<b>Pegawen had been quietly listening to Timberlane's tellings of the races, which held similarities to their own lands to the west. <i>At least, how it was before Sauron's return, </i>she corrected herself silently. She wondered, briefly, if there were any hobbits here as well. The thought made her smile wistfully, as she recalled seeing the small, cheerful folk that had come to the Golden Woods. Despite the gravity of their mission, they had still managed to smile and enjoy themselves. <i>Would it that humans could be the same. <br/>
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Timberlane's announcement, and the sound of Allassiel's swords being drawn, broke Pegawen from her reveries. She bolted upright, her eyes wide with terror as the walls shifted and the shadowy figures appeared. She opened her mouth to cry out, but the stench of them made her want to gag.</b><br/><br/><b>She scrambled her feet, even as Allassiel joined her at her side, her cousin bristling with barely contained fury and loathing. “Morierea,” she hissed, her blades glinting in the fire's light. “Tira ten' rashwe!”</b><br/><br/>“<b>No!” Pegawen responded, as she reached beneath her cloak to pull out her rune. She didn't have to be told twice to be careful, the creatures before them chilled her very soul. Her hands shook as she took position behind Allassiel. Touching her hand to Allassiel's back for support, she began to chant. Everyone's clothes glowed briefly, then settled back their normal hues. The minor spell created a reaction to attacks and, while it wouldn't harm the creatures, it would briefly stun them. <br/>
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As Pegawen began chanting once more, the creatures approached and Allassiel raised her swords. Out of the corner of her eye, Allassiel could see that two of them headed for Lotharn and Timberlane, while the others approached her. Her eyes watered as their odor preceded them, but she held steady, waiting for the first move.</b><br/><br/><b>She didn't have to wait long. With a unearthly screech, the closer one raised its arm, a vicious dagger of black revealed beneath the formless robes. Allassiel countered with an elven oath as she braced herself for the clash of metal on metal. </b>