[Imladris]

"Maethor," said Hanasian, "you must join the other rangers, Amandur and Rauthain, and aide them in your search. I must go to Bree."

"Let me accompany you," said Maethor. "The road to Bree is a long to journey alone."

"You will aide us better with Amandur and Rauthain," Hanasian urged, swinging astride his horse. He nodded slightly at Maethor.

Maethor furrowed his brow and said, "Namarie, Dunedain." Hanasian took the road west quickly and soon disappeared from Maehtor's sight. The young ranger heaved a sigh: he would miss Hanasian. A sad smile appeared on his tanned face and, brushing a stray strand of brownish black hair, he looked about for Rauthain and Amandur. They had followed the gelding's tracks, he suddenly remembered as he quickly strode to the grove. They had found the fair leather belt of Vanwe.

A print of elven boots was upon the ground, and Maethor leaned over them and saw the heavy boot of Vanwe being dragged to another set of horseprints. Frowning, he saw that the horse would have to bear two riders instead of one. His blood chilled as he envisioned the fair Vanwe in the cold and cruel hands of Naiore. Of course, he mused, if Naiore really was her mother, surely she would be kind to her own daughter. She could not be that cold and hearless. A great sadness fell upon his heart as Maethor crouched over the prints, his eyes glazed as he tried to imagine why Naiore could have alligned herself with the Shadow.

He quickly pushed the thought from his mind and began to follow the gelding's prints and smiled with pleasure when he also caught sight of the imprint of the two rangers. Sprinting lightly over the green grass, he quickly caught up to them and said, "What news, friends?"