The warriors split into two groups: one to pursue the spiders and one to pursue the wargs. Both had returned empty-handed after slaying the creatures, though the spider hunters found more dead spiders before they reached and slew the remaining ones.

Mablung’s still unconscious son slept safely up in the canopy on the most complete of the telain under Taurion’s watchful care. Haldir sat in a different tree, his head bowed and resting on his bent knees.

“Stop reminding me who is out there, Angaril. Believe me I know, and I completely understand what is at stake if we fail to bring them back safely.”

“Very well. So… tell me why your arrogant ass of a son volunteered to stay behind to care for Mablung’s son, who is only slightly less annoying than his esteemed ‘chief protector of the king’ adar, instead of joining us to pursue and slay the spiders and wargs. The boy loves a good hunt and loves to fight. I cannot believe he willingly stayed behind.”

Haldir raised his head and met Angaril’s curious gaze. “Because the arrogant ass is also more compassionate than I have ever given him credit for. He told me that when he saw that it was Mablung’s son, he was tempted to not help him. But then it occurred to him that if his own son were ever injured and alone in the forest, he would hope that someone capable would find him and heal and protect him. Taurion could think of no one else in our company who is as good at both healing and at fighting as he is, so he volunteered to stay behind and tend to-“

“The son of his greatest enemy,” Angaril finished for him. “I am impressed. Very, Very, VERY surprised, but impressed.”

“You speak for me as well.”

“He is a son of Lórien, not of these dark, dayless lands,” Angaril observed wistfully.

“I know. I have seen that as well.” Haldir replied.

“The sons of Lórien meet strange and often terrible fates.”

Haldir laughed grimly. “I know. I have seen and lived that as well.”

Angaril returned a smile of his own, then suddenly looked about and rose to stand on his branch, holding onto the bole of the tree for support. “I see a warrior from one of the patrols returning. Let us hope he has news of the fates of our friends from Doriath that is neither strange nor terrible.”

Haldir arose as well and followed Angaril in climbing down to the ground. Unfortunately the news they received was both strange and terrible.

“Let me make certain I understand what you have said. Orcs killed some spiders and stole what they carried wrapped in web cocoons. They headed back into the forest, met up with the wargs and took custody of those they had injured. Then another part of the company of orcs split off, circled back and attacked the elves who pursued them.”

“Yes, Adar,” Handir replied.

“Thereby ensuring that now all of our comrades from Doriath are – “

“Prisoners of the orcs. Yes, Adar that is correct.”

Haldir pounded his fist against the nearest tree and let out a string of expletives in three different languages before calming enough to once again examine the situation.

“Where are my brothers?” He suddenly asked.

“They pursue the orcs with the warriors of their combined patrols and are leaving a trail for you to follow. They sent me back to report to you and ask that when the others return, all of you come and join them.”

“How long ago did you leave them?” Angaril asked.

“Two, perhaps three hours ago. I ran the whole way here.”

“Adar!” Taurion called, racing down from the talan where he kept healer’s vigil. “Adar, please do not leave yet, I want to go with you and fight.”

“Taurion, I am not going anywhere yet,” Haldir replied, gazing curiously at what Taurion held in his hand as he jumped to the ground and ran over.

“Adar, Mablung’s son awoke a short time ago. We heard the report. He asked me to give you this and said it might be useful. Then he asked me to go and save his adar.” Taurion unfolded the thing he held and handed it to a very surprised and most grateful Haldir. Unnecessarily, he explained, “Adar, it is a map of this area that the Doriathrim made before they were attacked.

Handir went to his adar’s side and looked at the map. He took a moment then pointed to where he had parted with Rúmil and Orophin, tracing the route he had taken to return to Haldir. “They move in this direction, Adar. If we cut across here,” he traced a line across the map from their current position. “we should be able to intercept them somewhere near here. They travel slowly for there are many wounded elves among them.”

“Angaril, climb the tallest tree and sound the call to return. The other two patrols should be near enough to hear.”

“Yes, Captain.” Angaril disappeared up a tree.

Haldir turned to his eldest. “Will your patient be all right up there without anyone looking after him while we go fight or does he need someone to stay with him?”

