Category: Tolkien-Universe

Rating: M

Couples: Egalmoth/Rog, Maeglin/Salgant

Warnings: AU, canon-levels of Everything

Chapter: 6

Copyright: Characters & places © By Tolkien Estate and/or mynameisjessejk, Plot & OC´s © by me

Authors note: Set in the Otter(less) Mayhem Universe of abovementioned mynameisjessejk on AO3. Unofficial sequel to 'The House of the Mole'

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The six people from Tumfalas arrived quickly, having spared their horses little on the ride to New Gondolin. Fingon had promptly send his little brother away, assuring him that he'd take over New Gondolin so he could support their nephew. It had disturbed him how easily Turgon had acquiesced and disappeared in the depths of his palace. Then again, he should not have been surprised since his brother's closest friends were his Lords in Gondolin.

"It's a long river..." Elrond leaned on the table that held the map of the river in question. He was still in his travelling-clothes, having met up with his grandfather immediately upon arrival. "It's best if we split up. One group would take ages to properly search it and its' banks."

"It'll make communication spotty though," Legolas pointed out, measuring the river with his finger. It seemed at least twice the length of the Anduin, and it had taken days to just travel part of it, so searching would take even longer. They couldn't exactly spend weeks on this, for the Lords' sake. "What if one group finds them? We can't take messenger-birds for this, so the other groups might be searching for days, if not weeks until someone finds them."

"What if we just do a few groups? Start on different ends of the river and work our way to the middle." Elladan suggested. "Me and Elrohir in one each. We can reach each other across vast distances. Are there any in Gondolin who have similar ranges? They could then also make groups, and we'd arrange everyone in some kind of contact-cascade to get news across."

"Not that I know." Tuor shook his head sadly, leaning on his knuckles. Grabbing the goblet beside him, he emptied it in one go. "And I'd rather not waste time searching the city for any. It's been too long already since... the incident."

"Two groups then; one otter and one of us each in the water..." Tumfalas' Lord looked at his grandfather. "And then a few others who follow alongside on the banks or in a boat with supplies?"

"That might work." The Lord of the House of the Wing mused. "We'll have to get Eärendil to move one group to the mouth of the river while the other already starts from here."

"Me and great-grandfather and Elladan and dad." Elrohir suggested, reaching for one of the snacks that had followed them into the room. "Then there's a Song-healer in each group, just in case." They'd no doubt need them, if the two Lords had survived their trip down the river.

"Your spouses with you then, Coruneth is still joining as well I believe." He tapped the map, putting the goblet aside. "Most of the Avari enclaves as we know are on this stretch, so she'd best join the group that leaves from New Gondolin. As for who joins the other?"

"None of the other Lords, certainly." Elrond pointed out. "Erestor perhaps? He does have a discerning eye and is still quite capable at need."

"And it'll keep Glorfindel from going rogue and riding out on his own to look for them." Elladan snorted softly. "Are there ships in New Gondolin or will we have to use horses?" They all knew ships would be best, to allow for easy access onto either shore when necessary without having to figure out how to cross the river with horses.

"There's some, since the river is so near. The largest can hold six easily." Tuor called out for one of the guards outside the door, ordering to prepare two boats with supplies and warn Coruneth and Erestor to prepare for a trip. "It'll be a bit of a struggle for two to control, but sacrafices need to be made. Perhaps some kind of schedule for the skin-changers... Something to discuss once those two are here."

"So who starts from which side?"

"Elrond and Elladan start from here with Coruneth and Legolas." Tuor suggested. "Hopefully Egalmoth and Rog did not get swept too far from Cirith Oron, so the better healer should have the highest chance of finding them... no offense, Elrohir."

"None taken." He shook his head with a small smile. None of them pointed out that the two might well be beyond healing. Paenvellon was just standing quietly behind him, one hand searching his own.