Ever since they received Eonwe’s message they have been trudging for what has seemed nonstop westwards towards the coast of Eryn Vorn. The forest of Moire Taure lies there along the coast. An ancient forest, they have avoided it over the many years of their mission. Actually they rarely visited western Middle Earth at all, for their mission has lain far to the East, beyond the great inland Sea of Rhun and the tossing plains beyond. Hearing his companion’s stomach jostles his mind from his thoughts. “I am hungry too,” he says in answer, and giggles at the mention of the cat. “That cat was all fluffy and cute. What would you expect when a bird flies in the window? You should not need Radagast to explain what would happen next.”
“I am hungry too,” he says in answer....
He listens to his friend’s rambling on about Eonwe and the Breath of Arda’s bidding. “Quite honestly, I think we have had the easier part of the Istari mission, my friend.” He looks into the bag and says disappointedly, “No cheese, unless our little ferret can find us a bit somewhere,” he says grinning.
Despite being smaller, Pallando walks a little faster than his friend. Alatar has to frequently catch up to him He hears his friend yell “EONWE!” and shortly afterwards hears his footsteps right behind him. He is getting tired: his mortal body is usually not this hard pressed in his mission. With a sigh he says, “This Olwe has better be worth it, whatever he is doing.”
They now stood at the edge of the forest, and Pallando, too, remembers a night with Arien rapidly defending over the edge of the world that they had decided to camp under the eaves of a different forest.
“I do not regret coming with you...."
It was the night Alatar tried to apologize for way they both had been commanded to stay in the mortal world. Pallando listened to his friend speak of their friendship. “I do not regret coming with you. It has been far more interesting here, now that I have been to the mortal world. Watching Irmo take, what would be one of our weeks, to water one plant was just… well no offense, just not as fun.” He looks up at Alatar and laughs a little. "There are other reasons too, but I think now let's rest. Who knows what lies in there” -- he nods to the forest-- “something enough to spook Eonwe, perhaps, so let’s rest.”
Suddenly Pallando pulls up short and lifts a slender hand. He notices something is not right. “Wait,” he says. “Something is not… as it should be.” Turning again into the wood, he bends his mind and sees many things, the natural cycle of the seasons that will bring winter, the speech of plants speaking to stone, the constellation Menelmacar with his shining belt overhead, and then he feels it..... the fires, fires burning within the wood. “Orcs. Orcs in the forest!”
and then he feels it..... the fires...the fires burning...
The two dash within the forest: full night has coated the woods in darkness. The silver light of Tilion has not risen yet, for he was late in his cycle. Even so, the woods are thick, old craggy trees leaning against one another and there is probably not much light here even by day. Quick as the wind they brush past the pines and reach a clearing deep within; the source of the fires. Orcs, indeed: a settlement of the Eldar lies burning, and many of the firstborn lay on the ground, their spirits already speeding away to the Halls of Mandos to await the Dagor Dagorath. Looking at his friend, he sees him reeling at the scene, and turning back he sees an elf maiden, the only survivor with life force. All of the others are dead, and the Orcs continue to beat on their dead bodies. Assuming a new form of blue light, he flies to the seemingly unconscious maiden, hoping she does not see his blue light. He picks her up and whisks her away from the settlement.
Taking to the skies, he looks around, seeing another settlement close by. He speeds away towards it. Flying how, he begins to assume his blonde haired slim form as his feet touch the ground in a dark area near the outer edge of the settlement. Setting her down gently, he questions the consequence of his actions. He sits beside her, bending his mind back into the woods to his friend. He stands there in the clearing, the dark trees ringing the clearing coated now in blood, the Orcs’ blood.
He stands there, in the clearing....
He waits, wondering what should he do now?