Eruan was abruptly awoken from his dreams. He opened his eyes to find Heru standing over him. He had his armed wrapped in a cloak, and Eruan could see blood soaking through the material.

"Arda! Wha.."

"Hush Eruan!" Heru whispered furiously, clutching his arm. "I want you to listen very closely. Thranduil's hunters have found our home, they have it surrounded." He threw Eruan's bow to him.

"As you can see, I was wounded. Your mother took a deep wound into her side, and needs to be treated immediately. I'm going to help her out best I can, but meanwhile I need you to stay and guard our rear. I know it's a dangerous job, but I cannot shoot a bow with this arm. I have faith in you Eruan, you were always a skilled bowman. Haste is needed." And with that he gave Eruan a final kiss goodbye on his brow. He hurried out the door, and in the dark Eruan could make out the silhouette of his father, trying to carry his mother as best he could with his injured arm. Full of determination, Eruan sprang into action. Recalling every instinct he possessed, he performed a simple duck and dodge firing technique through the windows of the cave. His body flushed with adrenaline, Eruan could hear the muffled yells that could only mean his arrows were finding targets. He was vaguely wondering whether or not he had given his parents enough time to escape when a single golden tipped arrow flew through the window at an impossible angle, striking Eruan in the shoulder. Letting out a yell of pain, he passed out completely and fell down out the window, into the undergrowth. Waiting arms caught him.

Meanwhile, Heru was stumbling through the forest, half carrying half dragging his bleeding wife. He knew that if she didn't get help soon, she would bleed to death. He pushed aside another cluster of branches. He paused, his elven hearing picking up something behind him. He spun around, and heard another noise to his right. Carefully setting his wife against a tree he tore off some of his tunic and made a makeshift bandage. Indil's face was drawn tight, and was quickly losing its color. Growing increasingly worried, Heru placed his hands on Indil's face, and attempted to heal her. Hoping her elven healing abilities would save her, Heru drew a small blade from the inside of his tunic and turned to face the dark wood.

"Come out and face me, whatever ulundo you may be."

He called out, challenging the darkness. He was greeted with a chorus of hisses, all echoing from every direction. And then out from the wood came the spiders. They hissed and frothed, their shining black eyes being the only clue to where they were. Heru took the small sword in both hands, and brought the flat of blade in annointment against his forehead. Turning the edge of the blade outward, he said a prayer for battle as fifty spiders encircled him and his dying wife. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * *