To Grandmother's House We Go!

[Kessa Star]

Sure, I'll join you. *clucks at Wind and looks at the three paths* Which way? *eyes the overgrown, unused left pass with eager anticipation* That one looks like fun...

[LadyArwenUndómiel]

"I'm glad that you decided to join us, Kessa." Arwen says as she looks at the path which Kessa recommended. "Aye, it sure does look like fun!" Arwen says as she turns Asfaloth around and begins heading of into that direction. "Let's begin, shall we?" she asks casually.

[Kessa Star]

*leads Wind onto the path, cutting away at vines and thorns that twisted their way onto the path over the years. She hears a rustling off to one side and sees hundreds of tiny eyes pop up to stare at them as they journey deeper into the woods* Boo! *she yells at them and they scatter* Ooh, what fun!

[LadyArwenUndómiel]

Arwen laughs a bit as she sees the little eyes all scatter in fright, though she is not sure what creature it was. "What was that?" she asks Kessa, now that both Wind and Asfaloth are side by side; as well as Harmony. They have been riding for around an hour now and were some ten miles away from Rivendell, or Imladris as the Evles may say.

"Shall we sing songs? That would make the trip nicer..." Arwen says...

[Kessa Star]

Those eyes? Probably wolves.. wild cats... the sort of thing that, if any older, would have killed us. *grins at the fun and looks back to see the eyes reappearing two by two* Just don't do anything but talk to them and we should be fine.

*Kessa shrugs at her idea* If you wish to sing, sing.

[LadyArwenUndómiel]

The three companions continue riding on, the are now far enough that not even Elven eyes could see Rivendell any longer. Arwen begins to sing...

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began
Now far ahead the Road has gone
And I must follow if I can
Persuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins a larger way
Where many paths and errand meet;
And whither then, I cannot say!

Arwen finishes her song and looks around her present surroundings. "The path is beginning to get steeper," she observes. ""We are getting closer to the mountains and it is getting colder. Perhaps we should make camp in an hour or so. I don't think it's safe to make camp withing the territory of wolves!"

The moon is out in the sky and they continue riding throught the night full of stars...

[Kessa Star]

*Kessa nods in agreement to Arwen and observers the path narrowing. She slows Wind down and the company continues with Arwen in the lead, Mel, and last Kessa. She looks around at the little eyes watching them and listens for the sound of older wolves. She hears something at the same time as Wind. He jumps slightly and looks nervously around. Kessa shushes him so as to not bother the others, figuring the noise to not be too much worry*

[LadyArwenUndómiel]

"What was that?" Arwen says as her pointed ears pick up the sound, the same one which made Wind jump. Arwen brings her hand down to Asfaloth, in case she needed to calm her horse down. But whether or not Asfaloth heard it, the Elven horse remaind quiet. Arwen turns to Kessa then, doubting the safety of the place which they were in. "I suggest we continue riding," Arwen says. "For if we rest here, we would be keeping watch all the time and not get good rest. Shall we continue on horseback? I guess we may just do with less hours of rest tonight..."

Arwen then finds a fork in the road and looks carefully at both options. She decides to go to the right, that way the path of Caradhas can be avoided... "Does anyone wish to go into the Mines of Moria?" she asks with a laugh!

[Kessa Star]

Lead on La- *Wind suddenly halts and will not budge* Wind, what are you doing?! *He shakes his head irratably and Kessa looks around* What is it? Something's coming isn't it...? *Wind bobs his head up and down and Kessa draws her sword* Just continue, I'll keep an eye out back here. *she calls to Arwen and Wind finally begins walking once more, urging a bit faster pace this time*

[LadyArwenUndómiel]

"So well procede then," Arwen says, knowing that Kessa was capable of taking care of herself. A strong wind begins to blow from the west, making it hard to go on. "At least it isn't snowing!" Arwen says as the trio go on into the darkness by the mountains...

Suddenly a wolf jumps up ahead of the path, just waiting for Arwen to come up close. Arwen draws her sword, ready to attack and realizes that the wolves were coming around Melody and Kessa as well. "Elendil!" Arwen yells as she jumps of Asfaloth's back and comes up to the wolf right by her. She takes Hadhafang, her sword and cuts of one of the wolf's paws, though she gets a nasty scrape on her left arm in the process. *That wasn't too good,* she thinks to herself as she continues fighting. Pretty soon the wolf is slain, but there are five more to deal with...

