She had been spending her morning tanning a hide for leather, which became a task much like hunting, as he continually questioned her methods. "You still disregard my suggestion." he stated, "First of all, you're suggestions feel more like directions, and second, yes, I am disregarding them." she replied. "But it is more practical!" He reasoned, "Yes and revolting!! My method of tanning is just fine." she said. He rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"You insist upon wasting resources purely because you find it distasteful." he muttered. "Exactly! And it's not a waste if I'm using them!" she shot back. "But you could use them for other purposes!" he pushed. "Ok, what exactly are you doing, cause it's certainly not being helpful!" she said. "I am oiling my scimitar." he said with an indignant look. She cast a skeptical look on him as he spread the grease he had boiled over the blade with a cloth. "I fail to see the benefit." she muttered. "Then you are a fool." he replied. "I can not permit the blade to rust."/"You know, I don't recall the swords from my home really rusting, and I certainly don't remember anybody "oiling" them." she scoffed. "Of course. However, Uruk iron is not so convenient." he said with a glare.

She took advantage of his annoyance, continuing her work without his interference. He always argued with her choices, but he seemed in a particularly quarrelsome mood, that or he was just very particular about hides. Regardless, she finished her work and came to a pausing point where she had to wait. "There, done! And would you look at that, I survived without your input." she said, flashing him a patronizing smile which earned a glare. "Lati murtag..." he muttered. "Oh, I remember that one! Am I back to being a plague again?" she mocked. At this, he gave a faint smirk, "Always." he replied.

She set aside her tools and began to walk away, motioning to him. "Come on. Your sword can't need that much attention. I think you sharpen it more than it needs anyway." she said. "You would not think so if we were to be attacked yet again." she chose not to reply to this, but where she failed, he began. "Have you considered my words?" he asked. "Somewhat." she replied briefly. "Elayin, we can not maintain our current position." he said. "I know, I know, but I'm just... I don't know." she trailed off, turning her back to him.

"Elayin." he said, "It's just that... Well, I haven't really thought about leaving. I've been here for years." she explained. "You are no longer safe here." he said. "We must leave."/"But where?! And how? If we're really in that much danger, how can we travel? And where would be safe." He stood and moved beside her. "You have a map. We can plot a journey away from danger." he said. She was quiet for a time before beginning. "Ghash, do you really think this war will grow too big for us to simply wash our hands of?" he nodded, "I do."/ "Then we have no choice?" she asked. He silently nodded yet again.

"Then I must leave my forest, for the first time in... Years..." she muttered. He looked to her, but her gaze was cast downward, lost in thought. He didn't know what to say or do. He couldn't understand her hesitance, but he knew she was unhappy, and she didn't want to leave. "What would you have me do?" he asked. She looked up to him, mentally shaking herself. She smiled, "Nothing. This isn't the first time I've run away from home, just the first time with an Uruk-Hai." she said with a chuckle. "If you are certain." he said, "Seriously?! You've been pointing out that I haven't got another option all week!" She exclaimed. "I'm certain."/"Then let us not waste time, za murtag." he said with a smirk, which she couldn't help but share as she gave a laugh. "Fine, whenever you're ready." she said, a statement she would rapidly come to regret...

"We could head north." he suggested. "But to where?" she questioned, "There's nowhere to go long term. Why not west?" she asked, "There's some wooded land on the other side of the mountain range." he raised a brow, crossing his arms. "Have you ever transversed a mountain? It is not so easy. That and we know nothing of the wood's inhabitants." he argued. "Well I don't know!" she exclaimed in exasperation.

They had been arguing over which direction practically since it was agreed that they would travel. Barely any time had passed before he had laid out the map, parchment, ink, and compasses of varying varieties across the table. Her established hesitance only increased with his impatience. She wasn't interested in leaving, let alone spending hours debating over whence they would travel. "Why don't you come up with a plan, Mr. Ever transversed a mountain!" she snapped.

He gave her a look much like one would give a child they were being 'patient' with. This just made her all the angrier, but before she could voice her grievances, he said, "If we traveled east, we would reach wooded lands and gain not only hunting but safer travel." he suggested. "East? You mean right into Dol Guldur?" she questioned. He sighed, "No, we would first travel north, then turn east..." he grumbled. She had almost missed in her aggravation that going in that direction would put them on the borders of Mirkwood. "Oh no, not east!" she exclaimed. "What now!?" He said in growing aggravation of his own.

"Oh come on you're not this dense! East means Mirkwood. Mirkwood means elves. Elves mean bad." she said patronizingly, earning a growl from him. He momentarily turned from her, regaining his composure before continuing. "We would be on the border, nowhere near the central kingdom." he reasoned. "Oh come on, that's just a few days' walk from there to Mirkwood!" she said. "And you would sooner a month's walk across broad open planes?!" he barked. "Before Id take going back there and letting them kill you!!" she retorted, "Then you would be the one to die!!" he said.

They glared at one another unblinkingly as they both fought to win the debate. But as neither intended to lose, they both broke their line of vision and turned from one another. She chose to exit the hut whilst he leaned against the table, his arms crossed in annoyance. They both stood silently fuming. Neither one intended to break the silence, knowing it would only lead to another debate. So the hush remained untouched for some time before they even began to calm.

He stepped out of the hut and leaned against the door frame, his arms still crossed. He watched to see if she would look at him, but she stood staring into the nothing, which simply aggravated him more. "Do you intend to do more than stand in complete quiescence?" he questioned. But she said nothing. "It is the most logical route." he added. "No, it isn't." she snapped. "Ugh, must you be so foolish!?" he exclaimed, "And you so stubborn!" she shot back, finally looking at him with a glare. "Must we debate over this? There is nowhere else to travel!" he pressed. "Well, that's certainly not an option, so it sounds like you've got quite a problem on your hands." she said. "Damn it, woman!"/ "Damn it woman nothing!" she yelled, "I'm not risking us getting caught!"/ "And how are orcs and a lack of good hunting a superior option!?" he exclaimed, "What are the chances that a hunting party would travel to the edges of the woods? If we remain inconspicuous, then there should be no risk." he reasoned, "I'm not going that close to Mirkwood." she stated. He heaved a sigh, "Elayin, there is naught to be done. The time it would take for us to travel to the forest and avoid Dol Guldur is risky as it is, but not so as to travel to the east region of the forest with no coverage at all."

She said nothing as she faced away from him into the distance. He moved from the door frame and walked beside her. "If we are careful and draw no attention to ourselves, then I am certain we would succeed." he said. "And if we were caught?" she muttered. "Elves are much more dangerous than orcs." He was quiet for a time before giving a simple, "Then let us not be caught." she said nothing but rolled her eyes. "You must know this is the wisest choice." he said. "Not only must I leave my forest, but I need to walk right back into the place I have spent years hiding from." she muttered. "Yes. That is unless you possess a superior plan." he grumbled. She shot him a look, but he faced away from her.

"I hate you sometimes." she said. "I do not think so." he replied. She turned to him with a raised brow. "When you act like a patronizing know-it-all, I do." she said. "Then you should better consider your choice in company." he shot back. She considered hitting him, but knowing it would only amuse him, she simply huffed in annoyance. "Oh, just shut up, and come on, we've got work to do." she snapped as she made her way to the hut again. He said nothing but followed with a faint smirk on his face.