Reynion firmly agreed with Taurëwen on that point. Airelome had been alone, and now Airelome was gone. Gilbereth didn’t seem to be listening though. As the others planned, the young elf stepped away from the fire as though to look on for the missing elf on his own. He moved to intercept.
“Did you not hear her, child? She is more woodswise than you are and you would do well to listen to your elders,” he admonished quietly. This was not a time for anyone to play the hero at the possible cost of another life. Yes, another life, for Reyn had no doubt that they had seen the last of a good elf when Airelome disappeared. He did not trust this quiet. Not at all.
The younger elf seemed uninterested in either Taurëwen’s or Reyn’s warnings, and tried to shove past. Reyn took him by the shoulders and gestured sharply out at the others. “Look, child, those elves are smart enough to stay together. If you go out there alone, you will be out of all our hair, and I very much doubt that any of us would miss you. I don’t care what you have to prove by coming out here, getting yourself killed won’t do it.”
He let go and walked away from Reyn, towards Taurëwen. He leaned toward her and whispered in her ear, “I don’t think we’ll find him, but why don’t we check around those trees? The ones that were…attacked.”
She nodded, and told Ceros where they were going. No use in causing another search, after all. They started away, praying that somehow, Airelome would come back and make all this fuss unnecessary. Reyn saw Gilbereth standing alone and regretted his harsh words. They were supposed to be on the same side, and Gilbereth couldn’t make himself older by wishing, now could he?
“Gilbereth, come with us. Maybe you can help,” he invited, half-surprised that he was inviting this foppish, and foolish, youngster along.
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