Hunters, frost and elm trees

Forest Path

Youthful trees spread their slender limbs in anticipation of the mature grandeur of the deep forest, widely spaced

though clustering in greater profusion in a gradual sweep upwards to where in the distance mighty trees challenge

the sky. A hand other than nature has ordered saplings into long rows north of the path. They seem to leap from

amidst shrubs and wildflowers as if eager to speak to their ancient brethren. Winter rules this small kingdom of

barren trees, keeping the ground frozen and coating branches with forst. The delicate saplings seem to huddle in on

themselves, hoarding their strength for the spring.

Contents:

Eryndir

Imladris Forest

Obvious exits:

East leads to Forest Path -- Through the Deep Woods.

West leads to Crossroads: Valley Path and Forest Path.

================== Eldarin Calendar ===================IC time is:    Mid Afternoon < About  4:21 PM >IC day is:     Oranor

IC date is:    49 Rhiw

Moon phase:    Waning Gibbous

Earendil:      Gil-Estel is not visible.

IC year is:    Loa 23 o Yen 22, Nelandran o Endor

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RL time:    Mon Sep 28 20:27:21 2009

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A grey, wintry afternoon. The diffuse light from the cloud cover filters through the trees, making soft patterns on the forest floor. Everything is covered in frost, from the thick branches of the larger trees to the leaves of the younger saplings, planted only a few seasons ago. And through this icy scene, an elleth walks, nestling closely into her star-studded cloak.

The elf-maiden\'s footfalls are steady and silent on the ice. She hums a simple tune as she walks through the forest, looking carefully at each tree she passes and touching it with a single gloved hand. A gust of wind momentarily blows her cloak open at the front, making it possible to glimpse the bundle in her other hand: a leather bag, not too small but not too big. She clutches it closely to her as she moves amongst the branches.

Just ahead in a small clearing, an elf sits on a large flat rock, eating some trail rations. Beside him, dusted lightly with snow, is a large bulging bag with antlers protruding from the opening.

...But the elleth in the trees has not reached the clearing yet, and does not yet notice his presence. She continues to peer through the trees as she hums to herself, sometimes even peering into the branches. At length, she moves closer to the clearing, but still has not noticed that she is not alone. Then, placing her hand on a particular tree, she lets out a triumphant squeak and drops her bundle at its foot. She takes a few steps back, looking up at the branches with a thoughtful expression. Then she steps foward once more, grabs hold of a thick bough with both hands, and begins to hoist herself up...

Hearing the squeak, Eryndir straightens in alarm, dropping his food on the ground. With no time to grab or string his bow the elf draws his hunting knife. Scanning the snow laden trees and trying to see through the misty air, he calls out wearily: \"Hey, anyone there?\"

The elleth squeaks again, and hurriedly lets go of her purchase. She falls gracefully down from the branch, and her feet land squarely on the ground beneath her, ready to push off and speed away from whoever had caught her...

...Or at least that is what would have happened, if the ground was not so icy. Instead, when her feet hit the ground, her feet slip forwards and she falls back... Oof! She collides with the ground and skids backwards, right onto the path, in full view of anyone who would pass by.

As the elleth falls from the trees, Eryndir rushes forwards, attempting to closing the gap between his would-be assailant. His first step, however, happens to land on his forgotten lunch, which slides on the ice, causing Eryndir to fall forwards, arms pinwheeling, and slide across the icy ground towards the elleth.

The elleth is the first to recover. Pushing herself up on her elbows, she pulls her legs towards her and sits up as Eryndir slides over, face-forward on the path. Then, recognising who it is, she starts to laugh wholeheartedly.

\"Eryndir?! Trust you to scare me like that!\" She hits him teasingly on the shoulder. \"I\'ll have a great job cleaning my cloak when I get home.\" True enough, the back of her cloak is a great mess of wet dirt and leaves. Her hood had fallen back in the fall, and now it is easy to recognise the elleth: it is, of course, Mellindiel, one of the younger Imladhrim. And she is looking at Eryndir with a mix of anger, embarrassment, annoyance, and - most of all - amusement.

Eryndir groans and sits up slowly, rubbing the leg that had hit the hard icy ground. As Mellindel finishes speaking his head clears enough for him to recognise the elf in front of him. \"Melin?\" he asks, still dazed, then bursts out laughing, falling back onto the ground from his sitting position. \"Graces, girl, I thought I was in trouble there for a minute. What are you doing out here, in this weather...uh...\" He pauses, seeing the mess he had inadvertantly made of her cloak \"...Sorry about that.\"

Mellindiel blushes a little when the other elf starts speaking - fortunately, at least in her eyes, her cheeks are already flushed from the cold. She recovers fairly quickly, though. \"I should be asking you the same question!\" she retorts, clearly avoiding his question. She looks down at the hunting knife. \"And exactly who did you think you would have to use that against in this valley?\" Mellindiel\'s lips quirk. \"I think you\'ve been on a few too many trips, mellon.\"

Eryndir raises an eyebrow and retorts \"And you haven\'t been on enough, little one\". Eryndir stands up, brushing most of the dirt from his cloak and tunic, though they appear to have been unwashed for many days. He continues to speak, attempting to sound wise and experienced. \"There\'s plenty of danger about, even in this quiet little valley. Which brings me back to my earlier question: what are you doing out here, on a day like this? I was heading home myself when you saw fit to grace my presence.\"

\"Naneth sent me,\" the elleth replies, bending the truth a little. \"Aeglos leaves are at their best when encased in frost, did you not know? That\'s one of the reasons they\'re named after icicles. And besides,\" she adds, in case her friend realised that Aeglos did not grow on trees, \"I wanted a little of the moss that grows on elm-trees: the scent is supposed to be at its clearest around this time of year.\"

Eryndir \'s brow furrows in confusion \"Fair enough: Aeglos are at best now, but I wasn\'t aware that any grew around here, and...\" The elf casts his eyes about the forest, looking at the saplings before continuing \"...why we\'re you climbing so high? The moss grows thickest at the tree\'s base, where the air is dampest.\" Eryndir\'s eyes narrow, searching Melin\'s face for an answer, then his face relaxes and he shakes his head.

