Lorien

Lorien, March 3019

Elrond's POV

The yard of Imladris was filled. With elves, but mostly with wolves. In effect, though the wolves had been here for several days, there were two rings with considerable distance between them, one outer of watching elves, one inner of wolves. I, too, watched them get ready. The changewolves were far larger than the normal wolves the Ashi'kha had brought. As I had observed in Raven, their actual mass seemed to be the same, but the appearance of greater stature was in that the changewolves were tall and slender, not massive. They settled and re-settled their pack's order as the group going off to Lorien formed. Gildor's earlier assumption that they would probably go as a mixed pack proved true. That meant the Ashi'kha went furred and like the wolves acted according to pack-law. Some, like Nightchaser, held a leading position this way or that. Others, like Raven, fought with teeth and claws for their place. But Nightchaser would not go with the pack to Lorien – he would stay here, with his own pack. It had astonished both me and Gildor that Raven had accepted the shaman's charge to lead the Lorien-bound wolves. But he had, though I could see him struggling with the requirements that position had placed on him. Gildor, nominally Captain of this four-footed troop, was getting Faire ready, checking straps and bags. He had kept his armour in fine repair over the years, the only instances I saw proof of his skill in metal-working. As we had kept the shards of Narsil sharp and unrusted for centuries, he had kept his armour – and refined it. I could remember him clearly as we had fought outside Mordor, and then in the shadow of Barad-dur. There had been neither arms nor badge on the dark silver plates then. Now, as he turned his back to me to retie the sword-harness on Faire's saddle, I saw the pattern on his back-plate. It was what he had used as banner back then, and whenever I had later managed to send him somewhere as captain of his own force: the bird-skull, the rhevain symbol of war and challenge, this time not combined with the Vanyarin star but underlain with the form. I had not seen him wear his armour in a long while, I realized, though he must have whenever he went off with Raven. The design did not appear newly engraved.

With a sigh, I carefully made my way through the wolves in the yard. Most had curled up by now, waiting, a few stood, staring into the forest with their ears pricked. The changewolves were gathered in another corner. Some were black, and I looked for one with grey eyes "Raven?"

He left the group and came forward slowly 'I am'

"I am not sure what I am to say" I admitted "Your people went a long way through dangerous lands to come here, away from their own homeland. And now you go to defend another elven realm which you have never even seen before…This war is nothing we can meet. We must wait till it marches on our lands. I am not sure for which course I hope. All hopes may be vain, and all words seem wrong"

Raven hesitated 'The wolf knows little of hope. And my people do not depend on words. Say nothing, and I will find it neither strange nor evil'

I nodded slowly, and so we parted. I went over to Gildor, knowing that at least between us, there were words lacking. Rivendell was easier defended than Lorien; yet he went to the woodland. I knew there was at least one solid reason why he should – he knew the wolves, he could comparatively easily communicate with both Ashi'kha and wolves, and he knew Galadriel and Celeborn. To some degree, though not well. Would I rather he had stayed here? As I had said to Raven, I was not sure for what I hoped, what I wanted.

"So you lead a different troop now than you did in the Alliance" I said when I reached him and we looked at each other uncertainly "Though both were called rhevain"

Gildor laughed "That is so. Though I am not sure as what I am to regard them, foot-soldiers or cavalry. The latter I have experience with. Well, at least they are four-footed"

I nodded "That seems to end up with you ever, the four-footed ones. Even when they are Nazgul horses"

"Raven cares for that beast" Gildor pointed out "But yes. Even Orome said that, about the four-foots"

"Whatever happens there, I know you will lead them well" I said finally.

"Don't attempt to flatter me" he said dryly "And remind the shaman of this – fur is no armour against blows or arrows as it may be against hooves. They tend to forget that when it comes to blows"

"I will" I stared at the small bird-skull engraved on his breast-plate "Beyond the valley, I see nothing. Be careful, my friend"

"Elrond" he said softly "I do not intend to throw away this life I have for Timeless Halls"

Glorfindel joined us "So, white rider. Ready to lead the wild hunt?"

Gildor smiled wryly "With the exception that I am not dead yet, yes"

"Wild hunt?" I asked blankly, and they both laughed.

