Morwen of Mirkwood

"Mara?" I asked, trembling, peering into the different rooms of the house.

Where was everyone? A shiver ran down my spine.

Suddenly, a felt a hand on my shoulder. I spun around in fear, and then sighed in relief when I saw it was my older sister, Marade.

I hugged her, but she pulled away. I glanced up in confusion. Usually she was glad to see me. "Are you okay?" I asked her, concerned.

"Father's dead." She said fiercely, staring me in the eyes.

I grinned at the silliness of her blunt comment. "Don't play around, Mara!"

Mara looked as if she was ready to slap me, and my smile instantly fell. I noticed the tear stains on her face.

"I can't stay," she said stiffly.

I gave her a confused look, and before I could ask what she meant, she was gone.

"Mara!" I called after her. What had just happened?

I ran out the door and tried to follow her through the woods, but she had run too fast for me. I ended up wandering around the woods, completely lost.

"Mara!" I screamed, choking back tears. I collapsed on the ground, weary and cold and hungry and lost.

Was father really dead? How? He had left to cut down a tree for firewood, and I had gone on a walk. When I got back, Mara said that father was dead...

I shivered. It was getting colder, and darker as well. I knew where the elf-king's halls were, and I could have gone there or to the main city, but I was tired, and I figured I could spent the night in a tree.

One large tree seemed to pull me, to draw me closer to it. I reached out and touched the trunk instinctively, and a warm, comforting feeling shot through my arm.

I shrugged, it seemed sturdy enough. And it was an easy climb. I'd been climbing trees since I could run, so it was a skill that came easily to me.

Almost in the middle of the giant tree was a large crevice, perfect to make a little nest in.

I curled up in a ball and quickly fell asleep to the sound of the leaves rustling in the breeze.