Calm The Fire

24

Náriel slapped a hand to her forehead. "Please! Please! I am begging you, I know you are more than eager to get to Erebor, but I am enlisted as your guide here! How can I guide you when you are all over taking me?!" She exclaimed despairingly. Her words went seemingly unheard as the company moved onwards.

They had been in Mirkwood now for the small matter of half an hour. Already though the heavy darkness which enshrouded the forest was bearing down on them. Already the light of the sky had been blotted out by the twisting branches and the leaves of the canopy. The one good thing about now being in amongst the trees was they all managed to escape the rain which had started to fall heavier.

"Stop!" She shouted as loudly as she could, she wasn't one for raising her voice; it was something which she rarely ever did. Her sudden shout echoed through the trees, this made everyone stop. "Please, I am begging you...stop...just stop, please," she looked despairingly at Thorin. "You do not know the way, and before you say it, it's not as simple as following a path. Trust me, I know, remember?"

"I need air." Bofur suddenly randomly popped up as if he hadn't heard her words at all.

Náriel shot him a look. "There is no fresh air here," she said bitterly while walking forwards. Because of her sudden bad mood, she even shoved past a few people. Narrowing her eyes at Thorin, she pointed a finger up at him. "For once, just this once actually...follow me."

"Lead the way," he gestured forwards, this seemed to make Náriel content, she gave a sure nod and trotted forwards. Whereas he had been kicking leaves away to try and find the path, she didn't need to do such an action. She seemed to know where she was going just from looking up at the trees. A few times she did look downwards at the bricked path they were all walking along.

Tilting her head to the side, she looked over her shoulder, Thorin was looking at her blankly. "What is it?"

"I do believe that was the first time I've ever seen you get so...flustered."

"Do not speak lightly of such a thing." She sharply retorted. She was not in the mood for joking, or trying to make light of this situation. They did not know this place, they didn't know what it was capable of, or what the creatures within were capable of.

Thorin frowned, her mood had darkened considerably. As if the darkness which surrounded them had slowly seeped into her being. Looking up as the trees groaned, he looked back at her. What had Beorn described the Mirkwood elves as? Less wise and more dangerous, that was it. A shift in character had happened with Náriel. Looking over his shoulder, he looked to Dwalin who seemed to share the same thoughts.

No, they didn't think she'd intentionally lead them astray, or get them into trouble. She seemed to want nothing more than to get out of here as much as them. She couldn't be more clear on how much she didn't want to be here. But through that all, that didn't mean something couldn't happen. Frowning suddenly, Thorin shook his head. That wasn't his way of thinking, he knew Náriel. He knew her well enough to know that she wouldn't see harm come to them in this place. He sighed heavily, this was probably the affects of the heaviness which hung in the air. It was affecting him, in some small way, as much as it was affecting everyone else. Even from the front of the group, he could hear the complaints and the odd comments which were being voiced.

Wringing her hands, Náriel stopped suddenly which caused others to crash into her. "Why have we stopped?!" Someone from the back of the company exclaimed.

"Because I almost fell over a cliff." Náriel replied bluntly while turning and walking along the path beside the small cliff. It was one cliff of many which had slowly appeared within the woodland. Thick vines hung down from the trees above and travelled downwards into the dark gaping space of the cliffs opening. She shot the webs on the vines a look before hurrying on.