Текст книги "The Horn of Moran"

Автор книги: Mark Forman

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With a bit of pride, Alex looked at the token he had created that marked him as a friend of the tower. One side of the coin held the image of a dragon’s head with eight stars around it, while the other side had the image of Moon Slayer on it. Alex knew that the coin would remain where it was until the next keeper of the tower came to claim the power of Norsland. And he knew from his dreams that he would also return when that time came.

Running out of the tower, Alex started down the path to the second gate and his friends. The sun was coming up, and in the dim morning light, he saw Sindar arguing with the griffins, demanding that they let him pass and allow him access to the tower.

“It’s all right,” called Alex. “The evil has gone.”

Bowing, the griffins moved aside without speaking to let Alex pass between them. Then they moved back to block the path to the tower.

“How are you, Sindar?”

“Better now that I see you, my friend,” Sindar answered.

“And the others?”

Sindar hesitated. “I don’t know what’s wrong with them. They seem to be stunned, but otherwise unhurt. When I ask them to stand or move, they do as I bid, but they don’t seem to see what is around them. And they cannot speak at all.”

“You seem to have recovered,” said Alex. “Though I was worried when I first found you.”

“Evil has less effect on me than on others,” said Sindar. “And I was lucky you were able to recover my pendant for me. It has taken most of the time that you’ve been gone for me to recover, and I still feel a deep coldness inside.”

“It will pass,” said Alex.

Alex and Sindar returned to their campsite and tried once more to revive their companions, but nothing seemed to work. Alex didn’t know any spell that could reverse the curse, and he was tired. Changing Val’s magic bag into a stone had drained him, and changing the stone into a breeze had taken even more out of him, far more than all his running up and down the tower stairs.

“We need to get out of the mountains,” said Alex, dropping onto his blankets beside the fire.

“Yes, but perhaps first you should rest.”

Alex shook his head. “I’ll be fine. I should send a message to Whalen. He may know how to break this spell.”

“Possibly, but do we have time to wait for a reply?”

“No,” said Alex with a sigh. He rubbed his eyes. “I’ll send a message and then we can break camp.”

“Rest first,” said Sindar softly. “Collect your thoughts and rest your body. You’ve had a long night.”

Alex’s eyes were already closing. He would rest for an hour or two, then send a message to Whalen.

Whalen will know what to do, he thought as he drifted off to sleep. Whalen is a great wizard. He always knows what to do.

When Alex woke, he felt much better. Looking at the sun, he could tell he had been asleep for almost three hours. Sindar was walking around the fire with Andy, but Andy seemed unaware of anything around him.

“Any improvement?” Alex asked.

“No. I thought perhaps moving around would help them, but they seem unchanged.”

“They will be moving around quite a bit soon enough. Let me send a message to Whalen, and then we’ll start back down the mountain.”

Sindar nodded, but said nothing, helping Andy sit back down beside the fire. While Alex wrote his message, he noticed the blank stare on Andy’s face. He hoped that Whalen would have an answer and that the answer would come soon.

Once Alex had sent his message, he and Sindar began leading the others back down the path toward the first gate. Their going was painfully slow because their companions would run into the stone sides of the trail yet continue trying to move forward. After several hours of turning their friends back onto the path, Sindar came up with a clever solution.

Fastening a length of rope to each member of the company, Sindar was able to pull their dazed companions into the correct path as they went along. But even with this improvement, their progress was incredibly slow.

What had been a day’s travel going up the path took them almost three days to travel back down. Alex was beginning to worry that they wouldn’t be off the mountains before the snow began to fall, and he certainly didn’t want to spend the winter stuck on the mountainside.

“From here on it will be more difficult,” said Sindar, dropping to the ground beside Alex. “The path is steep, and there aren’t any rock walls to keep our friends from falling off the edge.”

“I know,” said Alex. “And they don’t seem to be improving at all.” He thought for a moment. “I suppose I could change our friends into mice and carry them down the mountain inside my magic bag.”

“Do you think you could do that?”

“Perhaps, but I’ve never transfigured a human, and I’d hate to accidentally hurt one of our friends.”

“Then don’t think on it,” Sindar advised. “We will manage, somehow.”

Alex simply nodded. What he had said wasn’t entirely true. When Alex had transfigured Val’s magic bag, Val had been inside it at the time. It wasn’t a pleasant thought and he pushed it aside. Transfiguration was a simple solution, but not one he was willing to try on his friends, at least not yet.

