[Imladris]

Aeron paced the mucky floor of the swamp like a trapped dog, his tangled hair flying into his face, mud splattering onto his baggy trousers. Of all the things to happen so far this was the worst. Drat Ravion for leaving them. If he hadn't left then this wouldn't have happened. His eyes darted across the land scape, searching for Gwyllion.

A snort from the horse and a particularly heavy breath from the other ranger (drat his name -- impossible to remember) caused Aeron to turn on his heal. The ranger's eyes were only half open. What remained to be seen of his eye was glazed and foggy and unfocused. A barely perceptiable grimace flickered around Aeron's mouth.

"I'm going to look for Gwyllion," he said abruptly.

Raefindan rose slowly to his feet. "You can't, Aeron."

Aeron flushed hotly. "And why is that, Red Head? You doubt my courage? You think me a coward like that skulking, lying, thieving Ravion?"

Raefindan sighed and shook his head. "I only doubt your eyes, Aeron," he said slowly. "You do not have the skill of the ranger's in tracking."

"I don't care," Aeron snapped. "I'm going to find my sister. It's not as if he'll be able to find her," he said, gesturing to the ranger. "We have no idea what sort of poison flows within his veins. He could be dying!" Aeron shouted. "So it doesn't really matter when I go look for Gwyllion, does it, because either way he won't be able to help me!"

"We don't know if it's septic yet," said Raefindan quickly.

"What?" asked Aeron irritably. "Use words we can all understand."

A strange expression passed over Raefindan's face, but he said calmly, "We don't know if it's deadly or not. And," he went on before Aeron had a chance to continue his rant, "if you leave us now you'll either be sucked to your death in the swamps or else fall captive to the swamp elf."

"Are you going to try and stop me?" asked Aeron softly, his eyes narrowing. "Just try and do it, why don't you?"

He turned on his heel and began to trot towards the swamp. He had no idea where to start looking...he figured that if he looked under ever scraggling bush, crossed every bog, he'd find her sooner or later.

A heavy weight bored into him, sending him to the ground. Drat him! Aeron flailed wildy, but Raefindan wrapped his arms around him and said, "I can't let you go!"

"Get off me!" Aeron shouted, trying to flip over so that he would be in a suitable position to pound Raefindan's stomach into a pulp. "Let me go, my sister's out there! I'm not going to sit around watching a ranger sleep when Gwyll could be dying! Let me go!"