One Day You'll Know

Chapter 22- On the Trail of the Uruk-hai

For the next three days Noelle, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli ran. They ran over hills and rocky terrain. It wasn't hard to follow the trail of the Uruk hai, as their large, heavy footprints were easy to see. Even when they weren't, Aragorn was able to tell, so they followed him. Noelle wondered what they were going to do when/if they actually caught up. Fight off the orcs outnumbered?

She also didn't know how she hadn't passed out from running yet. She had been using the Force to keep her stamina up, but she didn't know how long she was physically going to be able to take it. The other three had their own advantages. Legolas was an Elf, Aragorn had Elf-blood in him, and Gimli was a dwarf. Noelle was just a regular old human girl who happened to be strong with the Force, so she would use that to her advantage.

At first, they had debated on whether to stop for a rest or not. Aragorn and Legolas wanted to keep going, but Noelle and Gimli wouldn't hear it.

"The orcs will not stop even at night," Legolas pointed out.

Noelle shook her head. "Well, Gimli and I can't run all the way to Isengard without stopping. I'm sure the Orcs can't either."

"No..." Aragorn agreed. "Even they must rest."

"Great. Let's stop for a few hours then," Noelle said. She was drained, physically, emotionally, mentally. She lay down, propped up against a rock and eventually fell asleep.

Aragorn laid down to rest as well, although he was wide awake. Gimli fell asleep quickly enough with his loud snoring. Legolas stood gazing into the darkness of the night. His eyes scanned over his friends. First Gimli, then Aragorn, then Noelle. He sighed, then sat down next to Aragorn.

"Her heart is always so troubled," he commented quietly to him.

Aragorn was smoking his pipe. "As long as I have known her, she has always seemed troubled."

"I wish to help..." Legolas said. "Yet I know almost nothing about her. She never talks of what happened after the Battle of Five Armies, and Gandalf is gone-"

"Gandalf was like a father to her," Aragorn interjected.

"It seemed that way," Legolas agreed. "I still wonder how we shall complete this task without him."

A look of grief also passed over Aragorn's face. "I am not Gandalf, but I shall try my best to do what he would have done in his stead."

Legolas placed a hand on Aragorn's shoulder. "I know, my friend."

~~~~~~

Anakin and Ahsoka opened the door to the main hangar, where Rex and the 332nd division were waiting. Ahsoka walked among them, with a look of gratitude and wonder on her face.

"They've been waiting to see you," Anakin said to her. "Loyalty means everything to the clones."

There was the Mandalorian throne room. The main hangar of their Star Destroyer. Obi-wan and Anakin.

"Surely, you have felt it," came Maul's voice.

Space battles. Ahsoka and Rex.

"The Dark Side has never been stronger."

Anakin at the battle of Yerbana. Maul offering Ahsoka his hand in the throne room.

"Every choice you have made, has led you to this moment."

The siege of Mandalore. Maul and Ahsoka igniting their lightsabers. Star Destroyers. Ahsoka running towards Maul...