[ElentariGreenleaf]

Elentari's post: Conversation between Elentari and Lenwe

Elentari listened carefully to what Lenwe told her. A captive being alive meant there could well be others alive too.

"So you say you saw a dwarf?" Elentari asked.

"Yes," replied Lenwe. "He looked just like Vrain. There was a great amount of smoke coming from above the cave."

"There must be a hole then, for the smoke to escape out of. Did you see where the dragon slept?"

"No."

"Then our way in could well be through the smoke hole. However, being a fire there it is too dangerous. The fire needs to be put out - we need someone on the inside."

Lenwe paused for a moment thinking, but swiftly came up with the answer.

"The dwarf!" he said. "Perhaps he could somehow put it out."

"That's the perfect solution," said Elentari, but her smile left her face. "But it is too risky."

"He would not be at risk, Elentari," piped up Vrain who had been listening. "If that dwarf is as much like me as you say, he'll have fighting spirit and the cunning to get away with it!"

"Then someone must meet with him." Elentari turned to face Lenwe once more. "I need to see the cave and the smoke hole."

"I will show you the way," said Lenwe rising to his feet.

Ewinda stood and followed Elentari and Lenwe as they left the camp.

"Let me come too Elentari," she said.

"No. Stay here."

There was to be no argument, for Elentari's tone of voice settled it.

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Orofaniel's post: Ewinda overhears a conversation and reacts strongly.

Lenwe had almost been running down towards the camp. He had seen something it was said, and that he had indeed. Elentari was waiting anxious while Lenwe came down the mountain side.

"So you say you saw a dwarf?" Elentari asked. Ewinda was listening carefully; so was the rest of the Company. But some of them stood too far away to hear anything at all. Ewinda however heard it, and she was desperately waiting for a reply.

"Yes," replied Lenwe. And Ewinda finally got her answer. The time between the question and the answer seemed to last an eternity. "He looked just like Vrain. There was a great amount of smoke coming from above the cave." As Lenwe continued, Ewinda was still listening.

The conversation between Lenwe and Elentari continued. "There must be a hole then, for the smoke to escape out of. Did you see where the dragon slept?"

"No." answerd Lenwe quickly.

"Then our way in could well be through the smoke hole. However, being a fire there it is too dangerous. The fire needs to be put out - we need someone on the inside."

Lenwe paused for a moment thinking. Ewinda waited again, but swiftly he came up with the answer.

"The dwarf!" he said. "Perhaps he could somehow put it out." Now Ewinda was concentrating real hard to follow their words. It was like their voices didn't reach her anymore, so she walked towards them, unnoticed of course, and tried to hear the next part.

"That's the perfect solution," said Elentari, but her smile left her face. "But it is too risky." Risky, Ewinda thought. That may be our only chance! They'd have to do it, it might be their only way in!

Suddenly Vráin, who had also been listening piped up; "He would not be at risk, Elentari. If that dwarf is as much like me as you say, he'll have fighting spirit and the cunning to get away with it!"

"Then someone must meet with him." Elentari turned to face Lenwe once more. "I need to see the cave and the smoke hole." And so do I, thought Ewinda. She was eager to get to the cave now. The captives may not have much time left, they could be killed any time.

"I will show you the way," said Lenwe rising to his feet.

Ewinda followed Elentari and Lenwe of course, as they left the camp. She was going to ask if she could join them, something she was quite sure Elentari would accept.

"Let me come too Elentari," she said. But there was something in Elentari's eyes that wasn't positive for Ewinda's sake.

"No. Stay here." She said quietly.

It was like a punch in her stomach, she couldn't join them, something she wanted badly.

"We are just going to check it out, the company will follow afterwards when it's time," she continued comforting to lighten up Ewinda's heart.

There was to be no argument, for Elentari's tone of voice settled it; that Ewinda knew.

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Orofaniel's post: Ewinda speaks with a friend and makes a rash decision

She went back to the camp heavy-hearted and her thoughts were indeed troubled. But it was a bit comforting, though, that the whole company would follow later. Ewinda however felt that she couldn't wait for that. "When is that going to be, anyway?" she said to herself. No one heard her of course.

Suddenly she came up with a clever idea; She would follow them without them noticing! But she would have to be careful, very careful indeed. What if she was caught? That would not be good. What if she was taken by the dragon, and than she would really have blown it, once and for all. The whole quest would be ruined and the other captives would probably die. And to have that on her shoulders.......She didn't know if it was worth it. Lostlondwen, whom she had been very close to during their journey, would lose her mother. Not only that; it would be because of her! And poor Alcyávëiel, she would lose her dear husband!

No she couldn't do it! She just couldn't. There was so many things that could go wrong; then again, it was only a little peek.

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted. Lostlondwen was now standing right in front of her. She seemed curious and asked quickly:
"Did you hear what they were discussing?"

"Yes," Ewinda answerd with a low voice. "But don't tell anyone," she added quickly. She seemed afraid that Lostlondwen would think she had done something wrong.

But Lostlondwen didn't seem to feel that way, she just gave a smile and continued; "Well, are you going to tell me?"

"If you want to hear, I'll tell you," Ewinda answerd shortly. "Lenwe said he'd seen a captive and some smoke coming out of a cave, if I heard correctly."

Lostlondwen looked relived. "He said it looked a lot like Vráin, though." Ewinda continued quietly.

"Then there is still hope for my mother, to find her alive I mean," Lostlondwen added merrily.

"Yes," Ewinda said. She looked a bit pale though.

"And maybe not," continued Lostlondwen as though she had read Ewinda's mind.

"But you can't tell anyone, thay will know I'd been eavesdropping," Ewinda said anxiously. Lostlondwen nodded.

"What are they doing now," Lostlondwen said suddenly. She saw that Lenwe and Elentari was leaving the camp.

"They are going up for a peek, I think." Ewinda answerd. "I asked if I could join, but I was denied," she continued. She almost seemed sad. "But then again, I was thinking of following without them noticing," she added quickly.

"What?" Lostlondwen asked, she seemed suprised. "You are going to follow them?" she asked quickly.

"Well, it couldn't hurt, could it? I mean it's just for a little peek. I'll stay in the background just to see what it's like," Ewinda answered.

"Well, if you want to, I can't really stop you. But you should be careful and please don't get caught." Lostlondwen said after thinking a while. She seemed worried though.

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[ July 09, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]