"It is a human belief" Glorfindel said "The old gods come riding out at night with quite an interesting following, and you will not want to get in the way. I take it it consists of people who, er…well, are dead and still hang around. I think Raven enjoyed the ambiguity nonetheless"

Gildor embraced us briefly and mounted. The wolves bound for Lorien followed silently as he turned Faire around and made for the bridge. I bit my lip. Wild hunt indeed.

Third Age 3019 March 11th

Raven's POV

Early this morning we had got our first glimpse of Lorien's golden leaves. The patch of brightness sat in the dark lands far below at considerable distance from the mountains. Now we had crested the pass and were descending once more. As dusk fell we rested in a wide hollow that an avalanche had carved into the rock. Now grass grew here. It was bitter cold, though no longer snowing. A few bushes and stunted trees clung to the rock here and provided some shelter. Twenty wolves lay scattered over the place, all of them in the scarce cover of the bushes or rocks.

I sat on top of a rock, a little above the pack. We were invariably drawing closer to Lorien and so towards the fight and new encounters with more eyes - towards another ring. Though I could not see the lower lands from here as the lip of the hollow cut them off from sight I could almost feel the closeness of the ring, the way it warped the natural flow. Which, of course, was nonsense

Still I was on edge, jumpy and short-tempered. As agreed-upon lead-wolf some amount of aggression was certainly helpful, but I found the situation becoming unbearable, with no hope of release. These were my own people, Ashi'kha, yet they had put me in a position I did not belong in. I was not a leader. The one time I had taken the lead ended in disaster. Niy'ashi paid for it with his life, and I with half my life. And the one time I fought for the lead was for the right to be Joy's mate for a year, for the sake of doing it wholly wolf-way. And Nightchaser, who was far better suited for this, was with the remainder of the pack, back at Rivendell. And K'ashi was not here, either. he had stayed with the remainder of the clan in our home east.

I jumped down from my high place and padded through the thicket at one end of the hollow. From a narrow path I emerged on an outcrop of rock which, facing out over the lands below. A sharp cold wind blew around the mountain here. It whipped Gildor's thick fur cloak around as he stood staring into the falling darkness. He had confined his long hair into a single braid which came down to his waist. To the wolf, scent was the main factor, and he did not see colour as brightly as unfurred, but my memory supplied it. I hesitated. Moments like this jarred the calmness of the wolf, made me aware of being furred and unfurred at once. The wolf saw Gildor as pack-leader in the first place, unfurred saw him as lover. When I was wolf, it always gave me a pause thinking of him like that. Wolves do not choose partners of the same sex. It simply never entered their minds. And the wolf cut me off from him. No matter that he accepted me wholly as I was, when I was wolf I was not Raven. As wolf, I was less Raven than I was wolf when I was unfurred. It was confusing, and the wolf was not given to pondering.

'Are you planning on jumping?' I asked.

Gildor whirled, looking at me with a weird expression. Had I been unfurred, I would have bit my lip in anger. So few pitfalls between us, but I faithfully managed to find what was there.

'I am sorry' I said quietly 'I did not think at all'

He shook his head, passing the moment over "Gods, another wolf. Can't you unfur just for a change, Raven? And no pun intended. All I see, hear and smell are wolves the last days!"

I wandered over to him and narrowed my eyes against the sharp wind as I looked down. From the edge here, the yellowish-golden trees of Lorien were visible far below 'If you have some room in that cloak of yours I will consider it'

The moment I got through the change the bitter cold hit me, and my senses narrowed down to unfurred's level of perception. I had been wolf for several days now, and for a moment it felt like going deaf while at the same time an icy sheet of water cascaded over me, taking my breath.

"Well?" I asked when I could breathe enough to speak "Do you want me to freeze my best parts off?"

Gildor laughed "Now I won't risk that. I think I will offer you sanctuary after all"

"Didn't you just complain of too many wolves?" I tucked the folds of Gildor's cloak tighter around me "Now you have the chance of someone's most charming and desirable non-wolf company and keep bickering"

"I may turn my thoughts to something quite different otherwise, so you will have to put up with bickering" Gildor said sourly.

"Something else meaning, say, our next move tomorrow which will bring us down to the edge of the woodland?" I asked innocently.

