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There was a crack of branches and Kareswen turned round with a start. In her preoccupation she hadn't heard anything approach. She ducked low and drew her sword swiftly, peering over the foliage at the shape coming down the path. She almost laughed aloud as she realised it was a horse.

Straightening, she glanced at it thoughtfully before sheathing her sword and slowly following the path the way it had come. If there was anyone around she'd like to find them before they found her.

Kareswen stopped still abruptly. She had come face to face with someone else far sooner than she expected and although she was on a parallel path, Kareswen could see every detail of the woman.

Her appearance was unusual and Kareswen felt almost drawn to the eyes. Without really understanding why she did so, she pushed the overhang aside and stepped lightly out onto the other path.

Kareswen returned the greeting gravely, puzzled about why she had abandoned her cover. It was unusual for her and she now felt slightly stupid.

"I was tracking the orcs." she said lamely, acutely aware of the height advantage the rider had, "They're only about half a mile away on the other side of these trees. So be careful."

Unable to think of anything else to say that could even remotely interest her, Kareswen turned away, wishing that she could just disappear.

Kareswen nodded and moved back onto the other path. She realised that she had benn holding her breath and let it out slowly, leaning back against a tree. What on earth is the matter with me? she wondered, staring after the woman. She shook her head slightly. It was lucky that the woman had not turned out to be an enemy. She ran her fingers slowly through her loose hair -a thoughtful gesture she had had since childhood - and slowly turned back to the trees, her pursuit of the orcs momentarily forgotten.

Allaire looked over her shoulder for a second to see the woman once more, memorizing her face in case she would be seen again, before tapping her horse back into a steady canter allowing her steed to extend its neck to make the ride enjoyable for him as well. Sghe held the reigns lightly and now kept her eyes at a more keen lookout for any other strangers. Two was enough for one night.

Allaire turned her head as she heard a rumble of feet hitting against the pavement. She drew her sword, gripping the reigns of her horse tightly in her left hand as he stopped, almost rearing. Allaire whispered a few comforting words to the horse, but he was still unsteady. Allaire looked around franticall as she heard low breathing and then a snarl. Suddenly, her eyes wide, a beast lept at her, knocking her out of the saddle and causing her horse to run off. Allaire kicked the animal, which she noticed to have the white hand on its helment, off of her and came to her feet in time to hold her sword out as the beast charged again. It choked in its throat as the sword punctured through it's stomach. Allaire pulled her sword off and the now cold body fell to the ground. "Where there is one, there are many others," she told herself...

As she drew closer she realised that the seemingly quiet camp had become a hive of activity as Uruk-Hai, wargs and other beasts that she assumed had come from the south - as she had never seen them before - raced in every direction. They were heading in the direction of the forest and Kareswen realised that they would easily find her horse. Cursing softly, she sprinted back towards the wood on a course parallel to theirs.