Chapter 1 : Creature in the Water

Balder stepped up his pace with a lively whistle. It had been a while since he'd breathed the fresh air of the mountains, and he could himself more than ever agree that anywhere else was better than inside that abominable, stifling mine.

"Oy, Balder!" Gridel yelled, huffing and puffing behind his friend. "Wait up, cousin! Wait up, you twittering oaf!"

Balder stopped at this and waited until Gridel had clambered down the rocky hill. "And what made you say that? You blundering buffoon! It's your legs that have turned to solid rock, and I didn't exactly invite you to this trip." Balder's voice was stern, and he glared angrily at his cousin, but Gridel waved this off like it were a fly. He had gotten used to this kind of treatment, ever since their beards had started to grow, and he knew how to deal with his cousin's wrath easily.

"My friend, do you know that the Mirrormere is nearby? We must certainly visit this sacred pool that Durin the Deathless, who built the pillars of Khazad-dum, had gazed upon a many thousand years ago!"

This bit of hodgepodge was greeted with glee, and Balder quickly forgot his grudge. Both Dwarves knew where the enchanted waters rested; in fact, they had been there countless times already. Yet, never had any of the Dwarves grown weary of visiting because of their belief in the Mirrormere's magic, as well as its beauty. Seldom did any dwarf develop love beyond the good earth's hold, but the Mirrormere is one beautiful jewel of nature they would always value above their precious gems.

Gridel was taking his leisure to reach the pool's edge, whereas his cousin had already settled on a small boulder that both knew had the perfect view of the rippling mass. It was odd however, now that Gridel was close enough to notice, how the water could ripple so much without much of a breeze to touch it, nor a leaf to drop on its surface.

"Gridel! Quickly!" Balder motioned for his cousin to hurry. He seemed to be terrified of something, and Gridel rushed to his cousin's aid.

"What is it, Balder?" Gridel asked, though unsuccessfully. Balder was frozen to the stone; his lips sealed tight and his eyes wide in fright. His finger, however, pointed toward a spot in the water. There seemed to be something bobbing on the surface…something furry and small.

"What could that be?" Balder's hoarse whisper startled his beard off, but it was just because Gridel could not believe how cowardly his cousin just sounded. He shook his head and muttered under his breath, "I swear by my hammer, you're more a sissy elf than a dwarf sometimes." Balder didn't seem to have heard this, as he continued to watch the object floating in the water. His eyes silently followed Gridel's movement, too. The other dwarf didn't think he should be afraid of a small ball of fur, for he was certain that was just it.

Gridel picked up a long, thin branch and tentatively prodded the little bobbing thing. It didn't seem to be alive because he felt no resistance nor movement whatsoever from the creature. Strengthening his resolve, he managed to tow it in towards the bank with his makeshift pole, and gingerly picked it up out of the water.

What a mysterious creature he discovered! Gridel was sure it was dead, for even now it felt cold and unmoving, but he was still very astonished. The animal, if it was indeed one, had brown fur on its limbs and head like any other ordinary animal he had seen, but its coat! Its coat resembled a shirt, striped white and bright red and unbelievably soft, despite being damp. The creature also had two unmistakable articles of clothing, a black leather eye-patch and a red, cotton cap—brimless and apparently stuck to its head. His skin crawled, however, when he realized that the dead animal stared at him with open, lidless and glassy eyes. They were an evil color, obsidian black, and were round little gimlets that seemed threatening and haunting at the same time.

"Gridel! Gridel!" Balder cried once more, interrupting the other dwarf's thoughts. His cousin Balder was now jumping up and down on the stone, giddy, it seemed, but with excitement or fright? Gridel looked to the water again, and what he saw more than surprised him. There was another creature floating on the water!

Gridel pulled, pushed and prodded. He had been at it for a long while now, and he was getting irritated. Balder was no help either, preferring to stand back with a clumsy grip on his iron mallet, just in case the creature would wake and suddenly attack. Well, it was pretty funny to see his sissy cousin reduced to a blubbering idiot—and was well worth a few good drinks later, Gridel reminded himself—but for the moment, all that his cousin Balder meant to him was a lump of useless coal. And Gridel might as well be glad to burn the twat for his cowardice. What a disgrace!

The creature slowly drifted to the bank of the pool. He had had to exert double effort for this one. There was a note of alarm at this, Gridel observed bitterly, for he realized that with the weight he was dealing with, if this creature would suddenly awake before his cousin would have at least a chance in killing it, he would be mincemeat on the spot. The creature was big, weighing about as much as one of the Tall peoples, but not too heavy, like the adults, which meant that there was a slim chance it was still alive. This was bad, of course. At least dead weight meant a dead animal to examine, and no rising corpse to fight. Gridel shot a stinging glare at his cousin, which Balder just ignored.

The face that surfaced on the water, even with the tangled mass of black hair, obviously belonged to a young girl. A man-child! There could be no mistake. Gridel, emboldened by this discovery, knelt by the unconscious form and examined her ears. There were no fine points, which was a relief, since a dwarf stumbling upon a dead elf would sure cause trouble with the fair folk—no excuses there.

"A man-child! Gridel, what could this mean?" Balder asked, having gathered his wits and finally helping his cousin haul the body off the water.

Despite his exhaustion, Gridel managed a small shrug. He kept his thoughts to himself, though he knew Balder was worrying about this matter, too. How could a man-child just float up from the Mirrormere? How was all this possible?

"I don't know…what in Aulë's name is going on. But we'd better get back to Moria before it gets dark."