[IC] Elves -Hobbit based (Aquanthe and Wick)

[Kuro]

Kreneas Shadeweaver
^{Current Location: Mirkwood Outskirts}

The Outskirts

"To ask why we fight is to ask why the leaves fall." - Chen Stormstout

An eerie silence had filled the atmosphere of the majestic forest. The silence was common place for the woods, but today was usual and off-putting. Rumors of orcs prowling the wooden outskirts had risen from the small communities near the border, and many were worried about the dangers they would face if the rumors were true. Orcs were wicked in nature, ravishing the farmlands and forests to feed their war machine. They would take prisoners as slaves, kidnapping them from their homelands and most likely using the slaves for their own nefarious purposes. Elves, men and all races alike were outraged by the onslaught that the orcs had brought upon their lands, yet it was ultimately hard to track a continuously moving force. The orcs had no borders, and went where they pleased, destroying all signs of civilization as their massive warbands moved across the various lands of the world.

In an attempt to counter the orcish advance, the elves of Mirkwood had increased the numbers of companies patrolling the border. The woods were a natural defense against any army, so the elves had a few regiments for guarding the outskirts of the elven realm, yet now they face an orc threat at their doorstep. The small guard contingent would've quickly been overwhelmed by the advancing orcs as their foe continued their rapid advance through the Mirkwood, so in hopes for a savior, the contingent eagerly sent a plea for more soldiers to protect the wooden border. As if the gods were watching, several weeks after the messenger had arrived at the Mirkwood capital, a large number of elven magi, archers and skirmishers had arrived to defend the outskirts, all commanded by a well-known general, Fhelethil Mosscrest. Chosen by the ruler of the Mirkwood himself, Mosscrest, known for his ambush and skirmishing tactics, made a quick pace to the border with his army, and began to situate his men and women deep inside the forest to meet the orcs with full force once they had arrived.

As part of one of General Mosscrest's various placements of his forces, the company that Irime and Kreneas belong to is situated on a hill overlooking a small village. Their encampment is hidden between a group of large Mirkwood trees, carefully hiding the soldiers and the glow of their minor campfire from any onlookers or orcish scouts. It would be quaint, like a camping trip with friends if it weren't for the various weapons and armor scattered throughout the encampment. By the time the dispatched scouts had returned to the camp, the sky was filled with a beautiful night sky, dotted with stars. Kreneas looked up from cleaning his blade as they made their return, and joined the rest of their companions to hear the briefing that the scouts had brought after taking a momentary rest from their adventure. They motion for Irime to join them as well.

[Wick]

Irime Greenleaf

Irime joined the others. General Mosscroft was known for his strategies and his defense. She was glad that he came to help. Orcs were dirty business and she outright detested them. Nearly all of the warriors that he had brought looked to be very lithe and skilled. She found this to be comforting.

Irime knew she would probably die fighting an orc one day and that always kept her on edge when she went out to intercept them. These particular orcs were extremely vicious. They had been killing men and taking the children into slavery. One Orc in particular that was worse than the others because of his size and strength was called Blurg. The last time she fought with a group they had run across him and he had slain two of their riders. The group had run them off but it was at a terrible cost. There had been many injuries and the deaths of two of their best.

Listening to the scouts she knew they would have to face Blurg again soon. She looked over to Kreneas. They had only begun to work together recently. They had been paired with the two that had died in that last attack so she was still learning how he fought.

@Aquanthe

[Kuro]

Kreneas Shadeweaver
^{Current Location: Mirkwood Outskirts}

The Outskirts

"The world is indeed full of peril and in it there are many dark places. " - J.R.R Tolkien

Kreneas' gaze fell on Irime as well. He knew she had felt contempt towards the orcs, especially the one named Blurg. The death of their comrades was something that bothered Kreneas harshly, yet he kept his depressed and angered thoughts to himself. He hadn't wanted his superiors to see his conflicted emotions, for they might reprimand him for being unfocused towards the task at hand. The elven magus gave the woman a nod, signifying his resolve for Irime as the two of them listened to the scouts report to the encampment, and detail everything they had learned on their investigations throughout the Mirkwood forests.

"Are you certain that is what you saw?" The leader of the encampment, Madame Itithara Sagegrove, replied to the two scouts before her. She was an elder, an elf with many years behind her, but Itithara preferred her place to be on the battlefield instead cooped up inside like the rest of the ancient elves. Of course, no one bothered to question her, lest she feel the need to test her swordsmanship skills on them.