"No. But for the purpose of keeping this decent, yes, something in that direction"

"Well, chances are bad for anything else" I said dryly, knocking on his armour "The war would be over before I had peeled you out of that shell"

He gave a small laugh but said nothing. He was strange since that incident with Elrond, and I did not know why. There were odd moments where I knew he would have added a snide remark but remained silent now. The wolf assured me it was not some grievance he had with something I had done, but neither could I find a reason or a comfort for it.

"That was a strange thing to say, that night to the Halfling" I said softly after a while. Gildor gave me a short glance "I said a lot, and maybe too much. What do you mean?"

I hesitated "Your not being concerned with hobbits or other creatures so much. If there is one who is concerned with other creatures it is you. You even know that hobbit's what is it…uncle. And here I am…I am just a wolf"

Gildor sighed "I spoke in anger, Raven. I have no power to do as much as I would want in this. My people would continue to hide had not the One been found. Only that pushes them back into the world. In a way, we do what these hobbits do – we fence ourselves in. But I…saw no sense saying to Frodo I would rather be fanged and furred than singing hymns to Elbereth. He asked for help and courage, and I could give none"

"Well, you sent messages" I pointed out "What else could you have done?"

"I sent you. Into the terror of the nazgul. What else could I have done indeed?"

"You need not become sarcastic" I said gently "And you could not have gone yourself. The Halflings reached the valley, and the one you spoke with lives. And if you had not gone to the towers this year, you would not have met the Halfling and I would not have been there either to run errands. And it was I who failed. The wraiths got them at Weathertop"

"You did more than you were supposed to do"

"Then why does this grate on you so much?"

Gildor shook his head "Let it pass, Raven"

I complied with a sigh. I did not have the understanding of this war as he had. For me, this was the end of Onakir's premonitions, and a final fight against whatever enemies we had had in the years before. It was not, as it was for Gildor, the culmination of a series of wars, battles and sieges that had dragged on through the ages since Khai'tohr had returned from the west. I knew only that whatever end this would come to, he would lose his hold here, and I would lose him. So I went to Lorien to fight orcs. They had killed my brother, they had killed Gildor's first partner, and they threatened both wild wolves and my clan's territory. All else wrought up with this, rings of power, I put out of my mind.

I wanted no understanding of history, I only wanted Gildor. Which solved none of our problems, neither mine nor his.

Third Age, March 16th

Gildor's POV

After the first attack on the woodland there was a lull. Small groups passed by, some strayed into the trees of the border or into the marches, and those unfortunate enough to come too close were circled by the wolves and ambushed. Some groups the wolves and Ashi'kha alone disposed of, for others they enlisted the help of archers. We had expected the black stones here, but never one was found. When the wolves tracked orcs, the carcasses were searched, but none had such a device. The wolves also acted as far-scouts, which proved a relief to the regular scouts, and they brought news about the orcs' movement around Lorien, in the foothills and often directly from their camps. Which was something the best Silvan scout would not have managed without considerable risk.

The Lorien elves built traps in the outer forest. They carefully concealed them with twig-work, and Galadriel added a few touches of her own. She had obviously taken her cue from the stones, and the traps could not be smelled out. We showed the places in question to the Ashi'kha, who in turn carefully shared that knowledge with the wolves. It was nasty business picking out the odd orc that had sprung the traps, but more demanding to reset the traps. After my first go at that I left it to the Silvans, who after all had invented the devices

The second attack was launched at a greater scale than the first. We kept the real wolves inside the borders because the orcs had formed tight ranks and were well armed. The first attackers had been lightly armoured, and the wolves had not been hindered much by that. Now, the orcs wore heavy plate-armour, and most of them carried cross-bows. We had to be extremely careful not to make targets out of ourselves. Silvan armour would not hold against cross-bow bolts from the short distance that was usually involved when bow-shooting in dense forest. Some Ashi'kha left their wolf-shape and joined the battle with bows and spears. Though the weapons were unfamiliar to them, they remained unseen so perfectly that even they killed their share of enemies.