“Perhaps we should just put them inside one of our magic bags as they are,” Alex said softly.

“A simple solution to our problem, but there are dangers. We do not know what magic Val used on them, and the magic inside the bag may trigger some greater damage.”

“Yes, I suppose that is possible,” said Alex. “And then there are the rules of honor to consider.”

“Giving another the safety of your bag without his consent is a loss of honor for both the person being protected and the holder of the bag,” said Sindar in a troubled voice. “The rules of honor are there for good reasons, but those reasons hardly apply right now.”

“If things get worse and we can’t get off the mountain, we may have to risk that loss of honor.”

“Not yet. Not if there is another way to save our friends. We will find a way to save them, Alex. I’m sure we will.”

For a long time they sat in silence. Alex felt too tired to sleep or think. He lay back on his blankets and watched the stars above him, letting his thoughts wander freely.

“You have not said what happened in the tower,” Sindar said softly.

“We haven’t had time,” Alex replied. “And I’m not sure I can really explain everything.”

“Rest, Alex. The morning may bring new hope.”

“And a message from Whalen,” Alex added, his mind and body finally succumbing to sleep.

Alex woke to the dinging of a geeb and was glad to find a message from Whalen had indeed arrived. He paid the geeb and tore open the letter, his hopes high that the answer he needed was here.

Dear Alex,

I will not trouble you for details now as I understand the situation you are in. I’m afraid I can’t be of much help to you. There is a spell that might cure your friends, but I cannot write it here, and even if I could, I’m not completely sure you could use it. It is a difficult spell to work and can go very badly wrong if not done correctly.

My best advice to you is to get to the enchanted woods as quickly as you can. You may find help in the woods, if you can reach them before the snows block your way. I believe that time will heal your friends, but winter is coming and you can’t wait.

I am sorry that I cannot be of more help to you at this time. Whatever happens, don’t give up.

Yours in fellowship, Whalen

Alex showed the letter to Sindar before storing it in his bag. He felt a little frustrated that Whalen had the answer but that he could not share it. Now he and Sindar would have to do what they could, and Alex wasn’t at all sure it would be enough.

Chapter Thirteen

Brownies

Alex had managed to defeat the evil shadow, destroy the lower library, and recover the Horn of Moran, but he felt like none of that mattered. They were still trapped on the mountain, and his friends were helpless. For the first time Alex thought their adventure might be a failure, and his mood grew darker as he considered what that failure would mean.

“Come,” said Sindar. “We will do what needs to be done.”

Alex agreed and tried to shake off his dark mood. Both Whalen and Garson had told him not to give up or give in to despair, but Alex felt that this was an almost hopeless situation. If Whalen had been there, he could have cured Bregnest, Halfdan, and Andy, and they could easily get off the mountains. In the end, however, Alex knew there was nothing he could do but carry on. If they were going to get off the mountains before winter set in, it was up to Sindar and himself to get them off.

They moved along the trail more slowly now, staying close to the mountain and avoiding the edge. To keep from losing one of their friends over the edge, Alex and Sindar were forced to move them one at a time. This was tiring and time-consuming because Alex and Sindar had to climb each section of the path twice and descend it three times to move the company forward at all.

After ten days of moving forward only a few hundred yards at a time, they finally reached the spot where they had camped their first night on the mountain. The wind blew constantly, and the sun hardly ever came out from behind the gray clouds that filled the sky.

“We’re almost down,” said Sindar. “Perhaps another two or three days and we’ll finally be off the mountain.”

“And then what?” Alex asked softly.

“Whalen said we might find help in the enchanted woods. At least we will find shelter there from the coming snows.”

“I’m sorry,” said Alex, looking at Sindar. “I’ve been letting myself think only dark thoughts of failure. I’m feeling sorry for myself, I guess.”

“Sorry for yourself or for your friends?” Sindar questioned.

“A little of both I suppose.”

“Then stop one and do what you can to help the other.”

Alex knew there was no reason to be depressed. They would make it off the mountains and to the enchanted woods before it started to snow. He had the Horn of Moran in his bag, but still, he couldn’t find any joy inside himself. Worry filled his mind, and not just about his friends. Alusia needed the Horn of Moran in order to know who the true king was. But even more important than that, the Horn would unite the people of Alusia and stop the different kingdoms from drifting apart and falling into an unending series of wars.

