Into the Shadows

The Two Rangers

Shadow ran across the dark path that led to the town of Bree. She past the menacing trees as they blew in the direction of the wind. The elleth tucked an piece of her hair behind her ear and pulled her hood forward, her boots clicked on the wet cement and Shadow was determined to get to The Prancing Pony before it rains. She'd been scheduled to meet a ranger from the south, his wild name was Archer as she was told to find a brown hooded man in the far corner of the inn.

Shadow then stopped in her tracks and saw a light farther down the path, she knew that was Bree. Suddenly a struck of lightning hit on one of the trees that led to the forest. Shadow darted towards the light and heard a rumble of thunder in the deep and dark sky.

She stopped in the front door and banged her knuckles to knock. A man opened the little slot and then immediately opened the full door after he saw the ranger. Shadow gave a slight nod before jogging off.

She started slowing down and walking through the muddy roads. There were still a fairly large amount of people out even though Shadow knew it was going to rain soon. They all glanced or stared at her but she didn't care.

Shadow stopped and looked at the entrance of The Prancing Pony. It was the same green wooden painted sign she saw years before. The elleth took a deep breath and walked in. There was a man sitting at the counter but Shadow only walked past him. It was a big crowd of people eating and talking.

But mostly getting drunk...

She groaned and slipped through the men and stopped at a large wood pillar.

She scanned the room and looked for a man with a brown hood. She spotted him in the corner of the inn sitting with his legs crossed on another chair. Shadow raised an eyebrow beneath her hood before slowly walking to the ranger. He seemed to notice her and dropped his legs from the chair and straightened himself.

Shadow walked towards the table as the chains on her attire clicked and clacked.

She took a seat next to the ranger and stared at the lit candle in front of them. There was an sinister silence between the two before Archer decided to break it.

"I hear your name is Shadow." He whispered.

"Indeed your correct, Archer." Shadow muttered back, "then what is your real name?"

Archer raised an eyebrow before answering, "Caspian." He smirked and tilted his head as a sign of wanting to know her identity.

Shadow hesitated if she wanted to give out her true identity but thought about her past. What she was known for. The infamous elf ranger. "It's better if you don't know. Call me Shadow." Archer nodded but had a hint of suspicion in his eyes.

"What of the journey for you to be here?" He asked.

"I was entitled to meet you for the danger that is upon our world." Shadow grinned. "Ah, yes. You know what I speak of, after the defeat of Sauron. And...the One Ring. I can sense danger and war is coming. For the greatest dark lord of Middle-Earth." Caspian paused.

"Morgoth." Shadow finished, "he is rising soon. Even the greatest elves know."

"Then we are all in danger." The ranger sighed. Shadow stayed quiet and thought for a minute and stared into the crowd of men. She then noticed a small head sticking out of the crowd.

'A dwarf? No, not any dwarves would enter in Bree, then it struck her....a hobbit.'

She tapped Archer on the shoulder and directed him to the hobbit.
He seemed to get the gig and smirked at Shadow who was in deep thought when the fellowship left--Rivendell. It was so close but she could not name the lad.