[Brinniel]

The sky was overcast and grey as Calentoliel brought her horse into a trot. She was headed for Isengard; her mind had been set on it for weeks now. The elf had hardly rested since she had left the Blue Mountains.

Since she had parted from her sister Rothallë, who had gone West, the Blue Mountains had been Calentoliel's favorite place to rest. The mountains and the forest that sat by it brought back memories; good memories of her friends that she had met and adventured with in that very place a thousand years ago. Save her sister, Calentoliel had not seen one of those friends since then. Faye Took and Olo Gamwich were long dead, but the others- Endereth, Mattius, and Radagast- still dwelled in Middle-earth and Calentoliel hoped one day she would see them again. The elf had grown lonely over the years. In fear that she would stand out too much, she rarely traveled into towns and cities and hardly spoke to anyone, save a friendly hello as she passed another by.

The motive for Calentoliel's travels to Isengard was the vision she had the night before she left the Blue Mountains. She had seen images of her friends; not images of the past, but of the future. She also saw new faces; those whom she did not recognize. Calentoliel wondered what this vision meant; perhaps a new adventure, she thought. Whatever the vision meant, Calentoliel had suddenly felt the urgent need to leave for Isengard. She called a horse, who was called Losthyando, and left the next day.

And now here she was, riding Losthyando, pondering over what the future would bring. Isengard was not far; tiny specks of building began to appear in the distance and Orthanc stood out particularly. Calentoliel was so into her thoughts, gazing out into the distance, she did not see what lay directly in front of her until she was nearly on top of it, her horse stopping suddenly.

What Calentoliel saw horrified her and brought back terrible memories. In front of her lay a human body, mangled to the point where it was unrecognizable. It took a moment for Calentoliel to register what she saw, and when she did, she slid off her horse with ease. The elf bent over the body, which now appeared to be a man, and observed him with curiousity. What had happened to this man? What thing could've possibly done something so gruesome? She had to know the answers.

Gently, Calentoliel placed her hands on the body and began to sing softly. She sang in the ancient tongue she knew, searching for the answers to her questions. The magic flowed from the elf and into the dead body. Images formed in her mind. The images were of fear, pain, and the presence of a hidden shadow. What was this shadow? Calentoliel also searched for this answer, but to know avail. The shadow remained but a shadow, clouded and vague.

Calentoliel stopped singing and relaxed as she felt the energy being drained from her. The man was from Isengard. Perhaps she could find out more about him and whatever had killed him once she arrived there.

Seeing no reason to bring such a mangled body into the city, Calentoliel buried the dead man, and marked his grave.

She mounted Losthyando and once again looked out into the distance. More than ever, she felt the need to continue for Isengard; there seemed to be more reason for it now. The elf looked even further into the distance, seeing a cluster of trees. The Fangorn Forest. Just looking at the forest caused a threat to grow in Calentoliel's mind. She had always feared that place. But now the fear had grown as she could feel the threat of the shadow. Whatever had killed the man had come from the Fangorn Forest. It didn't seem possible; how could the man been killed there and yet his body lay here? But Calentoliel knew it was so as the images of the vague shadow flooded through her.

Looking away, Calentoliel kicked her horse, and they took off in a gallop. Calentoliel would reach Isengard within the hour.