It took the company three more days to reach the first gate, and it was already dark when they got there. The sphinx watched them silently as they approached and passed through the gate.

Alex wanted to move on at once, but Sindar insisted they rest before starting for the woods. Alex reluctantly agreed. He had only slept for a few hours each day and had hardly eaten since leaving the Tower of the Moon. All he could think about was helping his friends by getting to the enchanted woods before the snow started to fall.

“All right,” Alex said. “We will rest. But only for an hour or two. The snow will be falling soon, and I can rest once we get to the woods.”

Alex conjured a fire to keep the company warm, and then helped Sindar wrap their companions in blankets. Sindar quickly cooked a meal for the two of them and made Alex eat a second helping. When he was finished eating, Alex lay down and almost instantly fell asleep. His dreams, however, were dark and troubled, and not at all restful. It wasn’t long before Alex woke, and when he did, he found snowflakes falling on his face.

“We must hurry,” said Alex, jumping to his feet. “If the snow gets too heavy, we won’t be able to find the woods at all.”

“I will lead,” said Sindar, attaching the guide rope to his belt. “I can see better in the darkness, and it would be deadly to get lost now.”

Sindar set a quick pace, and Alex had trouble keeping up. He felt tired and week, and with each step, his feet felt heavier. The cold wind numbed his senses. At times it seemed that Sindar was pulling the entire company forward like a great sleigh horse in the snow. The ground was already white, and the air was so full of snowflakes that it was hard to see anything. They had walked for a long time when Sindar suddenly stopped.

“The snow is too thick,” Sindar yelled over the howling wind. “I can’t see where we are going.”

“We can’t stop here,” Alex yelled back.

“We can’t go on without some kind of guide. We could wander for days in this storm and never find the woods.”

“I have an idea,” said Alex, forcing his nearly frozen brain to work.

Holding his hands close together, Alex conjured up a large, bright blue weir light. Concentrating on where he wanted to go, he focused on the light that hovered in front of him and simply said, “Lead me.”

The light hovered for a moment and then moved slowly forward and to Alex’s left. Alex and Sindar quickly changed places in the marching order, retying the rope that held the company together. The weir light seemed to wait for Alex to follow and never moved too far ahead of him. It always seemed to move in a straight line, though it was hard to be sure in the blowing snow.

The snow was soon ankle-deep, but the weir light continued to guide them. Alex desperately hoped that his magic was working, because if it wasn’t, they might be traveling in circles. After walking for what seemed like hours, Alex finally saw the dark shapes of trees ahead of him, and he let out a sigh of relief. As they continued to move forward, the snow grew lighter, and in a few minutes they were inside the enchanted woods.

“A useful bit of magic,” said Sindar. “A pity that Halfdan didn’t see it, he would have enjoyed that very much.”

“Perhaps another time,” said Alex, conjuring several additional weir lights to guide them into the dark woods.

“It is warmer here. The air is much warmer, in fact.”

Alex had noticed it as well. The change in temperature would normally have troubled him, but all he wanted now was to find a place to sleep.

After moving into the woods a short distance, they came upon a small meadow. Alex stopped the company and untied the rope from his belt. He was so tired that he could barely help Sindar with the others. He lit a fire and let the weir lights fade.

“I need to sleep,” said Alex, dropping onto his blanket. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt so tired.”

“Rest, my friend,” said Sindar. “I will watch and keep the fire burning. You have done a great thing, and have earned a rest.”

“ Wehave done a great thing,” Alex corrected as he closed his eyes.

* * *

When Alex woke up, the sky was much lighter, and he thought he heard Sindar talking to someone. Alex hoped that his friends had recovered, but when he sat up, he saw Sindar sitting alone by the fire. The fire was larger than it had been, and Alex wondered why Sindar had built it up so much.

“Who are you talking to?” Alex asked.

“The brownies, of course,” Sindar answered.

“Brownies?”

Sindar grinned and pointed to a large brown stump a short distance from the fire. Alex didn’t remember the stump being there, and he felt a little confused. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he suddenly realized that the stump was actually a small, brown-skinned creature that looked more like a miniature dwarf than anything else Alex could think of.

“Welcome, master wizard,” said the creature, removing its pointy hat and bowing to Alex. “We hoped that you would be returning to our woods.”

