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Mithadan glanced back at Aiwendil with a ghost of a grin on his face. But when no response was forthcoming and the silence grew heavy, he cleared his throat and spoke. "Eagles?" he said. "Indeed there are many tales in the north of the great eagles of the Misty Mountains and the even greater ones that dwelt in the peaks of Beleriand before them." Here Mithadan paused, for the tent flap was pulled aside and the little girl, Miri, entered followed by Rama. He nodded and smiled at Rama as she paused before stepping forward.
"Am I intruding?" Rama asked.
"Nay!" answered Airefalas as he rose to his feet and bowed slightly. "We were just enjoying some conversation over the remains of dinner." He spread a blanket upon the floor and motioned for the newcomers to sit.
"I was just speaking of eagles," continued Mithadan. "It is said that the Eagles of the north fought on the part of the Elves in Beleriand during the long war against Morgoth the Accursed. And when he was overthrown, it was the eagles, along with Earendil that slew or drove off the dragons that issued from Thangorodrim..."
"The eagles?" asked Miri eagerly. "The eagles defeated the wyrms?"
Mithadan nodded, wondering if more was being read into his words than he knew. "And even more recently, during the War of the Ring, eagles came to the aid of the West several times. Gwaihir the Windlord twice rescued Gandalf the wizard and he and his peole flew against the armies of Mordor during the battle before the Black Gates. And after the fall of Sauron, after the Dark Lord fell, the eagles carried the Ringbearers from the burning feet of Mount Doom."
"There are many such tales in the north," he concluded. "But it seems that in each case that the eagles were summoned by one of power, Gandalf or another. I do not know if any could be summoned here to aid this clan. What do you think Aiwendil?" He looked back to the wizard with a hint of a grin...
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