"O-Of course! We saw a large number of them, perhaps heading this way." The scout nudged his buddy in the ribs in an attempt to get him to speak up. Talking to Ithithara could be intimidating, especially for the young and inexperienced. His friend quickly swallowed his fears and nodded at Ithithara. Perhaps his worries were that he might have to fight and possibly die, but whatever the case maybe, it was nearly impossible to discover from the rather shaken mess he was.

Ithithara cupped her chin, no doubt deep in thought as she processed the report that the scouts had given her. Turning to Kreneas and Irime, she motioned for them to approach. "Kreneas. Irime. I want the two of you to investigate these sightings, and if they are indeed true, trade blades with the foul creatures in a limited skirmish." She paused for a moment. "And take these two youngsters with you. They need the experience, and we need to replace the companions you had lost. Understood?"

With a nod, Kreneas saluted Ithithara. "Of course, madame. The four of us will sally out immediately." He motioned for the two scouts to follow him as he looked on towards Irime. "There should be some extra arrows in the stores, Irime. Take them, they should make well for our expedition." With his some of his concerns out of the way, Kreneas made his way to the tent he slept in, and gathered his belongings. His blade and a few tools and limited food were enough for him. After all, they weren't going for a pinic, they were hunting orcs. A slow elf would soon be a dead elf.

---

@Wick

[Wick]

Irime Greenleaf

Irime nodded at Ithithara's orders. She looked at the scouts. They were younger than herself and Kreneas were. She knew they had been trained to fight. That happened from the moment you could walk as an elf. She just wondered at their battle worthiness. There was a difference between fighting for a win versus fighting for you and your partner's lives.

Irime went to her tent which was across from Kreneas'. She hurried to grab extra arrows. As she walked over to her horse she saw the scouts look at each other more than slightly worried about this excursion. Irime walked over to Luthien and helped him to gather his weapons. Irime showed him how to put them on and make the most of his clothing. Finrod came over to Luthien and he seemed much more put together and prepared than his cousin.

Irime strode over to her horse and mounted up. She looked around to see where Kreneas was and she waited for him to get to his horse. Kreneas was very good in battle she had noticed.

"Irime!" Her ears recognized her Grandfather's voice. Looking up she saw him and smiled reassuringly. Thranduil walked towards her with purpose and he went to her and gave her a dagger to add to her belt. "As a last resort that you might find yourself in need. Come back to us safe and whole."

Irime nodded. "Thank you Grandfather. I shall do my best to."

@Aquanthe

[Kuro]

Kreneas Shadeweaver
^{Current Location: Mirkwood Outskirts}

The Outskirts

"Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt." - Sun Tzu

With their orders, the group had sallied out deep in the Mirkwood. Kreneas was relatively silent compared to the two cousins, loud and obnoxious despite the task at hand. The cousins were nervous about their mission, and the only way to relax was through their mouth. The magus often had to remind them to be silent as they strode through the woods on the horses the company had given them. Knowing that their raised voices might alert the orcs that they were hunting, Kreneas positioned himself ahead of the group to take any coming blow that would've surely killed the distracted youngsters. Their battle readiness was something both Kreneas and Irime questioned, and it would be a severe blow to their forces to lose any soldiers.

By the time the sky had blackened with a starry night, Kreneas held a hand up in the air to signal the party to stop. "There. See the outreach protruding near that fallen tree? It is, in my opinion, the best place we can camp for the night." He pointed towards a small inclined section of the Mirkwood. Higher than most of the nearby land, it wouldn't have been the best camping spot if it weren't for the trees that surrounded it like a large cloak hiding the hill from prying eyes. "What do you think, Irime? It has natural defenses, and we would have an aerial view for, I'd say, a mile or two." Kreneas turned to look at Irime as he spoke, his horse splashing some water from the creek they were standing in. He kept a look out as Kreneas waited for Irime's reply, scanning the forest for any sign of orc inhabitants, although Kreneas was in no rush to hear Irime's opinion. Irime happened to have a lot on her mind, from her family to possibly dying on the battlefield, so he calmly and politely waited for the archer to gather her thoughts to formulate a decision. In any case, there wasn't much of a need to hurry, for the forest seemed clear. For now.

@Wick

[Wick]

Irime Greenleaf

Irime's eyes had been searching the area as they had approached it. She liked the layout of the area because it was well hidden and yet they had a good vantage point if someone were to approach. Nodding at Kreneas she agreed. "I think this will be the best we can expect to find."

Hearing something she looked around and slid down her horse. Irime patted him on the neck and pulled a small treat from her pocket and fed it to him. Walking to the edge of the trees she claimed, "Kreneas, I believe I hear water just a few feet into the treeline. I'm going to check it out."