Alex blinked several times to make sure he was seeing what he thought he was seeing. The brownie giggled, and Alex recognized the sound as the laughter he’d heard when they had passed through the enchanted woods before. The brownie took a few steps closer, then bowed once more.

“I am Tip, at your service,” said the brownie.

“Thank you,” Alex managed to reply.

“I was just discussing our friends with Tip,” said Sindar. “It seems that he and his people might be able to help them.”

“If you can, we would be very much in your debt,” said Alex as he studied the brownie in front of him.

“Oh yes, I’m sure we can help, but there are a few difficulties involved,” Tip answered.

“Difficulties? What difficulties?”

“Well, as I was telling your friend Sindar, we don’t like to show ourselves to humans or dwarfs,” said Tip, turning slightly red in embarrassment.

“But I’m a human.”

“You’re a wizard,” said Tip. “And that makes a difference.”

“So, you can help them, but you don’t want them to see you,” said Alex, slightly puzzled.

“Not exactly,” said Tip. “We can help them, but we don’t want them to know we helped them, or even that we were here.”

“And that is the difficulty,” said Sindar, looking at Alex.

“I see,” said Alex, trying to think of a way around this difficulty.

“I do have a solution,” Tip said.

“And what is that?” Alex asked with interest.

“We could put your friends in an enchanted sleep,” said Tip. “They could sleep all winter, and when spring comes, they will wake up and be themselves again.”

“And this is your solution?”

“In part,” Tip answered. “You see, the enchanted sleep will help them heal faster, and they wouldn’t know we helped them. Unless, of course, you tell them.”

“I see,” said Alex with a soft laugh. “So Sindar and I need to promise not to tell them about you.”

“Exactly,” said Sindar.

“And you would be willing to take our word?” Alex asked Tip.

“Of course,” Tip answered in a surprised tone. “Elves we trust very much, and wizards we know do not lie. At least good wizards don’t, and we know you are a good wizard, so that’s that.”

“Well then, Sindar, what do you say?” Alex questioned.

“I have already given my word to tell no human or dwarf about what happens here,” said Sindar. “Of course, wizards are another story, so I’m sure you could tell Whalen.”

“Oh, yes, we know Whalen Vankin and we trust him very much,” said Tip, his head bobbing up and down rapidly. “But you must promise not to tell your friends what happened to them here. Neither them, nor any other human or dwarf.”

“I promise not to tell any human or dwarf what happens here, or about your people who live here in the enchanted woods,” said Alex.

“Very good,” said Tip, beaming at Alex. “Now, we will take you and Sindar to a much nicer place where you can spend the winter as our guests.”

“And our friends?” Alex questioned, not wanting to leave Bregnest, Andy, and Halfdan lying in the meadow.

“We will take them to another place, near the southern edge of the woods,” Tip answered. “When spring is near, we will lead you and Sindar to them, and then you can wake them up.”

“Very well,” said Alex. “We accept your kind offer.”

Tip seemed thrilled. He gave a short, loud whistle, and the meadow suddenly came alive with brownies. Alex and Sindar both laughed as what appeared to be hundreds of brownies bowed and introduced themselves. After a moment, Tip clapped his hands three times and the brownies became almost instantly quiet. Tip gave instructions for a group of brownies to move Bregnest, Andy, and Halfdan, and then asked Alex and Sindar to follow him.

Alex was still tired, but he got up and followed Tip into the trees, still surrounded by the rest of the brownies. After a short hike through the woods, they arrived at the strangest-looking village Alex had ever seen. The brownies’ houses were all between six and eight feet high and painted in every color imaginable. Some of the houses were all one color, but most were a mixture of colors and patterns. Alex particularly liked one large house that was painted with red and white strips like a giant peppermint.

“Welcome to our village,” said Tip when they reached the town square. “We have a small house prepared for you, though it is not as grand as we might hope. I thought you might want to rest a bit and take a bath before this evening’s feast.”

“You are most kind,” said Sindar. “I am sure that my friend and I will be comfortable.”

“Indeed, your kindness overwhelms us,” Alex replied.

Alex and Sindar both bowed to Tip, which seemed to please him and make him laugh at the same time. Tip then led them to a small cottage just outside the brownie village. It was actually a very nice cottage, with one large room that had a table, a sink, and two beds in it, and a smaller room with a large bathtub in it.

