Avadis - A legolas story (slow moving!)

Chapter 5 - New beginnings

...

"Come child," Gandalf said softly, gesturing to Avadis to follow him into the thick of the forest. Avadis took one final look at the burial place of her mother, patted her pocket to check she had her notebook, and followed the man into the thick mess of tree limbs and vines. They walked for what felt like hours, days maybe, Avadis' mind was numb to the passing of time, and they did not stop to rest. Gandalf did not make conversation, only occasionally paused to check she was following, and also to place his arm over her shoulders when she cried. "We're here" he whispered gently, before stepping into a clearing where the sunlight streamed down through the trees.

Avadis stopped and looked up at the blue sky, a smile almost appearing on her face. To one side of the clearing a small stream ran down and disappeared between two large trees. To the other, the ground grew steeper to form a small hill. The trees and grasses were a mix of colours, green, red and orange as well as beautiful flowers. "This place is beautiful," she said, turning back to Gandalf before gasping at the sight of several large trees looming over the top of Gandalf and Shadowfax. Avadis had to place a hand over her mouth to stop herself from screaming, Gandalf instead turning and greeting the trees with a bow of his head. Moving trees. Avadis thought she had seen everything. One in particular had the most beautifully coloured bark, I must draw them, Avadis thought to herself.

"This is Avadis" she heard Gandalf say, turning back around to her and instantly bringing her out of her trance. She felt the eyes of what felt like the entire forest turn towards her, and suddenly felt very conscious of her tear-marked face, muddly clothes and bleeding wings. "Hello" she said quietly, raising her hand towards the trees next to Gandalf, "it is lovely to meet you."

"She has wings!"

"Is she a bird?"

"Why is she here?"

Whispers surrounded her, smaller walking trees appearing from the forest into the clearing.

"Avadis. I... am Treebeard. Welcome... to our forest. A friend of Gandalf..." he took a big breath in and it rumbled inside his bark, "is a friend of ours."

Avadis kneeled to the ground and spread her wings as wide as she could, the way her mother had taught her to greet those in authority. It was not until this moment that she felt the pain from the arrows still wedged into her wings, and winced slightly as she folded her wings back behind her.

"You are hurt" Treebeard said.

"I was protecting my mother" was all Avadis managed to say before tears welled in her eyes again. Not now Avadis, come on get it together for the tree...man...people... things. She shook her head and looked back to Treebeard. "Gandalf has told me this is a place I can be safe from the men and elves that hunt me across Middle Earth"

"I had thought the Avian... kind was all but... extinct" Treebeard said, seemingly totally ignoring all that Avadis had said in her very well crafted greeting. "I am the last" she replied, "I have no home, no family, no kin and no purpose here other than as a sport for hopeful hunters."

Treebeard's face frowned as if deep in thought. "We will discuss this... at Entmoot" he said, and many of the other trees moved eagerly around him. "Entmoot?" Avadis asked curiously.

"A meeting of the Ents... like myself... who care for this forest," Treebeard walked towards Avadis slowly (everything was slow around here) and looked down on her with a kind look in his eyes. "You have been through hardships...little one. Find rest here... alongside the streams that... will give you your strength. Lie in the sunlight... and do not fear."

"Thank you, old friend" Gandalf said, placing a hand on the bark of Treebeard. "Thank you" Avadis said to him also.

"Come now... let me see if I can fix... your wings," Treebeard said, reaching his arm down to the ground. Avadis looked to Gandalf, "I will follow behind" he said, patting to Shadowfax next to him. And so she climbed up and sat on Treebeard's shoulder, enjoying the gentle rock of his walk as they journeyed further into the forest.