[Amanaduial the archer]

Tallin leant against one of the walls, breathing deeply. They had run for hours it seemed, in the darkness, following Dimithil, not knowing if he would give them up to those who had showed him kindness in the mountains, even if they hadnt to his sister and her companions; even for Tallin it was exhausting. Listening carefully she couldnt hear the guards apart from a few muffled clankings and voices far away and quite possibly on a different floor- steps didnt seem to be needed to change floors in this strange network of corridors in which they had been running. Whoever hsd designed it seemed not to know what normal places looked like and probably spent his time in a darkened room...

She pushed away from the wall to stand upright and looked back at where most of the group were gathered around Hwesta. All except herself...and Dimithil, Tallin realised. Well, she wasnt going to be acting the same as the stuck up elf! She began walking back to Hwesta, but slowly; the elf had taken against her, though she knew not why.

"Are you alright Hwesta?" She murmered softly as she came to them. A bit ofsearching her many pockets produced a small flattish parcel, wrapped in a large green leaf.

"Here." She held it out to Hwesta, but the elf only eyes it suspiciously. Tallin smiled slightly, but not mockingly. "Its lembas Hwesta. Its safe."

Reluctantly and with much cajoling from her brother, Hwesta took the lembas and grunted her thanks to Tallin. Well, maybe that would make her less hostile towards her...

As soon as Hwesta had finished eating, Dimithil insisted they carried on running and Tallin realised far more was at stake for him than for them. They set off again, and Tallin noticed the corridors getting lighter now, with daylight streaming in through windows that gradually got larger. Dimithil led them confidently, and Tallin even managed a little admiration for him; certainly all the corridors looked the same to her. He halted suddenly as they came to a small side corridor and walked through it, apparently counting the bricks on the wall under his breath; Tallin could just hear him.

"Twenty one, twenty two, twenty three...here!" He smiled and, tracing his finger down to the floor, he opened a trap door which had been practically invisible, even if you knew what you were looking for. The clear light of day shone could be seen, and greenery.

"This takes us right outside; there is a drop of about 6 feet to the ground. Once outside we can-" Dimithil was cut off by Raye.

"Be very careful, and very quiet." She said sharply. She lowered her voice. "There are things on the mountain far darker than the elves."

Dimithil gave her a 'look', obviously unimpressed with having his thunder stolen, and slipped feet first through the trapdoor, followed quickly by his sister. The others seemed happier by his nonchalence and followed, but Arrelle, Tallin and Berethion hesitated; they had taken heed of Rayes warning. Then they too followed and fell into the underbrush, none too gracefully it must be said, to find themselves on the side of the mountain, but in what seemed to be quite a thick forest. Now just to get away from the mountain itself...

[ February 08, 2003: Message edited by: Amanaduial the archer ]