It was early morning when the attack was called off after a night of tough fighting. The sun rose bright and with a thin cold light. I collected scouts that were willing to go out together with the wolves and several groups went off to hunt out remaining orcs. Together with the black I combed the part of forest we had been assigned. I was not pleased with his stubbornness of remaining furred, but decided to make the best of it. After all, the wolf's sense of smell was far better than an orc's. He pointed out two which I shot before they had become aware of us. The third orc we found was keener or more wood-crafty. He surged out of his thicket and charged. The wolf stood in his way and twisted back, avoiding the notched scimitar narrowly. I shot two arrows in quick succession but one glanced off the orc's armour and another stuck harmlessly in the leather plates. I dropped my bow and attacked with my sword, roaring. For two, this was an easy kill, and the black was mean. He used the diversion I provided to sink his teeth into the naked skin of the orc's thigh and pushed his prey to the ground. I nearly stumbled over him, and with a quick swing cut his play short before he could shift his hold to the struggling orc's throat.

"Sometimes you are incredibly wicked" I shoved the wolf away and retrieved my bow. The black shook his fur without remorse and replied nothing.

We had almost completed our round and were heading for the meeting place when wolves started to howl. I glanced at the black to check if I interpreted the howl rightly, and we both turned and made into the direction at a run. I almost bumped into one of the Lorien guards who came hastening back towards us. He was out of breath and had fresh orc blood on his armour.

"Ivornen!"

"Thank the Valar" he panted "We were ambushed by our trap tree and two orcs had hidden out to await us, I assume. They came at us with axes and shields. The Ashi'kha, Mala'shech, he-"

I swore heartily as we ran back to the place. The trap had been sprung and the orc carcass still dangled in the torn straps. The two fresh corpses lay beside the trap tree. Rhiwalagos crouched beside the body of an Ashi'kha, ringed by three wolves which kept a respectful distance from the Lorien elves. I knelt beside him with the black by my side. I needed not be a healer to know I could do nothing anymore. I sensed Raven closing his shields so that only the wolf awareness remained for me to detect.

"I am not a healer" Rhiwalagos said desperately "Had I been maybe-"

"No" I said "You couldn't have done anything either, not against semi-beheading"

I took Rhiwalagos aside and stood by the trap with the two guards. The black remained standing beside Mala'shech's's body for a moment, his head lowered so that his muzzle almost touched the other's face. Then he raised his head and howled. After a moment the other wolves joined him and were answered from around the woodland.

The guards watched them in awe "What are they doing?" Ivornen asked uncomfortably as the wolves in the clearing fell silent again.

"Calling the others. As well. I do not understand all they say. Stay!" I added when he made to walk forward.

"We cannot leave him there" Rhiwalagos objected.

"They are waiting. This is their business. Leave us to it if you stay, or go finish your patrol" I spoke sharper than I had intended, and the guard subsided in surprise.

The black came over to us 'Lai'ashi is coming. They were good friends. The borders are not left unguarded' Raven glanced at me 'The wolves will take Lai'ashi's and Saka'nor's places for a while'

It did not take long and more wolves arrived.

"Mala'shech came bursting in here a moment after the orcs had us in a fight" Ivornen said "He…you see they were armoured, he could do little as a wolf, I think. That is why he changed and grabbed one of the orc-scimitars. Rhiwalagos and me were both surprised, and his arrival saved us from worse" He cast a helpless glance from me to the wolf and back.

"He was a spear-fighter" I said "Not with a sword"

There was a slight commotion behind us, and the wolves began dragging Mala'schech's body into the trees.

"Damn them!" Rhiwalagos raised his bow angrily.

'No' the black reared up at the same instant and wrapped his forelegs around the guard's waist, pulling down his bow in the process and driving him backward. Startled, Rhiwalagos stumbled and Raven leaped aside.

"Never.shoot.at.these.wolves" I pulled Rhiwalagos to his feet.

"They are going to eat him" he shouted "How can you tolerate that? They-"

"They are here to guard your border, not for you to understand all their ways" I interrupted.

"Come" Ivornen said tightly "We should report, and see that we do not make this mistake again" He turned to the wolf "Mala'shech saved our lives. I do not know what our people have as mourning ritual but they can remember that"

The wolf dropped his eyes in acknowledgement, then turned and vanished into the thicket. I followed him a few moments later. He stood by a tree and stared away into the forest.

