Has Beren decided the next stop?

There's not many 'stops' between them and Angband, at least not major ones - homesteads and some small villages, maybe, but those are rare and wouldn't show up on a map. Still, she believes their best path takes them through the vale of Sirion - where Finrod once had a tower, which has since been taken by Sauron. She's heard rumors of enormous wolves in the area.

Maybe they won't run into any of those.

Hopefully.

Well. Off they go.

Their thirteen companions have packed to travel light, and lead the way out.

They've gotten past the river and a bit into the trees when a really massive wolfhound jumps clear across the entire chasm, followed by some distant outraged shouts from Nargothrond. The dog lands on their side safely, paws splaying out, and barks before trotting to the group, their tail wagging.

"This wolf seems to have arrived early."

"...That's Celegorm's dog - he's Huan, one of the Hounds of Orome. They're smart but not sentient, so I'm not sure why he's following us..."

Excuse you.

Huan barks at the rude elf, then pants a bit and goes to stare at Beren, their tongue lolling out of their mouth.

Beren is apparently fully willing to stand here making Intense Eye Contact with the dog.

"Seriously?" she asks them.

Small huff, and then they trot to the front of the group as another shout comes from Nargothrond, looking back over their shoulder before yanking their head forward.

"Looks like we just picked up another companion."

"Celegorm might get... Mad..."

Beren rolls her eyes. Only a small bit. Very subtly. Finrod probably can't see. "The strangely intelligent dog wants to follow us. It's easier just to let them."

"All... Right, I guess."

Onward, then?

Onward.

Luthien agrees with Beren. If the intelligent dog wants to come with them, then they can just let it do so. They'll deal with Celegorm's possible issues with that if and when it comes up. It's not as though any of them solicited the dog's company.

The dog eventually falls back to walk beside Beren, nudging her hand once.

Beren proceeds to get into a hushed... Argument? She's the only one talking but the dog is reacting an apparently (going by the elves' reactions) a weird amount.

The argument mostly seems to be that 'Huan' is a dumb name for a dog, and Beren apparently threatens to call them 'Serendipitous Kill' unless... Something muttered too low to hear.

Amused huff.

Sigh.

Onward, then. It's a long journey to the Isle of Werewolves, even traveling light.

They tend to camp a bit spread out most nights, since there aren't always large enough clearings for the group of thirteen elves, one human, one elf-Maia, and one 'dog.' This does mean Luthien and Beren can often have their own little area pulled aside, just far away enough from the others to give a bit of privacy if they don't speak loudly. (Though Huan - or, as Beren has followed through on calling them, Serendipitous Kill - often joins them.)

"Did you know Huan, ah, before?" she asks one night.

"Yes," she says, nudging the dog with her foot. "They're not actually a 'hound', though I'd buy that they spent some time serving Orome."

Huff.

"What's with the name?"