Angel From Another World

Chapter 16: Just Keep Breathing, Breathing, Breathing

After a while, we opted to walk next to the wolves. And by walk, I mean run. They have a larger stride than us. The wolves had been getting tired, and we were getting saddle sore.

"Keep breathing, that's the key! Breath! Hooh!" I hear Gimli saying to himself. I chuckle slightly and slow my pace to jog next to him.

"It's okay Gimli, just keep Merry and Pippin in mind. That's what's giving me my strength and I promise to give you some good Ale once we find them." I say happily. A smile beams on the Dwarf's face at the thought of Ale. I laugh and then catch up to Legolas again.

"They run as if the very whips of their masters were behind them." He says clearly. "I hope to find our friends soon." He continues not even the slightest bit out of breath. 'Damn Elves with their amazing stamina!' I think, sending him a glance.

"Yeah...So... Do I." I say enthusiastically while trying to catch my breath to speak. Suddenly I'm lifted off the ground. The next thing I know is that Legolas is carrying me bridal style, while still running at full speed. "Leggy? What are you doing?" I say confused. All I get is a smile and a flicker of amusement flashing across his eyes. I roll my eyes and decide to go along with it wrapping my arms around his neck and nuzzling his chest slightly. He chuckles quietly.

"You know, you look pretty cute like this. Might have to do it more often." I instantly blush at his comment. Instead of responding I decide to bury my face into his chest more. This just makes him laugh and hold me closer to him.

"Oi! What about me?!" Gimli says behind us. I laugh into Legolas's chest. "Whoa!!" Gimli then yells as he gets tossed onto Fang by Stonepelt. I burst out laughing instantly and the wolves make a strange noise which I assume is laughter. The wolves sure can have a strange sense of humor sometimes. We continue running through the day and night. At some point, I had fallen asleep in Legolas's arms. He didn't seem to mind. When I woke up, I was clinging to him. Arms around his neck and legs around his waist. He must've changed my position as I slept.

"A red sun rises. Blood has been spilt this night." Legolas states. That slightly dampens my optimism. I hope nothing happened to our hobbits. I notice Shadowpaw perk up his ears as the sound of many hooves approaching us is heard. Legolas instantly puts me down noticing I'm awake. He then drags me behind a hill closely followed by Aragorn, Gimli, and the wolves. Legolas lays flat on the ground next to me, an arm covering my back. The sound of thundering hooves passes us. Aragorn jumps up and runs over the hill. I go to move, but get held down by Legolas's arm. I shove his arm off me and follow Aragorn, closely followed by said Elf and Gimli. I signal for Shadowpaw and the other wolves to stay put when they try to follow me with a sharp shake of my head.

"Riders of Rohan! What news from the Mark?" Aragorn yells to the riders. I quickly pull up the hood to my cloak. The horses begin to turn and come straight towards us. Soon we are encircled by the large group. Legolas instinctively stands in front of me. Protecting me from the menacing spear points.

"What business does, two men, an Elf and a Dwarf have in the Riddermark!?" The leader demands. His voice is familiar. "Speak quickly!" He says, and it confirms my thoughts. Èomer! I snicker. "Something funny?" He asks me, still clearly not knowing who I am.

"Is this really how you treat your old friends?" I say raising my head and removing my hood.

"Shadow? What are you doing here? And with this odd group of companions?" He asks confused. I smirk.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" I say playfully. Èomer rolls his eyes.

"Wait. Shadow?" Legolas asks me confused.

"My Ranger name." I reply plainly. He nods in response. His arm is still protectively covering my stomach as his hand rests on my hip.

"Tell me your name horse master and I will give you mine." Gimli pipes up. Èomer gets off his horse. Aragorn instantly puts a hand on Gimli's shoulder.

"I would cut off your head - Dwarf - If it stood but a little higher from the ground!" Èomer replies menacingly. I chuckle a little at the insult and notice Gimli give me a filthy look. Legolas then immediately aims his bow at Èomer's heart.

"You would die before your stroke fell!" he says clearly pissed at the threat to his friend. The spears held by the riders immediately direct towards Legolas and I, so I gently rest my hand on his arm, telling him to lower his weapon. He reluctantly agrees and lowers his bow.

"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn." Aragorn gestures to himself. "This is Gimli, son of Gloin." He directs his hand to Gimli. "And Legolas, of the Woodland Relm." He says finally motioning to Legolas. Who has gone back to protecting me with his arm. "You already know 'Shadow'." He says using my Ranger name. "We are friends of Rohan and of Théoden, your King."

"Théoden no longer recognizes friend from foe." Èomer says removing his helmet. "Not even his own kin." The spears instantly withdraw once Èomer's helmet is removed "Saruman has poisoned the mind of the King and claimed lordship over this land. My company are those loyal to Rohan. And for that, we are banished." I look at him in shock.

"How? why?"

"That rat of a man Gríma." Èomer confirms. I met the worm on my last visit to Rohan. The man disgusted me the first time I saw him. Even the sound of his name still repulses me. "The White Wizard is cunning. He walks here and there they say, as an old man, hooded and cloaked." Èomer continues. "And everywhere his spies slip past our nets." He says glaring at Gimli as well as Legolas.

"We are no spies. We track a band of Uruk-hai westward across the plains. They have taken two of our friends' captive." Aragorn says trying to calm the hostility between Èomer and our companions.

"The Uruks are destroyed. We slaughtered them during the night." Èomer says looking at me. His face falling when he sees my worry.

"But there were two hobbits, did you see two hobbits with them?" Gimli asks in hope.

"They would be small, only children to your eyes." Aragorn adds.

"We left none alive." Èomer confirms. "We piled the carcasses and burned them." He says pointing to a plume of smoke on the horizon.

"Dead?" Gimli says, looking down stunned.

"I am sorry." Èomer says, knowing the pain that I and my small group of friends feel. "Shadow, do you have any mode of transport?" Èomer asks, remembering the wolves. I whistle and the wolves pop up from behind the hill.

"Yes, but it would be nice to not have all our baggage on the animals on which we ride." I say my voice is shaky after hearing what Èomer said. Èomer whistles loudly.

"Hasufel! Arod!" He yells and two horses walk through the group to us. Èomer remounts his horse. "May these horses bear you to better fortune than their former masters. Farewell." He says nodding. I return the gesture, thanking him. "Look for your friends, but do not trust in hope. It has forsaken these lands. We ride north!" He yells the final words and the group of riders leave us.