After returning from the stream and finding that the meat was in fact ready, the entire troop sat and ate their meal quietly. Anna was not as particular about the deer as she was the rabbit that had been lunch. Bunnies were for cuddling, not for eating. She had eaten deer before, it wasn't her favorite meat but she wasn't about to complain about the food. They were nice enough to share some with her so she decided that she would push the craving for a nice piece of fried chicken aside and eat the meal offered.

Besides, she was afraid if she made anymore complaints Glorfindel would have her drawn and quartered. That thought wasn't so comforting.

The meal passed in silence. After she had eaten her fill, Anna looked around the camp. There were only eight travelers including herself. She had yet to learn all of their names. She reflected on this and acknowledged that Galrod was the only one besides Glorfindel who had spoken to her so it was really no wonder.

She decided she needed to learn all of their names so that when she got the chance to report this to the police she would have adequate descriptions and names to give them.

"So." she started looking around the fire at everyone. They all looked to her and for a moment she was unsure of what to say next. She decided on kindness, "Thank you for the meal, it really was good." she smiled.

Galrod smiled at her, again taking some pity on her, she supposed.

When they all failed to comment she continued, "So," she cleared her throat as a stall for time wondering how she could approach the topic without having it dismissed. She decided to be straight forward. "What are all of your names?" she asked looking around at the ones she only knew by face, "I mean, well, we really didn't get introduced..." she trailed off wondering if anyone would answer.

One of them to her left smiled at her, but it retreated so quickly she wondered if it were a trick of the flickering fire, "I am Orophin." he stated. His eyes were green she knew and his hair was more golden than that of Glorfindel's.

She beamed at him, "It's nice to meet you." She focused more on the fact that he had chosen to speak to her rather than the oddness of his name. It seemed that they all had pretty odd names around here.

"I am called Maglor." another spoke from the opposite side of the fire.

She turned to face him and repeat her sentiment but another voice stopped her, "I am Amrod." he sat directly beside her so she had no trouble looking at him. He would be easy to pick out as his hair was so dark it was nearly black. "The elf across from you is Caranthir and beside him sits Pityon." he introduced before the other two could speak.

She smiled all around the fire to each of them, "Well, it's very nice to meet all of you." she stated, her manners kicking in.

"The hour grows late." Glorfindel said as he stood, "You would do well to rest, young one. We have a lot of earth to cover tomorrow." he looked pointedly at Anna.

She glanced up at him and saluted, "Aye, aye, captain." At his glare she decided that testing him probably wasn't a good idea.

"I will take first watch." Glorfindel stated towards the troop.

Anna looked up at him and asked as he passed, "What are you watching for?"

He spared her a glance, "Orcs." He didn't elaborate but kept walking until he had positioned himself well from the camp, but near enough to be heard.

Anna turned back towards the troop, "What are orcs?"

Her question must have confused them because they all stared at her for a moment without answering. Finally Galrod spoke, "You have never seen one, my lady?" His voice was laced with something akin to mild surprise.

Anna shook her head, "No, I'm afraid I have yet to have the pleasure." she admitted.

Orophin shook his head, "It would not be a pleasurable meeting, that I can assure you my lady."

Anna's eyebrows rose in question, "Well, what are they then?" she asked now more curious than ever.

"Horrible things that would sooner kill you than look at you." Maglor informed her, "They have no conscious and therefore would not think twice about hurting you."

"You do not wish to see one." Amrod said with a nod.

Anna looked around at all of them, they all gave her nods in agreement. "Are there a lot of them?" she asked. She still wondered what exactly they looked like as no one had given her an adequate description.

Caranthir finally spoke, "They were numerous before the war but they have since dwindled in their numbers."

"But they are still dangerous.'' Amrod stated looking directly at Anna.

Anna nodded for he seemed to require some sort of answer. She couldn't give an opinion on the subject since she had never even heard of a thing such as an orc let alone seen one. She did know that whoever these people were, they took their RPG's seriously. She had been watching them for some hint as to who they really were but they gave none.

They couldn't really be elves... Could they?

It was too much to fathom. She rose quietly and went to her meager bed. Rooting through her things she nearly cursed with annoyance. "I know that they're here, where else would they be." she muttered. The elves looked on curiously. "Ah ha." she smiled triumphantly as she pulled out her cigarettes.