“I’ll leave you until the feast,” said Tip. “If you need anything at all, just ask.”

“Thank you very much,” Alex and Sindar said at the same time.

Tip closed the door behind him, and Alex looked at Sindar in amazement. He had never considered the possibility that brownies lived in the enchanted woods, though now he understood what Whalen had said about finding help here.

“Did you know they were here?” Alex asked as he tested one of the beds.

“No, but I could feel their goodness when we passed though the woods before. Though at the time, I didn’t know where that goodness came from.”

“I suppose we’re lucky they decided to help us,” Alex commented, feeling sleepy once again.

“I think we can thank your weir lights for that,” said Sindar, testing the other bed.

“Why is that?”

“Because they saw the lights and decided to investigate them. Tip told me before you woke up. They were impressed by the lights; I’ll be surprised if they don’t ask you to conjure them up again.”

“That wouldn’t be a problem,” said Alex as he yawned.

“Perhaps you should finish your night’s sleep,” said Sindar. “I’m going to take a bath.”

“Wake me when you’re done,” said Alex, before rolling over and going back to sleep.

When Sindar woke Alex, it was several hours later. Alex felt refreshed and hungry, now that he knew they were all safe. He rolled slowly off his bed and began taking off his boots.

“I thought you might have needed sleep more than a bath,” said Sindar with a smile. “And now you’ll have to wait for a bit, as our hosts are bringing our midday meal.”

“Excellent. I feel like I haven’t eaten in days.”

There was a knock on the door, and a dozen brownies poured into the room before he or Sindar could even say, “Who’s there?” The brownies all carried trays of food which seemed far too large for them, but they managed somehow. The table was soon filled, and Alex and Sindar both thanked their hosts, which made the brownies burst into a fit of giggles. As quickly as they appeared, the brownies vanished, leaving Alex and Sindar to their meal.

“Why do they laugh so much when we thank them?” Alex questioned as he started filling a plate with food.

“It’s their way,” Sindar said. “They prefer their help and service to remain anonymous. So when we notice them doing things for us and thank them, they think it’s very funny.”

“As long as they’re happy.”

“They’re always happy. And it appears that they are good cooks as well.”

As they ate their meal, Alex told Sindar what had happened in the Tower of the Moon. Sindar turned pale when Alex told him about the shadow, and about having met it once before in Vargland, but Alex didn’t ask Sindar if he knew what it was.

“So you turned the stone into a breeze?” Sindar asked, making sure he had heard correctly.

“I did,” said Alex. “I remembered the riddle the sphinx had asked, and it suddenly hit me that a breeze could never be turned back into a stone, or a magic bag.”

“And the shadow had already left when you did that?”

“Yes.”

“Well, it won’t be happy if it ever returns.”

“I hope it never returns. But if it does, it will go crazy trying to figure out where the stone has gone.”

“No less than it deserves,” Sindar observed. “I do feel sorry for Val though.”

“So do I. I think he was once a good and honorable man.”

“But he listened to the shadow,” said Sindar. “He made his own choice, and it was a poor one.”

“There is something else I wanted to talk to you about,” Alex said, and then paused to consider his words. “The pendant you wear—the one you so desperately wanted just after the attack.”

“Ah, yes. I have worn that for many years,” said Sindar. “It is an ancient talisman. There is some magic in it, as I’m sure you noticed.”

“Yes, I did, but that’s not what I want to ask. You see . . . Well, it might be best to show you.”

Alex reached for his magic bag and called out the pendant his father had left for him. Holding it up so Sindar could see it, he noticed a strange look on his friend’s face, a look that vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

“My father hid this in his own magic bag,” Alex explained. “He left a note with it, telling me that I could freely trust anyone who wore this symbol.”

“Your father,” Sindar repeated slowly. “Yes, I should have guessed, but . . .”

“But?” Alex prodded.

“It is difficult to keep track sometimes,” Sindar answered. “I should have given things more thought when we first met. Your father—his first name was Joshua?”

“Yes.”

Sindar nodded but remained silent for several minutes before speaking.

“I met your father once, many years ago. I did not get the chance to know him, but he was well-respected among us.”

“Among the elves, you mean,” Alex clarified.

“Oh, yes, among the elves, but that isn’t what I’m talking about. You see, the pendant is a symbol of the ancient order of Malgor.”