“He will be all right. He has ample food, water, and shelter up there. He needs rest, and by the time we return, he should be able to travel with assistance. He has asked that we all go and join the rescue. I am comfortable leaving him,” Taurion replied.

“Very well then, we will all go,” Haldir said.

“Adar,” Taurion said as he went to his brother’s side and began studying the map. “It is a very good thing the Doriathrim did the things you so wisely taught them to do, including building the telain and making the map. As my patient up there has already pointed out to me, it may very well be what saves their lives.”

Haldir nodded grimly. “I just hope the others come to realize this as well.”

XXXXX

The stars had completed their journey across the sky and new stars shone down by the time the warriors of the Galadhrim joined forces with Rúmil and Orophin’s group. Fortunately the orcs had stopped for a rest. Unfortunately, they appeared to be hungry and obviously were eying the more severely wounded elves as a possible meal.

“We cannot let them eat Thranduil and Celeborn,” Rúmil commented worriedly from their perch in a tree far enough away to observe but not be perceived by the orcs. “They are rather important individuals.”

“Uncle,” Taurion asked in confusion, “I understand why Celeborn is important for he is a prince of the realm and kin of the king. But why does that young ellon Thranduil matter so much to you? In the eyes of the Doriathrim, he is the younger son of a minor lord, yet you act as if he is royalty. I have been watching him for months. How could you possibly see him that way? Mablung and many of the others are more skilled at fighting and are more important to King Thingol than that young one.”

Rúmil hesitated clearly at a loss for words, but Ferevellon came to the rescue. “We..ah…see great potential in young Thranduil. We believe, based on what we have observed that he may well be great in his own right once he has seen a few more ennin.”

Taurion nodded a little uncertainly as did the other warriors, clearly unconvinced.  “Obviously you perceive something we do not yet see ourselves, but we will take your word for it. Perhaps in time we will see what you already see.”

“Perhaps you will,” Ferevellon agreed with a short smile.

“Does anyone have any questions about our plan for the rescue?” Haldir asked skillfully changing the subject.

“Yes,” Galadin replied a bit hesitantly. “I have known you for many ennin and was one of your very first warriors in Celos Galen. I do not see how it could possibly work. I only fought orcs the one time when we lost Celos Galen, but I saw that they think and have reason.” He shook his head. “Captain, please forgive me. I have never before questioned your tactics, but… however did you come up with this strategy?  It would never work on elven warriors.”

“Elves are intelligent and orcs are stupid,” Angaril said simply, eliciting many snickers from the younger warriors.

“And these are even stupider than the ones of the Third Age,” Fereveldir muttered in Quenya, thereby making the Lórien warriors grin as well.

Galadin looked ready to argue, but Angaril forestalled him with a raised hand. “Let me explain. Orcs fight in groups but they fear their leaders, knowing that death awaits them if they disobey or fail to please. They also are extremely concerned about their own well-being, appetites, and desires. This often causes a conflict within their ranks with much infighting and much fear of displeasing their masters while at the same time seeking to please only themselves.”

Shaking his head in disagreement, Galadin began, “I still do not see how…”

“Then watch and learn, Galadin, and have faith in your captain,” Haldir said cutting him off. “We have used this tactic many times before in Lórien to excellent effect.”

“Is that so?” Taurion asked dubiously.

“We are still here, are we not?” Fereveldir asked.

“The fact that you are in Beleriand at all, Adar, would suggest otherwise about your tactics,” his eldest son commented.

Fereveldir glared at his son. “We came to Beleriand after defeat in open battle, defending a fortress--,” he paused and rolled his eyes in annoyance as he remembered that they still might not understand fortress properly, “a walled settlement on the ground. There were many thousands of orcs there with far more training than these orcs have had. Here there are far, far fewer orcs than that. AND we have the trees and forest to use to our advantage as we did in Lórien. We did not have that when we defended the settlement. Please trust our judgment in this, and if our plan fails, then you can help us devise another one.”

“If we live through the execution of the first one,” Rumil’s eldest added, earning him much agreement from the younger warriors.

