[Nerindel]

Mara had graciously accepted the Ent’s offer to carry her but almost at once she regretted her decision, as each giant step shook through her causing the pain in her temple to grow worse still. The sounds of the forest seemed to magnify, from the sound of hooves on soft snow, to the creaking of branches swaying on the wind, even the wind itself seemed to scream at her that something was ill. Then all of a sudden the forest went still and darkness rose up to met them, but still Greenbread walked on. Mara did not like this silence it reminded her ominously of her last vision and she did not like it one bit.

‘hooo-uh, hooo-uh, hooo-uh, wuh-wuh-wuh.’

Mara started at the sudden call in the darkness, then smiled as the Owl soared into view and came to landed before them, that one voice in the chill cold of the night gave her comfort.

“Ho Hum What is this I think wise master owl has something he wants to share Hoom rom” Greenbread rumbled as he lowered Mara carefully to the ground.

“I think you may be right” she replied noting the bird holding out its leg and hopping up and down excitedly hooting words that she could not understand.

“Something about a dark and fearsome presence and um some two -leggeds” Wenda said softly coming up beside her.

Mara turned surprised to see that the young skin changer had shrugged off her Reindeer form and stood now shivering in the cold, quickly she unclasped her winter cloak and wrapped it about Wenda’s shoulders.

“You look pale” the young woman noted.

“And you look like you will catch your death” she replied warmly

“I will be fine” she assured Wenda when the young woman merely frowned. “Now lets see what our wise friend is so eager for us to see.

Bending down she carefully relieved the bird of the bark attached to its leg and stood next to Wenda so that she could read it too. Black marks were carefully scratched across its surface, making runes similar to those she had learned from the elves, she recognised enough to know or at least guess at was written, but even if she hadn’t the picture sketched into the bottom made it very clear.

“It’s Mori and Stamo, they say they are in the forest and that the dark shadow is with them, they plan to draw it off, we are to find somewhere safe if we can and they say not to come back this way it is dangerous, they will find us when they can.” the two women looked at each other, their concern for the two men mirrored.

“They are more than they seem, I‘m sure they will be ok” Mara said finally though her words held little conviction. She felt Guilt, perhaps if she had told someone where she was going things would be different… or perhaps it would have been worse… well there really was no point dwelling on what was done or what could have been, what was done was done and nothing could change it, all she could do now was keep Wenda safe as she had planned and carry out the wishes of the two men.

As much as she wanted to go back and help, she knew this thing was beyond her and that keeping it from the young changer was all she could do right now. At least her gift would allow them to stay one step ahead of it or at least she hoped it would.

No sooner had the thought left her mind than a searing pain burned through her temples and she crumpled to her knees, her eyes rolled and her breathing became soft and shallow and she appeared in a trace of some kind.

The forest drew in around her, filled with a cold bitter darkness…..Fear Me! The words echoed in her mind filling her with such terror that she had never felt before. But in the still of the darkness was a light and as she listened a faint whisper of music carried on the air for a moment then was lost. A roar like thunder filled with anger and malice reeled up upon the light threatening to smother it, she cried out but no sound came. But wait something else moved behind the darkness shadowing it, a glint of metal and then it was gone . Another roar of frustrated anger………..