'Where are the wolves taking him?' I asked suspiciously 'I fear Rhiwalagos was not that far from the truth when he said his piece'

'He was exactly correct' Raven turned and looked at me 'Lai'ashi and Saka'nor will keep death watch today. And then they will call the wolves'

"Did you…know Mala'shech very well?" I asked carefully after a moment.

'I hardly know anyone very well' Raven retorted 'I have not been with the clan for a long time now. Those I…know better are in Rivendell or with the other groups. But it makes little difference'

"Do they always do this, or is it a…a custom of war?" I asked, hovering between detached puzzlement and repulsion.

Raven took a moment to answer 'When a wolf dies, the Ashi'kha take his fur. When we are unfurred, we need the fur of others. When an Ashi'kha dies, the wolves take his flesh. So each lives through the other'

Coming to think of that, he had never mentioned a cairn. Even when we were at the place his brother had been killed.

'This is the old way' the black continued 'From the time of the Starlit Dark. It was the first agreement we made with the wolves, maybe even before we became wolves ourselves. I never told you, did I?'

I shook my head "It hardly matters, though, now. And it does not change things for Mala'shech. Your clan has just shrunk for the first time in this war. Here. And we do not know what goes on in the other places where the Ashi'kha are"

'We knew we were taking risks. You all take risks. If Mala'shech had not killed the orcs, your people would have lost two good fighters. Let us go back now. We have not finished today. The others will return for their reports as well'

"Why don't you change back when we are not fighting or scouting?" I asked as we neared the centre of the woodland and had passed the sentinels "I can see the other Ashi'kha would avoid changing here, but you…"

'I would have' Raven said at length 'But I feel watched. Like in Imladris. And I don't want to meet them unfurred. When I am wolf these eyes – any eyes - can see less. Much less'

"Yes" I said after a while "Maybe. Lucky you"

The black halted 'I – we two could hardly conceal what we are if I…were Raven instead of the black'

'Do you want to keep it concealed?' I asked 'It hardly matters to me what these elves here think. There is nothing I have to account for. I am beginning to miss Raven, you see? And I don't mean to say the wolf is not company. But he is not my lover'

The black flattened his ears in surprise at my bluntness 'Oh. I thought -'

'That war would drive all thought of that from my mind? I could let it, you know? But I won't. Not as long as I do not know your mind about this'

The wolf stared up at me, then reared to hook his fore paws over my shoulders, leaning against me to keep his balance. Surprised, I put his hands on the wolf's front legs to steady him. Our eyes were almost level that way 'I did not want to get you into – inconveniencies' he said 'It is not that I…did not want to'

One of the Lorien scouts passed us, giving us a puzzled glance. For a moment we both stared after him, then the black looked back at me and cocked his head 'They think the wolf is your lover' he stated dryly.

I snickered and held on to the wolf's forelegs when I moved back "What do you think – a dance?"

Raven chuckled 'That would be a sight. We should consider it for their next festival'

We were off-duty for the next two days. Others who had up to now been stationed near the Angle would return to the marches. I could not say what thought lay behind that, if it was out of concern for Mala'shech's death or because of the wolves' role in it. Hador had brought the orders, and the scout could hardly be blamed for anything. After the brief reporting with the other scouts returning from the marches Ivornen had wanted to talk over their strategy with me, and Raven had quickly absented himself as Galadriel and Celeborn presided over the council. Tonight I was at loose ends therefore, having expected to be out at the border again by nightfall. I found myself ringed by most of the pack. The Ashi'kha were gone by themselves. After what Raven had told me about the…lets call it funeral customs…of the Ashi'kha I felt I had reached a certain limit of my understanding of wolf clan. I watched the sleeping wolves thoughtfully, wondering – no, I was NOT going to wonder about that. Too late to wonder, anyway Whatever I felt or thought, it failed to truly upset me. It was a curious thing, I thought, that Elrond arguing Eldarin matters could get me into rage, but the notion of wolves devouring one's own clansmen left me rather cool. In itself, that is. It did not touch me personally. Maybe I should see this wolf-way as well. You can't change it, you can't understand it, so leave it be.

