Cynhaer pulled the tattered cloak around him a little tighter while he gazed towards his companion, shivering as he huddled closer to the fire.
“Baralinion, pull your furs up over you, you’re going to catch your death," Cynhaer admonished over the crackling of the fire, his teeth chattering. He watched as Bara’s wide, bloodshot eyes gazed back to his own, realizing the familiar brilliance of his companion’s eyes was being slowly overtaken. Baralinion’s chest was the same now, the sickly darkened tendrils his veins twisting up further, spanning across his chest and down to his abdomen.
Baralinion pulled at his tunic to try to raise it up further end hide the markings on his chest. Huddling closer to fire as he grumbled. “Death will not find us here... There’s still to much to do..” Cynhaer paused and gave a nod, leaning over to give his companion his cloak and brought his hands closer to the fire. “You’re the Caun now. The Order needs you and so does She. Don’t forget Cynraede. There’s yet much to glean from his teachings.” His companion froze for a smoke to and turned his gaze to meet his.
“I never spoke to you of Cynraede.. how do you know that name.” Baralinion gave his friend a weary glare, lifting his dirtied brow misting what strength remained. His hands clinging to a stone that sat nestled behind him as he listened to his companion stammer and sputter about his excuses.
With almost a flash Cynhaer lept towards the young ranger, who brought the stone to bear and smashed it upon the side of Cynhaer's skull that replied with a soft crunch. Bara paused as he looked down at his companion, dropped the stone as he had finally seen his face. Gasping and pushing himself away as he realized he had been staring at himself laying upon the ground.
The Doppelganger stood and gave a distorted, eerie laugh. His lips never moved yet the voice filled Baralinions as if he was shouting in his very ear.
"You thought to escape? You thought we didn't know? The One You Hunt still lies within Bree. We have broken you, seperated you and now you will be ripped from this world and serve us even in death..." The ghostly figure gave a rather bemused grin as he stood over Baralinion and tilted his head.
"Cynhaer, Baralinion? You do not even realize these are one in the same... Your mind has been sundered and your sanity shattered like glass against the stone. Who shall bear witness to the destruction of your Order. The herald of your death?, Or perhaps we should find the two whom you rode in with... The hedge-born Rohir and her rooked-nosed Knave?"
The figure seemed to reach down to snatch Bara by his collar, but he felt only a chill colder than the ice lakes of Forochel digging into his very chest as he cried out but only heard silence before jolting awake.
Baralinion stirred as the ear piercing screech filled the night air. It was moving, again and quickly this time. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as his wound almost felt hot to the touch. His heart sounding like a drum pounding in his very ears as the young ranger stumbled to try to get himself up.
He began hastily scrounging through his pack for a piece of charcoal and one of the parchments from his satchel. Scrawling a rough scratched note before rolling it up and turning to what seemed to be a blessing from Eru Iluvitar himself.
She sat, perched and cooing at the hunter just as he remembered. The Owl, that had found him those many years ago in Eryn Lasgalen on his journeys with Cynraede.
He twisted and managed to fanagle a piece of twine to tie the note to the owls leg and gave it a small his upon the head. Noting the rather peculiar scent of pine and rather prickly 'feathers' of the bird. Presuming she had bumped into a pine on the way in. After all, she had been spending time with Elladoora during is absence.
The note sat, tied tightly to the branch of the small tree. Fluttering against the gentle breeze that washed over the stone swept landscape. Baralinion turned around, looking at the bloodied stone in his hands and then back to the owl perched in the tree.
“Please.... Hurry.."
