"Good evening to you master dwarf. I'm afraid I have not had the pleasure of our meeting before this evening. I trouble myself little with the afairs of those who can reason for themselves. It is nature that is my care and an imbalance in nature that makes me foister myself upon you at this late hour." Radagast sat upon the stool offered to him by Borin, well back from the fire he was encouraging in the grate. "Go forth and warm yourself my shadow sister," he muttered to the first of his companions. Rothalle whispered close to him.
"I cannot leave my horse in the outer cave. What of the beast?"
"He is protected. Ask no more. Listen and watch your fellow travellers. You will learn much and there is one already who sees into your soul."
"I do not like your words Radagast," she hissed back.
"You may not but they are the truth. Now go to the fire and learn with thine ears whilst you thaw."
The eyes of Calentoliel were upon them all the time they held their hushed conference. Radagast made a very deliberate nod in her direction. It was up to her to approach him. He knew who she was but it was not his business to break such news now. Better that she found out in her own good time. For now she stood in the shadows leaving a wide space between her and their dwarf host. Borin was engaged in conversation with Mattius as to the health of the hobbit girl who they had lain upon a settle by the fire and wrapped in a rough woollen blanket. She stirred a little in her stupor but made no sign that she would waken. Man and dwarf set about brewing what looked like tea. Radagast nodded and watched. He was fond of just watching. Owls learned a lot just by watching and he had a great deal of faith in all birds of prey. In truth the carniverous birds were Radagast's favourite of all the creatures he was set to care for and had not the king of the eagles own son fallen at the hands (if indeed it had hands) of the great black beast he would not have set out on his journey. Quests were not for Radagast, that was the business of Gandalf. Nevertheless he was attempting to clear his fuddled brain and use the skills he had learned in the earliest of times to sort out this blight upon Middle Earth. He knew this rag-tag group would be the key and found he knew more about them than he expected. Now all he had to do was work out what support if any he could provide for them.
He was finally disturbed from his reverie by Endereth sitting by his side and offering him a cup of hot liquid. Her hands shook still, whether from the cold or the shock of seeing the clearing he could not ascertain.
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Auriel
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