By now I could distinguish quite well between the different wolf kinds.Directly opposite me was a grey-brown lowland wolf, a shaggy, thin creature with a ratty look. Beside him, seemingly oblivious to their difference lay a thick-furred, massive mountain-wolf, dark grey. There was one mountain-wolf that was almost white. He was slender and long-legged, less massive than the grey. I thought of Joy, how Raven had described her. It was strange idea, but no longer as absurd as it might have seemed to me in the beginning, that someone could consider a wolf in the same terms one of my people would see his or her mate. But it was too challenging an idea for this night. I sat by my tree and debated if I should enter the city or follow the wolves' example and go to sleep right here.

"Gildor?"

I turned, puzzled "Raven?"

Raven left his cover and came into the clearing "Well met" he said wryly and leaned against one of the trees at the edge carefully, wrapping one of my spare cloaks around himself. "I took the freedom to borrow one of yours" he said, tugging at the collar.

"You're welcome" I watched him warily. Raven looked at the wolves sleeping in the clearing, then back at me "I was wondering if – would you walk with me? I have to get away from this city a while"

"We are a candlemark's walk from the outer walls" I objected, but got up nevertheless "Is it so bad?"

Raven shrugged and made for the forest at a brisk walk "It is not – that bad. But as I said, it is…worse when I am not wolf. We are pretty close to the city, in that respect, at least"

He smiled crookedly "They have taken us out of the schedule until the day after tomorrow. Why? Have you been told or are you ranked among the barbarians now as well?"

"I have not been told" I said hearing my own doubts echoed "But I do not think it is really because the Lorien elves have though otherwise about their decision. We have been out at the border for many days running and a battle. It is only fair to get a few hours off if that is possible Maybe it was just a coincidence that this fell together with Mala'shech's death"

"And maybe not" Raven sighed "Let us go east, the valley there seems…less observable"

"Where are your p… – the other Ashi'kha?"

"Out by beyond the border" Raven said without looking at me "They will call the wolves soon…at dawn"

Oh. Well. "I assumed they…had already" I said neutrally.

"The hawk flies at dawn. It was with the first rising of the…the sun that the hawk actually flew. So dawn it is that the dance will be performed and…the body be considered completely left by the…fёa"

"Fingal's hawk dance was not at dawn"

Raven sighed and smiled darkly "That was a kind of a special case" He did not elaborate, but I assumed it had something to do with the brothers' – position in – or outside - the clan. And probably with the circumstances of that occasion. The Ashi'kha were rather flexible in adapting their rituals and traditions.

"What gives me the honour of Raven's company tonight?" I asked after a while of walking in silence.

"Because Raven has been a fool and took some time to realize it" Raven stopped and held me back as well "I am sorry, I did not think. I only saw this…this force holding the forest together and feared it might see something I did not want it to see. I don't know why. Please, do not always wait until I figure things out, tell me when I am a fool"

"I did not call you a fool" I said gently but Raven interrupted me "Nevertheless I was one. Come" He took my hand and we walked on towards the small dale. The trees were smaller here and grown with lichens. Unlike the mallorn trees in the centre of the valley these were bare at this time of the year, though the first buds were showing already. The floor was littered with leaves and mossy.

"Raven has missed Gildor as well, you know" he said as we sat down on a smooth patch of moss "And the wolf…well you have stated that clearly enough"

He lay back against me and plucked at the dead leaves for a moment. I lay down beside him and pulled him into my arms, brushing his unbound hair aside to look at his face. Raven did not react to my scrutiny, only snuggled closer to me and kept his eyes shut.

"Why are you not with them tonight?" I asked finally when Raven did not speak at all "What troubles you?"

"I am not with them because obviously I am with you" Raven made a small sound that might have been a laugh "They will not dance, here, that is. Not yet. What happens now is for Lai'ashi and Saka'nor alone. The other Ashi'kha will not be there either. It is not that what troubles me"

"Well?" I probed "You have closed me out, you know. Do you want me to guess?"

"I don't know it myself, so maybe you could have a go" Raven turned around in my embrace to look at me "Really. I have not closed you out by intention. It's just-"

"Reflex?" I suggested crookedly "Do you want to go on pondering or could I venture some distraction?"

"Any distraction would be appreciated. After all, I have to pay you back for quite a while of abstinence, don't I?"