She sat by her bed and pulled one out of it's box. She hadn't smoked all day, in truth she was somewhat afraid to. She had yet to see or hear any sort of highway or mini mart so she didn't know how long she would have to make these last. She lit up and took a long drag closing her eyes.

She opened them a few seconds later when she felt the hairs on her neck stand up. She realized the reason; six pairs of eyes were fixated on her. She had been careful to sit away from the fire as she didn't know if any were allergic to they grey smoke that curled from the end of her cigarette.

She sighed wearily, "Let me guess, none of you have seen a woman smoke before." When every single one of them nodded, she sighed again. They were just going to have to get used to it, she decided.

"What form of pipe weed is that?" Amrod asked, his brows drawn together quizzically.

Anna nearly choked as she inhaled, she coughed and cleared her throat, "It's not weed." she assured him. "I don't smoke weed."

This statement only confused him more, "Then what is it you are smoking?" he asked. Apparently this elf was not shy at all.

"It's tobacco." she told him.

He continued to stare at her curiously, "Then that would make it a form of pipe weed." he stated.

It was her turn to stare at him, "No." she nodded slowly, "There is no pipe and there is no weed, so therefore it makes it tobacco." she said in her most patient of tones.

"What is the difference?" he asked standing. He came closer towards her and sat near to her.

"Well, um," Anna thought for a moment, "Pipe's have to be loaded with tobacco and can be used over again." she began, "Cigarettes are already loaded and you don't reuse them." she explained.

He stared at the lit cigarette before finally commenting, "It smells of no pipe weed I have had chance to smell. You must be right."

"Thanks." Anna's tone was more of a question. "You're looking at me weird." she said plainly to him. He was indeed staring at her in an odd way.

He tilted his head as he studied her, "I am sorry if I have offended you, my lady, but you are unlike any woman I have had chance to meet." he stated plainly.

Anna thought for a moment, "I'm going to take that as a compliment. I don't know if you meant it as one, but I'll take it as one anyway." she decided. She stared at the red end of the cigarette for a moment. "I really should quit." she stated. She couldn't begin to count the times that she had said that, but saying it and doing it were two very different things.

"Then why don't you?" Amrod's voice cut through her thoughts.

"It's not that easy." she shrugged, speaking truthfully.

"It is not good for you." he stated plainly.

She looked at him, "Yes," she allowed, "You're right. It's not. But sometimes these are the only things between me and going postal." she stated. He looked confused again but she spoke again before he had a chance to voice his thoughts, "Besides, you've got to die sometime, might as well be happy doing so." she stated.

The look of confusion on his face turned quickly to shock at her careless words. "I do not think you mean that."

She looked at him, "Oh really?" A smirk found her lips, "And why is that?"

"No one can want to die." he stated plainly as if it were a widely known fact.

She thought about it for a mere second before countering it, "Who would want to live forever?"

Amrod bristled slightly, "I have every intention of living forever, my lady, Valor willing, I will do so."

She stared at him, "You're joking, right? No one lives forever."

"No man." he corrected. "I am elf kind." he reminded her.

She stared at him for a moment and then looked to the other elves. Some were watching them in open curiosity, some were not. She knew that they could probably hear what was being said as they were not sitting that far from the fire. She took in their appearance again, more slowly this time. They did appear different to her. Their skin was flawless, their movements graceful. Every little move they made was unlike anything she had ever seen. But elves were not real, she reminded herself. The other part of her argued that it could be possible; not probable, but possible.

"There are more things in heaven and earth." she whispered the first part of the phrase as she considered everything. She finally shook her head.

Taking one last drag off of the cigarette she stood and then threw the butt into the fire to burn completely. She didn't speak to any of them but went to her make shift bed and lay down.

Thinking about elves made her head hurt.

There was no way. It couldn't be true. They were just damn good at their little role playing games.

Elves did not exist.

Author's Note: Just a little something to let you know I have not given up on this story. My reasoning for not updating in a while is very simple; I have been busy. Too busy. But I have started this story and know where I want it to go so I'm going to try and devote more time to it. I have many ideas for this story and am still excited about it. God willing, I'll be able to piece together the scenes in my head to make it work. ) Thanks for reading.