Elentaari swung her bow over her back and placed her knives in their sheath at her waist. She carried a small pack under her cloak and her long hair was bound back out of her face. "Let's be careful. I know we only heard one warg, but where there's one there's a pack," reminded the old she-elf. Her hair was long and grey, shiny as silver.
I will," promised her companion. "We're almost out of many of the plants. I shouldn't have waited this long to go gathering."
The old woman nodded, a frown on her face. "I know, child, I know. If only....." She sighed, looking down at her feet.
"None of that, now," scolded the younger elf. "It's time I learned how to fend for myself, anyhow." She caressed the elder elf's shiny hair. "I know how hard it is for you here. I know you stay only for my sake."
"That's not true!" The old elf protested. "I can go west anytime I please. I've just decided to stay for a little longer. I am my own master, and I go where and when I please, not when I'm called." She set her mouth firmly. "Now we'd better get started. The day will be over before we finish."
With a smile on her face, Elentaari followed Ereniel out the door. Elentaari stood at the edge of the porch and breathed in the fresh air. She loved the smell of the morning, all warm sun and fresh breeze. There was a faint hint of jasmine in the air, from the night-blooming jasmine planted on the side of the house. Jasmine was her favorite plant....well, at least her favorite plant today. Truth be told, she loved all the plants she gathered. She loved even more making the wonderful smelling oils and lotions that her guardian Ereniel took to the market. Her smile faded as she realized that soon it would be her job to take them to market. Ereniel wouldn't be here much longer, of that Elentaari was sure. Something about the old elf seemed to be fading, and Elentaari knew she was not long for the forest. "I'll miss you," Elentaari said to herself. But she's not gone yet, she chided herself. She turned to follow Ereniel into the forest, and started walking to the various gardens they kept. They spent the entire morning in this fashion, weeding some spots, cutting plants in others, and soon came to the last clearing where their plants were. Elentaari cut several sprigs and put them into her pack. She was turning to go when a faint noise reached them. Ereniel tensed and reached for her knives. The noise grew louder and then stopped. Elentaari put her hand on Ereniel's shoulder and motioned for her to follow. Silently they padded off the path around the clearing and came out near a small stream. The two elves looked around warily.
"Ereniel, there is blood here." Elentaari knelt down on the path where drops of blood, now almost dried, were visible. The grass was matted down and there were warg prints around. "Perhaps it took a deer."
Ereniel shook her head. "Not enough blood." Her sharp eyes searched the pathway. "Mayhap it got away."
Elentaari looked up into the trees. In case the warg came back, there were no branches low enough for Ereniel to reach. She hurriedly searched for somewhere for Ereniel to wait while she went back to the cabin and got the horses. Finally she spied a mallorn tree that had two branches low enough (she hoped!) for Ereniel. "Ereniel," she called, "wait for me here in the trees. I'm going to get Selol and Arondu."
"No, child, I'm not staying here while you go back. We can walk back together." She started back along the path when a low moan stopped her in her tracks. The two women looked at each other in consternation. Elentaari looked up.
"There," she whispered, pointing. They hadn't seen it before. A grey tunic-clad arm hung from a branch in the mallorn tree. Elentaari shed her pack and clamored up the tree to see. "Ereniel....it's an elf," she called down.
"I can see that from here," replied her companion. "I think this is your deer."
Elentaari nodded. "The warg got him, alright." She looked at the elf in the tree. He was pale and shivering. "I wonder if he spent all night here."
"Can you get him down?" Ereniel looked around warily. "We shouldn't stay here too long."
Elentaari tried to wake the elf. Gently she shook his shoulder, but to no avail. "Ereniel, if I hold him down, can you keep him upright until I get down from the tree?"
"Of course, child, I'm not without some strength yet," the she-elf huffed. Elentaari nodded and grinned. She grasped the unconscious elf under the arms and pulled him toward her. He was heavier than he looked. She pulled again and he started to slide down the tree. Ereniel grabbed his legs as he slid toward her, and held him against the trunk of the mallorn tree. Elentaari hung from the branch and jumped down. Together they laid the elf on the earth, looking at his blood-soaked legging. Ereniel handed Elentaari her waterskin.
"Did you bring any of those little cloths you use for the tinctures?"she asked.
Elentaari nodded, digging in her pack. "I did, they're good for keeping the plants fresh." She pulled a couple from her pack and wet one with water. Gently she wiped the elf's face. It was pale, and he was warm to the touch.
"He's got a fever," she said quietly. "Wargs have venomous claws, don't they, Ereniel?" she asked. "I've never had to heal that... what is the cure?"
Ereniel thought for a moment. "I don't know, child, I've never known anyone who was attacked by wargs and lived. We'll have to take him to the Last Homely House. The master there will heal him."
The elf stirred. "Rivendell," he breathed. Elentaari bathed his face again.
"Are you from Rivendell?" she asked. He nodded weakly.
"Warg," he muttered.
"We saw," replied Ereniel. "Let's go, then. I'll get your pack, then we'll put him between us." She walked to the other side of the tree where Elentaari's pack was and picked it up, when from the bushes came a growling mass of noise and fur. The warg charged full force at Ereniel and took her to the ground. Elentaari turned and grabbed her knife, looking vainly for an opening. She yelled at the warg, trying to gain its attention.
"Here, over here!" she yelled. "Over here, warg!" The warg stopped mauling Ereniel momentarily and came toward Elentaari, growling. Elentaari waited until the warg was almost upon her and then let go her knife. The warg went down where it stood, her knife in its throat.
Elentaari ran to Ereniel and knelt by her side. "Don't talk, Ereniel, let me get some athelas--"
Ereniel clutched Elentaari's hand. "No child. Let me go. I love you as my daughter, Elentaari." The light in her eyes dimmed momentarily and she coughed, bringing up blood. "May Elbereth guide you always, Elentaari Thranduilien." The light in her eyes faded away, and the golden glow that had always surrounded her died.
"Ereniel," Elentaari whispered. She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm sorry," the elf told her. He stood unsteadily on one leg. "I'm so sorry." Then the world went grey and he toppled to the ground.
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