[The Evenstar]

After Aerin had set up camp for the night, she packed a pack of lembas, sheathed her sword, Nauruin, and went for a quiet stroll in the woods. As she passed Turthôl and his little fire, he called out to her:
“Aerin! Do not wander astray in those woods. They may be perilous!”

But Aerin paid no heed to his warning.
“I do not fear the woods. Now let me go and be by myself for a while,” she said.

Turthôl shook his head and kindled the fire.
The sun had dropped beneath the mountains and the sky was getting dark. An owl hooted somewhere above the branches. This forest was old. Older than the forests Aerin had explored near her village.

She enjoyed the independence of walking alone at night. She softy hummed a song, but her humming ceased when she sighted a light burning faintly through the trees. She squinted and peered into the darkness. She heard raised voices, harsh and aggressive.
She ventured closer, unperturbed.

The voices grew louder.

Finally, Aerin could make out shadows against the tree-trunks.

The beings gathered round the fire were not that of her company. They were different. Foreign. But she could understand the language they were speaking – Common Tongue.
“They’ve got to be near here somewhere,” said one. “I can feel it.”

“Nay, maybe they took a different path. Perhaps over the Hithaeglir range or the Ettenmoors?” said another.

Then one, who seemed to the leader, spoke.
“We shall leave now and find them! I know their path,” he said in a menacing tone. “Hurry, extinguish the fire and do not linger! For elven and human flesh you shall devour tonight!”

All his followers scurried about, obeying his orders. To Aerin, there seemed to be about five or six of these mysterious beings. She felt rather worried now.
Could they be tracking our company? she thought.

She fled and hid behind a large tree-trunk as the band of hostile beings approached.
Could they be vicious Orcs; the kind that killed my mother? Aerin thought.

But as she peered round the trunk, she saw that the band, which were carrying torches, were not Orcs, but looked like Humans.
They were the Wild Men that she had heard of in Rohan. Evil men. Aerin was not sure if they were servants of Sauron or another evil force, or if they didn’t serve anybody but their leader and prowled the Earth in search of flesh. Cannibals were dangerous, and Aerin knew that and so she ran from her hiding place, quick and agile and careful not to be seen. She dodged the trees and was soon far ahead of the band of hostile Wild Men.

She reached camp and found Turthôl, playing his fife.

“Turthôl!”

Turthôl lowered his fife.

“Aerin, what is it?” he asked in alarm.

“Wild Men!” said Aerin. “They’re hunting us and they’re coming this way! I overheard them plotting in the forest!”

Turthôl didn’t stop to think. He ran to where the rest of the company was sitting by the fire.

“Pack up camp! Cannibalistic Wild Men are headed this way!” he shouted.

“But I just set up me tent,” Wren complained.

“We must get moving!” said Aerin to Wren. “Here, I’ll help you dismantle it!”

As Aerin and Wren dismantled the tent, Rangar and Turthôl rounded up the horses. The rest extinguished the fire and packed up the food and medical supplies. Aerin loaded baskets and packs onto the horses and the company mounted. Aerin leapt upon her chestnut steed, Halya, as the voices of the cannibals grew louder than ever.

[ May 07, 2003: Message edited by: piosenniel ]