Okay, okay. ...We were investigating this place because we heard wolves nearby, do you have any advice for handling those besides "live in trees conveniently out of reach"?

The humans have brought the attention of the Enemy here.

What?

That is why you should leave, human.

Okay but like, the Enemy? I--I thought those were just wolves! Why do you think they weren't just wolves.

We know more of the world than newborn humans can fathom.

So are wolves not native to here, or was that the wrong timbre for natural wolf voices, or has the Enemy done things with wolves before to make this recognizeable...? I didn't pick up the private thoughts distinction out of the aether, I'm way more complicated than I look.

The Enemy arrived here and then the wolves' howling started, and it is unnatural.

Okay. Thank you. "So I have bad news and worse news," she tells the other Men.

The Men are confused.

She explains that there are people in this forest who are a different kind of people and can talk mind-to-mind and explained things to her and the bad news is that they don't want their kind of person in the forest and the worse news is that there is apparently a really, really nasty demon in the area.

The humans are scared. What does Imliss think they should do.

"They told me--there are others like them, but friendlier and more powerful, come to fight the evil demon. But they came from a long way off, and are still a ways off--and they're to the west. Across the desert."

"So," someone volunteers hesitantly, "we should shout so they come?"

"I don't think they could hear us from this far away."

"So what do we do?"

"There's ways of crossing deserts safely--they're harder with more people--maybe everyone except a few scouts should go south, or something, and a few people could try to cross the desert."

"How would going south help?"

"What if it's not nice south?"

"How do you know you're right?"

"The desert looks horrible."

"South isn't here and the really nasty demon is here. No one hast to cross the desert if they don't want to, obviously, but if anyone was willing to try it might help."

"How do we know the demon is here?"

"I guess we only have the forest people's word for it. They said the wolves were him, though. We could keep being careful and keep this explanation in mind in case we see more stuff attributable to a powerful demon."

Everyone likes that advice best because it doesn't involve leaving and going far away.

That's fair.

...If Elves say it's Morgoth, though, it's proooobably Morgoth.

Idaia starts spending more of her time killing rabbits and experimenting with what she can accomplish with their hides. Naked with no water or food is not how you survive in a desert if it comes down to it.

And the next day an Elf comes walking from west across the desert.