From The Inside

10

Waking in silence was a strange experience, Ylva's eyes slowly opened as she glanced around from her bed on the floor. She stayed still for a few moments just listening. The silence was something which she hadn't ever heard before. There was always noise, animal fuss and singing of the birds which were near to her new home. And if the animals weren't making enough peaceful noises then the hacking of wood filled a void. There was always noise, no matter what. Which made her slowly sit up with an ounce of apprehension. There was nothing. No animals, no axe sounds as it hit against wood. Nothing.

With a frown, she stood and left the safety of the in progress building. Her feet made barely any noise as she stepped on the fallen leaves which surrounded her. Turning every which way she frowned; nothing. Just like the atmosphere and the sounds of the wood, there was nothing around. This added to the strangeness of the moment, many animals over the last few days had seemingly migrated to the house. As they arrived back from Radagast's the other day they entered the house to see a family of rabbits hopping about. It was rather cute, Ylva could admit. And as she tried to pick one up she got told otherwise by Beorn. She didn't quite understand until she managed to grasp onto one lightly only to let it go with a yelp when it just kept wriggling and its little nails dug into her forearms.

The nail marks still remained faintly, luckily enough not drawing any blood. If that happened Ylva was rather sure Beorn may have evicted the new comers. Though they both freely admitted they wanted animals. She thought there'd be a limit to the tolerance. With tentative steps, she moved away from the wooden building and took to exploring the surrounding space. There had to be a reason as to why there was silence, as to where Beorn had gone. She frowned at this, he wasn't exactly one for disappearing. Which meant that something must have caught his attention. But then, if it was something surely she'd have been alerted too?

Shaking her head, she held her hands out and skimmed them across the green high growing grass of the field she was suddenly walking through. If she looked over her shoulder, she could still see her home. She hadn't strayed too far. Yet because of everything seemingly at a miss, she felt apprehensive. Shrugging, she pushed the feeling aside and continued on. Crossing the grassy field she walked into the new woodland and looked around. Even here was quiet. Climbing up a bank, she continued on, all the while looking around.

The sun was shining brightly through the leaves which cast a colourful variety down at her. She smiled at this until she stopped short and seemed to halt completely. There was something. She turned quickly and looked to a nearby clearing. Even through the trees which were in front of her she could see what it was. Her sense of smell picked up the potent, dirty almost rancid smell of the creature before her eyes could register it.

Hunkering down, she peered over a fallen log and prayed that it hadn't seen her, or smelt her. It was something though which she was not rewarded with because there was a deep inhale of air, a growl and padding footsteps. Ylva shot up and turned and took to running the way she had came. She skidded down the bank as the white furred creature leaped down and took to circling close to her. With a grimace, Ylva backed up and looked to the rider.

It was a fool's hope to pray to never see Azog again. Peace was seemingly too much to ask. Of course he would be looking for them still. Escapees had to be dealt with, naturally. Barring her teeth she darted sidewards only to backtrack when she had tricked the creature. She ran in a completely different direction. Leaping over logs, her feet snapping on twigs and her arms pushing low hanging branches and leaves out of her way.

She practically gasped with relief when she entered the green field again. Pushing herself onwards her two legs slowly gave way to a four legged running position. Picking up speed, she howled numerous times into the silent air. With a yelp, she went skidding along the grass when the white warg barged into her. Picking herself back up, she shook her head slowly and seemed to square off against the much bigger creature. Azog upon his steed merely grinned, he was enjoying the chase, of course he was, he could not deny that.