Moonlights Mist

Chapter 6

Through the Rain

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I would everyone to know that my BETA is currently, as it was worded, 'about to get hammered by Hurricane Irene'. So this chapter is not BETAed, and I hope that Spell is okay. Though I did try to do my best to edit it myself... well we'll see how that went. Also sorry about it being so short, but I was sick.

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Telume growled softly under her breath at the rain. She'd been watching Isilme and the hobbits walk in front of her from underneath her hood. Mostly to keep an eye out for anything that might pose a danger for the small group. She was hidden within the canopy of the trees. Jumping from branch to branch. Her footing never faltered for it seemed as though the trees themselves adjusted with her movements.

It was currently raining. The one thing she hated more than other people bathing her was rain. And lots of it. It was cold. It was wet. Most of all though it caused flooding. For the last two days that had been a problem for her and the group she'd been traveling with.

So far she had to have Isilme carry the four hobbits across swollen streams that moved to fast for them wade across. Of course Telume had refused to be carried across. Which, as Isilme had said, ended badly. She wound up getting washed down stream. It's taken them a mile and a half out of their way. Ever since then she'd decided to stay in the tree tops.

The hobbits had, at first, been interested of how she did it. She merely told them it was like jumping from one rock to another, but one needed more balance and quick thought. For when you jumped you had a fraction of a second to figure out which branch would hold your weight. You always had to be three steps ahead. Isilme though had been the most impressed with her answer. Saying something about she had changed over the years. Telume had to agree with that. When they had both arrived she could barely keep her mind on one subject at a time before it skipped to another.

However, in the rain with her pack and cloak weighing her down it made it that much harder to move around. Looking down as she jumped to another branch she watched as one of the hobbits lost his footing. She really couldn't tell which one it was as all had their cloak hoods up. Luckily though the one behind him caught him. From the soft mumbling though she'd guessed that it was Frodo that had lost his footing. Isilme had said that going through the forests would be safer than following the roads, but so far the proved to false. Yes the Riders had yet to find them but the hobbits now had more scrapes and bruises. Sighing softly she jumped yet again this time surpassing the small group to scout ahead.

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Isilme hummed softly to herself as she lead the hobbits through the underbrush of the forest. She wanted to avoid the Barrow Downs at all cost seeing as the Barrow-wrights had become more active. The loud thud of the rain hitting her hood made her nervous. Over the last few days of being with the hobbits she'd taken to mothering them. Not that they seemed to mind one bit. In fact Pippin seemed to like the attention as did Merry. Sam and Frodo though where almost the opposite. Frodo seemed to enjoy the conversations they had instead of the hugs and such that the younger enjoyed. Sam seemed to share her passion about gardening. However she'd noticed that he seemed overly fond of potatoes.

She looked back as she noticed Frodo had lost his footing, and was now being balanced by Sam. Smiling slightly she pulled her travel cloak tighter around her as she continued her trek through the mud. It was already dark, but she knew that they where getting close to Bree. She looked up as she heard the branches above rattle slightly.

Scoffing softly she watched as Telumes figure jumped over head only to blend in with the tree canopy moments later. She could tell by watching the trees ahead that Telume had left the party. She smiled as ushered the hobbit ahead of her. Though Telume had grumbled about the trip she didn't say anything out loud. She knew though that it was Telumes way of showing she was displease. Isilme couldn't help but feel sorry for any man that wanted to court her dear friend. Between her attitude, and her refusal to act like a lady she'd wish them the best of luck.

It would take a man of great patience to win her friends hand. That or he had to win her respect and treat her like an equal. Which was never an easy things to do, at least for the race of Man. The Elves that she'd met seemed pretty open minded. She was roused from her musing as the hobbits screamed and huddled together. Faster then her own brain could process she had her bow in hand and an arrow notched aimed at a crouched hooded figure.

"In the name of- Put that thing down I'm not going to kill you."

She smiled. "Telume a little warning would have been greatly appreciated. We cannot hear as we would normally."

Telume stood and smiled apologetically at the hobbit who let out a collective sigh of relief. "Sorry. Bree isn't too far ahead. A twenty minute walk."

Sam smiled. "Miss Telume you scared the livin' daylights out of us you did. Thought you was one of them Riders." The other three nodded their head, as their teeth began to chatter.

"Sorry again. Lets get going. I'm cold, wet, tired, and ready to kill someone."

The hobbits all laughed as Telume turned to continue walking, and they followed. "I'll see you guys inside."

"Wait. What do mean you'll see us inside?" Frodo asked.

Telume raised a brow. "I mean just that. I can easily get over the locked gate. Later my friends." She smiled before she began to climb a tree. Soon the group had lost sight of her.

Isilme smiled and nodded though she knew her sister could not see. "Let be off then as well. I am sure we all wish be out of this rain."

True to her word Isilme and the hobbits arrived at the town gate. Luckily when they arrived it someone at the gate that recognized Isilme and let them pass without confrontation. Though the old man had warned them about strange people running about.

"I'll escort you all close to the Prancing Pony. From there I must meet up with Telume. Eru only knows what trouble she'd getting into." She said over the rain.

"You mean you can't stay with us Miss Isilme?" Sam said sounding somewhat disappointed.

Isilme shook her head. "No. Telume is most likely getting into trouble as we speak. I must find her." She paused as she looked around the road. "There is your destination, just up the street." She paused for a moment. "I shall see you all tomorrow morn." She with a slight bow before turning away from the hobbits.

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Telume smiled as she watched three men who were well in to their ales. They where having a drinking contest of sorts, and one of them was already slurring his words. They where only two pints in. She sat in a corner of one of the less reputable Inn in Bree known for housing less than reputable travelers. Usually she wouldn't be in a place like this but she had a feeling that it would provide her with hours of entertainment.

So now she sat with pint of ale with her hood pulled over her head, and a smile on her face. Her pack was placed on the table beside her, and her pipe lit. Taking a long drag of the pipe she had to stop herself from laughing as one of the men fell limp onto the floor. She'd watched many drinking competitions before, but the elves were never affected like this.

The elves actually seemed to know their limits and tended not to over do it, but men. Men seemed to always push their luck and their limits even when they knew them. Yet that was what them such an interesting race. By pushing limits to their maximum they actually improved and stretched it further. Now though that didn't really seem to be helping the man passed out on the floor.

She looked out the nearest window and sighed as the rain began to fall harder. She knew that by now Isilme and the hobbits were in Bree. However, if they were at the Prancing Pony she didn't know. What she did know was that she was going to go to them in the morning. For now she wanted to relax away from everyone. After all she knew she'd be seeing more of them than she ever wanted over the next year or so. She didn't know why she felt that way, but something deep in her gut was telling her that she'd forgotten something. She and Isilme both had forgotten something. Something important. Something about a Fellowship... She could see word passing through her mind. Images of men, hobbits, dwarf, and elf. She was missing something and she knew it.

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