I was lying beneath the tree trunk on the edge of the glade. The leaves were rustling gently in the warm night wind and stars were shimmering brightly on the deep surface of the skies. From the depths of the forest were coming the calls of owls and other night birds. My gyrfalcon was lying next to me, with his head hidden under his wing. His feathers were shining in the starlight like polished silver. `My new-old friend' I mused. 'He still resembled the bird I used to run across the fields with. But now he had his own, human-like personality. He had a sharp tongue sometimes, but he was also a caring creature.' I smiled. 'He even caught me a deer today. Not a rabbit, of course, though surely there were enough rabbits around. But he knew I hate skinning his preys. Mischievous bird!`

I closed my eyes. I was tired. This day was the longest I ever had in my life. After I found the Silmarillion in my bag I realized how much I can change in history of this world, even if I would try not to influence on the important events. The book itself wasn't so important, I could always bury it somewhere to make sure no one will find it. But it was its contents that had shaken me. All history of the First Age was unchanged and clear. But after the War of Wrath there was nothing. Blank pages. In this moment I understood that this is not some story in which I will live as a insignificant guest, which was what I was, quite frankly, hoping. Yes, this was an old world, but with entirely new history and I was a part of it. And I could not hope to predict what part will I play.

Slowly I was letting my weariness to take over me. I was sliding into the nothingness. I only kept part of my senses wary, as apparently all Elves do. But this glade was a safe place. I could rest...

I sat upright and looked around. What...? Why did I wake up so suddenly? But then I sensed it. The danger. Something wasn`t right. The nice aura of this glade had dissolved entirely and I felt an unpleasant shiver on my back. I touched the mind of my companion and whispered to him. I preferred this to talking out loud.

~ Alcar! Wake up! Something is wrong.'

~ What?' he pulled his head out from under his wing, stood up and ruffled his feathers. He turned his head and looked at me. 'Have you heard something?`

~ Rather, I`ve sensed. We`re not safe here. But I don`t exactly know why. We should check this. Go, fly above me. Tell me, if you see anything.'

~ So be it, but remember, I`m not a night bird, my eyes aren`t very good at this hour. You must be careful yourself.' He waved his wings and flew up, stopping some ten meters above me. I delved into the forest and he followed me. The danger wasn`t very far way. I should soon find out what it was. I only hoped it won`t find out about my presence. Still, it was better to surprise it, than be surprised myself.

I was walking about ten minutes and was starting to wonder whether it wasn`t only my imagination. Soon I reached the spot, where trees were fewer. I could see better now, though earlier wasn`t that bad, I had elvish eyes after all.

Then, quite near, I heard the shrieks and screaming. It sounded like a pack of beats, but I could almost hear the words. Yes, the hoarse and unpleasant, but still words. Suddenly they were joined by other voices, high and clear, but shouting frantically.

I ran furtively to the source of strange sounds. After two minutes I reached the edge of the forest. The shouting grew louder. Then I came out from the woods and stopped abruptly.

I found myself on the edge of the forest. I was standing on the top of the low hill, overgrown with few oaks and some shrubs. On my right side were towering the walls of the very high mountains, the peaks the Hithaeglir. Beyond the forest, from which I came, stretched the vast fields, crossed by the flowing waters of the river, some miles away. On the field near the mountains lay huge rocks, as if thrown by some giant. It was there, between the big cluster of rocks and the forest, where the battle was taking place.

The group of beast-like creatures - 'the Orks' I realized – were attacking the group of twenty people I immediately identified as Elves. The Elves were defending themselves bravely, but I could see that they were greatly outnumbered and they probably were going to be slaughtered. Four of them already lay dead on the ground, the blood tainting their fair faces. Many dead Orcs were lying before their line of swords and some a few meters away, each one with the arrow in the middle of their heads. The archers fought with their swords now. Elves were too few to make the second line.

~ Alcar, do you see that?` I cried telepathically to my gyrfalcon.

~ Unfortunately, yes. Elves are fine and brave warriors, but they are greatly outnumbered. They will perish' he said with sorrow.

Then I saw that one of the Orcs that was killed by elvish arrows had a bow with him. He was lying behind the lines of those who were fighting.

~ Maybe not, if we can help that. Listen to me, do you see that Orc with the bow, lying near the forest?'

~ Yes, I do. What do you have in mind?' He asked, interested.

Quickly, bring his bow to me! And don`t forget the quiver!` He understood then. He spread his wings and sped like a beam of white light. Soon he reached the body of dead Orc, seized the bow with one clawed leg, the quiver with the other and flew back to me. I think one of the Elves caught the sight of Alcar, but soon he got engaged in battle with his next foe.

"Thanks" I said, taking the primitive, black bow and quiver with about three dozen arrows from the gyrfalcon. "Now, listen. I was quite good with a bow few years ago, as you know. I will try to decimate the right wing of the Orc`s band. I need you to attack their left wing. Together, we should distract them enough to give the Elves a chance to win this combat. Can you do this?"

~ Watch me!' he exclaimed and then sped to lines of the enemy as quickly as before, the first arrow from the volley I was hoping to fire. I smiled and then got to work.

I was shooting better than I hoped, bearing in mind that I hadn`t had a bow in hand for at least three years. Maybe my elvish senses helped a bit. I killed one Orc, then the second, the third, the fourth... Meanwhile Alcar proved his incredible strength, when he attacked the group of Orcs, slashing his claws at them, killing two at once and then caught the third one, bearing him high in the air and then tearing him into pieces with his claws and beak. The Elves saw what was happening and in their faces shone a ray of hope, where moments ago was only fury and black despair.

The battle went on. I was shooting with my bow, Alcar was slashing with his claws and hitting with his beak and the Elves were hacking with their sword with new strength and doubled fury. The light shone forth from their eyes and they looked really deadly with blades gleaming with dark blood of their foes. Soon the Orcs, caught between two fires and terrified by the sight of the deadly, white falcon, who was killing them so mercilessly, began to retreat. Soon their lines broke and they were all running to the forest. I smiled with relief. We did it. So my presence here wasn`t all that bad.

The Elves, now safe again, were looking at Alcar with awe. Then one of them caught site of me, frowned and widened his eyes in fear. He started waving and shouting something to me, but everything I heard was "behind you!" When I`ve finally realized, what he meant, it was too late. I felt great force striking my back, sharp pain and then everything went black. Then last thing I heard was Alcar, calling my name...