When we returned to our post next morning Saka'niyan intercepted us, the black wolf trotting down the narrow path with an air of satisfaction 'Ai, you are walking the right direction' the Ashi'kha stated with some amusement 'They have quite a nice breakfast prepared back there'

I tried to place what was different about the two wolves as Saka'niyan watched us with a twinkle in his sharp eyes. Almost all of the Ashi'kha here were black wolves when they changed, but I would never be able to mistake one for the other, as sometimes happened with wild wolves of the same kind. Though I found I had much less difficulty even in that than the Lorien elves.

"They?" Raven asked dubiously.

'Some of the scouts and hunters. The wolves have invaded their little buffet as well, you should really have a look'

I snickered "Now I want to see that! Are they sharing, at least?"

Saka'niyan waved his tail merrily 'They have no choice with all the wolves staring at them while they eat. You may guess they can be more unsettling than begging dogs'

"We might as well scandalize them even more" Raven decided sardonically "Let's go, Brother Wolf"

Saka'niyan cocked his head, flattening one ear back and giving us both a knowing wolf stare "Don't you dare say anything" Raven warned him dryly "You know I won't tolerate any teasing in that direction, much less coming from you"

Saka'niyan gave a soft snort and bounded down the path in mock fright, tucking his tail between his legs.

"Now I wonder if that was an insinuation" I muttered, looking after him.

Raven growled "Trust me, if it were I would not be standing here still"

"Huh" I said as they walked on towards the gathering place "What is up with you? You're not that sharp about allusions usually"

Raven shrugged "Maybe just a bad day?"

"Do I detect vanity?"

"Never. But Saka'niyan can be dreadful about…changing things"

"Changing things meaning – you and me"

"Some such things"

We reached the clearing and I quickly took in the gathered elves and the present wolves. I grinned inwardly. Now that was a sight.

"Ai, Gildor" one of the guards hailed me "Where is your wolf? One more would not make things worse"

"My wolf?" I raised a questioning eyebrow as I settled myself comfortably in the free space beside one of the wolves.

"He is here" Raven said coolly, following me across the clearing and sitting down on the other side of the wolf. For a moment, all eyes turned to us, with the exception of the wolves'. I noted the assuming glances with grim amusement. Lorien custom was still very determining it seemed, as the guards here all obviously judged by our turning up together with unbound hair. So they are still keeping that idea alive –

"You are the…black wolf?" someone blurted, making me wonder what he would have said if he had not amended his hesitation before 'black wolf'.

"Last time I looked I was"

I laughed softly 'Do you realize how absurd that can sound?'

'So what? It is true' "Did nobody enlighten you on the fact that I am Ashi'kha as well?"

The elf in question shrugged "It's rather hard to remember who is and who is not with all these wolves around. I can't remember having seen you before"

"That would be because you haven't" I put in mildly. I helped myself to fresh bread and fruit and passed the basket on to Raven. The wolf followed each motion accurately with amber eyes, craning her head back and forth as Raven returned the basket to me.

'Since when do you eat bread, huntress?' I asked the wolf as she took the offered bite daintily, using only the small front teeth between her fangs. She looked puzzled at the address 'Good' she stated 'Eat all that is good'

The scout sitting beside me frowned "You are talking to them? That works?"

I shrugged "It works if you know on what level to address them. They obviously do not speak Sindarin" I grinned when I saw the scout's irritation "You must use images, and then it's perfect" I added to take the sting out of my words "Try"

"Uh" the scout shook his head "Not this time. Coming to think of it – I'd rather not unshield to a wolf. Meaning no insult" he added quickly with a glance at Raven who watched the exchange with amusement.

"You have to unshield, don't you?" the scout asked dubiously, looking from Raven to me.

"I don't" Raven said with a shrug "Because I never shield towards them. But I assume you would have to"

"And how does it…feel, speaking to a wolf's mind?"

