Lósengriol

Having delivered the second package to the guards at Hrimbarg, with a second copy of the instructions for use of the poison-antidote, the friends realize it is wiser to wait out the night before striking out on the long journey back to Imladris. Filegris has a skin of wine; Menelamdir has a fable about a helpful woodpecker; and Glorfingwë, rather unusually, has a fully strung musical instrument wrapped in his pack. He plays a bit but shortly turns it over to Filegris, who has spent many a long night before in company who required morale.

The Elves of Imladris pause for a moment in the courtyard of Hrimbarg, feeling safer within the confines of its courtyard. Even the stabled beasts are a welcome sight. 

Upon discovering that the seed-oil of the mystery flower eases Melumatyar's burns -- with Lirisseya still neck-deep in books in Elrond's library, looking for any clues to the greater meaning of this discovery -- the friends are delighted, although they realize that this is only the first step in truly putting the hardy little shrub to work. But why was Arradril compelled to look at it, to her detriment? Is it truly the omen of some greater good to come, and if so, what?

Melumatyar limped into the hall suffering from burns on his arm and leg: in the aftermath of Arradril's injury, he went chasing the goblins of the region and unexpectedly ran into some armed with fire-pots. Manadhlaer interrupts the discussion in progress to bathe his burns with infinite tenderness, and then coat them in a remedy she hastily snatched from a nearby table. As Glorfingwë lights a fire to warm Melumatyar, those assembled are pleased, if astonished, to watch the blistered red skin dry up and hurt less within half an hour's time.

Ulvoin warns the company of Elves to be wary of the Mammoths whilst lingering longer than the Dwarf would like in search for a rare flower. The Bull keeps his attention, and give him a good excuse not to search for whatever passes for rare flora these days.

An exhausted Arradril lies at Tham Send as Lady Manadhlaer gathers her healing equipment and rushes to the Last Homely House to treat Arradril's wound. Neither Glorfingwë nor the fretful, devoted Branalph will leave her side until then -- and likely after then. The incident leaves Branalph ready to pointedly question the wisdom of the expedition, but Glorfingwë counsels patience -- it may be that Lirisseya was right and the flower is a good omen of something, although that is hard for Branalph to see at the moment.

The party manages to get Arradril back to Vindurhal, where Ulvoin offers the group the use of his home. However, he himself assisted with removing the living plant from the frozen ground and placing it in Glorfingwë's pack, and Arradril insists that this mission be completed -- if a live plant is not returned to Imladris as the Lady requested, her injury has no meaning. Therefore, much against the misgivings of her friends, it is decided that as soon as she can mount her horse, the Elves will ride hard for Imladris.

The group circles a wide area north of Vindurhal, based on Melumatyar's memories. Branalph discovers a flower exactly like the one Melumatyar described, next to a huge rock -- but the discovery seizes Arradril's attention for a split second too long. As Branalph summons Melumatyar, a goblin patrol sights the lone nis and tags her in the thigh with an arrow.