Plinnlim stood close to the entry, leaning against a filigree golden lattice, watching it all from a secure distance. She was scared to death. How should she go in there and introduce herself to the others? Was she even allowed to attend, not being of age yet? Maybe her mother got something wrong? Then she cursed herself for being so fearful. She was early and there were only few others yet. 'Imagine it would be a pack of goblins!' she thought to herself. 'You would seize your bow and just charge.' So she swallowed, raised her chin, and started walking towards the gathered elves.
Half an hour later, all her fear was forgotten. She got to know some very friendly hiril, listened to lovely songs and even dared a few dancing steps she had practised earlier at home. The best thing was another very young hiril that greeted Plinnlim with much relief, being only a few decades older and having been the youngest so far. From that moment on, Plinnlim did really enjoy her first night in the Hall of Fire and the nice conversation. The wonderful songs hiril Tamaren played about trees made her indeed dream of the woods she loved so much, and when she heard a song that reminded her of the sound her bowstring would make when releasing an arrow, she was completely happy.
Walking up the path home in the morning light, her shoes glistering with dewdrops, she felt as if she had mastered one of the tasks Mallenhadh would usually give her to train her skills. One that seemed especially hard at first but turned out to be easy as Lembas.