“The order of Malgor? What is that?”

“Basically the order is a collection of people who gather information. We keep records about people, places, cities—all kinds of things.”

“Why?” Alex asked. “What are the records used for?”

“From time to time we discover something important. I say discover, but it is more like making connections between points of information. When we do find something, we pass the information along to the people who need to know.”

“I don’t understand. What information? Who runs the order? Why was it set up in the first place?”

“I can tell you some things, but not everything,” said Sindar after a moment of thought. “For example, I can tell you that when I return home, I will report on this adventure and the fact that there appear to be more goblins in Norsland than there once were—including the presence of a goblin shaman. The order might decide that they need more information about goblins in Norsland, or they might just let the kingdoms of Norsland know that there are more goblins.”

“I see,” said Alex. “Still, who is in charge? Who decides what information is important? What else does the order of Malgor do?”

“So many questions,” said Sindar. “As for the who and the why, I don’t think I should say. Many people who belong to the order do not know who is in charge, and since you are not a member . . .”

“I’m sorry,” said Alex. “It’s just so interesting. Obviously my father was a member of this order, and he wanted me to trust any members that I might meet.”

“Yes, but I think your father may have overstated his desire. I would not be so quick to trust completely if I were you. You are a wizard after all, and blind trust does not go well with that title.”

“You don’t think I should trust the members of the order?”

“I think you should use your own judgment,” said Sindar. “Now, I think you should take a bath and get ready for the feast. It should be a merry night.”

Sindar said nothing more about the order of Malgor, and Alex didn’t press him for answers. He knew enough for now, and he promised himself that someday he would know more.

The brownies were thrilled that Alex and Sindar were their guests and would squeal and giggle when either of them would thank them for their kindness. Alex tried hard to remember all the brownies’ names, but there were just too many of them, and the brownies all looked very much alike to him. Whenever he would call a brownie by the wrong name, the brownie would think he was making a wonderful joke, and then tell him its correct name. In the end, Alex stopped trying to sort it out.

The days passed swiftly, and the brownies never seemed to grow tired of Alex and Sindar asking them questions or thanking them. Often Alex would conjure up weir lights and send them floating around the village, changing colors from time to time as they went. The brownies seemed to enjoy the lights even more than Halfdan had, and it made Alex happy to hear them laugh in surprise whenever one of the lights changed colors.

After a week in the village, Alex sent Whalen a long message, telling him everything that had happened at the tower and how he and Sindar were now guests in the brownie village. Alex also spent a fair amount of time in his bag, sorting through the treasure he’d recovered from the tower. He was hoping to have the treasure sorted and divided before they started south once more, but that was going to take some work. A few weeks later, Whalen sent a reply to Alex’s message.

Dear Alex,

You have done better than I had hoped. I am impressed with the way you’ve handled things. I never would have thought to change the stone into a breeze. Very clever on your part, I must say.

I do have some ideas about what the shadow is, but it will take some explaining, which I would rather do in person. I hope to meet you on your return to Telous, or perhaps in Alusia. I believe Bregnest, once he is recovered, will insist that you all go with him to complete your adventure by returning the Horn.

I was sorry to hear about Sedric Valenteen, but, as you said, he made his choice. You did what had to be done, so don’t blame yourself for what happened.

Continue to study your books, and feel free to start looking through the upper library, which you now have in your bag. I don’t think you will need to update me quite so often, but feel free to write if you have questions. Also, I think you can judge for yourself when you should and should not use your powers, so don’t let my earlier warnings stop you from doing something you feel needs doing. Of course, don’t use your powers for just anything; use your common sense and you should be fine.

Yours in fellowship, Whalen

P.S. Just a reminder to honor your promise to Tip. I know you would never break your promise on purpose, but you may find it difficult to keep once your friends recover. Perhaps you and Sindar should agree on a story for your friends. You still have time to think of something before they wake up.

Whalen’s letter lifted Alex’s spirits, and that afternoon he started working on a story with Sindar. They decided, after some debate, that the simple truth would work best. No mention of the brownies would be made, but the fact that the two of them had been stuck in the woods would be enough.

“Our adventure climbing down the mountain will be far more interesting,” Sindar commented. “The fact that we spent a few weeks or even months in the woods, with nothing to do but wait, will not attract many questions.”