Irime descended into the forest line and in the darkness she had minimal visual ability. She could see the river but not the ground between her and it. She looked a little closer while hanging onto a tree limb just in case. As the ground softened underneath her footing she pulled her foot back and watched the pebbles and debris on the ground fall. She was on the ledge of an eroded area of the hill. A moment later she walked back over to the camp as it was being set up.

"I found water. However, it is not reachable in the dark. The ground will give way easily much to the delight of any stray orc in the vicinity." She laughed slightly at the thought of an orc thinking he was sneaky and then seeing him go flailing down the hill's steep incline.

For scouts Luthien and Finrod seemed at home on the hill. "Luthien, Finrod? How long have you been scouting and how many battles have you been in?" Irime laid her sword and bow and arrows on the ground next to her and dug through her pack for something to eat and drink. Pulling something similar to a beef stick out she nibbled while she listened to their tales of scouting over the last year or so. Luthien said something that worried her. When he said that they had never been in a battle with an orc before her eyes strayed immediately to Kreneas. These boys were a terrible pair to be sent looking for orcs with when Blurg was in the area.

@Aquanthe

[Kuro]

Kreneas Shadeweaver
^{Current Location: Mirkwood Outskirts}

The Outskirts

"Don't concentrate on the obvious. They might want you to miss something else." - John Flanagan

Kreneas approached the edge of the cliff, and his eyes gazed the view. He saw the many trees of the Mirkwood, but Kreneas couldn't see the stream from his position. Despite this inability, the magus had a good opinion of Irime's judgement even if she couldn't exactly see the water flow in the darkness. Nodding, Kreneas turned around and walked back to the campfire that the scouts were preparing. "If there are indeed orcs in the vicinity, the water will end up a contested resource between us and them. Expect fighting if they stumble upon the stream." He replied, taking a seat on a large rock repurposed into a chair and pulled forth his blade and rag to polish the weapon.

For a few meager seconds, polishing his sword was the only thought on his mind, yet Kreneas came to a stand-still when the elven cousins had said they had never fought an orc before. He kept quiet as the magus set his blade and the cloth beside him, and looked up at the two youngsters Irime and Kreneas were accompanied by. "Never fought an orc..." Kreneas replied, his usual kind tone carrying a sense of worry, as if their inexperience bothered him. He knew that he'd be responsible if they had fallen on the battlefield, but Kreneas was more worried that all he could do was explain what to do and not personally show the cousins. In a battle, it was hard keeping track of multiple allies, especially if you're trying to avoid death yourself.

Kreneas clasped his hands together, resting them on his lap. "You two - heed my words carefully. Orcs are not like any force you might've faced before. They are not some... well-trained army, with disciplined formations. No, orcs are nothing like us. They fight like a disorderly rabble. Despite this, they are more than capable of bringing your death. Violent in nature, the savage orcs will strike down even the most seasoned soldier if you're not careful." As Kreneas spoke, his attention shifted to Irime. She knew what exactly Kreneas was referring to, as their last party had experienced such a fate. "Do you understand, Finrod? Luthien? Don't get yourselves killed. If you must flee, let Irime and myself handle it. Playing the hero will only bring misfortune."

@Wick

[Wick]

Irime Greenleaf

Irime glanced at the cousins and the image of her and Amrod came vividly into her memory. As the horrible account replayed in her mind she saw the moment that she was out of her element. She was very successful until Blurg appeared. She was finishing off one orc when Blurg hit her with his fist with enough force to slam her into a large boulder. She had been knocked out for a moment. Her eyes opened and she was immediately up on her feet and looking to see where he had gone. He was bigger than any she had fought before him.

"Orcs have enormous strength. They can overpower you easily so you must be faster and more accurate than they are. They will hit you with more force than any other creature you've encountered." She quietly spoke to the scouts.

As Irime's eyes had reopened they had registered Blurg and Amrod fighting fiercely. Amrod took a hit to the back of the head with the creature's wooden club and Blurg bent him backwards over his knee and was about to break his back when Irime jumped on the Orc with her sword and stabbed him through the sinewy flesh of his shoulder. She had shoved the blade deeply into Blurg's left upper back. The pain made him roar out and in his frenzied state he literally bent Amrod in half. She heard Amrod's bones crunching and screams. Irime was punched and felt her body go flying over the nearest ledge. When she hit the ground her eyes registered seeing Kreneas and his partner just as Blurg launched himself at them swinging his club and an axe at them. At that moment she had passed out unconscious. Blurg had followed her looking to finish her off. Instead he had found more warriors.

