The men and women of the troop hurriedly took down their tarps and packed their gear. Everyone made ready to cross the river and travel to where Stormwielder was found. Keri turned toward Vilef and said politely: "I'll join you."
Vilef smiled and said, "Well then, let's help with the packing!"
A few short minutes later, Keri rode Tragar across the swift and shallow Vivar River. She followed behind Vlief and Eytawe, who rode their effereet. The troop made a magnificent crossing, one at a time. Only two effereet stopped to drink and only one soldier got even slightly wet. All of the company members knew that silence was important. They made their way through the dark and quiet forest by first crossing the south bank road and then riding toward a large pine grove. Keri could hear the sounds of a brisk running stream ahead. The gurgle of the running water soothed her apprehensive mind. She thought of the North Maple Forest springs back home. The group then dismounted and split into three parts. Vilef, Eytawe, and Keri led their mounts in front of the central group. Everyone advanced slowly and quietly into the underbrush...
Vilef tied off his effereet and waited until Eytawe and Keri had tied off their steeds. He motioned for the two to follow him. Suddenly, they came upon a hidden encampment. Some men and women waited there. Vilef looked around quickly, saw and old elf and said to him joyfully: "Elkin!"
The elder elf smiled broadly and said: "Vilef! Old Friend."
The two of them went toward eachother and exchanged a greeting that Keri knew only very few men had ever seen. They stood about five pike apart and raised their right arms at a right angle with palms open and forward. Then they seemed almost to stand still.
"Are they talking or observing some ritual?" Keri asked herself. Meanwhile Eytawe stepped up to a tall and pretty woman, saluted crisply, said "Captain" affirmatively, and stood beside her; facing the group in the encampment. At first Keri thought that they were meeting a camp of elves, but when she looked around she knew this guess had been wrong. Still, she was nervous and stood alone in front of them. She looked at the camp dwellers, then at the pine boughs above them, then at Vilef and the one called Elkin, looking for support. Then, one of the camp dwellers, a young lady, stepped forward and said:
"Hail and well met, Lady Forester. Be calm, you are among friends..."
(Q1) What will you say?
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© Copyright 1999 by Abram Paradies.
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