[Tevildo]

"There...over there....at least that's where they were when I led the guards away from camp."

After Dorran and Shae trotted up to the edge of the stream bed, both dismounted to have a closer look. There was no sign of anyone, although the ground was trampled, and Dorran could see an assortment of muddy footprints leading up and down the bank.

Dorran shook his head and scowled, "Maybe they've left?" His face went pale as a new wave of pain caused him to stop and grab his side. The gash on his head was no more than an annoyance, but the searing pain coming from his ribs was definitely getting worse. He was privately wondering if something had gone wrong. Perhaps his friends had failed in their task and been kidnapped by slavers or something even worse had happened. Dorran refused to give in to his fear. Moreover, he could see no evidence of fighting, no splashes of blood or tattered scraps of clothing fallen on the ground; more likely, his friends had finished the rescue and taken off for the meeting spot.

"Shae, I do think my friends have already ridden out, but let's check the area before we follow them. I'll go this way." Dorran pointed towards the plain and added. "Work your way back along the bank but not too far. Keep your weapon close at hand. We'll meet here in a few minutes." Dorran drew his sword and Shae followed suit as the two slowly proceeded in different directions along the stream bed, searching for anything that would give them a clue to what had happened. Dorran was on foot but Shae had remounted her horse.

Dorran could find nothing suspicious to the west of camp and had decided to turn back when he heard Shae's angry cry. Despite the unrelenting pain in his side, he forced himself to run back along the stream bed. There, at the entry to the tunnel where Carl and Vrór had gone down to do their work, stood a tall figure with slightly pointed ears who was holding a dagger to Shae's bare neck.

"Lindir, no!" Dorran sprang forward to explain and placed his own hand on top of the Elve's arm. "She's my friend, one of the slaves."

Lindir's sword dropped immediately to his side. Then he stepped back and extended his hand in greeting. "My pardon, lady. A hundred pardons. When I saw someone on a horse, I mistook you for one of the slavers. We are here to help you and your people and this is no way to start off."

Shae eyed Lindir suspiciously. She had never in her life seen an Elf. But for some reason she could not understand Shae extended her own hand out and touched Lindir's for an instant. Dorran gave a private sigh of relief.

Then Lindir turned to Dorran, "I am so glad to see you alive. You had me worried. But Rôg's been hurt, and one of the slaves we rescued. Aiwendil left with them for the meeting point not more than five minutes before you came. I'm waiting here with Carl and Vrór and the young boy Kwell. We know the slavers have discovered us. The tunnel seemed a good a place as any if we're going to surprise them and hold them back to let the others get a good ways out."

Dorran was leaning back against the horse's flank and clutching his side in obvious pain. "I'll stay with you to fight," he added through gritted teeth.

"And I too," added Shae, her eyes showing no hint of fear but only the chance to strike back against the people who had hurt her for so long

Lindir shook his head, "No, Dorran. I don't know what happened. Explanations can wait. But I would no more send you out to battle than you would send one of your own men to war who had already been injured. Don't argue. The slavers will be here any second. Ride due west and catch up with Aiwendil. They could use your sword, and most of all the horse. I don't know if the girl is well enough to walk that far on her own feet."

For one instant, Dorran considered objecting, but realized that Lindir was right in ordering him to go with the other group. He stammered out a quick explanation, "This horse belongs to Shae. I can't just take it for myself."

"Yes. you can," the girl added. "I will stay and fight and you will take care of my horse until I come back and take it from you. And, by the way," she added, "my name is Shae."

Lindir nodded, "Well, then, Shae, your heart is as unselfish as it is bold. Come down into the tunnel and meet the others."

With that, Dorran mounted up, turned his horse, and began cantering towards the west.