Story 3 - New Friends Part 1 (POV - Brier)

Never had the day gone by quicker than when Agador was in my company. She was always so fun to be around. The years in which Entälenir had acted as my guardian had flown by in front of my eyes, and now I was about to turn 13. The group called the day of my birth four years to the day they had come upon me by the stream. It is true that I remembered little to nothing of what had been my life before, therefor told them nothing. But Agador suspected something the others didn't-I could tell. She never said anything, though, because she knew it was a subject I had no care in discussing. One of my favorite memories is a blistering hot day in late July when Agador and I set out towards the small pond that lay about a mile into the forest, in a clearing where the sun shone bright. It was Agador's idea to take a swim, as usual. Not that that was a bad thing, she was always coming up with ideas and adventures. So we set out with a couple sandwiches and walking sticks, telling stories along the way.

"Brier, do you think we'll ever leave the village?" Agador asked me. I had to think for a minute, then replied.

"Perhaps, although it would be a terrible misfortune," I joked, and we smiled. We both knew how much we longed to see the lands around us. I never admitted it to her, but often I was quite content with staying put. Agador continued:

"Don't mention any of this to my father or mother, but I've been having some horrible dreams as of late." She hesitated to continue. "Some terrible things I have seen at night, while all else is asleep. I dreamt a great fire ripped through Middle-earth, like there was evil unleashed everywhere." With this I turned.

"Like, a man? A tall man, in a pit of fire, although the fire had no effect on his health? Like it didn't burn him?" I asked. I had had a dream of that sort just the night before. Agador looked at me like I was evil itself.

"How did you know?" she almost screamed.

"I.I had the same dream, just last night." She said nothing, just looked at me.

"How awkward!" she exclaimed after some time. And after that we said nothing of the sort, just continued on our way, afraid of what might be said. Finally we had reached the swimming hole, and without even looking, Agador rushed to the cool waters. She was so overcome with relief that she hadn't even noticed the two others who were cooling off in the lake. I tried to cry out but she was already underwater and her hearing was obscured. She was taken aback once she resurfaced, and choked on a mouthful of water when she saw the two mysterious figures advance towards her.

"Hey! Hey you! Get away from her!" I screamed, petrified that Agador might be hurt. I jumped into the chilly water and swam as fast as I could to where Agador floated, coughing. As I got closer I saw that the two others weren't hurting her, and my nerves eased.

"Agador!" I cried out, trying to get her attention. She turned, but then sank underwater due to her coughing fit. I dived, grabbed her (accidentally) by the hair, which made her scream even more. She swallowed more water, and was coughing when she resurfaced. This time I grasped her by the wrist and pulled her to shore. There she laid on her stomach on the soft dirt, and spit up the water in her lungs.

"Curse you, Brier! You know better than to pull a girl's hair! Now I'll have a headache!" she screamed, and all I could do was laugh, half from relief, half from Agador being her usual heedless self. "Who are they?" she continued, and pointed to the two strangers swimming towards the beach. When they came ashore I identified them as two elves, a young boy and girl. They looked about my age, perhaps a few years older.

"Our apologies, we meant not to frighten you." The girl said. She held out her hand. "I am Vefeniel, of Lorien. My family is on a trip through these forests to seek news of the outside world. This is my cousin, Haldir." She motioned to the boy elf next to her. He nodded his head, and helped Agador to her feet.