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Éomeléo was seriously creeped out. Mirkwood was evil black now, he could hardly remember being in a scarier environment. He kept seeing phantoms and shadow-beasts everywhere. In a trance-like state, he stumbled through the trees, too nervous to stay still for the night. At the same time, he was terrified by the prospect of what might come out from behind the next tree. And then he heard it:
"Éomeléo........Éomeléo!...........
"Aargh!" he screamed, very cowardly and all; and then he saw it: the treacherous mud-beast ascending from the forest-floor to meet him. He just stood there shaking, looking for all the world that he might collapse in fear.
"Sir?" the monster exclaimed.
"Stand back!" Éomeléo shouted, wide-eyed, hopelessly grasping for his sword.
"It's me, Valesseka.......idiot..." She mumbled that last part.
After looking dumbstruck for a minute, the Gondorian smiled. He was absolutely delighted to be with this, admittedly odd, girl again. Even though he had been getting more and more concerned that the other participants in this treasure-hunt were eventually going to do him serious harm, he could hardly have hoped for anything better to happen to him in Mirkwood; and even though the twain kept getting separated during the day, it was funny how they kept bumping into each other at night.
To Éomeléo, Valesseka looked relieved by some company; but he never was a shrewd reader of minds. He joked about the lack of mud that he had accumulated that day.
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