[littlemanpoet]

Raefindan
When Ravion had pushed the dog away, Raefindan had knelt by it and held it at the neck, ruffling its pendant ears. He handed the dog to Mellonin.

"Ravion, Aeron," he said, stepping forward, and putting his hands between them, pushed back against both their chests and stepped between them. He looked to Ravion. "Friend, your concern is of course just and right that we need caution on the road. Please allow me."

Ravion's brow was knitted, his jaw working; Raefindan could see that he was weighing whether to put this red headed upstart in his place and force his position as leader, or to allow him some tether. After a moment, he nodded and returned to his packing.

Raefindan turned to Aeron. "Friend, you do well to come to the defense of your sister. If you are right in naming your sister's terror as unexplained, maybe I can help. Will you allow me?"

Aeron, pleased with the red headed man's speech, was nonetheless not about to look as if he could be so easily placated.

"First tell me what you would do. I'll not have you harming my - older sister."

"I mean to try to befriend the girl and the dog to each other."

Simply enough said. Aeron's brow rose in open skepticism. "You can do that?"

"I can try." Raefindan looked to Gwyllion. "Would you be willing to try, Gwyillion?" She backed up a step, clearly unsure.

Aeron went to her side. "If you can promise the dog will not hurt her."

"You have my word."

Raefindan retrieved the dog from Mellonin, and knelt beside him, holding him between his neck and forefeet with one hand, scratching his head with the other. "I can't call you Fangless. What shall I name you?" The dog looked up into Raefindan's eyes, his big mouth grinning open, his tongue lolling, delighted for the attention. "Let's see. I'll call you..... I know! Jorje!" Raefindan smiled up to Mellonin, who snickered. "All right then, by Jorje! Gwyllion, my friend Jorje here is not really very different from you. Yes, his mouth and teeth are bigger than yours, but he has feelings -" Raefindan stopped at Gwyllion's sudden confusion. "Um, he fears as you fear. There is nothing that Jorje fears more, than humans who fear him, because when a human fears him, Jorje knows that he cannot be sure what that human will do. So I would like to help both of you stop fearing each other, and become friends. That way, you both will know to expect friendship from each other, and so it will be. The way to do that is for you to approach slowly, with your hand held out before you, with the palm up. I will hold Jorje, keeping him calm, and all you need to do is come. The goal - that is - our aim is for Jorje to sniff your hand, then lick it, and after that, you can scratch his throat. He likes that almost as much as me scratching his ears. See? Now, when you're ready..."

Ædegard

The moment Ædegard had finished fording the Limlight, the world had changed for him: he was outside Rohan for the first time in his life. Though he had never before been far beyond Edoras, Rohan was his land, and he had heard many tales and songs about its many parts. Now all those familiar songs and tales were of no use. He was a stranger now, a wanderer as lost as any other. It was unsettling, and it was exciting. He told himself to calm and think about their situation.

Ædegard knew that Mellon's body was moving toward illness, no matter what Amroth's mind believed. Maybe it was time someone made it clear to him what was going on. Ædegard laughed at himself: as if he had any real idea what was really going on. He did know that Mellon was not putting on an act, that he really did believe himself to be Amroth, and further, that Mellon himself had not shown up since he had taken sick. A mere blacksmith, it was doubtful that Mellon even knew anything about Amroth, although there was no way of knowing that. He wished he had asked Bethberry, or someone who knew something, more questions about everything instead of having been so put out at having to leave his comfortable little life. Oh well. Done was done.

Now Liornung wanted to take Bellyn to the camp of some wanderers that were close by, while Amroth walked on to Lorien. Ædegard decided that he might as well go with Liornung and Bellyn to see what he would.