[Nerindel]

Huddled beneath the great oak Taurëwen forced herself to get up, she would not let the others find her hiding like a small frightened elfling. Raising to her feet she reached for her sword, meaning to relieve her tension and frustrations by swinging her sword as Talas had once taught her, while she carried the sword that he had lovingly made for her, she felt not alone for her brothers love was moulded into the elven weapon and she also believed that his strength and courage too were embodied in it's blade, but as she gripped the air were the hilt should have been she remembered that she had dropped it when she had became entangled in her silken prison.

Looking down at her blood stained remnant and her sword less belt she suddenly felt as defenceless as a young Elfling. With sword and bow she protected her home! but now without either what use would she be, "No! I will not have them putting themselves in danger because they feel they have to protect the defenceless healer!" she told the growing darkness. Using the water from a skin that hung from her belt she washed her hands and face, then pulling back her golden hair she tied it into a single long tight braid, which she let sit on her shoulder.

Her mind now set she drew her long knife and silently stole herself away into the night. Swiftly but cautiously she flitted between the trees making her way back to the spiders lair, unaware that another followed her from a distance. As she drew nearer the clearing of there previous battle she stopped and stretched out her elven senses, she could not hear or see anything amiss, the lair was either abandoned or her companions had slain the whole brood, she hoped the latter was true. The smell of decaying spider carcasses caused her to wrinkle her nose in disgust. 'I must be quick' she thought to herself.

Cautiously she stepped out into the lair, her knife held tightly in her right hand. The Moonlight streamed through a gap in the canopy, filling the lair with a soft eerie glow. In the soft light she found her bow, She sighed heavily as she found that it had been snapped in two, without thinking why, she slipped the two halves into her belt. Then lifting her head she scouted about for her sword, a short distance away she saw something glinting in the moonlight next to the corpse of the dead spider that had almost made her it's supper. She hurried over to find that it was the basket hilt of Gilbereth's slender rapier, she sheathed her knife and with both hands she dislodged the fine blade from the corpse, "Gil, may yet have need of you" she whispered cleaning the blade on the grass and slipping it into her belt along side her damaged bow.

Crouching to the ground she followed the clear tracks hoping they would lead to her to were her sword was lost, "No!" she gasped as she realised that it had been Gilbereth that had cut them down, he had lost his hand protecting them, she thought regretfully. The trail did eventually lead her to her sword and the web that had ensnared her. Her soft green eyes blazed with anger and wrapping her hand tightly about the hilt of her sword she cried *"Gurth gothrim Tel'laiqataure!" the runes on the blade seemed to glow with a faint blue light as she slashed and cut down the webs that defiled a once beautiful glade.

Once they were all cut down, she lowered her sword, Breathing heavily she slumped her shoulders. As she regained her regular breathing she heard a twig snap behind her. Swiftly she raised her sword and spun around to met her assailant, *"Uuma ma'ten' rashwe, Re'naa ren'elle" she sneered. But her eyes widened in disbelief as her sword stopped inches from Reynion's chest.

"You should not be here! especially not on your own" His voice was even and unfaltering as he looked down at the blade at his chest. Sighing she lowered her blade, 'he has come to scold me for not heeding my own words' she thought sadly. 'But he had not stopped me,' she concluded, a Mischievous grin pulling at her pale lips "But I am not alone my friend, you are here, are you not!" She said raising a questioning eyebrow. She could see him trying to suppressed a smile as he struggled to find an answer to reiterate the seriousness of her actions. "We should go!" he said after a moments pause, "Do you have what you came for" he asked hesitantly. "Yes, and I think Gil will be glad for this!" she smiled patting the caged handle if the rapier. "Maybe" he sighed turning to lead her back to the others.

As they left Taurëwen's foot brushed something else, she stepped back and using her sword she gently brushed aside dirt and leaves to reveal a small throwing knife, she bent down and picking it up she realise it was one of Reynion's, she glanced up to see if he had noticed that she stopped, "what is it" he asked seeing her crouched on the ground, "Oh! nothing" she assured him palming the knife and slipping it into the back of her belt when he wasn't looking. She was grateful that he looked out for her and she hoped that the little gesture she had in mind would please him.

As they walked back to the glade together, Taurëwen wondered just how long Reynion had been watching her, had he seen her weeping? her cheeks flushed at the thought, and had he heard her strong promises. She turned and looked at him, his dark hair bounced about his shoulders as he walked and his grey eyes ever watchful flicked with the light of wisdom, she completely forgot her worries as she watched him confidently lead her back to the relative safety of the glade.

As they returned Taurëwen was pleased to see that both Ihwesta and Gilbereth were now awake, she instinctively rushed forwards to see how they felt, but stopped and looked back as she realised that Reynion did not follow. She turned just in time to see him slip back into the darkness of the trees. She sighed softly then turned back to see how her patients were feeling.

Ceros was with Ihwesta, so she went to see how Gil was faring. "He has just woken," Arië smiled, lifting the sage infusion she knelt down beside him, "Here drink this, it will numb the pain" she assured him as she helped him to sit up and pressed the cup to his lips. "So, it was not a dream" he sighed looking down to were his hand had once been. "I know what you did and I thank you, I am only sorry that the cost was so dear" she whispered lowering her head, the guilt was such that she could not bring herself to look him in the eyes.

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*Gurth gothrim Tel'laiqataure! - Death to the foes of the Greenwood!

*Uuma ma'ten'rashwe, re'naa ren'elle! -Don't look for trouble, she is before you!