"There is no way to prepare for that kind of strength and viciousness in just a few moments or hours." The look of pain and anguish on her face as she remembered Amrod's agony as he died was enough to quell her appetite for food. "Excuse me." She got up and walked down the hill a little ways to wipe the tears away.

@Aquanthe

[Kuro]

Kreneas Shadeweaver
^{Current Location: Mirkwood Encampment}

The Camp

"Life is about resolve. Outcome is secondary." - Waka

Silence had begun to fill the air around Irime and Kreneas. The magus had placed the cousins in charge of watching over the camp while he went looking for Irime after she had disappeared, doubtlessly upset from remembering the deaths of her comrades. Truth be told, Kreneas felt awkward once he found Irime surrounded by a large Mirkwood tree with large branches as if it was giving the elf a warm embrace. He wasn't good with cheering up the heavy hearted, and Irime's reaction was a test to him.

The elf approached Irime, and took a seat next to her. "Irime," He spoke as Kreneas scratched the back of his head. "I know what you're thinking. That you wished things had been different. That you could change the past." Kreneas looked up at the starry night sky. "...I think the same, although I try to keep it to myself. There surely must've been something else that we could've done, but... the time is no longer the past. It is the present."

"You see, in the end, there might've been a chance that we could've saved their lives, but unfortunately, the two of us.. no, all of us, are fighting a war. War claims lives, and we both know that when we had taken the oath, we could die on the battlefield. Our comrades knew the same." Kreneas turned his gaze from the sky to Irime, and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "But I believe you are forgetting something. We fight or die, yet there is always something we are protecting in the progress. Our homeland, our family and friends. Everything we put into the blade, the bow, or even magic is our love for those and that what we wish to protect."

Kreneas stopped speaking for a few seconds that felt like an eternity. The magus had wished that he could resonate his point across to Irime before speaking once more. "What I'm trying to say is... while death affects us, we can't not let it ruin us. We are still alive and hopeful, and we can't be caught in despair when many are depending on us. A comrade's death is a touchy topic to begin with, but as soldiers, we must remain strong for those that believe in us. If we falter before the enemy, we've lost hope. The swelling hope brought upon by our loved ones. We can't give up that hope."

@Wick

[Wick]

Irime Greenleaf

Irime had been staring at the night sky and had forced the horrid memories back just a little. When Kreneas appeared and started speaking she smiled softly to herself. She knew he needed to talk as much as she needed to just sit and listen to him. It hadn't been a successful battle for him and his partner either.

Not sure how long he would speak about the reasons they did what they did she leaned her head on his shoulder a little. When Irime did that she felt a slight change in him but she didn't say anything she just smiled. She knew that as part of the guard it meant that they were taking on danger but it was still difficult losing a partner of any kind but especially one you were close to.

"Amrod was my best friend for over sixty years. Losing someone that close is just difficult no matter how it happens. My partner before him died in battle as well. You should consider yourself very brave for becoming my partner. You might die at any given moment." She smirked slightly at her jest. Her voice turned serious a moment.

"The only thing I could have changed was something I was not allowed to do. If he were fighting you two and I had not blacked out from hitting my head on that boulder when I landed, maybe I could have gotten to him to try to save his life. Honestly, I wouldn't have been able to repair that much damage and he would likely have been crippled for the rest of his life." She looked down a moment and sighed. "He wouldn't have wanted to live like that. We had discussed it many times."

"Don't worry too much about me on the battlefield. I manage for the most part very well. Before we face this monster again is there anything you wish me to know? I would want you to know that you should not put me before your own life nor should you save me if I were unable to be whole."

@Aquanthe

[Kuro]

Kreneas Shadeweaver
^{Current Location: Mirkwood Encampment}

The Camp

"A slip of the foot may injure your body, but a slip of the tongue will injure your bond." - Amit Kalantri

Kreneas had kept silent as Irime spoke about her concerns, worries and thoughts. He knew that Amrod's death had greatly impacted the archer, and was sure that his death would forever leave a lasting mark in Irime's thoughts. Kreneas' partner, Eiliandir, had fallen in the same battle, yet the deaths had hit Irime harder than himself. Death was something the magus had to cope with, but at the same time Kreneas knew that people would die in a time of war. It was harsh on the two of them, but the elf knew he had to remain strong for everyone at home.

When Irime laid her head on his shoulder, Kreneas suddenly diverted his attention to a few tree roots sprouting from underneath the soil. He hadn't expected such an action out of Irime, but for the archer's sake Kreneas gently wrapped his arm around Irime along with a smile of his own. For once in a long time, Kreneas had reason to lower his guard as the two sat and conversed about the event that had recently began to haunt their past. To a poet or an artist, their embrace was a lovely scene, despite the obvious depressing atmosphere surrounding the elves like a plague.

