Tathardes had found when Glorfindel explained why she was not with him when he came back from the search. Green-elves have small tendencies of getting distracted if it concerns a mystery in nature, and strange things of that nature. If she found something concerning her sons, then Celebrían would be happy.
Speaking of Tathardes, Celebrían noticed her walking down the hill, carrying…something. Celebrían walked towards the gate of that pathway to greet her. The lady of Imladris stopped halfway when she saw Tathardes carrying a black fox under her arm, and another oddly colored one following behind her.
"What…was that what caught your interest so?"
Tathardes's expression was interesting. She was smiling, but she was befuddled. She seemed happy, but it seemed a little strained, "I did what master Elrond requested me to do, my lady: I spoke to a tree. I am a bit glad I listened to its words."
"Why? What did it say?"
Tathardes look to her lady, then to the black fox who hung uselessly in her grasp, looking pouty as much as a fox can express: and they were very expressive animals. "Can you not feel their auras, Celebrían?"
Celebrían stared at the animals, unsure of what to make of this sight before her. Then she looked at the family-web. Like Tathardes, her mouth fell opened after she felt the presence of the twins…right there in front of her.
"I found them, Celebrían. I found your sons."
"S-set Elrodan down, please." Celebrían stuttered out. Elrodan was the smashed name for the twins when one did not know which was the other, especially when it was one twin alone. The black fox looked most pleased to get out of the elf-maid's grasp, and he made it known by making a low growl.
Celebrían's mouth opened and closed. She had hoped to have her sons learn something, acknowledge that what they were doing was wrong during their punishment and hopefully stop when they came back…but this? This was…extreme. The lady of Imladris knelt down on the road, and the two foxes…her sons, she reminded herself, walked over to her.
"The tree gave me a few hints to this mystery…" Tathardes said.
"Have our family come together, privately…there you can tell us what you have learned."
"Should I tell them what has…transpired?"
Celebrían thought a bit too hard about it. "Just…say that Elladan and Elrohir have returned. Nothing more."
Tathardes nodded and with quick steps began walking to the house.
Celebrían looked at her children, not quite believing what she was seeing. Was this real, or just a very bad dream? This was beyond what Elrond or herself could have thought of in terms of chastisement.
The lady shook her head. Whatever has happened, they will put this puzzle together and find a way to return the twins back to the way they were. There was one mystery she could solve now, though.
She held her hand out, palm facing upward. "Elladan?"
The black fox reluctantly put his paw in her hand, still managing to look very, very displeased by this whole affair. Celebrían looked to the cinnamon hued fox, now knowing it was Elrohir. Already understanding their moods, Elladan would be easily irritated and may be quick to anger. Elrohir…while also not very satisfied with this either, he was still mellow and more willing to cooperate.
Celebrían smiled slightly while her index finger lightly stroked the black paw that was in her hand. Physically they have changed, but their personalities have not.
"We better go meet with the others…" Celebrían said to them both as she stood up.
The twins, though they were not identical presently, followed their mother as quietly as a fox can (excluding the click-clacking of nails upon hard smooth stone and wood). They tried hiding by pressing against Celebrían's skirts. That only served them nearly being stepped on or tripping their mother. They managed and made a compromise in the end, as they walked toward the sitting room.