[maikafanawen]

“Its too quiet...” whispered Ainemetion. The others nodded in agreement. It was too quiet. Ihwesta crept forward just behind Ceros, her arrow notched and the bow taut and ready. Her eyes darted rapidly around finding no sight of the spiders.

Ihwesta had assumed that the silence identified the situation as a trap, but nixed the idea at once. There was no way the spider’s intelligence capacity could muster a trap.

Then the sound of a padded foot, much like that of a cat’s moved, scraping bark from a tree with it’s exposed claws. Perplexed, Ihwesta turned slowly, just in time to see a spider hurl itself from the tree into the midst of their group. The elves scattered before it landed. They had no time to re-bond and were split up. It was that action that signaled for the rest of the spiders to come out of hiding and attack the elves.

It had been a trap. And it had worked. Separated, the spiders could pick them off easily.

Ihwesta knew that she could not win if she fought, and that if she fought, all she’d accomplish was enervating herself. So instead, she took the band of spiders who pursued around in small circles, stepping just out of the way every time their fangs got close. In quick fluid motions she severed spindly legs with her sword, being careful never to expose herself completely or use up too much strength.

Finally she had gotten it to where the spiders chased themselves around the tree, and she slipped out to join the nearest elf. Together they could successfully dispose of the spiders. Their defeat was a two man—er—elf job.

Ceros was nearest and she slipped between the hairy beasts to stand back to back with him, her bow ready since he had imposed his sword. He acknowledged her presence by shouting commands:

“Good Eru! Go for the eyes Ihwestiaelva!!” She pivoted enough to blind the spider nearest Ceros who immediately kicked it over and plunged his broadsword into its belly. Dodging the spray, they reunited to employ the same attack on the next opponent.

“Nasty creatures!” spat the spiders. “They cannot beat Ungoliath’s Spawn!” Ihwesta froze in shock.

"They speak!" she shouted at Ceros.

"Oh good! Let's stop then. Perhaps they'll tell us how to get our friends back and leave unscathed!" He rolled his eyes exasperatedly. "Come on, Ihwesta, MOVE!!" The she-elf loosed a second arrow into the spider with the first voice and waited until it lay still before her third shaft pierced the eyes of yet another monster. The fruitless battle went on until the duo had dispatched of no less than seven spiders.

Then Ihwesta's arrow missed and instead of pulling out a replacement, she watched to see where it went astray. One of the giants took that moment to pounce. Not stopping to think, Ceros stepped between them, driving his broadsword into its belly and sidestepping just in time as the spider fell with an earth-moving thud.

"What are you playing at Ihwesta! MOVE!!!" Feeling very stupid, the tracker concentrated on her arrows and the spider's eyes. Ceros was the leader of their group for a reason, she realized. He was patient, quick thinking, and extremely proficient in battle. He had the agility of a cat that far surpassed her own. Ihwesta's ego deflated considerably as the battle wore out. She had behaved as a child during their trek through the mist and regretted it. Pushing herself harder, she strived to prove herself and regain her brother's friend's approval.

"Ihwesta! Ceros!" The two elves stopped their incessant movement to find the source of the voice. They looked over and saw Arië, and Ainemetion battling the spiders likewise, from the haven of a black oak.

"Where's—"

"No!" Ceros interrupted Ihwesta in elvish. "The spiders will understand us."

"Oh, right." She turned to repeat her question to the other two when the largest spider of the colony appeared behind the oak.

"Arië!" she screamed. Groping for an arrow, she was distraught to find them all spent. "Ceros!" she yelled, palms forward, signaling she was unarmed. This of course was very foolish for the spiders advanced, unafraid now that the archer had no shafts. Ceros glared at the tracker whose self-confidence was descending faster now. Drawing her sword, Ihwesta fought her way through to the giant and stood before it raising her thin cut-and-thrust high in the air above her head.

The spider grinned wickedly and rose up on its hind legs, saliva dripping from its fangs.

"You challenge me little elf?" he asked in perfect Sindarin. Although this took her completely by surprise, she did not falter.

"My name is Ihwestaieleva I-linte-er Lauriëlas and by the swiftness of my sword ye shall find me no mere elf!" Though she felt much less confident than she said, Ihwesta stood fast, glaring into the spider's many eyes.

"We shall see elf!" With that he struck with one of his forelegs knocking Ihwesta clear off her feet. She landed twenty feet away and pain shot through her leg. Cursing, she tried to stand. It wasn't broken but it definitely hurt. Gritting her teeth, she hefted her sword up again she ran to meet the spider.

"Alright ungol!" Summoning all the strength she could, Ihwesta faced the spider. Ready for one of the hardest fights of her life!


OCC: To Be Continued...