In an attempt to lighten up the mood, Kreneas gave Irime a good pat on the shoulder. "Don't speak like that!" The magus exclaimed. "We're fighting together, Irime. The two of us need to work together, and if that means throwing myself in danger to save you, I would gladly do it to prevent you from dying. As long as we're partners, I'll have your back." Glancing at Irime, Kreneas gave her an assuring nod as he stated his loyalty to the archer. "And I'm sure you'll have mine as well."

Yet as quickly Kreneas had tried to lighten up the mood, his attempt disappeared like a candle's wick pinched to extinguish a flame. As quick as her draw, Irime's mood had switched from depression to serious, and it had almost caught Kreneas off guard in the process.The magus believed that there was more that he could do, but at the same time he knew that a possible warzone was not quite the best place for it. Despite the close proximity to the campsite, there was always a possibilty of prowling orcs looking to score a fresh elven kill. "Come," Kreneas replied as he slowly stood up and offered his hand to Irime. "Finrod and his cousin must be worried sick about us. We will be sick if we continue sitting out in the open like this, so let's head back to camp. You must still be hungry too."

@Wick

[Wick]

Irime Greenleaf

Irime pulled her sword a little out of her sheath and it glowed blue. She jerked her head up and darted past Kreneas at breakneck speed. "ORCS!" Her burst of speed even caught her off guard. She just knew the boys were going to be in trouble if the orcs got there first. She pulled her sword since she had left her bow and arrow at the campsite. When she got there with Kreneas hot on her heels she tackled an orc that was picking Luthien off of the ground by the neck. Luthien's expression was one of pure terror. The orc not realizing that there were more warriors thought this would be an easy ambush, until he was knocked down and he lost hold of the elf. Roaring about his fun being interrupted he got to his feet as Irime slammed an arrow into his neck and kept right on going on to the next orc.

Her eyes had counted at least eight or nine of the monstrous beings. She wasn't watching Kreneas exactly. She did see him and she had seen him fight before so she wasn't worried. She was more concerned about the two inexperienced elves who had never taken an orc hit before. Irime picked up the sword from the ground as she went. Ducking and stabbing as she fiercely battled she shoved Luthien's sword into his hand as she kicked the orc backwards that had him cornered again. "FIGHT or DIE!" She yelled to him trying to get him to move defensively at least.

She moved directly into the next orc as the last one she cut down fell to the ground.

[Kuro]

Kreneas Shadeweaver
^{Current Location: Mirkwood Encampment}

The Camp

"The world is merciless, and it's also very beautiful." - Hajime Isayama

Kreneas stumbled back, once again unexpecting Irime's actions. She was like a big ball of energy when it came to nearly anything, especially fighting orcs. As Irime sprinted off in her valiant charge, the magus quickly followed her and checked his own blade. Sure enough, it had a blue aura just like Irime's, which only meant one thing. Orcs. He drew his blade fully upon confirming the orc presence, and hastily readied a spell to launch at the orcs once he arrived to the campsite.

"Move, you timid fool! Don't just stand there and die!" He shouted as his hand glowed a magnificent white, and three crystals had formed. Thrusting his hand forward, the magus sent the arcane impulse flying towards an orc, blasting him in the chest with enough force to send him into a tree. He looked around to locate Finrod, but his search was interrupted by a rampaging orc. "Damn it all.." Kreneas muttered as he charged forth, meeting blade to blade with the vile creature.

Their sword hilts interlocked, although the orc's blade could hardly be called a sword. It was a test of strength, and should Kreneas fail, his death would be imminent. The ground beneath Kreneas had quickly begun to give way as his heels dug into the dirt. If the magus didn't do anything quickly, the orc's superior strength would overwhelm him, yet quick-witted as always, a light bulb had gone off in Kreneas' mind. Slamming his plated knee into the gut of the orc, Kreneas forced the hilt lock to break and proceeded to use his agile swiftness to leap forward like a prowling tiger, his blade entering and slicing the orc's throat open.

Now able to focus, Kreneas looked around the battlefield for the youngling, yet his eyes still couldn't locate Finrod. Thinking that the elf might still be alive, Kreneas taunted the various orcs in hopes that one of them was attacking Finrod and would now target the magus. Everyone had a weakness, and perhaps calling the orcs barbaric freaks might just strike a nerve.