XXXXX

Following the plan, Rúmil and Orophin took twelve warriors and skirted the orc camp then positioned the warriors with extra quivers of arrows in the trees a good distance south and east. Returning to the camp, Rúmil and Orophin then went through the trees and on foot in different directions, making noises attracting the orcs’ attention. Haldir and the rest waited, knowing they would have to deal with the orcs who did not fall into the trap.

The orc commander sent out two parties to intercept them. When they failed to return after a short time, the impatient commander sent out many more. As soon as Haldir heard the bird call from his brothers that the second set of orcs was engaged, he called to his own warriors arranged in the trees around the camp and ordered them to begin firing their arrows.

Pandemonium erupted in the camp as arrows flew out of nowhere, each one taking down an orc or working together with others to take down a warg. The Doriathrim fled into the trees, taking the wounded with them as best they could. The more able-bodied elves, struggled free of  their bonds, wrestled weapons away from orcs and freed others or fought on foot while others retrieved the weapons taken from them and began shooting orcs as well. Some of the elves with bows joined the warriors in the trees and helped destroy the orcs which tried to flee. As fortune would have it, Mablung ended up in Taurion’s tree near Haldir.

Some of the orcs shot into the trees, trying to dislodge their attackers. Moving like one born to the trees, Mablung shifted through the branches dodging arrows while releasing some of his own. Taurion grinned at him in approval as they passed in their fighting.  At one point, Haldir glanced over and saw that his son was moving more slowly than normal and realized that healing Mablung’s son and the strain on the fae of being an adar with a young child were starting to take their toll on him. Haldir knew he was certainly feeling it himself even though his little twins were many leagues away.

Jumping aside and releasing a few more arrows, he looked over at his son again and watched in horror as an arrow found its mark. With a move more worthy of Taurion than of a Sinda, Mablung leapt across two branches and swung on another, catching the unconscious Taurion’s arm and stopping his body’s descent through the branches. Swinging around, he settled on a sturdy branch and pulled Taurion up. Panting hard, he clutched the ellon to him and leaned back against the bole of the tree.  Haldir made his way to their tree, shooting as he scurried across branches. With a nod of intense gratitude to Mablung, he took up a position to defend them.

 At some point, Rúmil and Orophin returned with their warriors and helped take down the remaining orcs. By the time it was all over, more of the elves of Doriath had suffered injuries, but Taurion was the only warrior of Gladhol Gelaidh who was injured.

As Haldir and Mablung worked together to staunch the wound and bring Taurion down from the tree, Haldir paused a moment and looked Mablung in the eyes, “Thank you so very much for saving my son. I am most grateful to you.”

Mablung smiled wearily causing the cuts on his face to bleed even more, “I was only doing what you taught me to do, Captain. And I am most grateful to you for coming to our rescue.”

“The captives here were not all that we rescued. There was another who my son,” he nodded to Taurion, “found who had escaped with wounds from a spider and a warg. Taurion healed him as best he could and the ellon woke long enough to give us the map which your folk had made. That map proved most valuable in planning your rescue for we do not know these lands.”

Mablung’s eyes grew wide with hope and unshed tears. “Did he survive?”

“Yes,” Haldir replied reassuringly. “Because of Taurion, your son is well.” Mablung sighed in relief and a single tear trailed through the blood and dirt on his face as Haldir continued. “He rests awaiting our return in one of the telain which your folk built. He would not allow me to leave anyone with him, believing that all would be needed to secure your rescue. You should be very proud of him.”

Mablung sniffled and wiped at his eyes. “Thank you, Haldir. I am proud of him and I am indebted to your son.”

Haldir smiled, “Considering you just saved Taurion’s life, I think you should consider the debt repaid.”

Nodding in agreement and approval, Mablung replied, “Very well then, we are both repaid.”

As they continued to make their way down the tree, Haldir commented, “Mablung, I am very proud of you and your folk, too. You have learned well and you fought well.”

Mablung paused and reached around to put a hand on Haldir’s shoulder. “This may surprise you, but your approval means a great deal to me. Thank you.”

It took some time before the wounded were all tended sufficiently for travel and the enemy remains disposed of, but eventually the group made their way back to the telain where Mablung’s son awaited. They remained there until the wounded recovered enough to begin the journey back to Gladhol Gelaidh.

XXXXX