Travelers

Chapter 2 - The Search

He had lived a week with these elves, and finally he had time to speak with Elrond. He didn't really fit in, for he was a human among elves. His dirty blonde hair didn't match any of their hair, which seemed to always be one color, never shades. He was an average height, and he wasn't too muscular. He had wanted to leave for the past five days, but he wanted council for his journey, and Elrond seemed like the perfect person to ask. He was now walking down the paths of Rivendell, on his way to meet the lord of the elves, but as he walked another elf approached him. It was Defréndel, the elf who had found him in the middle of the burned away leaf figure.

"Hello, Síla. How are you this fair day?" He asked. Since Jacob had fallen, the elves had given him that nickname. It was the word in their language for star, because they thought he was a falling star stone, originally.

He answered Defréndel, "I am on my way to speak with Lord Elrond about my journey. I must be leaving soon, and I don't doubt the others have already begun searching." He was concerned about one of them in particular, but he didn't feel like saying that out loud, yet. "Would you like to come with me?"

"Nay, my friend. I am on my way for a hunt, we leave in 2 hours." Defréndel answer, though it was clear he wished to accompany his friend. The two parted ways, and Jacob went onward toward the building in which he was to meet Elrond. As he approached, He noticed one of the sturdiest looking elves he had ever seen. The elf's eyes seem to be filled with wisdom, his stare piercing through everything he looked at. His brow seemed heavy on his face, but still the elf looked young, as all the elves did.

"Hello, friend. Come, we have much to discuss," the elf, who seemed to be Elrond, said as he turned to enter the structure behind him. Jacob followed him in, and they began to speak. Jacob told Elrond of his past life, about his friends, and what he felt he had to do. Elrond gave him many pieces of advice, but he only asked one question, "Are you prepared to defend yourself if you need to? Do you have the skill to cross middle-earth?" Elrond said he would not prevent him from leaving, but he would prefer to know that Jacob would live. So, Elrond decided to propose a test. He would send Jacob on the hunt with Defréndel, but first he needed to learn how to shoot a bow.

"I've never shot a bow before in my life," Jacob was saying, 2 hours later, when the hunt was over. Everyone was shocked by this statement, because in a one-hour hunt, Jacob had taken 30 animals down, and never missed a shot. Better than any of the elves other than Defréndel, who was the best archer in all Rivendell. It seemed that Jacob could shoot a bow with the skill of an elf, but his only question was if he was the only one. Now he could start his search for his friends. Now he could look for Cat.

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She could fight, apparently. She had just proven that. The Captain had been training his troops, readying for combat, when Cat approached them. She picked up one of the swords laying there, when Drinian noticed her. The sword felt heavy in her hand, and it seemed to be awkward as she let the weight of the blade carry a single swing. She set it down and picked up another. It was a shorter, lighter sword, more comfortable in her hand.

The captain reached her and called, "Do you wield a blade, where you are from, Hánna?"

"No, but if I am going to look for my friends, I'll need a way to defend myself," She replied. One of the young soldiers scoffed and muttered something under his breath. Cat turned to him and asked, with a commanding edge to her voice, "What was that, boy? Do you find something funny?" She picked up a smaller, circular shield and approached the young soldier. She sized up the boy, noticing that he was a little more muscular than herself, but he was scrawny compared to the other trainees. His brown hair flopped down into his eyes every once and awhile, and his eyes simply looked angry.