@Wick

[Wick]

Irime Greenleaf

Irime found herself fighting two of the orcs at once. She was working them against each other but when the one lifted her over his head she kicked him with her free foot and bashed him in the side of his face. He dropped her and she kicked off of him and slammed bodily into the other orc knocking him to the ground. Getting to her feet she was breathing hard at all of the physical work she was putting in. Both orcs got up slower and she saw Luthien dart over cautiously and stab the second orc in the head. As it wailed he let go of his sword and it stuck in the orcs head. Irime stabbed the other in the heart. She spun around and didn't see anymore orcs in the campsite.

Irime could see Kreneas on the other side of the camp and he appeared to be alright. Luthien was bleeding and his left arm was dangling but he was alive. "Finrod! Where are you?" She turned on Luthien. "What happened to him?" Luthien looked down at her feet. She raised her sword to his neck and lifted his face to hers. "You'll tell me now."

"He went to the treeline to...uh, to pee. I never saw him again." Irime was furious and she ran to the treeline to see if by any luck at all he were alive. She ran up and down it but this far away from the fire it was much darker. She grabbed onto the trees and looked over the ledge and saw Finrod's body contorted in a way that there was no chance of life. "Damn..."

Irime came back to camp and packed up what was left of her tent and grabbed a long coil of rope from her gear and went to get her horse. "What are you doing?" Luthien asked her cautiously.

"I'm going down there to get his body and bring it up so we can take him home in the morning. I'm not taking you into another battle." With that she grabbed her horse's reigns and walked towards the treeline.

@Aquanthe

[Kuro]

Kreneas Shadeweaver
^{Current Location: Mirkwood Encampment}

The Camp

"Relax when you need to, but be tense when you need to. The point is to never mix up the two." - Koushun Takami

Kreneas looked around at the aftermath. Several orc bodies lie dead on the forest ground, yet the only casualties on their side was the two youngsters Irime and himself were paired with. He glanced at Luthien, for it was hard to realize that one of your comrades was dead. Irime had shown that to be true, yet it would be even more devastating for Luthien. Finrod was his cousin, and now the scout had to live with the fact that Finrod was dead.

Approaching Luthien, the magus motioned for him to sit down. "It'll be a harsh and cruel thought to cope with, Luthien. I'm... sorry." He gently shook his head as Kreneas pulled some bandages from his pack, and tied up Luthien's arm to stop the bleeding. The scouts were young, and most likely shouldn't have been here fighting to begin with, yet they knew the price they might have to pay upon signing up. As always, war was costly on life.

He gazed at the treeline where Finrod's body was supposedly at, and then back to Luthien. Truthfully, there wasn't much Kreneas could do to ease the pain that would come shortly. Even if Irime had announced his cousin was dead, the magus looked around for some way to keep Luthien from getting a chance to see the sorry state that Finrod was in. "Luthien. I know you're wounded, but gather the tent pikes and any of the weapons the orcs had. Place them into the ground deep enough so they won't shift in position."

While Irime went to retrieve Finrod's body, Kreneas helped Luthien in preparing the orcs.The two of them placed the spikes in the ground, and lifted the orcs onto the spears together. It was a difficult task, especially due to Luthien's injuries. Lifting even one orc was like a baby bench pressing several hundred pounds, but given time, the two achieved their objective. "Now, gather some of the leaves and grass. Smother the orcs in the dried-up plants. It'll work as fuel when we ignite their corpses. After all, we want to send a message, and there is no better way to get our message across than a charred corpse on a pike. If the orcs invade our lands, we must show them what happens to invaders."

@Wick

[Wick]

Irime Greenleaf

Irime had slithered down the rope and tied Finrod to it in such a mood no beast dare attack her. She was so focused on her task she wasn't even concerned about orcs bothering her. Once back up top she sat by the edge of the ledge and took a breather. The battle and now the recovery mission had really worn her out. She pushed the young elf's body crossways over the saddle and walked the horse back to the camp.

She could see the pikes from where she stood and she had always been somewhat touchy on the subject of burning the orc bodies. She would rather just let them rot where they lay. Orcs were more likely to eat the bodies of their elven kills than anything.She sighed and when she got back to the remains of their camp she pulled out Finrod's blanket and wrapped him in it. She did this while Luthien was busy and he never looked over to see his cousin's body.

Irime walked over to Luthien and sat him on the ground. She knew he was in shock and he needed medical attention. Unsure of Kreneas' skills in medicine she took a look and determined that Kreneas had stopped the bleeding which was good. She reached over and grabbed her bag and pulled out a pouch of herbs and she began to chant as she pushed the herbs into the palm of her hand to crush them a little more and then she covered his wound in them. She knew it hurt but she was still frustrated with him.

