What Witch?

[Erynwen(#28711)]

As the shadows lengthen with the coming of dusk and winters chilled breath sweeps over the lands north of the dark wood. Tensions are thick within the camp of elves and men. Answers received, and plans set forth, the time within the wood was productive and yet difficult. A bird calls out from the forests edge. As a small group of elves emerges from the forest, all goes silent, and the breeze stills.

Stepping into the camp, Erynwen moves forward towards the humans. Stopping before fully reaching them, her green eyes glance over the figures as if searching for someone.

Most of the Beornings huddle around a small campfire, speaking in Eothrik, glancing back and forth nervously to the elves and speculating as to exactly what sorcery said fell beings have or will perform on them. Mobeorn, though, stands away from this group, pacing back and forth like a penned-up animal of some sort, glancing now and then with a frown toward the Beornings as a phrase or two of the conversation drifts over to him.

Cecilia is sitting with the other Beornings, making a charming smile at one of the men as she tries to grab her winter hat back from him that he snatched off her head. Ever since they left Lorien the girl has been far more herself again, joking and laughing and of cheerful disposition.

[Erynwen(#28711)]

Erynwen remains standing, rooted to the frozen land beneath her feet. She continues to watch the humans though her focus falls upon the young woman with strawberry blond hair. Tilting her head slight as if considering the womans features, a smile rises up and she opens her mouth slightly in song.

A soft sound, much like a gentle breeze, rises up. Natural and warm in tone, Erynwen begins to sing. As she does, two others behind her join, filling the drawing shadows with a sense of comfort.

As the singing starts, Mobeorn turns to listen, the shapechanger sniffing at the air a little bit with an animal-like snuffling sound. He yawns, stretches, and glances back toward the Beornings.

Cecilia turns when the singing catches her attention. She sees the unfamiliar elves, the woman in particular. For a moment the Beorning looks panicked, but when she realizes it isn\'t the lady of the wood it passes to a more general weariness. She turns her attention back to the warrior next to her and slugs him hard in the forearm, \"Give my hat back!\" Then snatches the cotton garment from him and pulls it back on her head.

[Erynwen(#28711)]

The healers eyes glaze over as her song grows in volume. No words are uttered, for the sound take on a hint of thought. A story is told in sound, as with the creation of arda, and the rise of life, sound, precious sound takes hold. The Galadhrim in the camp draw back, though they continue to listen.

The chill of winter, crisp only moments ago now fade and a sense of comfort and warmth replaces the sensation of all who listen......... and all do, for the first born are masters of song.....

\"So I heard that even looking at the elves can bewitch....\" one of the Beornings by the fire is saying, though as the song grows in volume, his sentence is unfinished. The man\'s hand drops mid-gesture, and he tilts his head, turning to listen to the elven song, enchanted by it, as it were.

Mobeorn, too, stops his pacing to listen, the beijabar sighing as tension flows out of his shoulders. Yet his brown eyes remain clear as he gazes on the elf and her song.

[Cecilia(#23897)] How can a mere human hope to fight magic that she\'s so unaware of? She looks over at the man, speaking in a conspirital whisper, \"That and more! Look at Mobeorn, he\'s best friends with them all now..\" She grows more thoughtful as the song swells. \"It is pretty, though.. I wonder what they\'re singing about.\" The healer grows quiet, as taken as the rest soon enough.

[Erynwen(#28711)]

The crackling of the fire snaps loudly, an for an instant it brings forth a suggestion of home..... a brief vision of a friendly family gathering filled with laughter and warmth.... Is this the fire, or is this the song hinting the listeners into a time of peace and happiness.

Erynwen\'s song changes tone, and the soft cords become almost hypnotic.

Tall trees seem to quiver in the distance as if a dream forms to the waking view of all who might look. A delicate mist rises up from the ground as song birds sing overhead. A vision? The Healers sounds now form into words, words unknown, but yet understood as visions come forth.

Folding his arms across his chest, Mobeorn settles back against a large tree, watching Erynwen with a small smile and a look of peace on his face. And then the shapeshifter yawns again, brown eyes not moving off the elf, but his smile changes to one of innocent mischief. And then, another kind of magic fills the air here, as the form of the man shimmers in the light, slowly replaced by a sleek brown bear--only the eyes are still twinkling with mischief. The bear settles down onto the floor of the woods, watching the elven woman sing, its head resting on huge paws.

Cecilia pulls her knees up to her chest and wraps her arms around them, listening to the melody and letting her mind wander away from her dark fears. By all measures, she should be panicking, but she doesn\'t realize what\'s going on any more than the others around her.

[Erynwen(#28711)]

Comfort comes, or so it seems, and the humans settle. As one among the second born changes, Erynwen\'s eyes focus slightly to note the change. The Healers expression is unchanged, and it almost seems as if such an event was expected. Though the elleth\'s lips continue to move in song she smiles slightly.

Visions, weak in the begining, suggested in sound alone now form in a circle around the humans. Those nestled in the twilight of sleep seem to focus upon something within the altered landscape.

Strawberries..... a field of strawberries....... Large dark berries, warmed by the magic of the wood.... the frightful wood that lays to the south. Happy bees buzz nearby, merrily gathering pollen and nectar for honey. This vision, so comforting, so inviting...... would they have bothered to go into the wood? Look upon the berries...... smell the air, for the sweetness of honey is there..... would they have gone or stayed here.....

