The road from the Mines of Moria to Greenwood went without trouble. Though everyone kept a close eye at their surroundings, they encountered nothing strange. Apparently the strange Orcs were only at the other side of the mountains.

Aragorn and Elrohir had decided along with the Dwarven King that they would take care of these creatures after the Feast of Starlight. They would inform King Thranduil about the threat, they would need every help they could get since last time Elladan and Elrohir fought against these Orcs they had barely made it out alive. And that had only been a small group. The Rivendell Elves had been victorious, yes, but Call had told them the group he had encountered was two dozen men strong. It would take more than a few Elves to take out this group. Elrohir was sure these creatures were hiding somewhere, but where?

The stranger Call was traveling along with the company. He had told them he was afraid to return home all alone, afraid that this time he would not be able to escape the strange Orcs. Everyone had understood that and had agreed to let him come as well to the great Elven Halls. They would bring him home after the Feast. However, they did not know that Call had very different plans...

~*~*~*~*~

Hours and days of walking passed by and finally the first line of trees came in sight.

Livianna tugged at her brother Elladan's arm. "Is that what I think it is?" Even though she and Legolas were dating, she had never seen his homeland before. It was usually Legolas who came towards Rivendell. So she had no idea if it actually was the beginning of the Greenwoods. She hoped though that it was, tomorrow was the day of the Feast of Starlight. If they weren't close now they would maybe miss the party.

Elladan looked back over his shoulder at her and grinned. "Behold the great Woodland Realm."

Livianna clapped her hands together in excitement and looked at her sister Norin. She couldn't believe they had finally made it, without any trouble at all.

As they came closer the trees grew taller and in number. The forest was quite impressive, to be honest.

Without anyone noticing, Call slowed down his pace until he walked behind the group. He observed the border of the forest and felt the presence of someone who had magic as well. Perhaps it was a guardian? He shrugged it off, it didn't matter who it was but he probably couldn't do this alone. He or she would know what he was and would try and stop him. He had no time to observe the Elven Halls, unfortunately. He checked if no one was watching him and disappeared into thin air, it was time to return to his army of Urgals.

~*~*~*~*~

Norin turned around to see what was Call taking so long but when she saw the man no where, she halted in her pace. She drew her sword and the clinking sound got everyone's attention. Most drew their own weapons at instinct but when they saw no threat, they walked towards Norin.

"Call. He is gone," Norin said to nobody in particular. She feared he had been taken by something, but how could it sneak past them? And why would it only take him? It just didn't make any sense.

"When have you last seen him?" Ayleen asked the tensed Elf.

Norin's eyes scanned their surroundings, meanwhile answering, "just a few seconds ago." She walked towards the spot. "Right here."

Ayleen and Aragorn both inspected the ground but there were no other trails than theirs to be found.

"It almost looks as if he just disappeared," Ayleen muttered.

"That's impossible," Varonwe said confused. He had been there only a few seconds ago. You can't just disappear in such a short time span.

"What must we do?" Norin asked. "Track him down?"

Aragorn sighed. "There is nothing to track."

"So we are just going to leave him?" Norin frowned, lowering her sword until it touched the ground.

Everyone stayed silent. They couldn't do that, right...

"We don't know anything about him," Aragorn argued. "We have told him everything about us yet he never returned that trust."

Ayleen bit her lip, her brother was right but she still would feel bad about it. "We could at least try to find him?" she suggested but quickly shut her mouth when Elrohir strode towards her.

"And where do you suggest we start?" He gestured at the empty area around them - except for the woods behind them. "There is nothing he could have gone to and there are no trails."

"But-,"

"I am not going to put my sisters' lives at rist to find one man. I promised I would get them here safely and now that we are almost here, I am not going to turn around."

Norin, Livianna and Arwen sputtered at his words but after one warning glare, they crossed their arms and stopped arguing.

Ayleen set her jaw. "Fine. Then we'll bring them to the Elves, and then we go search for Call."

"No."

Suprised she looked at Aragorn. "What?"

"The more I think about him, the more I get a bad feeling about him."

"O, so now we're going to trust your stomach?"

"Ayleen..." Aragorn warned her. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and looked at the others, but now one was backing her up.

"Fine, then not," she gave up. "Let's get going then." With large paces she set course towards the forest, not waiting for the others. She was blazing with fury, how can they all agree with Elrohir and Aragorn without a second thought?

Aragorn shook his head but let it rest. She would see the truth once she had cooled off, and the group continued their way.

~*~*~*~*~

Arianeth let out a frustrated scream which startled Abendago. He jumped up from the chair he had been sitting in a looked at her in confusion.

"What's wrong?"

"He left! He was coming this way, but he left!" Arianeth screamed again. Now they had lost precious time. He must have felt her presence and figured out she was waiting for him.

Arianeth's screams frightened Abendago a bit. He had no idea what was going on but this was bad, very bad.

Arianeth hesitated what she had to do now. There was too little time left to reach the mountains in time. The prophecy spoke of the Feast of Starlight, which was tomorrow. But then... He would probably return, very soon. She had no idea how he was going to manage to bring a whole army to the Woodland Realm in just one day but she wasn't going to take the risk.

They would wait for him. Right here.

~*~*~*~*~