"How were you two scouts? Scouts fight orcs in the line of scouting. You saw both of us leave camp how could you not stay with Finrod? You are taught that from a young child that you are safer in pairs than alone! You KNEW there were orcs in the area and that we had to be careful." She caught her temper flaring and she pulled it back so she wouldn't just torture the young man. The wound was almost fully healed but she was too tired to keep chanting to make it keep working.

Luthien was nodding at her. "I know, it's my fault as much as his. He was messing with me and I was annoyed with him so I let him go on his own. I shouldn't have let him."

Irime had lain next to the fire yawning with both her sword, and her bow and arrows on her back. Her head lay on the ground. "No! You shouldn't have." She looked across the fire at Kreneas and smiled softly as she fell asleep.

@Aquanthe

[Kuro]

Kreneas Shadeweaver
^{Current Location: Mirkwood Outskirts}

The Outskirts

"To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure." - J.K. Rowling

The encampment was on edge. Both parties, veteran and newbie, were a little tense after the orc incursion and Finrod's death. Despite his inexperience, Finrod still had the bravery to serve as a soldier. Kreneas opened his mouth to remind Irime as she reprimanded Luthien, but the magus had decided to keep silent. He knew this wasn't the time to interject, and that Luthien needed to hear Irime's words, or else the youngster might not fare as well as he did as now. Even with the injuries, the elf wasn't dead or on the verge of death's door. It was either luck or a god that was watching over Luthien during the battle, yet still, without consequences and reprimanding, there was no telling if the next battle would be the same.

As Irime laid her head down to sleep, Kreneas returned her smile. It wasn't much to ease the tension floating around the campsite, but Kreneas knew he had to do something. "Luthien. Grab your gear and set out a bed. Don't worry, I'll take first watch." The magus told Luthien, who quickly did what he was told. Truth be told, Kreneas preferred silence, and taking watch allowed him to recollect his thoughts, especially after when you could cut the tension with a hot butter knife. He gazed over to the orc corpses speared in the chest, and then to Finrod's body. Losing a soldier was rough on the elves, but the small party had killed double their encampment's size. A job well done, if only it wasn't for Finrod's death.

However, looking at the corpses, whether orc or elf, rose a question in Kreneas. What were they truly fighting for? The orcs had invaded, and in return the elves fought back. They wanted to protect the Mirkwood and their families, and the orcs had polar opposite of their goals. Yet, all said and done, Finrod and Luthien were still young. The elves of the Mirkwood were wanting to protect their young kin by sending their youngsters to their death. Bravery aside, the thought sent a shudder throughout Kreneas. He reached in his pouch and pulled forth an oaken locket. His eyes gently looked over the picture of Kreneas' younger sister, Elhaelien. The magus hoped that she wouldn't have to see war, and he hoped even more that Elhaelien wouldn't have to fight in a war. Should the gods be good to him, perhaps they might grant his request.

Time Skip to Morning

Waiting until morning, Luthien and Kreneas gathered as much dead plant life as they could find and covered the corpses like a blanket. They waited to burn the corpses until shortly before the group left the encampment. He glanced at Luthien, and then to Irime, who Kreneas smiled at. "Sleep well, Irime? A battle may tire one out, but the nap is the best part after." Kreneas said as he collected the party's gear and loaded it on the horses they had. Loading and unloading was a tedious process, but they had haste to make. Haste to make it back to the camp the elves were using as a front line headquarters.

@Wick

[Wick]

Irime Greenleaf

Irime had slept lightly, as usual when out in the mirkwood. It was dangerous to sleep too deeply for many reasons, the first of most recently being Orcs. She had also slept with her footwear on, as well as her hand on the hilt of her sword and her bow and quiver within reach of her fingertips. The instant the sunlight hit her face her eyes opened fully as if she had been awake the entire time. She partly had been. She had heard everything said and every movement the two men had made. When she got up she was ready for war but instead made her way over to Luthien and finished healing him.

"I'm sorry. Finrod and I weren't ready. We shouldn't have come." Luthien said to Irime as she finished with his now healed wound. She gave a sad smile and nodded. Grabbing her pack and stuffing her blanket inside of it She secured it to her horse as she said something in elvish to it. Luthien helped her heave his cousin's body across the saddle of his horse and his gear was attached as well. Once everything was ready to go they headed back.

