[Nerindel]

Taurëwen held Gil's bow tightly, she was angry that they were abandoning their search for their friend, but she also knew that Ceros was right, still it didn't make the guilt any less. Her sharp green eyes searched the forest for their silent follower.

"Do you smell that!" Ainemetion whispered behind her, she took a deep breath then frowned as she recognised the foul stench. When she was young her father and some other warriors had returned from a battle in the lands outside Greenwood and she remembered that they all bore the foul stench of the orcs they boasted they had killed. Taurëwen hurried forward to Ceros, the only elf among their company that may have actually encountered these foul beasts before.

"Do you smell them?" she whispered, he looked at her slightly surprised that one who had never left their woodland home would know of such creatures. "I have treated wandering Elves who have returned smelling of these foul creatures, my own father among them" she offered as explanation, but she was sure that some of the others would also have read the lore of their people and know of these foul beasts.

"Taurëwen!" Reynion whispered nudging his head towards her sheathed sword, she drew it half way out so they could see the runes glowing a faint blue, "Enemies of the wood are near!" she told them slipping the sword back and lifting Gil's bow, she felt Reynion take her back as her eyes searched the tree's for their foe.

Seeing a yellow pair of eyes in a tree ahead she let loose her arrow, there was a hissed yell as the orc fell from the tree clutching at the arrow in it's throat. As he fell they were rushed by a whole band of Orcs, Taurëwen instinctively turned her bow on the charging orcs and fired, hitting another in the eye. Her next shot bounced off the next orc's black breast plate, but as it grinned leering at her another arrow with green fletching went through it's throat. "Tree's" Reyn said to her as she turned to thank him. She nodded her understanding and turned just in time as a black arrow passed between them. Eyes blazing they both turned on the orcs hiding in the trees and let loose their arrows, knocking the creatures from their perches as the others fought the orcs on the ground.

By their estimation there had been at least fifteen orcs in the trees, some taken out by Ihwesta, Arië and Ceros before the orcs on the ground got too close for their bows to be of much use. Taurëwen and Reyn between them had felled nine of the foul creatures and now turned their attention back to the main battle. Their four friends were outnumbered and being pressed back.

"its a trap!" Reynion exclaimed pointing to the tree's that their friends were being herded towards.

"How many?" Taurëwen shouted as she push her arrow through the throat of an orc who had stepped in front of her and pulling it out she nocked it and fired it into the left shoulder of the next orc.

"At least six!" Reyn cried back as he pushed his long knife into the stomach of the orc before him.

"Do you think we can take them?" she cried slinging her bow over her shoulder and drawing her sword.

Reynion's leg burned but he would not let her see his pain, her fierce spirit seemed to give him strength. "Let's see" he laughed as the pair of them dashed into the trees to take the unexpecting orcs from behind.

"Gurth gothrim Tel'Laiqataure" (Death to the foes of the greenwood) They cried as they beset the orcs from behind. Taurëwen's sword flashed next to Lachril as she and Reyn cut through the orcs to their friends.

"We're out numbered!" Reyn cried to Ceros, but Taurëwen had not heard him her anger that these abominations infested the greenwood burned within her and she fought with the fury of the whole wood within her. One orc after another she cut down, "How dare they desecrate the sanctity of this great wood!" she screamed as she hacked them down mercilessly...

[ September 04, 2003: Message edited by: Nerindel ]