[Ithaeliel]

Ru-Sahn ate quickly and wordlessly, not bothering to use any sort of manners, for he was too hungry. Not since that morning had he been fed, and they had since been many miles. As he bit off a chunk of the juicy meat, he heard a hint of a voice behind him. Not daring to look over his shoulder, Ru closed his eyes and listened intently.

"My name is Nura. What is yours?"

"Nuhrive."

Nuhrive. Such a pretty name, Ru thought as he continued to wolf down the boar. Suddenly he smiled, a sly look across his features. The girl, Nura, would earn Nuhrive's trust. The mousy little healer wouldn't dare defy the men of her tribe, least of all her brother, Blair, who at the moment sat across from Ru-Sahn. The weaponsmith's face broke into a grin. Nura would be the tribe's ticket to everything they needed to know.

After the meal, Ru-Sahn approached Skara, their leader. The man was sitting idly on a boulder, and he appeared to be thinking hard. Ru came quietly behind him, only stopping when he was at his shoulder. "Skara," he said, and the woodsman looked up, startled by Ru-Sahn's quiet entrance, not to mention the sound of his voice, which was not to be heard all that often. Interested, he stood. "What is this that is so momentous you should seek me out, Ru-Sahn? Or is it important at all?"

Ru's face remained stern and serious. "It concerns the girl," he said in a low tone. Skara's eyebrows raised as he nodded for Ru to continue.

"From her I have obtained the fine elven dagger which is even now at my side, that which has until now been beyond me to attempt in the crafting of such a thing. But no longer. I have reaped my benifits with the capture of the weapon," Ru-Sahn said, then leaning toward Skara. "Why should you not reap yours?"

Skara chuckled under his breath. "I very much like the sound of this, Ru-Sahn. Have you a way for me to collect my profit?"

Looking over his shoulder and back to Skara, Ru-Sahn smirked. "The little healer girl, Nura," he muttered. "She has earned the trust of the girl, even so much as to learn her name: Nuhrivë. She could learn more from the girl in her gentility than we could ever assume. She may learn the ways of her kindred, the weaknesses, a way to avoid their most deadly tactics for battle. It will be to your advantage- the Eldar will come for her, of that I have no doubt. We must be ready. And if we can defeat the immortal kindreds, we can defeat almost any army that the Valar may send against us. So what say ye to that, Skara?"

The woodsman's eyes were aflame. "I say that it shall be so!" He clasped Ru-Sahn's hand firmly.

[ January 11, 2003: Message edited by: Ithaeliel ]