BATTLE SCARS (Spin off on the Dragon Fire series)

I

The silence of the deep night was almost deafening. There was no breeze, there was not even a single sound that could validate the existence of anything else but hers. Lindethiel could hear her breathing and the rhythmic beat of her heart. Crouched and dangerously low, she had successfully merged herself in the shadows. She heard a faint rustle, causing the side of her lips to twitch in excitement. Slowly, she readied her bow, pulling the arrow back with precision. There was a loud crack and the arrow was loosened. There was a crackling sound, like dried leaves being stepped and brushed on on the ground. Lindethiel eyes widened as she heard a familiar grunt followed by a string of curse words in elvish. She resisted the urge to laugh as the situation seemed to be a 'serious one'.

Hesitantly, she stood up from her position and could already make out the faint outline of her unfortunate victim.

"Are not elves supposed to be vigilant and have fast reflexes?" Her voice echoed through the darkened wood, there was barely any light for the moon had decided to hide behind a veil of darkened clouds.

"Only if they expect to be faced with an enemy," Falasdir stepped out from the shadows, his arms crossed over his chest, a grim expression on his face, " or someone entirely mad."

She all but laughed at him, a smug look on her face as she hanged her bow over her shoulder.

"First rule of this dark world, Falasdir, is to never trust anything or anyone," she says as she walked towards him, " you will never know. Even elves are not exempted from change or the temptation from evil."

"Says the woman who does not even believe she could change," he counters causing her smile to turn into a scowl.

"Oh, please," she rolls her eyes as she passed by him, deliberately hitting him on the shoulder. She heard a faint chuckle as he followed behind her.

"Why do you always insist on fighting in the dead of night?" He asked after some length. They were marching to one of the few spider nests around Mirkwood. After the threat in Dolguldor was driven out, the darkness in the forest had grown weaker but still they linger. They barely made a sound as they walked towards it, dodging a few webs here and there.

"Because," she began as she shoved a few spider webs out of their way. Falasdir could never understand why she used her hands, some elleth's would actually think that horrid and unclean. But not her. She also insisted on leaving her hair loose, which he never understood. Did she not find it a hindrance during battle? She stopped suddenly and heard him stop behind her, they were here.

"It is more fun in the dark," she continued, giving him a side glance; a grin on her face that seemed to suggest something entirely different, " of course, I would not expect you to understand." She laughs lightly, and sure enough Falasdir had not clearly understood what she had meant but he knew that look and that laugh that suggested something. He shook his head slightly with an eyebrow raised in her direction.

"Get ready, lover boy," she teased as she prepared her bow and arrow, " I am about to teach you the fun of playing in the dark," she stopped suddenly and thought better of what she had said, a small chuckle escaping from her lips, " this is, however, just one of them."

She never seemed to run out of inappropriate innuendos. Falasdir often found himself, shaking his head at her but with the exception of a smile. There was a sound, a faint rustle and small feet before their fight began. This nest was smaller than the ones they had cleaned out the days before with the rest of the patrol.

Lindethiel stayed a few feet away, as she let arrows fly. Falasdir drew close to the enemy, beheading them and filling the night air with their horrendous shrieking.