Yeah, it's coming soon. I just haven't gotten it quite right, so you have to settle for a flashback for this chapter. I think it's a bit cute, but seeing them at that age is kind of fun. I don't think there were any questions--so, on to the chapter!

Chapter 38

"Morning!" Leaf called up as he pulled himself into the branches.

"Good morning," Joy replied, along with the normal general chorus of 'Hmi'. "Have you seen Trip and Fall?"

Leaf opened his mouth only to grin an instant later. Twig snickered at the thumps.

"Fall!"

"You tripped me!"

"I did not!"

"Good morning, you guys!"

"Morning, Joy," they grumbled back. Their golden heads popped up into the middle of the tree, where the branches formed a platform of sorts which we enjoyed quite often.

"Where to today?" Goat asked, a bit of meadow grass between his teeth, being slowly drawn in until he spit the entire piece away. He offered us a chance at one of the others he had brought along, and many of us were soon chewing the stalks, drawing the tangy sugars out.

"Swimming?" Trip offered.

Noncommittal murmurs greeted that idea.

"We could go into the grasses," Hare suggested.

We all stopped chewing to give him a disapproving glance. He squeaked and ducked down, his ears glowing. We had been run back into the woods the last time we went out there, and it was not an experience we were willing to repeat quickly.

"We could look for a cave to explore."

Slow smiles broke out. "Not a bad idea, Smudge," Twig murmured, looking down. "Maybe we'll find some unknown entrance to the halls."

Leaf snorted. "Doubtful."

Several shrugs greeted his comment.

"Well? Shall we be off?"

We swarmed down the tree, jumping when we were close enough for a safe landing… except for Trip and Fall, of course.

After several playful fights which turned into wrestling matches and sword play—with sticks, since we weren't allowed real weapons—we were nearly to the part of the forest where a few caves could be found, if you were of keen enough eyes.

Leaf and Hare suddenly stopped. Their words died and their feet stopped moving. A moment later, I knew why as an eerie feeling tickled the hairs at the back of my neck.

"Guys?" Twig asked.

Hare shrugged, uneasy. Leaf paused before shaking his head. "I don't know what it is—"

"I do," I cut in, my stomach sinking. "Orcs."

They all looked at me for a moment, no one moving, no one speaking. A crackling grunt was heard from a ways off. "There has to be something good to eat here somewhere."

At that point, we had all heard far enough. We all turned to run, but were of many different minds on where to go. I wanted to get back to the tree—it was high enough they wouldn't know where we were. Goat was running with me, but several others were beginning to scatter in their own directions, deciding—I assumed—that home was best.

"Stop!"

Twig's yell made us all freeze—partially because he sounded so authoritative… but mostly because we were amazed he had dared yell with orcs behind us.

"Everyone together," he hissed much more quietly.

We formed a clustered group, waiting for our next directive.

"Smudge, find one of the caves you know goes deep."

We all blinked blankly, but followed Smudge as quickly as we could. When we reached the cave, he dove in, leaving us in the light to hope the entrance didn't drop down too far.

The first thing I saw after I dropped was a hint of gold—someone in front of me. When my eyes began to adjust I looked back and watched Twig drop down to join us.

"Let's go," he murmured, shoving Smudge to the front.

I was behind Smudge and next to Joy. Smudge was small enough I kept getting hit with old webs, at least until we were in so far the spiders no longer made webs. I wrinkled my nose when one landed on me, and threw it over my shoulder.

"Ewww—"

THUD!

I snickered as the thud turned into two more.

"Trip!"

"Hare stopped!" Trip whined.

"Quiet!" Twig got up, dusting himself off. "Keep moving and stay quiet. You sound like dwarves!"

I snickered again, and heard a few snorts from those who hadn't been involved in the collision.

"It's getting a bit drafty," Leaf murmured. "We could be in the halls." He stepped forward, leading us slowly.

"Looks like we're in a storage room," was Joy's not quite accurate observation a few minutes later. It didn't look like anything. But I had to agree, as his observation was gained by tripping over some boxes.

"Mm-hmm," Leaf agreed, feeling along the wall. "So, look for the door."

A minute later, after several knocked knees and noses, he was the one who cried triumphantly out. Well, really… he yelped as he fell through the doorway.

We nearly trampled him in our rush to get somewhere we knew would be safe from orcs. The lights seemed to greet us, drawing us ever closer.

Suddenly, something else drew us. A wonderful scent filled the air around us, plucking the strings connected to our feet. I heard someone protesting we would be caught… but who really cared?

Soon enough we stepped into what had to be the kitchen. The elves working there suddenly stopped their chatter to stare at us.

"Hey, now! What's all this?" One of them asked, wiping her hands on her apron. She looked between us, her frown lightening just marginally. "When the King hears of this—"

"There are orcs in the wood!" Leaf burst out.

Her eyes widened. "Orcs? Are you—"

"Of course we're sure!"

She hmmed, then looked at one of the others, who scurried out and soon returned with a somewhat imposing male. "Trouble?" he asked, smiling. "Or lunch?"

The elf who had taken charge rolled her eyes. "This young elf—" she pointed at Leaf, who pulled himself up to his full height "—says there are orcs in the wood."

The guard lifted a brow, peered at Leaf, and then nodded. "I'll talk to my captain about it. In the meantime—" he paused and looked us all over "—I suggest you all steer clear of there. In fact—" he looked at the elf in charge "—why don't you stay here? Have a bite to eat?"

We were all fast to take him up on his offer. I nearly tripped over Trip's feet as he took the bench space I'd wanted, so I found myself sitting in a small alcove. Leaf was already there.

He looked up at me from absently tracing a carving with one finger. "How did you know?" he asked.

"Know what?"

He waited until the elf who brought our food left. "That it was orcs."

I shrugged. "That prickly feeling happened to me the last time I saw orcs."

"You've actually seen them?" he asked, eyes wide.

"Yeah," I murmured, lifting a brow at him.

He leaned eagerly forward. "What do they look like?"

I blinked at him. "Hideous."

"I know that," he protested, "but what do they actually look like?" He grabbed up his food and began to devour it.

I worried my lower lip. "Those I've seen have large eyes, long ears. Their skin is a sickly gray."

"From never seeing the sun," he nodded.

"It was light enough out today!" I protested.

He shrugged. "But dark enough, on the ground. What else?"

I rolled my eyes. "They have dark hair, scraggly if any at all. They're covered in scars and mars… and they smell."

"Like manure, I suppose."

"In part," I agreed slowly, partially in hesitation, partly to chew. "But also like old meat, burnt hair, and metal."

"Metal?"

"Like.. you know the taste of blood?"

"Yeah…?" he motioned for me to continue after stuffing his mouth.

"It smells like that."

"Blood? It smells like the taste of blood?"

"Yeah."

He frowned. "That's weird."

I rolled my eyes. "Well, you asked."

"So they smell like dung, burnt hair, rotting flesh, and metal? Pungent combination."

"They also smell of…" I hesitated.

"Well?"

I sighed. "Death."

His bright eyes focused on me before he nodded once. "They are hideous." He shoveled in another bite of his food.

I agreed with a nod, shuddering at the mental image of them covered in my family's blood. The picture was driven away when a hand entered my line of sight, headed for my plate. I knocked it down against the table and moved my plate closer to myself.

"You look miles away… and yet like you haven't moved since I left."

I offered him a weak smile as the past was slowly blinked away. "You should be used to it by now."

Eomer studied my face. "Your memories were troubled?"

I tilted my head. "Not so much."

"Then what saddens you, my lady?"

I smiled slightly. "Wishing I could be there again, rather than here."