The devastation of the forest was apparent, Sjunnaz wandered the burnt landscape with quiet dismay. In the reflection of her eyes lay the many ancient trees that had once been part of Mirkwood here, "How the mighty have fallen.", she thought as with her bare feet she kept on going. There was a chill breeze that came from the east and she shivered as it caressed her, it clung to her robe and it numbed the tips of her fingers. Her gaze went to a hill that had stood out here, it was once a grove for her people to visit and seek peace from the turmoil of their lives. She had never really understood much of why someone would pick up the needless burdens so many had. Her husband's father not the least among them, .. but perhaps it was not for her to know. She turned her attention back to her feet for the ground was slick. A soothing rain to cure the earth from it's burning ailment had turned most of the terrain into a great swamp of mud. Her basket woven from thick reed and supple young bark was smudged black by the time she reached to the top, as was most of her clothing and limbs.. She spared it no thought and lifted a handful of seeds from it after putting it down. She felt a stab of anger within her being and shushed it away.. then with a deep intake of air she began sowing, something she would do for many years to come. "And as the circle runs it's course towards it end, inevitably the circle renews..", she mumbled to herself, "Even if this work of mine is but a circle in itself that'll find it's end some day, who knows how many may have found shelter in the shade of that which yet has to sprout to life. Nobody knows, but it will have it's value even if to house a family of squirrels or for the owl to find a moment's rest.é"
The angry presence eased somewhat and what she had managed to collect was now all laid on the soil. "Spring is coming.", she smiled faintly as she was relieved from her efforts, she turned around and slid down the hill.
Branches were set alight,
heat peeled away at smouldering bark.
How can something so warm and bright,
still be a tool of the dark?
Yet when the servants of evil creep,
Even if by them harm is brought,
the roots run untouchably deep.
One day to feed nature's wroth.
"That is a grim rhyme you made there, even if you sing it with such peace in your voice..", someone said from behind her. She turned and looked around, but she wasn't afraid. There was something beautiful in those words in fact, she answered, "These are grim times and warrant to be spoken. To be silent about it is to reinvite such devastation another time, maybe eventually till nothing is left if the silence persists long enough." The voice was quiet a moment, "Maybe so, still I would have a better version already on my tongue.", and without awaiting her reply he changed it,
When bush returns and the vines come back from sleep,
when the grass grows tall and the sunlight is sought,
the roots grow thicker as on rich soil they feast,
When evil's work is undone by life's work, defiant to it's malice and wroth.
It was quiet for a moment.
"That is indeed beautiful.", she agreed, "Can I know who wanders these woods, intent on sharing poetry with whomever they cross?" "Overhere." She looked down after a few paces and bent towards the figure lying there, he looked dreadful, on the doorway of death. His leg was caught within a crude trap that could only be of Orcish make, which meant that whatever they had to do had to happen before the owner returned. "Are you..", she took off her stained cloak and covered him with it. "I'm afraid that I got caught after when the Orcs set fire to the forest, by ill luck I ran into this contraption on my way home." She rose up, seeking to find a strong branch among the stark wooden wreckage, "So you have just been lying here helplessly?" "I believe that help has arrived right now.", he smiled, "I did not have the strength to pry the trap open though and the wound has numbed a part of my body by now." "It may be infected!", she hastened to the nearest branch she could find. It was thick and black, but it would have to do.. she jammed it between the crude iron teeth of the weapon and a groan came out of the figure, "Try to bear it,.." She was careful to pry his leg free not meaning to do more hurt onto it. She tried three times as the wood split so much as a saw going through a book. Yet they managed and she carefully lifted his foot up, inspecting the wound. It was covered in dried blood and muck, "No good, you may have-" He lay quiet on the ground, eyes closed, she concluded he was asleep from his weakly rising chest.
"Oyr shut your trap or I'll stick it in to mine! I'm telling you for the last time, this is the perfect spot to catch a nice bit of meat!", a voice cried out over the wasteland. Another replied, seemingly less enthusiastic, "Grn! We'll be the meat if ye keep looking for spoils so close to these pretty Elves their hideouts! Just two weeks ago they found Gargash and his boys' heads nailed to the trees just a mile away from here!" The bow-legged hunchbacks approached with great speed. With her face going pale and her heart pounding in her throat she kept low and desperately tried to drag the injured away from the imminent danger. One of the creatures placed a hand against his companion's chest, "Snnff.. snng... You smell that?" "Smell whot? All I smell is rotting wood and your stink!" "Could've sworn that something must've come by here just a bit ago.. LOOK!" Sjunnaz froze, realizing it wasn't her they pointed at but top the hill her mouth dried.. She had forgotten her basket there. The duo drew their crude knives by instinct and one leered sideways, "Think someone is trying to run off with me game..", he grunted jealously.. "Are ye daft? We need to get out of here!", the other urged on, clearly on the verge of running away. The jealous one didn't listen, he stomped over towards the trap and Sjunnaz almost cried out in fear as she pulled with all her might! The creature was nearly on top of them, too little too late. "Loose!!" Projectiles came flying at the nearest orc, a rock hit it straight on the head and the thing clutched the spot, "Argh! Ai!" A hail come his way, doing pitifully little, but it was all that was needed! Within moments the two Orcs were running back from whence they came!
"We've won, yahay!!" Children's laughter rang from the woods. A lean youth jumped in front of Sjunnaz armed with a slingshot, she wasn't sure whether to be relieved or angry, "Skafi! Quick help me get him away.."
They were at her hut, hidden within a maze of trees. The one she had saved was laying on a bed of straw now, resting while she cleaned her hands. She had done all she could with what little ointments that lasted through the winter, she realized she would need to gather more herbs come the next season. Around her all her children were present and those of Walkure, "Leave him be..", she said as half of them were leaning over the injured one, "He needs to sleep and regain strength or pass on beyond this life." Skafi was the oldest son of Walkure, a blonde youth that had inherited the adventuring nature of his parents and a fighter by heart, "Good thing that I came looking when I did ja? You would have both been Orcfood otherwise! Told you that it is a good thing to learn the way of weapons!" "We were lucky.", she said as she laid a hand on his head, not allowing such soft gestures he pushed her wrist upwards with his own as he had a frown on him, "And we shall yet have to see how much value your action had, brave as it was." He smiled at the compliment and answered, "I think he will get through alright. Actually I am pretty sure of it." She held two of her daughters whom came to hold her quietly, "Since when are you a healer that you know such things?" He shrugged his shoulders, "It's not that, .. but I always heard that Elves do not die.. or not easy atleast. So there!"
She was dumbstruck.
