[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

Three days of hard riding with the sullen Rangar in the saddle behind him were enough to make Calimir wonder why he'd gotten into this journey in the first place. The lands were wild and lonely and tempers in the group were flaring. All were worried about Turthol, Calimir thought. Yet they could do nothing about it.

Enien rode close beside him, the two of them telling stories of places they had known. It was talk that would be boring to any but an elf, but Rangar seemed to soak it up as well. Calimir kept talking simply to occupy the man. When he could talk no more Enien seemed to take the clue. Her voice raised in an old song, the Tale of Finrod Felagund and his first meeting with the fathers of men. Enien sang it in the Common Tongue and Rangar listened intently as she sang. Calimir listened absently, the elf was very tired. He'd stayed alert nights making sure that Rangar didn't try to sneak off and find Turthol, and his sharp eyes had more than once seen the man looking back over his shoulder toward the downs.

Enien noticed his looks, and spoke to him about it that evening as they made camp near Tharbad. "I am worried for him." she said lightly. "He takes the safety of his friends too seriously."

Calimir, recalling Enien's recent behavior, nearly snorted in laughter she proclaimed this. But composing his face he answered. "I do not know what to think of him. He calls himself Rangar, yet he does not look like one of the Dunedain."

Enien looked up at him. "I have thought the same. He listens to our tales like he has never heard them before. One of the Dunedain would know the old stories, at least in part." Calimir shook his head. Enien was very perceptive. He hadn't noticed this at all. The two elves fell silent in the sleeping camp, yet neither slept. Enien's face turned outward, watching the land around, and Calimir's in to watch the sleeping face of their leader.

[ May 23, 2003: Message edited by: Sophia the Thunder Mistress ]