Durelin watched as the elves started to appear out of the darkness. He was amazed to find them able to walk. Mearalagos, Melcildir, Telpeheled, Lofinneas. All but Erdaminéon. Is he alright? Durelin was just going to search for him when he heard Mearalagos cry out. They had found him, but was he alive, or for much longer? Durelin shook the thought away and ran after Mearalagos. He came up behind him and saw Erdaminéon leaning against a tree, clutching his arm.
"Are you alright?" Mearalagos asked Erdaminéon. Durelin watched as the wounded elf answered, “I shan’t die,” He said faintly, “I just need rest. It’s nothing rest won’t heal. In fact, I should be fine in a minute. I suppose I’m lucky to still have my arm, I wouldn’t be much use to you all without it.” The weary elf opened his eyes, surveying Mearalagos’s wounds. “You should clean that ear.”
"Lofinneas!" Durelin called to the elf who had automatically become the group's healer, "Erdaminéon is wounded!" Durelin then turned again to Erdaminéon, "Do not argue, he has athelas, it will help." As Lofinneas came rushing over to help Erdaminéon, Durelin went to check on Bordarigorn. The man's wound had been dressed and now that he had lost his battle fury, he looked very weary and troubled. Durelin knew without asking that Bordarigorn was thinking about how much this interrupted their plans.
"Well, my friend," Durelin began wistfully, "this disrupts our search. We will have to rest for a while here. We cannot push our luck and attack the cave with wounded, no matter how good of warriors those here are."
"Yes, but can Anuion wait?" Bordarigorn asked wretchedly. It was a question best left unanswered, and both the elf and the man knew it. Bordarigorn looked up at Durelin sorrowfully, then, as his eyes moved to Durelin's chest, his eyes opened wide in surprise. "You're wounded, friend!"
"Wha--" Durelin stopped as he saw his chest. There were long scratches. Suddenly, the elf began to laugh, a long high-pitched sounding laugh. He couldn't stop himself. When he finally could control himself he said, gasping for breath, "I didn't notice, for it was covered with the wolf's bowels. Ha! I am lucky, they are not deep."
Bordarigorn was now looking at Durelin strangely. The elf couldn't read his expression. Was it disgust? He had acted bizarrely. He only hoped it wasn't fear. Durelin couldn't stand in the man's gaze any longer, he turned sharply and walked away quickly from any of his companions. He needed some time to think. He needed to take a walk.
Durelin slowed his pace as he reached the edge of the forest surrounding their camp - site. He stepped into the trees an immediately felt refreshed. His berserker fit was gone, he could think straight. But what kind of berserker fit is that? I am silent at one moment, then I am laughing like a crazed person! Why must I always act so strangely almost against my will? He sighed, then grunted in pain. Along with clear thought, the realization that he was wounded had come with a fierce sting. With the pain came his painful thoughts. My time of revenge has slipped farther from my grasp! Will they now receive my wrath, or I theirs? Durelin shook his head trying to throw those thoughts from his mind. Why do I wait hungrily for revenge? Will revenge really be as sweet and filling as I believed?
[ February 19, 2003: Message edited by: Durelin ]
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