Shadow of Light (Uruk-Hai x She-Elf)

Krulgalrut

She heaved a sigh, "Yes I'm certain this is the right direction." she said, her patience wearing thin.

"I am equally as certain that we have passed this area three times over." he replied.

"You're just saying that cause you're not used to these woods. I know what I'm talking about!" she said. Not one trip could go by without him questioning her over something! Hunting, tanning, and now directions!

"I understand you lived in these woods, but you have not frequented this direction." he said.

"And you think you could do better?!" she snapped. He said nothing which was much louder than words to convey his thoughts. She rolled her eyes and threw the map at him. "There! See how much better you can do!" he wordlessly unrolled the map and looked it over.

"Compass." he said his hand out. With a grumble, she slapped it into his palm. He compared the two, then rolled the map back up, and closed the compass. "This way." he said.

She crossed her arms, "I was going that way..."

"And I shall get us this way." he shot back. She simply glared in response. She swore he could criticize anything she did, whether she was in the wrong or not. She could handle an hour or two of this, but days straight sounded daunting. But as annoyed with him as she was, she was still glad he was there, and that he would stay there. That didn't help his habit of pestering her but it did explain why she put up with it.

"How far are we going before we camp?" she asked.

"As far as we can." he replied bluntly.

"Helpful..." she grumbled.

"Until nightfall, then we shall travel by day." he conceded.

"See not so hard was it?" she mocked, which he ignored. "Is this how most of your travels go?" she asked.

"No." he replied.

"Oh? What are we back to Uruks don't talk so much?" she asked with a smirk.

"Perhaps." he responded with a faint smile.

"Come on, how do you guys typically travel?" she pushed.

"We travel faster." he said simply.

"Right, and let me guess, you travel night and day with no stops?" she said with a laugh, but he did not share her laugh, he simply walked on silently. At this her smile fell, "Seriously!?" she questioned in disbelief.

"To stop continually would waste time." he said.

"Yeah but, wouldn't you lose soldiers from pushing them too far like that?" she inquired.

"We are not such a frail race as men or elves." he responded.

"Oh really? So is that why we're stopping at dusk? Cause I'm frail?" she said with a raised brow.

"Yes." he said abruptly, leaving her slightly taken aback.

"I'm not frail! Elves are a strong race!" she argued.

"No doubt. But I think this the safer approach." he said. She gave a huff but didn't argue. It seemed an age before the sun began to set and they began setting up a camp. She sat with a thud near the fire sighing in relief.

"My feet are killing me!" she grumbled, but he stood seemingly unperturbed by the hours of constant walking. "You're not great at sympathy." she muttered.

"You claimed to be of a strong race." he mocked. At that, she threw the bag of rations at him. She'd intended to hit him, but he simply caught it and opened the back, retrieving some smoked meat. He tossed a portion to her which she caught, then wished she hadn't. Looking over the substance she couldn't help but feel increasingly nauseous. She'd eaten smoked meat for years, but at that moment, she could barely stand to smell it!

She tossed it back to him, saying, "I'm not hungry." he raised a brow.

"We have been walking for hours, eat." he said.

"I'm fine! If I want some, I'll have some." she said. He maintained his questioning air but replaced the meat in his bag. He sat and stoked the fire in silence. His face looked calm and intent on the mission they had begun. How could he still be so cranky! They were doing what he wanted, so why look so glum? She smiled to him in hopes of helping him relax some.

"Do Uruk Hai have stories?" she asked. He looked up to her in confusion.

"I beg your pardon?" he asked.

"You know, stories! Like tales you share. Songs, things like that." she explained.

"Perhaps." he said as he turned back to the fire. She sat up with renewed interest.

"Really!? Tell me one!" she requested.

He chuckled lightly. "No, I think not."

"Why not!?" she questioned.

"They are not so pleasant to elven ears." he said.

"Oh, go on! Give me a title at least." she urged.

He looked thoughtful for a moment then said, "Well I remember one. We called it Undag ar Gîjak. You could say it was instructional."

"What does it mean?" she asked. He opened his mouth to respond but thought better of it. "Well, we have loads of them! If there's anything my people enjoy, it's music and wine." she said with a laugh which he shared if but faintly. "Wanna hear one?" she asked.

"Not particularly." he grumbled, his face regaining its surly expression.

"Oh come on! They're not so bad! We have some funny ones, some pretty ones, I always liked the one of Beren and Luthien, but it seems a little off now." she said.

"Why would it be off?" he asked.

"Oh suddenly interested are we?" she said with a smirk.

"No, I am merely asking." he explained.

"Well it's just us, here, and what we're doing. I guess it just feels like comparing us to one of the greatest romance stories ever told. It just seems... Wrong." she said.

He shrugged, "Why should characters of legend care what we do?" he questioned. She gave a frown.

"You wouldn't get it, you never grew up with the legends! It just seems disrespectful." she said.

He sat back, getting more comfortable as he said, "Very well, show me this ballad." he said.

"What? I thought you weren't interested!" she exclaimed.

"I am not, but I like to know what I am unworthy of." he mocked.

"I never said that! I just meant- Ugh! Whatever, but it's hardly one id think you would be interested in, it's all flowery and sappy." she said.

"I have no doubt." he said with a smirk.

"Shut up and just listen." she muttered. She never really thought of herself as having the best of voices, but she had virtually memorized the verses to the song, so it felt more like telling a story than singing. It had been long years since she had heard that song, let alone sang it, but of course, the moment that she did, it would be to an Uruk. It took nearly halfway through the ballad before she realized he hadn't told her to stop. She looked to his face and found him peering intently at her, a look of rapt interest across his face.

It was of course at this moment that she grew self-conscious, and began tripping over her words. She abruptly stopped, clearing her throat to not feel too awkward. He said nothing on the matter, but after a moment of watching her, he rose to his feet. "I shall take watch. Rest, we have further to travel tomorrow." he said, then he turned and walked away to some vantage point he had procured. She heaved a sigh. An elegant race, famed for grace and musical prowess, and she flubbed the song she knew better than her own name... Quite a theme in her life. She was meant to be graceful and elegant, but always does something to ruin that ideal. She grabbed her blanket, and laid down near the fire to rest, she supposed the whole conversation would be forgotten by the morning walk, which she was just overjoyed to begin. All over again...