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NIGHT CAME AND WENT, as many things did. Elamir woke early in the quiet morning, before the others, and carefully rubbed the sleep from her eyes. The sunlight streamed from between the leaves high above and shimmered upon the sleeping Fellowship. They looked younger while asleep... unworried... not faced with the evil that plagued their world. Elamir smiled to herself when she caught sight of her brother sound asleep in the cot beside her, lying on his stomach as he did when he was but a child. How innocent they once were. She wondered how Faramir was.
Careful not to wake the others, Elamir rose from her cot and let her bare feet brush the mossy forest floor. It was cool and sent a shiver up her spine. A soft breeze blew through her hair and seemed to wake her with its energy. She stood from the comfortable bedding and felt the soft ground beneath the feet, quiet as to not wake the others. She stepped through the camp and carefully made her way over to the rippling brook to get a drink, a good distance from the others. It was there that she heard someone approach... Aragorn.
"Amarië arin (Good morning)," he greeted gently with the smallest of smiles. He held his hand out for her to take.
She set her soft palm in his rough one, standing, "Carllo alafúmë? (Did you sleep well?)"
"Apalma artaquetië, manen alakavni? (After our conversation, how could I not?)"
Elamir let a wide grin break across her face which elicited another soft one from the ranger before her. His hair fluttered softly against his cheeks. She carefully slipped her hand out of his own. Aragorn's brows furrowed at the disappointment that tinged in his chest as she did so. He quickly brushed that feeling away and raised his eyes once more.
"May we go on a walk before our departure?" Aragorn asked. "I have something I must relay to you."
Elamir noticed the seriousness in his gaze and quickly nodded. Aragorn led her further into the thick forest. They followed the small stream until a beautiful bridge, hidden among the foliage, came into view. Silver leaves whirled through the air and Elamir lifted her gown as she walked over those that collected on the forest floor. Once they had put a good distance between themselves and the Fellowship, stopping upon the bridge, Aragorn turned to face her.
"Is everything all right?" Elamir quickly asked as she set her hands on the railing.
Aragorn began to respond but lowered his head, "Lord Celeborn pulled me aside not ten minutes ago. He spoke to me in earnest warning. Orcs patrol the eastern shore and we can find no safety on the western bank."
Elamir nodded, "So we travel by boat. The Falls of Rauros are not but a few leagues away."
"That is not the worst of it," Aragorn continued. "These are no ordinary orcs... they travel in daylight. They have been seen near the borders of the Golden Wood. We are being tracked, Elamir."
