I sang before I slew, but maybe not long enough, or maybe I don't sing beautifully. You say there are connection points. So this taint is elsewhere? I know, as I said, we met some sick people  by a lake some time ago. Wasn't like what afflicted poor Aksorufond though. He also said not to resist Melkor. The old tales paint a dark picture; but, as the saying goes, "the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

By the way, do you know anything about a dragon named Kornari?

Now, is there a plan?

"You sang and it had no noticeable effect?  I've never heard you sing, but quality has something to do with it.  Volume too.  Did you sing powerfully or softly?"

The dragons settle down as if this will be a long conversation and they are patient to wait for its conclusion.  The Death Dragon moves away from the corpse and the Men and finally settles on a ledge above.

It was short. I did not think there was any reason to extend the suffering. I tried singing it as a lullaby.

My grandmother sang the first four lines when I was on her knee:

"To Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love,
   All pray in their distress,
   And to these virtues of delight
Return their thankfulness."  [Blake, The Divine Image, Songs of Innocence.]

"A kindness, a wish, peace, from love,
  I act from your distress,
  Accept this deed against a blight
And may Eru all us bless."

Aashera nods.  "That is why you did not see any effect.  Your voice was too soft.  It is not the content of the words but the strength and harmony of the sound.  Strength alone destroys the infestation.  Strength with harmony can sometimes cause it to recede, leaving the original material behind.  The Dischords cannot sing harmony unless Melkor returns to the world."

She places a hand on her hip and looks over at Ano.  "I listened, at first because I had no choice, but later because their story made sense.  We did not know each other long, so I cannot impose on that friendship to ask you to listen with open minds now, yet I must.  For the sake of Arda, will you come with us and hear more?  You have my word no harm will come to you."

Ano looks for a long time at Aashera before responding "I am inclined to listen.  Some of what you have said has shed some light on what we have just seen befall this poor dragon." He looks past her at the other dragons "I would seek more then just your word,  i would have theirs as well.  Also i will not continue this conversation any further if i believe you are lying to me about my next question""

After a short pause to collect his thoughts "Before they called you dragon master.  I need to hear it from you now.  Do you have any knowledge on the whereabouts of Naurel the song of fire?"

Instead of Aasha, it is the Eldritch Dragon that responds, and that with a chortle.  "Aasha doesn't know that maniac.  He took off before she arrived in the Withered Heath.  If you're searching for him, you're wasting your time.  He's a wildfire.  You want to know the real reason the Elder Dragons and the whelps are fighting?  It's him.  He lit the fire under them, so to speak."

Aashera looks at Ano for a moment, shakes her head and shrugs.  "You can ask them for their word, but it's odd that you'd accept it considering who they serve."  She turns to the side as a sign the dragons have her consent to respond.

Each of them nods their head and speaks words of affirmation to Ano's request, the Death Dragon slowest and last of all.

]

Klale looks confused. "...lit a fire...."? I don't understand.

The dragon rolls its eyes at Klale.  "Of course a Man would struggle with idioms.  Short of days, wisdom, and intelligence.  I will use small words so as to help you understand little one.  Your Song of Fire caused the younglings to encroach on our lands first.  We have had peace for a thousand years, peace since the death of Smaug the Flaming Storm.  Then Naurel, Song of Fire, provoked the hatchlings to come poking about.  Two of them started poking about in a lair where they shouldn't have been and almost lost their heads to a lair trap.  Now they blame us for starting all this, but until they attacked us, we had never taken a life of another dragon.  We are too focused on the Master's return and his fight against the Other."

Ano turns to Klale It sounds like we need to have some words with our side.  Perhaps they have not been fully honest. For now I feel like we should trust aashera.

Where would you have us go to share what information we have.?

"The other dragon master and I, Voroch, have a kind of home west of here.  The two of you are welcome."  She turns to peer into the shadows.  "Your little pet dragonet is not."

My friend comes and goes at her or his own will. Thinking it over, I believe we should return to our comrade dragons, explain the situation, and set up a place to meet to lay joint plans.

The War Dragon starts to speak, but Aashera cuts the dragon off.  "I think that is acceptable.  A show of good faith and support for what we have been saying.  I will assure you that no other Elder Dragons will attack for three days so long as the dragonets stay out of our territory.  At the end of three days, I will send Kul'vaenurix just after sunset to the edge of Elder Dragon territory to hear your response.  He will have my full authority to negotiate a meeting."

Aashera stares pointedly at Klale.  "Know this, the longer we wait, the more time the Other has to act.  Take your dragonet and leave here.  We will care for the corpse of our own."

Ano nods Very well.  We will inform the young dragons that a truce is in effect.  We will meet in three days as you have said.

Aashera nods but says nothing more.  She moves to the side of the cave and leans against a wall, waiting for Ano, Klale, and the Smoke Dragon to leave peacefully so that she and her entourage can dispose of the Storm Dragon's corpse as they see fit.

Klale leaves.

Klale and Ano arrive back at the Dwarf town and the council is called.  By mid-afternoon all the healthy - and several of the injured - have come to hear the news.  Rumors abound but most of them contradict or make no sense at all.

Before anyone calls the meeting to order, someone points up to the sky.  Windfang returns with Ryland and Toben on his back along with another, slighter figure.  Upon landing, the surprise washes through the crowd like a tidal wave.  The third rider is an elf!

Klale turns to the Dwarves or dragons, or both. If you have food suitable for this dragon, please make it available.

He then runs to the arrivals. THANK ERU YOU'RE SAFELY HERE!

Ano seems to be having words with some of the dragons.  When it is announced that the other have returned Ano follows Klale at a brisk pace,  a scowl on his face.

Ryland disembarks from Windfang, pating a hand on the dragon's shoulder. "Thank you, Windfang. The journey would have been impossible without you". Seeing Klale and Ano approaching, he glances back at Toben and Draugion. "It would appear our friends managed to not be eaten as well. This is certainly shaping up to be a fine day, all things considered".

Draugion looks at Ryland and Toben inquisitively. "Where exactly are we?"

Toben smirks. "Yes, all things considered, I suppose."

The young mage waves his hand out at the lands before them. "This is the Withered Heath. Home to many creatures we thought long passed over, dragons."

He walks over to greet Ano and Klale. "I'm glad to see the two of you again. I wasn't quite sure we'd ever make it back, much less with most of the components Delunaur asked for."

But not all? a worried Klale asks.

With disappointed clearly visible in his expression, Toben sighs slightly. "No. We still lack the tear. We were abruptly forced from the region we were in due to an overwhelming presence that was..." He pauses for a moment to find the right word. "... transforming its inhabitants into horrible perversions of their former selves. It appeared reversible in some cases, but we had to flee none the less."

The tear...please refresh my memory.