\"You are an odd one, you know that?\" he tells her, walking back to his pack. \"Well, at least you\'ve saved me having to eat the rest of that.\" He gestures to the ruined lunch on the ground. \"I\'m pretty sure the damp got into it it tasted awful.\"

The elleth follows Eryndir to look down at the ruined snack, and laughs. \"Why don\'t you go to Hir Elrond\'s kitchens and have something warm and delicious?\" She reaches over to pick up his pack (rather heavy, but she manages) and hand it to her fellow elf. \"I\'ll follow you in a minute, but I want to get what I came here for. Or you could wait I do not mind.\"

Eryndir gestures at his clothes. \"I\'ve been hunting for three days, Melin,\" he says, a hint of his exhaustion coming through. \"I think I\'ll spare a few minutes to rest first, with my good friend, of course,\" he finishes, a smile breaking through. Eryndir sits down on the flat stone, checking bits of his pack and having a quick check to see that the deer packing into the large bag hadn\'t been gnawed at by woodland creatures during thier earlier fall \"I\'ll wait here while you do whatever it is you\'re here for, then head back with you, if that\'s okay,\" he said with a smile.

Mellindiel cannot help but smile in response. \"Very well. I\'ll only be a moment.\" With a quick glance over her shoulder, the elleth returns to the tree she had fallen from, takes a sturdy grip and hoists herself up. She climbs along the thickest bough until it shakes, sending snow showering to the ground from its bare tips. The elleth breaks off a twig and starts waving it purposefully around - left, right, down, up, left, down. Once that is done to her satisfaction, she hides the twig in her cloak and makes her way down.

Eryndir watches as the elleth disappears into the trees, losing sight of her almost immediatly in the web of snowy branches and white sky. No wonder they hadn\'t seen each other before. As Mellindiel travels amongst the branches, Eryndir stands and gathers a few handfuls of moss gathering about the tree\'s trunk, hoping to assist with Melin\'s and speed their journey home. He approaches her pack and begins to open it, looking to place the moss with her other gathered herbs.

The elleth returns within a few minutes, dropping to the ground far more gracefully this time around. Seeing Eryndir with the moss, she smiles. \"Hannon le,\" she says in thanks. \"You can find a vial for the moss in the compartment on your left.\" She walks closer and smiles proudly. \"I found what I wanted. Want to see?\"

Eryndir finds the vial and packs the moss tightly into it before stashing it amongst Mellindiel\'s possessions. He straightens, and heads over to her. \"Very well,\" he says. \"Show me what you have found.\"

Mellindiel retrieves the twig from inside her cloak and holds it out for both of them to see. Wrapped around it like a spool of thread is a small amount of clear filament. The frost has stuck to the filaments as well.

\"Lalorn-lhing,\" she announces quietly, turning the twig so that the light catches on the tiny ice crystals. \"The spider is in hibernation, so she no longer needs her web - and, luckily, I found it before it was damaged. The gossamer is far stronger than silk, and has great healing properties, but of course it is difficult to obtain in quantity.\" She sighs quietly and smiles to herself. \"Maybe, one day, I will have enough to make a cloak... or even a bandage for the healers, although it would be a shame to bloody such a beautiful substance.\"

Eryndir peers at it closely, admiring the way it shimmers. \"I wouldn\'t wish for so much spider\'s silk if I were you,\" he says, looking at the web. \"A spider big enough to make silk for a cloak would have to be as big as you - and I should know, I have seen a few in my time.\" He grins at this bit, puffing out his chest slightly. \"Huge grisly beasts they were, covered in thick black hair, with legs the size of my arms and a hundred eyes that could see all around them!\" He waves his arms about to demonstrate. \"Luckily for you they don\'t come so close to this place, or they\'d probably catch you and eat you for dinner,\" he teases her.

The cirithril laughs at Eryndir\'s antics, but blushes all the same. All she has to do is be patient, and eventually she will have enough for the weavers. She reaches into her bag and withdraws a velvet pouch, into which she places the spool of thread. She adds the pouch to her pack, closes the flap and stands with her package. \"Ready to go?\" she asks.

Eryndir laughs good-naturedly and gathers his gear, hoisting the deer onto his shoulders with a grunt. Holding onto the deer with one hand he offers the other arm to Mellindiel. \"Yes, I\'m ready to go. Shall we?\"

Mellindiel smiles at her friend and, after adjusting her cloak for warmth, accepts his arm. As they make their way out of the forest and further into the valley, the gentle afternoon sunlight reflects off the snow, making everything - the House, the grass, the trees and shrubs - sparkle like diamonds.

\"Welcome back to Imladris, Eryndir,\" she murmurs. \"And as a welcome home gift, you can do my washing.\"