The bear yawns again, then its jaws snap at the visions of the bees, a paw swiping lazily to try to catch them, its nose twitching at the sweet honey smell the fills the air. Still, the bear is lazy in its movements, not threatening.

Cecilia reaches for one of the blankets and pulls it around her shoulders, snuggling into it\'s warmth as she grows sleepy. In the back of her mind is a growing feeling on unease, her fears and suspicions trying to battle her back to a more ready state of mind, but the fire is warm and the music is pretty and before long the panicky Beorning healer is drifting to sleep.

[Erynwen(#28711)]

Again the song shifts. The delicate sounds that form the comforting vision is taken by a pair of healers in Erynwen\'s group. As they step forward and assume the song, Erynwen moves forward as well. Moving behind one of the humans the elleth grows quiet as she reaches out to touch a finger to his forhead.

The Beornings name is unknown, and it matters not, for when she whispers it is in the sweet language of elves. \"You would not have entered the wood..... dangers lie withing, and you hold too much sense to face such things.......\" She whispers softly in Sindarin. Closing her eyes a moment of discomfort appears upon her face and she repeats the words in a softer tone.

The bear is breathing deeply and evenly, as if in a light sleep, but at the shift in the song, the bear, too, shifts, stretching its front pawas out and snorting a little, its eyes still closed.

Cecilia is sleeping soundly as the rest now, but there\'s a crinkling to her brow as her dreams are surrounded by a deep-rooted paranoia and fear. She remembers too vividly her imagined terrors.

[Erynwen(#28711)]

A long deep snore is the response Erynwen receives from the male and she smiles as her eyes open. She moves soundlessly towards the next human, the strawberry blond woman ........

Reaching out, the healer touches the woman\'s temple and pulls her hand away as if sensing something. Frowning slightly, Erynwen reaches forth once more and begins to sing. The song is as before, filled with sounds that stir the mind and heart of all who listen. Sweet visions of of strawberry fields are sung softly as the healer leans towards the human healer. Delicate whispered verses are sung for Cecilia.

Of all in the party, surely Cecilia would have had the sense to remain outside the wood...... a vision of a dark forboding forest stands apart from the inviting comforts that lay to the North. Nay, she would not have gone in.... for certainly the elves would have come to them.

Again the bear\'s nose twitches, and this time one eye pops open. But the song changes again, and it yawns sleepily, shifting, eye slowly closing again. It sighs....the elves might almost hear its thoughts...honey.....

Cecilia never wanted to go into the woods, and in her dream her memories of arguing with Mobeorn and being coerced into the frightening forest mingle with this friendlier, warm story that the song is telling. There is no malice towards the elves in her heart, but she holds a knowingness that was ingrained upon her since she was a babe that the southern wood is deadly.

[Erynwen(#28711)]

\"Never.....\" Erynwen whispers in Sindarin, \"Dark and unappealing, only a fool would go.....And you are no fool.....\" Sweet words sung in soft whispers in the the sleeping ear of the human healer. \"The elves would have come to meet you, for indeed your people are powerful...... they would have come from deep within their dark wood.\" Dreams swirl, and reality mingles with dream. What sould be, or what was...... the sweet words form thoughts that should be if only the human listens. Certainly the humans would not have entered the wood....

Again the bear snorts, sighs, then shifts, sprawling a little onto its left hip, ina more relaxed position on the forest floor. Its breath rise and fall in time to the elven music.

[Cecilia(#23897)] It\'s with a reluctance that Cecilia\'s mind eases away from the truth and towards the more comforting dream. She almost immediately is more more at peace, her expression softening as the darkness of Lorien is avoided completely. Though, there is still lingering fear of the witch being one of the elves coming to meet with them, outside of the forest.

[Erynwen(#28711)]

\"You know only of strawberries, and the delicate honey, and the sharing of honeycakes,\" Erynwen says softly in song, the delicate sindarin words bring forth a scent of freshly baked cakes.......\"The tailor would like them.... \" she says softly, pausing to look towards Galharth, who watches silently at a distance. Smiling softly, the Healer moves on to the next, and finally to the shapeshifter. Hesitantly she reaches out a hand. \"Shall I try?\" she asks aloud, waiting to see if an answer will come forth.

Sharing of honeycakes? The bear\'s eyes pop open at that whisper and a low, grumbling laugh comes from its throat. Then, as the healer reaches out her hand, the air shimmers again, so that the man in his tunic and trousers is back once more, grinning at the elf. \"Visions of strawberries and honey are all well and good, Mistress Healer of the elves,\" Mobeorn rumbles out in a voice that still retains the sound of the bear. \"But asking my folk to share their honeycakes is going too far...As for your enchantments, am I to bring word back to my Laird or no? Or do I just remember what you ask me remember, and bring back word that you met us outside your woods? You may try, but will you succeed? I don\'t know.\"\"

[Erynwen(#28711)]

A soft chuckle emerges from Erynwen\'s lips. \"The Lady warned us that you might be so receptive,\" she says softly. Pausing to look back at the resting humans, she smiles. \"They will remember not who was met within the wood, nor that they entered the wood. They know only those they travel with before and now. Comfort has been found and now fills the space that might have been uncomfortable for some.\" She explains. Looking to the Bear, she bows her head and steps back. \"I bid you well shapeshifter, and well to those you journey with.\"

Turning the elleth moves back along the path leading into the forest. As she departs, the song sung by the healers grows faint, fading into the winters breeze.