"Actually not worse than to an Elven one" I was beginning to enjoy the teasing "You could try with Raven's, for a start"

Raven smiled thinly 'I warn you, my friend' he threatened me silently 'You are not exempt from retaliation wolf-way' "You could" he said aloud "But it's more than half wolf, I fear"

The scout watched us darkly "You two are unbearable. I was asking an honest question"

"And I was giving an honest answer" I said "And so was Raven. Maybe not totally fair, but true nonetheless. By the way, what is your name? It's rather disconcerting talking to nameless scouts all the time"

"Tarafin" the scout said "And these are Thancol, Rhovanna and Taurandir. Hador and Rhiwalagos you know. We are not exactly used to the wolves here, so I suppose that is why we were…are…kind of reserved"

"I can imagine" I murmured.

There was a silent exchange between Raven and the wolf going on and I absently watched them. The two stared at each other and ignored the other elves in the clearing. The wolf crouched down in front of Raven as if ready to leap. It seemed to be a quick alternation of mental attack and counterattack on a humorous level. I watched the tensed wolf shift with every exchange, her amber eyes fixed on Raven, her ears pricked forward and her tail twitching like a cat's. Abruptly she leaped at Raven and pushed him over, growling. She twisted so she could keep her teeth locked on his arm without standing over him, and Raven grabbed her upper jaw and shook her. I took one of the baskets out of their way and shoved the wolf back as she bumped into me. The play went on for a few moments, then she released the dark elf's arm unharmed and shook her ruffled fur out. Raven grinned and cast the rest of his bread for her to catch.

"What was that about?" I asked curiously as Raven brushed his hair back and reached for an apple. He shrugged with a grin "She said I was eating too much and hunting too little. So I told her she could try and see if she could prevent it. She kind of won, I suppose. At least where bread is concerned. She doesn't like fruit, so-" he gave the wolf a pointed glance and took a bite out of his apple.

There was free space between us now that the wolf had settled on Raven's other side and he crossed the distance to seat himself at my side with his best wolf-way matter-of-factness. As that was so obvious a confirmation in public of the already assumed nature of our relationship I felt both puzzled and grimly satisfied, and more than flattered.

We had tried successfully to be discreet in Rivendell, but somehow things had changed with, no, since the Hawk Dance. And more even since crossing the borders of Lorien. Maybe the curious mixture of rigid custom and much freer regard of sexual alliances here was one reason. Neither Raven nor I could now resist the challenge of slight objection to our relationship that met us in the looks of many elves of this place. I had not expected Raven to shift his behaviour so immediately and so much without his usual reserve.

One of the scouts coughed discreetly and tried to return to the original topic "Well Raven. And how much wolf exactly are you?"

Raven looked at the wolf and then at Taurandir "Enough that I could be considering her as a mate if I did not have Gildor" he said dryly.

That answer had been so prompt and so true that I almost burst out laughing. I kept a straight face with some effort and watched the reactions in the clearing. There was a fascinating range of expression there, half of the Lorien guards probably wondering if they interpreted Raven's Sindarin correctly. They were spared an answer, and I deprived of the fun in hearing it, when the signal for the changing of shifts rang from the city. The scouts and guards got up and absented themselves quickly, trying to be inconspicuous and polite.

"Are you mad?" I laughed finally when only the wolves were left with us "What did you drink this morning!"

"Water from the river, as you know quite well" Raven arranged himself comfortably and rested his head in my lap. The wolf wandered over to us and flopped down beside Raven, her head on his thigh and turning an amber stare on me.

'What are you looking at, hm?' I demanded of her, but she only licked her muzzle and sent mirth. I shook my head and looked down at Raven "I don't understand you, dark elf, you know that?"

Raven chuckled "I thought if you were going to ruin your reputation I might as well do it thoroughly"

"Congratulations really" I said sardonically "I think I need not worry about the success"

Raven knitted a hand into my hair and pulled me down gently "Pack mate" he stated "Nokashi"

"Yes" I confirmed quietly "Do you want to ruin us completely and start a romp in the middle of the gathering place? By now I think with you everything is possible"

"You bet" Raven smiled ferally "But no, I do not think we should go to such lengths. I think our valley will do"

Chapter Notes:

Ivornen: (S) „crystal water" ?

Rhiwalagos: (S) "winter-storm"

Taurandir: (S) "forest wanderer"

Rhovanna: (S) "wild one"

Tarafin: (S) "unruly hair"

Thancol: (S) "shield-bearer"

Hador: (S) "thrower"

Saka'niyan: laughing river

Mala'shech: guards lair

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