Legolas could not explain why, but it felt disrespectful going any further without being welcomed there, and considering that the rest of his companions stopped the same time that he had he it seemed likely they felt the same.

"Alright," Ferdan said, "Not what?"

"Yeah," Eloissa panted next to him, "I've climbed all the way up here and I don't intend to go back down without at least giving this a shot."

"What happens if we go further?" Ferdand asked nobody in particular, or maybe mostly himself.

"Where your manners went, I will never know." Avaleina scolded them both with a frown, and then side stepped to the edge to do the outcropping so that she was not sheltered nor would her voice be muffled.

She stood on the the very edge of the cliff and reached both hands out to Legoals, who grabbed her wrists firmly. Leaning back, just a little so that her voice would be able to echo up the rock, Ava called as loud as she could, "Hello? We are Elves from the forest of Greenwood, we come in peace and with well wishes! It was our deepest hope that you would humble us by coming to meet, even just for a few moments!"

Then Legolas pulled her back up and back under the outcropping. To the other two's raised eyebrows she said, "And now we wait."


Perhaps only an hour or two went by, absorbed quickly by lively conversation almost more full with laughter than with words when it was disturbed by the sound of huge flapping wings. Not long after, one of the great eagles landed on the same outcropping that Avaleina had leaned off of earlier.

All of the elves bowed with respect and surprised, the eagle inclined dipped its head towards the ground while holding out its right wing in a show of goodwill and hospitality.

"Greetings, Wood Elves." It's said to them in a deep voice, "I must express my gratitude and surprise for the fact you have stopped where it is intended our visitors stop. Not once you begin to find the old bodies, orc and goblin, I should clarify."

"We assumed no less," Avaleina said brightly yet with sophistication, as the other had been waiting for her to do. The role of who presented as the speaker of the group switched according to the situation, and now the decision happened faster for them collectively than to think to breathe.

"Tell me, what are four of our Silvan Friends doing so far and above their things that grow? It has been long since your kind has visited ours."

Even with her back to them, Legoals could tell by her posture that Avaleina smiled brightly at them, "It is because of that we have come. We yearned for adventure, and we had not met our majestic friends of the sky since we were young elflings hardly after our forest had burned."

The eagle eyed them carefully, "Ah yes, the young Orphans. I remember you now, the smile should have given you away. Although, it was much smaller then and you were trapped tightly in the arms of Lord Ferdan, next to his ever stern face."

Ava laughed, "Yes, that was me. Avaleina."

"Yes, yes." The eagle said with approval. Then it turned its keen eyes to the others, and Legolas saw knowing in it when it turned to him. "My lord will have no trouble with your coming to our home."

The eagle lowered its head and upper body to the ground and held out a half folded wing, "Climb atop me, and I will whisk you there faster than your legs and hands could ever help you climb."

Avaleine hesitated, "Are you certain?"

"Yes, yes." The eagle answered nearly impatiently, so with an ear splitting grin sent back to Legolas and the others she scrambled atop his back. The other three were quick to follow her. The eagle waited until they were settled on him before he righted himself again. "I am Morwender, by the way, and I would hold on if I were you."

He did not wait for a response from any of them before he swung out into the sky, dipping them into near a straight dive down the mountain canons as their screams of fear and joy echoed in all directions. At near the last minute he swooped up long enough to sink most of his body into a deep lake until the water was near flush with where they sat on his back.

Mesmerized, Ava leaned out and let her hand gently skim across the water, taking great joy in the fish that swam after her fingertips.

WIthout the same warning, he began to tilt upwards at alarming speeds, but at least not at terrible angles as he started to race them back to his home.

Their screams of fear soon turned into near laughter and bright voices as Morwender continued to show them all the wonders held in the sky that were hidden from them.

They would be delighted to learn that they were welcome to stay for as long as they wanted among their new friends. And with their help were able to visit Rivendell for a day and night during their week and a half long stay in the nest.

The adventure would go on to become one of their fondest memories with each other.


Xoxoxoxoxoxo sorry its late but i hope you guys liked it!

(For North, thank you for all the love and support!)