[Kessa Star]

*Wind rears and shrieks when a wolf leaps and sinks his jaws into his shoulder. Kessa beheads the wolf in a flash but three more replace him instantly* Up, Wind! UP! *Wind tries to beat his wings as Kessa urges him on with her heels. Two wolves attatch themselves to his wings and he cries out in pain* You little- *she stops before cussing at them and leans down to behead one. The other takes advantage of this and leaps up onto her back, sinking his jaws into her shoulder. She forces herself not to cry out and elbows him in the stomach. He yelps and jumps off her* Go, Wind! Go, Mel! Arwen, move! *Wind begins to gallop, urging the other two horses to do the same. In a mad rush, Wind kicks a wolf out of his way and runs up behind Harmony, urging her to go faster. Kessa slices at wolves coming up from all sides, though she's fast, she's not quite fast enough*

[LadyArwenUndómiel]

Arwen sees that Wind and Harmony are beggining to run. She urges Asfaloth to do the same, "Noro lim, Asfaloth, noro lim!" she shouts over the howls of the wolves. Asfaloth tries to run away, but a wolf is running close to Arwen's horse. Arwen quickly beheads the one which she was facing and chases after the other one, making a lot of noise to draw attention on purpose. The wolf heard her easily enough, but it tried to get a bit of Asfaloth first. It was only mere luck that it clamped down upon Asfaloth's tail instead, leaving the horse very frightened, though not wounded and with a very, very, short tail. The wolf approached Arwen and the elven maiden decided that the blade of Hadhafang would no longer be of much use. She quickly put it back into her hilt and took her bow and an arrow from her quiver instead.

Alas! she was too slong and the wolf grabbed hold of her left hand. The pain floods through Arwen and she does her best to put it aside, taking her arrow and just jabbing it into the wolf. The beast was badly wounded, though still alive. Not hesitating for a moment, Arwen shoots another arrow at the wolf, and the creature falls dead to one side. Arwen quickly looks around to check if Kessa and Mel were alright. They were doing their best to fight of the beasts, though clearly outnumbered; just like Arwen.

Arwen continues shooting at the wolves, though about four of her arrows were lost due to aim which was made in too much haste. Pretty soon the trio managed to slay a bunch of the wolves (picking up a few wounds, some minor some not) and only five were left; though Arwen was very, very, worn out by that time. "Will this ever end?" she shouts, hoping against hope that it would and soon. She then takes her right hand back to the quiver for another arrow, only to find one left. "For the house of Elrond!" she says defiantly and shoots it straight into one of the wolves...

But that was probably all the strenght which she had left. Her left arm stinging with pain, she somehow puts her bow over her shoulder once more and draws her sword again...

[Kessa Star]

*Kessa sees Arwen wounded badly and rears Wind over between her and the wolves* Run, Arwen! Just run, we'll catch up! *Kessa yells in Arcane* Yillelwe Embraewe! *Her sword erupts in flames and four wolves do as well, catching two others aflame. They shriek and back up behind ten others. Kessa groans loudly and cuts down on another two wolves. One latches onto her leg and another to her back. She jabs her sword backwards into the head of the wolf on her back and knocks the other off with the butt. She grimaces, seeing the blood seeping through her pants leg and beheads two more wolves. Wind tries his wings again and sees he can make it up. Kessa looks around and sees more wolves are coming. She yells down to Mel to follow Arwen and pulls out her bow. Her aim is not nearly as good as Arwen's, seeing as she rarely uses her's. She begins shooting the wolves closest Mel and Arwen , they turn their attention to her and leap up to death, trying to get at her. She sighs, finally an answer. She reaches back once more and finds she's out of arrows* Da- *she stops herself from cussing, Wind snorts angrily at her.

Kessa! You watch that!

Kessa rolls her eyes angrily and sees Mel and Arwen out of the wolves' reach* Thank the gods! *Wind beats his wings and quickly catches up to them, lands, and gallops with them through the woods, the wolves left far behind*

[LadyArwenUndómiel]

Arwen and Melody arrived to the mouth of a cave. "Do you think it's safe to enter?" Arwen asks, knowing that a bit of rest shall be good for all of them. Kessa then comes, riding Wind who flew here. "Wow! I never knew Wind could fly!" Arwen says, amazed at Kessa's pegasus.

Arwen then notices the wound on Kessa's leg. "Are you alright?" she asks, opening her pack; searching if she remembered to bring some Athelas this time...

[Kessa Star]

*Kes grins slightly* Of course Wind can fly, what did you think a Pegasus was? *looks down at the blood drying quickly on her wound* No, no, I'll be fine. I've had worse. *looks at the mouth of the cave and then back behind them. When she turns a huge group of new wolves emerges from the woods around them* Where are they coming from?! Into the cave! *she steers Wind into the cave just as the wolves charge them. Wind starts galloping, but Kessa stops him* No, look... *the wolves stopped suddenly, looking at the cave with fear. They turned and ran back, their tails between their legs* No point going that way... *Kessa turns Wind deeper into the cave, her sword out*