Though the Fellowship of the Ring ( as Lord Elrond dubbed them ) was formed with the best of intentions, the discomfort in the group often grew palpable. Beneath the LAUGHTER, beneath that great, easy outpouring of conversation... it wasn't TENSION exactly, was it? Not amongst two such congenial individuals each bringing the NOBLEST of their respective races with them. It was more a TREMOUR of something. Like words hollered down a bottomless pit that come back occluded and more COMPLEX. It was terror, perhaps, that each of them tried to hide from one another. Or something darker, as though the SHADOW of Mordor itself was slowly but surely being laid upon them.
Thus Faramir never complained when Gandalf saw it fit to send HIM ahead to scout && to make sure the road before them was clear enough for their company to proceed. For despite the formality in which he had been introduced in Imladris, he felt more a RANGER of Ithilien than the son of Denethor, Steward of Gondor. Their road was becoming steadily more dangerous && difficult, even though they were yet to leave the course of the Misty Mountains.
There was no sign of foe among the thick trees, yet still Faramir liked these lands not. Of late, every flight of a bird or swaying of the leaves felt like EYES upon them, filled with ill-intent. He left the eerie surroundings as soundlessly as he came && quickly made his way back to where the Fellowship was camping.
A cheerful fire greeted him && warmed his bones upon his return, most likely due to the courtesy of Samwise Gamgee. Faramir thanked him with a grateful smile before averting his attention to Mithrandir, his features once again becoming solemn && grim.
━━━ ❝ The road ahead appears to be clear, Mithrandir. I haven’t SEEN or HEARD any presence out there, fair or foul, save myself. ❞
The uncertainty && WARNING in his words were plain for anyone who cared to hear it, though he dared not speak of them OPENLY. Not just for the sake of the SPIRITS of the Fellowship remaining high, but also because he wished to shelter the hobbits, the Ring-bearer in particular, of the horrors which lay before them as long as he could. Perhaps one might take his behaviour as CONDESCENDING, yet his intentions were good && true, for he’d come to respect the BRAVERY of the hobbits quite dearly.