Caran frowned at the young boy. "I understand only too well the desire to prove yourself. However you are needed by the Captain. You are needed by the free people. They need your protection." She moved over to Beleg, laying a hand on his shoulder. "This mission is dangerous, dear Beleg. Do not worry," she smiled. "Your uncle can handle himself. We will bring him back to you."

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Lona nodded at Caran's words "When you have more experience I will personally recommend you to the captain." she meant it, the boy had spunk. She looked at the boy's face, and saw the disappointment. She knew the feeling all too well "She leaned forward "You have the right spirit, and your heart is in theright place."

Beleg drew himself up and gave the woman a withering look worthy of his uncle: "Madam, I can boast a lifetime of training. I have fought with elves, men and dwarves- Experience, I have plenty of. If I distrust the captain, I will not follow him. I have no wish for death. My uncle do doubt has kept silent about his wanderings- perhaps with good cause, but-"
Feredir leant forward "You have travelled with a mage, that is all. I have no doubt you are a valiant warrior, nephew, but there is no use for you here. Go back."
"No. There is something about that man I cannot trust," he moved closer and lowered his voice as he saw his uncle raise an eyebrow "Nulrandir taught me many things, sir," the young man raised his head proudly "things you would not expect a man of my age to be able to do. I can make fire of damp wood, break stone-"
Feredir gave a short bark of laughter "And the elves gave me immortality as a gift for-" he halted, irritated; "Beleg, go home. Regail your sisters with your fairy-tales. We have no use for them."
Beleg stared angrily "Will you not listen to me? I am no child!" he called out.
As he rose a hand a bush close to Caran burst into flames, blue and silent. There was no crackling, no smoke, merely a sudden sharp smell of smoke from the dying plant.

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. O r b i s N o n S u f f i c i t .

"Stop!" Lona cried "Do you not realize you may have just given away our position? Now every blasted Orc in these parts will be upon us!" her blue eyes flashed "Fool! This mission was to be carried out without incident!" he jaw clenched in irritation and anger. What had he just done?

"Gah!" Caran gasped as she stepped away from the tree. Grabbing her bottle of water she doused the bush. The fire disappeared. Caran glared at Beleg. "You may be talented, but lack common sense!" she hissed. Caran glanced at Feredir, her expression showing she was at a loss. She knew only too well that the young boy would not back down, but also knew only to well how unsafe this mission was already. "Beleg, I implore you, go back. Your...talent is amazing, but I do not know how well it would hold up against orcs...Nor do I wish to test it either."

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"As one of the commanding officers picked by the captain, you have my orders to go back." her blonde hair had fallen down and was blowing around her, and her eyes crackled with a blue fire. "You do not realize what you have just done! Your foolish act could get your uncle killed now, as well ad yourself. Is that what you wanted? Take it from me, the captain is to be trusted! There is not reason on earth why you shouldn't trust him, I have been traveling and training under him for over ten years now."

Caran turned her attention from the boy to the woods around her. Her green eyes glinted intently as she watched for any movement between the trees. Sighing heavily she reached back and tied her long red hair into a bun. "Go back Beleg, and await our return."

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Beleg turned his eyes on Lona and gave a her a cold glare. The water Caran "I know of the one who is searching for you, madam. I know of his talents because men I have known have spoken both highly and with the greatest respect of him or with hatred and fear dripping from their words. Perhaps he is a great man, perhaps a terrible one. It is so often know that the two go hand in hand."
Feredir's eyes flashed at his nephew angrily as he pulled hard on his horse's reins, making the great white beast rise and toss its head. It was unlike the young man to treat animals with disrespect. "What are you talking about?" Feredir turned in his saddle to face Lona "Who is looking for you?"

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. O r b i s N o n S u f f i c i t .

she swallowed hard. How had he known? She sent Beleg a glare. "Would a great man murder four people? He killed my parents long ago and just yesterday he killed me aunt and uncle." she spat out. She reached up unconcsiously to play with her mother's ring that now hung around her neck. "I asked the captain to let me go alone because of that. He is a Mage of some sort, I met him in battle this morning." she explained.

Feredir drew a hissing breath "Did you not think it wise to alert us to this new peril?"
The young man laughed "Even the most pure and gentle beings that walk this earth are capable of murder. Is it kindness to kill an orc-child? Or its parents? I too have lost, greatly. My mage taught me how to-"
"I do not care, Beleg," Feredir cut in "This is not about you. Lona, I feel your pain, but if the captain has not told anyone or does not know, he may be leading the men into a trap. And you have done the same to us! I trusted to be in the company of a warrior, woman, a warrior I would risk my life for. What purpose did it have to keep such news from us?"
He held his back rigidly straight, scared of his sudden outburst. Where had the emotion come from? He was not the type of man to voice his opinion so strongly, and long years had taught him that silence meant survival. This was not who he was "I'm sorry," he murmered glancing at Caran, his shame apparent "I meant no offence."

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. O r b i s N o n S u f f i c i t .

She turned her horse sharply away, his words cut her. "That is why I had wished to go alone. I knew it would be dangerous to you. Now if you'll excuse me, I will do just that. Go back to the camp, I'll straighten this out." she should have know better. She set her horse off at a gallop through the trees, her emotions boiling. She had known she should not have brought them! She tried to tell the captain to let her go alone!

"Lona! Stop!" Caran moved to chase after her. However she stopped herself. For one thing it would draw too much attention to themselves. Caran looked at Beleg and Feredir. "We have to go after her. Who knows what she could wind up getting herself into..." Caran sighed heavily. "What entertainment we must make. We pride ourselves in vanquishing darkness and evil, but look how we bicker amongst ourselves!!"

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She wiped her tears away angrily. Beleg had hinted that she deserved to have her parents and aunt and uncle killed. She urged Andreus faster through the trees, she had just been insulted, yelled at, and accused. Maybe she was the evil one in this situation. She had not meant to lead them into a trap, she had meant to go alone so that they would not be harmed.

Beleg opened his mouth, but Feredir swore heavily at him; Cowed the young man silenced himself, although his own anger was still plastered all over his features.
Once the ranger had caught his breath again he nodded slowly "We must catch her before something happens. No matter what is really going on here, her death or injury can only worsen the situation. Caran-" he made to say something more, but caught himself at the last minute "We should take up her trail- Beleg, go back to camp. Tell the captain what we have learned. if you feel so strongly you can track us down in the next few days, but your help would only hinder us now."
"Uncle-"
"Now," barked Feredir.
The young man shouldered his bow and made a slight bow towards Caran before disappearing into the undergrowth.

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. O r b i s N o n S u f f i c i t .

She made a zig zag pattern through the forest to confuse trackers. Hard determination showed on her face. She hoped they had gone back to camp. She ducked some branches, then slowed Andreus as she was sure she was not being followed. She could not believe Beleg had so strongly suggested she deserved it. Perhaps he was right, she mused.

Caran bowed to Beleg, her expression appologetic. She watched the young man leave and turned to face Feredir. "Come. Her horse is fast, but we might still catch up to her. I fear she will only run faster when she sees us though.." Caran urged her horse forward. Her eyes narrowed as they fell to the ground, following Lona's trail carefully.

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