Caunaian dismounted and guided Stean up the path. He had worked on his balance before, paracticed by walking on the rails in Rivendell. He had to sheathe his sword so both of his hands were free. He heard a faint whistle and couldn't help but to look at that direction. Some of the goblins had decided it was fun using five travellers and their horses as target practice. An arrow missed Caunaian by inches while another burrowed itself an inch away from Stean's front hooves.

_________________

I was cured all right.

Vasa followed close behind, her footing sure and steady. Occasionally she looked back and the wind whispered in her ears, a constant reminder that they were not alone.

Arrows came whistling past them, luckily none of them hitting. Should she fire back? She didn't want to begin the battle but she didn't want one of her friends to get injured either. So she carried on, head bowed, and waited for someone else to make the first move. As always.

_________________

"Without music, life would be a mistake." - Friedrich Nietzsche



"Make happy those who are near, and those who are far will come."

Fwee!

Meleth glanced at Elegost to see if he had any particular orders, and then back at the twelve elves that followed. She risked a look past the orcs, and discovered that this was not their whole force, merely a few troublemakers.
"Tangado a chadad,"(prepare to fire) she hissed back at the elven warriors behind her, speaking in Elvish in order to catch the orcs unawares. "Dartho...dartho..."(hold...hold...) she said in a low voice, looking to see if their bows were out and notched. And then finally..."Hado i philinn!"(release the arrows) came her whispered command, and twelve elven arrows killed the majority of the small party of orcs.

_________________

Vasa looked back, some of the goblins fad fallen. She took out her bow and show at a couple of them. She dropped back slightly and stood next to Meleth.
"Sedho."(quiet)
"Lasto." (Listen)
She reverted back and spoke in the common tongue, "We shouldn't attack too hastily, we only want to scare them. A battle on the side of a steep cliff side is not really what we need, dispite our keen skills. You know what I mean don't you?" Vasa hoped that what she said didn't sound harsh or bitter, she didn't mean it too if it did. However able the group were in battle somehow, she didn't think that the Goblins would follow for much longer.

_________________

"Without music, life would be a mistake." - Friedrich Nietzsche



"Make happy those who are near, and those who are far will come."

Fwee!

Meleth coolly whipped out her bow and shot the last goblin as he ran. "Lovely," she said with a rare smile. "If I am right they will not miss that band. And if they do, what loss to us? They are behind and cannot attack us on this steep mountainside any more than we can attack them." She continued to follow Elegost, reaching over her shoulder her put her bow back in her quiver.

_________________

Vasa shook her head and carried on, the rare smile that I had fleetingly crossed Meleth's face made her feel apprehenive for some reason.

_________________

"Without music, life would be a mistake." - Friedrich Nietzsche



"Make happy those who are near, and those who are far will come."

Fwee!

Midira was silent as she dismounted slightly annoyed at haveing to ascend such a steep path. Bredol followed Midira up the slope. Midira at the rear of the company kept a steady pace she didn't want to waste time in firing arrows at the orcs instead she would kick at loose dirt or gravel it would crumble and rain upon the orcs below her. she kicked again at some gravel and half the path crumbled away almost making Midira go with it. it slowed the orcs down and Midira was able to catch up with her companions.

_________________
Lips, ripe as the berries in June
Red the rose, red the rose
Skin, pale as the light of the moon
Gently as she goes

as always a hero comes home

"There has to be a better path than this Elegost. Yes we can escape from them but it'll wear us down, we could quite easily loose one of our kin." Vasa replied, calling back to him.

_________________

"Without music, life would be a mistake." - Friedrich Nietzsche



"Make happy those who are near, and those who are far will come."

Fwee!

Vasa kept quiet, she didn't know these part well and she knew how well Elegost did. She felt a burst of energy inside her and spurted up and over, down on to the grass where she she could get a lay of the land. She looked about with keen eyes and saw no danger. Patiently she waited for the others.

_________________

"Without music, life would be a mistake." - Friedrich Nietzsche



"Make happy those who are near, and those who are far will come."

Fwee!

Meleth looked thoughtful. "The goblins will be following us," she said, "but they can't have gotten through all that snow faster than us, and most likely slower. So if we continue from here on foot we may be able to outrun them." She paused, a finger to her lips, tapping thoughtfully. "That course of action does have its problems, though. "

_________________

"Other than they could catch up and shoot us all out in the open?" Vasa replied, looking at the Elf with concern. It didn't sound idea but then, she wasn't the captain.

_________________

"Without music, life would be a mistake." - Friedrich Nietzsche



"Make happy those who are near, and those who are far will come."

Fwee!

"Well, of course we wouldn't stay in the open," said Meleth. "Though I don't particularly like that plan, all things considered. As an alternative, we have quite few excellent archers and these foothills will provide plenty of cover." She waved her hand vaguely toward the hills that rose as the mountains dwindled. "We could hide and pick them off as they come, depending on how big their company is. If it's a rather large one, that plan won't work either."

_________________

Captain " what about a Diversion?" Midira asked " i could ride to that knoll there let them see me and i'll lead them on a wild goose chase?" she asked pointing to a knoll in the distance " you can head north and i'll lead them south or visa versa" Midira said. " but i will need a second horse for this to work"

_________________
Lips, ripe as the berries in June
Red the rose, red the rose
Skin, pale as the light of the moon
Gently as she goes

as always a hero comes home

[We left our horses, remember?]

Meleth shook her head. "We don't even have one horse, and who's to guarantee they wouldn't shoot you off, anyway? That's too dangerous. And besides, we shouldn't split up." Something seemed to occur to her and a cunning look stole into her eyes. "We could, of course, hide until they go past and return over the mountain pass. They're goblins, they'll never catch us."

_________________

( i thought we just dismounted and the horses followed)
Midira sighed the harsh wind blew her cloak off to the side. " no arrow could fly in this wind . sides i'll stay out of range"

_________________
Lips, ripe as the berries in June
Red the rose, red the rose
Skin, pale as the light of the moon
Gently as she goes

as always a hero comes home

Midira smiled she had almost started a rockslide comming up " im up for it "

_________________
Lips, ripe as the berries in June
Red the rose, red the rose
Skin, pale as the light of the moon
Gently as she goes

as always a hero comes home