Mirkwood Frontline Camp

Irime kicked her horse into a gallop and she pulled Finrod's horse behind her and she rode into the center of camp and slid off of her horse. She was angry and she was going to let Ithithara know it. She looked around and found many of the newcomers gathered around the general and Ithithara discussing battle plans. Irime walked right into the middle of the meeting pulling the horse with the dead body with her. Everyone went silent and looked at her and the horse. Loudly she spoke to her audience.

"Excuse me. I thought I would return your scouts. One of the cousins is alive because I healed him. This one was not so lucky." She looked straight at Ithithara. "We were attacked by eight or nine orcs. We burned six bodies this morning and the others ran off. I would not suggest sending scouts to battle as warriors when they haven't been trained to fight orcs in combat. They will die and their deaths will be on your shoulders just as this one is."

Irime walked out of the meeting circle and back to her horse. She climbed up it and sat astride and turned it to move into a gallop when she caught Kreneas' eye. Instead of leaving him there to deal with the sting that would surely follow her words she sat and waited.

@Aquanthe

[Kuro]

Kreneas Shadeweaver
^{Current Location: Mirkwood Outskirts}

The Outskirts

"Everybody can fight. It's just a choice of whether you should." - Kazuto Kirigaya

Kreneas watched Irime storm off on her horse to present Finrod's body to the rest of the elven squadron. The magus wasn't exactly in favor with how Irime told their superiors that one of the scouts had died, but Kreneas felt that it would be best that they should know that the scouts still need more training. Looking on from a distance, the magus analyzed Irime's display, and noticed the anger fuming from the archer's eyes and her words. I best step in before Irime is reprimanded by Ithithara. It wouldn't be the prettiest sight to see. Kreneas thought as he walked forward towards the group, and motioned for two of the guards to remove Finrod's corpse from the premises and prepare it to be sent back to the capital for burial. If anything could help Irime, Kreneas felt that it was his duty as a man to take the heat for the archer, at least, that was what he was hoping would happen.

Ithithara gazed at Kreneas as the elf approached. The aftermath of the battle was tense, but the tension was close to exploding now that Irime loosened her anger like a sucker punch to the gut. One wrong word from Kreneas, and both of them could be severely punished, but the magus hoped he could calm the storm before anyone was forced to clean the latrines or sent on a dangerous mission that surely would claim their lives. "Madame Ithithara, I will take full responsibility for Finrod's death, so I ask that you don't punish Irime in any way. She was the one that went to encourage a wounded Luthien despite the dangers that lurked in the forest, and Irime was also the one who went to retrieve Finrod's body. If anything, I should be the one punished for not doing more." Kreneas explained to their superior. A few moments of silence went by, and the magus gulped as he thought his words might've struck a nerve in Ithithara.

Yet they didn't. "Very well." Ithithara replied, and Kreneas breathed a sigh of relief upon not hearing a vicious tone come from their commander. The elder elf glanced at Irime, and then back to Kreneas. "Not everyone survives their first battle, with or without enough training. Skill plays a role, but luck generally plays the bigger part on the battlefield. Your report... is devastating to hear, to say the least, but it could've happened to even one of you. I will deal with everything else - the two of you should get some rest." With Ithithara's words came a salute from Kreneas, and the elf made his way to Irime.

@Wick

[Wick]

Irime Greenleaf

Irime had watched Kreneas go into the middle of the circle she had departed and she listened to his words and she opened her mouth to speak but held her tongue. She waited and stared Ithithara down. Irime knew her grandfather was a terrible threat to hold over someone's head but she was right in this, even if it wasn't presented in the best of ways. Irime was on her horse and it was getting antsy. She offered her arm for Kreneas to mount up behind her when he walked over to her.

Moments later her horse maneuvered them through the bushes near the lake. Leaning against Kreneas for a moment she slid down and fed her horse another treat as he got down from the tall stallion. Wandering close to the water she sat on a large flat rock and patted the rock for him to sit with her.

Sensing his nearness she sighed and said quietly, "When you spoke to Ithithara you sounded apologetic about my behavior. You shouldn't be, you are not responsible for my temper or my actions and it was certainly not your fault for Finrod's death. If anyone's it was mine. We knew they hadn't fought Orcs before and if I hadn't left the camp you wouldn't have followed me." She stopped a moment and looked at him. "Why did you follow me?"

"You knew I am more than capable. Why would you follow me into the dark and leave the young men-" She sucked in her breath as dawning hit her. Looking into Kreneas'eyes Irime searched his for an answer. "You left them because I am a female. Why?"

Irime was sitting merely a few inches from Kreneas but she wasn't sure what he would say. Either he thought her incapable or too emotional to be an adequate partner or there was a third reason. She felt the lump in her throat as she worried which one it was.

@Aquanthe