Set in Stone - Haldir's Story -

Chapter 5 - Falling off a Tree

When they were quite close to the border Haldir suddenly stopped. His youngest brother – not quite accidentally, as it seemed to Daëra – couldn't slow down in time and knocked them both to the ground. Haldir pushed him away in an irritated manner, then he got up and exchanged a look with his brothers at first and then with Cirya. Thilion – who had run on before realising all the others had stopped – rejoined their group with a questioning look on his face. "What is it? We are not yet there. You can have a break when we have arrived." – "I am not exhausted," Haldir was quick to clarify. Then he continued with a scrutinising look on his face: "The birds have stopped singing." – It was only then that Daëra realised how quiet it indeed had become. Thilion frowned. "The birds usually do not live close to the border. They stay near Caras Galadhon where the power is strongest. Is it not so, Cirya?" – The warden nodded slowly, yet her expression was doubtful. She looked at Haldir and his brothers who were looking up to the treetops. "Yet they were singing; just a minute ago," Haldir pointed out. Rumil nodded thoughtfully. "I heard it as well. One second they were here, the next gone. Flown away." – Daëra looked up as well: all she could see was leafless, grey boughs obstructing her view of the grey winter sky. Thilion didn't seem convinced. "They probably just randomly moved. Birds do that." – Orophin crossed his arms. "We are certainly aware that birds do move." – "But usually there is a reason for their movement," Haldir added.

Cirya narrowed her eyes. "You are the messengers from Mirkwood, am I not right?" – "Indeed we are," Rumil answered for the three of them. – "What would you do if we were in Mirkwood right now?" – Without exchanging a look the brothers simultaneously drew their swords and turned so they were standing back to back, facing three different directions. It all happened so naturally and fluently that Daëra had to remind herself not to gape in awe. Thilion, though, took a step back, his eyebrows raised disapprovingly. "This is not Mirkwood, as I may have to remind you." – Cirya scanned the trees surrounding them. "Still, Thilion, we are close to the border. Nothing has happened for a while, yet the brothers have been trained to notice any suspicious signs. And I have to agree, I realised the ceasing of the bird song as well, although I – at the time – only felt that something had somehow changed, without being able to name what exactly it had been." Slowly Cirya looked at each of the members of the group, before she silently drew her sword as well. As if this had been a secret sign, Daëra and the others followed. The long, elvish blades pointed into every direction, a deadly circle and no one daring to move or say a word. For an instant nothing could be heard.

The trees were standing closely and the elvish swords were long, they could hardly move without risking to injure the other group members. This was the least ideal place for a fight, Haldir thought as he was watching their surroundings with narrowed eyes. We won't be able to fight anything without obstructing each other, he mouthed, catching Cirya's glance. She nodded slowly and then whispered: "Into the trees!" All of them being Wood-Elves, they had climbed onto the closest trees within seconds without making a sound. Haldir and Daëra were standing on the same bough in the same tree, Daëra closer to the stem. Haldir noticed that she was still breathing heavily, probably from running all morning. He didn't feel tired at all, his eyes never leaving the ground beneath him. And then he heard it. Steps of a species that was trampling everything down except trees, accompanied by a clanking of swords and armoury. Haldir exchanged a look with Daëra. Orcs, she mouthed. He nodded, this having been his guess as well. He hadn't seen many of them in his life, since they were usually too scared to enter Mirkwood, yet he immediately recognised their heavy steps and disgusting stench. They hadn't noticed them yet.

Cirya stood on a branch opposite to Haldir and Daëra's tree, her bow drawn, waiting patiently for the right moment. The orcs came into sight, they were hitting at small plants and trees with their swords, but they weren't talking, probably thinking they were being sneaky and quiet. Haldir smiled contemptuously. He wished he'd brought his bow as well. Cirya would probably be able to kill about three of the 20 orcs, before they would have gathered their thoughts and started sending their arrows up into the trees in response. This was the point at which they would have to jump down on them. The orcs were now in the right spot, the trees the elves were sitting on were surrounding them. It was only milliseconds before Cirya would release her first arrow... when Haldir received a push from behind and found himself flying off his bough right among the orcs.